This will probably be long, but I would appreciate any and all advice. I am a CMB:BME major hopeful. I am aware of how difficult it is and have talked about it to many current students who are doing it. My freshman first semester ended with a 2.5 GPA with a total of 15 credits (which includes 2 1-credit mini courses). I had a C- in Chem 210 (orgo) and C in Math 115 (calc 1). During the semester, I knew that I was drowning mainly because of the social climate here; I absolutely hated it and even considered transferring several times. I just couldn’t find a balance or a place to go to where I felt like I belonged, and that was aside from constantly worrying about my family because I knew it was pretty shitty there too. Anyways, it was an expected blow to me, but after having christmas break and reflecting on how my first semester could have gone better, I felt a lot more confident going into this semester. I don’t doubt my abilities, because I’ve always managed to pull through. This semester I am taking calc 2 and have been doing really well in it. I am also continuing with orgo 2. I have a total of 17 credits. I have a lot of prereqs for my major that I want to finish and do well in. My advisor told me to drop math because I was going to fail. He did this multiple times last semester as well. The day before an exam he would ask me to schedule an appointment with him and proceed to tell me that I was going to fail my it before I even took it. I understand he wants the best for me, but I really did feel this determination/self-confidence that I can’t explain; like a gut-feeling and a drive. But after speaking with him again today and having him tell me I was going to fail (again), I just don’t know anymore. What do you suggest? Please help me think this through! I really appreciate it! Sorry if this sounds stupid. I am a first-gen so I really don’t have anyone to talk to about this who has experienced it; and I shun my advisor because I always leave their room wanting to cry so I can’t be honest with them either. Thanks!
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It looks like students needs to have a GPA of 3.2+ in order to be admitted into this program:
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/biology/Home/Academics/Majors%20&%20Minors/CMB-BME.MAJOR.pdf
With your 2.5 GPA (15 credits) last semester, you’d need to have close to a 4.0 GPA (with 13+ credits) this semester in order to be able to make that required 3.2 GPA. Unless you’re sure you’ll be able to achieve an A with your Math (along with A’s in your other classes this semester), you’re jeopardizing your chance of getting into CMB:BME program.
Sometimes, you need to listen to your adviser. Be honest with yourself, and make sure you don’t bite off more that you can chew for sure. Slow and steady wins the race. Good Luck!
Or sometimes, you need to get a NEW ADVISOR. What advisor would tell a student “You’re going to fail”? Go with your gut, that determination and self-confidence and drive that you said you feel. Adults are stupid, sometimes. I’m an adult. My S just applied to UMich. If he told me what you just wrote, I’d tell him the same thing, and give him a hug. Red flag-you leave this person’s office wanting to cry every time and you feel like you can’t talk to him!!! Get outa there! They are not helping you.
Never mind the advisor, and never mind the end goal right now. If you’re determined to succeed, take the steps to master the subjects and the rest will sort out. That means staying organized, getting tutoring, practicing before exams, using ga/prof hours, and just bearing down to master the work. It may be that the curriculum is a little more rigorous that what you’re accustomed to, but you CAN catch up if there were gaps in your knowledge base.
By way of example, my own son failed a freshman course for which he was not adequately seasoned during his time at Umich, but which was a requirement to his degree. He buckled down, retook it, and then went forward, doing well in subsequent sessions. He’d just needed to master the foundation better. While it takes determination and hard work to catch up at Umch when the pace is so fast, it can be done if you set your mind to it 
we’re cheering you on!
17 credit hours is alot. Only you can decide whether the admit after freshman year is worth it or not, if the only path is admittance after freshman year and what is the fallback position if not admitted. As I parent I would say you need to take the classes and the amount of classes that will enable you to stay in THAT major if that is what you want and hit the GPA target. First semester at 2.5 is not insurmountable to get to the 3.2, but it just gets harder. Make sure you don’t overload yourself . Is there a back door into the program like petitioning if you are very close to the 3.2? I don’t know much about the CMB/BME program?
Jaycee3, it’s quite possible that the advisor was thinking of the OPs position in terms of hitting the 3.2. The advisor may have assumed that the PRIMARY goal was to get admitted to the program and advised accordingly. Calc I may be one of the prerequisite courses for admittance into the program, but not Calc II…I don’t know.
msmich, don’t give up on Michigan or on BME. Michigan is a 3,000 acre campus with 43,000 students from all 50 states, 120 countries and all walks of life located in a very welcoming city with a population of 110,000. I am sure you can find a place where you belong if you give it a chance. As for BME, they require a minimum 3.2 GPA, but other Engineering concentrations require a 2.8.