<p>Okay so I got a C in chem 1a this semester and have a GPA of around 2.7. My entire future career is ruined. I know that it's only first semester but I was really planning on med school or maybe doing business. How can I do business/ econ when I have to apply next year and the average of getting in is really high?? I know I could have tried harder, and will hopefully do better next semester. But will grad schools really look on improvement favorably? I'm really nervous and don't know what to think right now.</p>
<p>Hah that was me all semester. now i’m kind of over it but i really want to shadow ppl so that I motivate myself and try to work harder.</p>
<p>You must be a transfer student…</p>
<p>If you really think your future is ruined because you got a C (your freshmen year) in college, then you need a serious reality check.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about one C. Bad grades are like wounds: it hurts at first but congrats, it didn’t kill you. What matters now is what you do after you’ve been cut. Are you gonna cry about how your bleeding or are you gonna patch it up and move on?</p>
<p>i’m a freshman, but the problem is that I have a hard time concentrating. ever since junior year of high school, i think i lost a lot of essential studying skills. Even when I knew tests were coming up, I couldn’t bring myself to start studying until the last day.</p>
<p>make yourself go to the library every day and dont bring your laptop lol. if you study a couple hours every single day, you don’t even need to cram the day before a midterm.</p>
<p>The thing is, when you think of not studying, remember how you felt when you saw that C as your final grade. What feels worse? Forcing yourself to study or seeing that C as your final grade? The choice is up to you.</p>
<p>^^exactly (referring to momfirst), think about what you don’t want to have happen to you to motivate you (if that makes any sense).</p>
<p>you don’t want to be in the s***ty situation you’re in right now…so prepare. nothing you can do about it now but heads up for next semester.</p>
<p>pumpkinstars-- don’t worry about it, at least it happened freshman year so now you can have an upward trend. I’m a senior at Cal and I know it’s not the same but I just got my first “B” and it hurt… It isn’t the end of the world, you are going to have years of grades to accumulate that will counter the one bad semester. </p>
<p>Love the laptop exclusion tip regarding studying at the library… that will definitely help because you are forced to study without the good ole’ Facebook distraction. </p>
<p>To bring your GPA up look to take classes with well reviewed professors with a high GPA average when data is available. I have done this my entire time at cal and is the reason I have a GPA of 3.8+. Furthermore, get into study groups for all classes, I have never not gotten an A when I have been in a study group. You are forced to study and discussing the material really helps with retainment. </p>
<p>Cheers</p>
<p>lol yeah I seem to have lost my studying habits too. Well, idk I’ll sit down to study but then I wasn’t focused on learning it I guess or understanding the material and putting it into reality. That might’ve been cause i started to hate the subjects I took. So this semester will be much more fun and interesting i think. </p>
<p>and how do u get into study groups? through slc or just with people in your class? I feel like it’s a waste of time because people don’t know what they’re talking about lol but that was back when i went to stupid schools with stupid people. so i bet berkeley is a lot better. </p>
<p>and DEACTIVATE your facebook! : ]</p>
<p>Your career is not ruined.</p>
<p>You’ll be alright. You still have 7+ semesters and summer sessions to pull that up.</p>
<p>Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Use that as motivation to do better.</p>
<p>I say get some focus. You said either business or Med school. First thing, choose one and stick with it. What are you going to do with both business and med school. Don’t divert your efforts.</p>
<p>If you choose business, you can always do econ now, since they only care about pre-req grades anyways. Or you can do haas who looks a lot at improvement, so just improve your 2nd semester.</p>
<p>If you choose med school, you have 7 semesters. And always consider pharm or dental or other options. And if you feel like science just isn’t your cup of tea, know NOW. Don’t keep pushing… find something that you can do well in. (I know I made that mistake) ^___^</p>
<p>I changed both my majors and my minor junior year. Start early… don’t make the same mistakes as me :S Things aren’t going to get better if nothing changes. Either change your habits, or change your classes, or change your level of motivation :)</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>