Hi all,
I have a situation and really want some thoughts and ideas.
I’m currently a biology major on my 4th semester so I’m almost a junior. My grades are pretty low in my major. My major GPA is currently a 2.8 with my last 3 semesters. I’ve always thought about going to optometry school but now realizing my grades are too low. I got a C in gen chem 1, C in gen chem 2, failed calculus and retook it for a B, A in physics 1, A- in bio, B in bio lab, A in physics lab. Right now I’m taking organic chem, physics 2, and organism bio with all corresponding labs. I’ve gotten C’s on all orgo tests but homework is 10% of your grade, physics is looking like a B right now, and bio hopefully I can get an A-. I have a C in chem lab, C in bio lab, and an A in physics lab. My grades are pretty ugly and C’s everywhere. I’m finding it more difficult than I thought and freshman year I messed up really bad. I wish I could go back and redo gen chem because looking back it was super easy.
So here are my questions:
- Is it possible to retake courses you passed with a C in to get a better grade? I want to retake my gen chem classes if I keep my bio major.
- How horrible are my grades? What can I do with a degree in biology? As I’ve been looking a bio BS can only make like max 55k. And not even sure if my grades can get me to a masters.
- Main point of posting this is: I’m thinking of changing my major to business with an emphasis in information systems and minor in bio. Good or bad?
If I change my major to business: info systems, there are plenty of jobs and I’m thinking of turning my bio classes into a minor. I’d have 15 units left to make it into a minor but that’s fine.
I’m just wondering should I truly abandon science all together? Should I take more pre-med classes instead of doing a bio minor? I’m pretty sure I have beyond a 0% chance at optometry school (I’ve been looking at some in Los Angeles since I live around) but I still wish I could do it. If this is relevant: I’m a white female so I don’t think that will match many school quotas. Not sure how far being female really helps with quotas. Anyway, optometry has good pay and it’s a more “clean” doctor and eyes are interesting. I just didn’t realize until this point in my school career how low my grades were. It’s very discouraging when my friend in my major has a 3.6 bio major GPA and here I am with a 2.8 Why would they take me when they can take her? If I am able to redo my gen chem classes then I’m thinking I may have a chance. But is that even a possibility? I go to San Diego State if anyone knows any info about them.
I’ve also considered environmental science that way I can keep my science classes but since the EPA is being destroyed it’s a really bad route to go. Plus, there aren’t really any jobs with such a degree.
***My current idea is:
-Major in Business: Information Systems with a minor in Biology
My boyfriend is a business major and I’ve seen all his classes and seen it seems very doable and I could definitely get a really high GPA in business. Science is very difficult and I despise lab more than anything. Being in lab honestly feels like torture tbh.
Sorry this is long but thanks for reading the whole thing,
Any thoughts or comments?
I really want ideas and comments. Be as harsh as possible, please tell me reality and what’s the most realistic.
With your current grades you won’t be admitted to Optometry school or grad school in biology, and you can’t really do much professionally speaking with that major and these grades. So, I think that switching to MIS is an excellent idea. Start taking basic pre-reqs this summer at a community college nearby your home.
^I agree with the first part but not necessarily the second.
Whether or not you can retake classes with grade replacement depends on your school. Usually the original grades remain on your transcript, even if your GPA doesn’t taken them into account.
Your GPA isn’t horrible, but it is not high enough to gain you admission to medical school.
It’s not true that the max you can make with a biology degree is $55K. That depends on a whole lot of factors, but there’s really no max salary you can make with any specific degree. It depends on what you do with it.
Whether or not you should abandon science is really up to you and your interests. But you say that you despise it, so why wouldn’t you change?
Schools don’t do quotas anymore.
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The EPA is not the only agency that hires environmental scientists BY FAR. Lots of nonprofits, other government agencies, and private corporations hire environmental scientists and others in related fields. (Think about a large corporation who is expanding and needs to survey land before they pick new building sites. Think chemical companies that need to do environmental surveys and follow regulations and need advisement from environmental scientists. Think airlines, who need weather forecasting and environmental information to plan their flight patterns and plans.)
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Who told you that there aren’t any jobs with this degree? Where are you getting your information from?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for [environmental scientists and specialists](Environmental Scientists and Specialists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) will grow 11%, faster than the average, between 2014 and 2024. And those are just jobs with that title. Similar jobs that will grow faster than average are atmospheric scientists and metereologists; environmental science and protection technicians; environmental engineers; and geoscientists. Epidemiologists and hydrologists will grow just as fast as the average.
BUT if you wanted to change your major to information systems - that could be a good change, too. I would like to point out that the new grad unemployment rate for information systems majors (12-14%) is actually higher than it is for biology majors (7-8%; https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/HardTimes2015-Report.pdf). I’m saying that not to discourage you from changing your major - you can get a job with either, if you know what skills to develop and get some internship experience - but to make you think differently about majors and how they lead to jobs.
If you retake the class, your grades will be averaged on the optometry admissions application. Have you looked at AZCOPT? SCCO would require a much higher GPA and Western is slowly becoming more competitive as well. If you are really interested in optometry, you should re-take your classes and get As to bring your Cs up to Bs and study study study for your OAT.
Have you considered other allied health professions - Both Chirophractic and Occupational Therapy have lower GPA requirements.