<p>I'm a bio major and I've been having a hard time transitioning from high school to college, although I do love college so far. But I have a bunch of C's and like 2 B's so far, possible only 1 B. So I might finish with a 2.4 GPA. I'm desperate to try and raise but it's so hard! I'm a bad test taker, that's the main reason. I'm learning from biology and chemistry and I love it, but it's just the test that messes me up. Should I give up on med school?</p>
<p>It’s too soon to give up. </p>
<p>However, you need to figure out what you need to do to improve your grades. I strongly suggest that if you are getting Cs–then you don’t know the material as well as you seem to think you do. </p>
<p>As a first step, go get tutoring from the academic support center at your college. It’s free and there are tutors for every class you’re enrolled in. Start going NOW. Don’t wait until next semester. </p>
<p>You also need to improve your overall study skills. The academic support center offers study skills instruction. Maybe as a seminar or class; maybe on an individual basis. Go get help. </p>
<p>Third, if have test anxiety --get yourself to the counseling center ASAP and work on developing coping skills. Medicine is full of high stakes, standardized tests, starting with MCAT, continuing with USMLE/COMLEX and thereafter with specialty board exams. You will be taking tests for as long as practice medicine.</p>
<p>While you are not all out yet, but your chance to be a medical doctor is slim. Unless you can turn around and earn noting but As for the other 7 semesters you probably can’t make it. </p>
<p>I think you should consider Plan B right now and find some subjects that are marketable and easier to accomplish such as computer science, nurse and accounting</p>
<p>I know about 10 pre-med bio major students personally, those who changed courses early are very successful, one is a hedge fund manager. Those who waited after graduation with bio major and did not make it to med schools are selling clothing in retail stores or driving a bus while going through post bacc</p>
<p>what were your high school stats?</p>
<p>What kind of school are you now attending? </p>
<p>Just want to disagree that you need to get straight As for the next 7 semesters. My goodness, there are many medical schools out there willing to accept students with less than spectacular GPAs. See if you can bring those Cs up to Bs by the end if the semester.</p>
<p>^^ Unrelated to this thread, I was looking up some thing here</p>
<p><a href=“http://mdapplicants.com/index.php”>http://mdapplicants.com/index.php</a></p>
<p>There is an applicant from Columbia U with straight B’s and sub 30 MCAT, he did not get any where, not even DO Schools. Perhaps you can find some 2.4GPA students went to MD schools there.</p>
<p>Using an online calculator and making assumptions (assuming straight As, 4 classes per semester/4 units each) you could raise GPA to 3.7ish by end of third year which would be quite competitive and huge upward trend which is very positive. So on one hand, it’s too soon to give up. On the other hand, “I’m a bad test taker.” Is straight As a realistic possibility??? Every grade beneath an A at this point makes it just that more difficult.for you. Take wowmom’s post above to heart, especially the “start going NOW”. Try to finish current semester strong. Consider only taking minimum courses to maintain full time status next semester to take some pressure off. Realize that you may not want to apply to med school after junior year as besides the necessity of getting great grades/MCAT you’ll need time for ECs. Assume that to give yourself a chance you may have to wait until end of senior year to apply. You may have to consider grad school. You may need to consider DO pathway. You may need to as suggested above consider a plan B outside of medicine. You’ll need to greatly improve test taking ability, you just won’t make it if you do not. Good luck.</p>