I’m a biochem major at UCLA and just finished freshman year and found out I got a C in Math 32A (multivar calc). I also got a C in Math 31B (calc 2), and have no idea how I did in first quarter of ochem. I’ve wanted to go to med school for longer than I remember and that’s still my goal, but I struggled so much in math these past two quarters (though I never have to take another math class again) and feel like my GPA is already too ruined to ever make it. Will these couple of C’s completely hurt my chances of getting into good med schools? I have >B+ in all of my other math/science courses, I just feel so defeated from these couple of Cs.
What is your overall GPA?
How you like the UC quarter system? Classes go faster and not much time to play catch-up. If you’re Biochem major, you need to rock the OChem. From your other posts, you’re from NY and paying OOS tuition at UCLA. Big classes, fast quarter system, OOS tuition… You need to get help (tutoring center, private tutor…). B+ is not good enough, you’ll need A’s. Two C’s wouldn’t kill you but you already dig a big hole. Next quarter if not getting A’s, you’ll need to decide whether to continue on pre-med.
What’s your cumulate GPA after freshman year? And also be aware that most UCs are killers when it comes to pre-med.
2 C’s in Calculus are not necessarily the end of the world, although from your previous posts, you mentioned taking Calculus BC. If you had a decent enough score, you could have gotten the credits for Calculus 1/2. Retaking the equivalent of BC may not have been a good idea in your case.
I’m still waiting on some grades from spring quarter, so I won’t know my overall GPA until later this week. It’s definitely not a competitive pre-med GPA as of right now, but I think my question is is there still time for me to do a complete turnaround—if I got As from here on out, will these few poor grades from freshman year be that detrimental?
@ks2018 Just wondering, do they not post your grades or is it something you have to keep track of on your own?
Do you love biochem? Because if you don’t, switch your major to something you love, and that you’d do well in. You see, med schools don’t want to take only math and science majors. They want people who have other interests, too, because they feel that they will make humane physicians. So if you love art, history, literature, languages, poli sci, anything else, go for it! You just have to also get decent grades in the premed courses, and do very well on the MCATs. Many med schools don’t even require calculus.
@andorvw I honestly don’t hate the quarter system, I kind of like being able to focus on less classes over shorter amounts of time, but it makes classes in series like math and chemistry harder because it’s more information in less time. Math is the only class I struggled that much in, and I’ll do what it takes to get A’s and see how I do in the upcoming quarters. Thank you!
@goneaway After finals (which were last week), professors input grades as soon as they finish grading the exams and determine the curve. Some professors email us, but for most of my classes I just check online because final grades should be up by the end of this week.
@parentologist This is my other concern, I thought I was interested in biochem because I loved AP Biology and Chemistry in high school, and biology and chemistry are still my favorite courses in college. As of right now, I’m minoring in Spanish and Global Health. Also, we have two different chemistry and math series for physical science majors (which is considered harder) and life science majors. I decided to be a biochem major because the series for physical science majors can be applied also to life science majors, but we can’t apply either life science series to a physical science. The only major I’d consider switching to is physiological sciences because I think that’d be interesting, but people I know in this major say the early classes in freshman / sophomore year are easier, but it gets harder junior and senior year, whereas the biochem majors I know say that the intro classes are extremely difficult, but it gets much more interesting and they get better grades as the major progresses.
What are you doing in your math classes? How many classes did you take?
@NASA2014 I took Math 31A (calc 1, which was basic calculus) and got an A-, and Math 31B (calc 2, sequences and series and integration) and Math 32A (calc 3, multivariable calc) which I both got C’s in. I never have to take calculus again, the only other math I have to take is biostats, and I took AP Stats in high school and did well so I think I can get an A in that. I took 11 classes freshman year.
It is a simple math question - you’ll need 3.7+ to be competitive (you’re lucky since you’re NY resident, not CA) and how many A’s you’ll need to bring your sGPA to 3.7+ range.
Math grades may be not that important than Bio or Chem but you’ll still need to get mostly A’s to be competitive. Biochem is a hard major (GPA-wise). A successful pre-med is the one who will do anything to keep their GPA up in the competitive range, not based on what others said.
To give yourself a better idea of where you’re at GPA wise, understand med schools calculate GPAs mainly in two important ways. One, a cumulative GPA (cGPA) for all college courses taken (even if taken in hs). Besides a total cGPA, a cGPA is also calculated for each year. Two, a total science GPA (sGPA) for all science (bio, chem, physics, math, (or BCPM)) courses taken. A sGPA is also calculated for each year. One’s sGPAs are considered to carry more weight. So what are your first year cGPA and sGPA?
Because of the way GPAs get reported (cumulative and yearly), it’s very easy to spot upward (or downward) trends. Med schools like upward trends. 3.7 GPAs are a target for MD schools, (3.5 for DO schools). So yes, you do still have some chance, perhaps more so for DO schools. However, every grade below an A from now on, especially in BCPM courses, will make it increasingly likely that you wiil need to look at your Plan B. It helps that you’re a biochem major as you should have plenty of UD BCPM course opportunities ahead to raise GPAs, especially sGPA.
Also understand that the med school application process takes a year meaning if you’re thinking you want to start med school after you graduate in 4 years, you would have to submit a competitive app in summer after junior year. A competitive app includes not only competitive GPAs, MCAT, but also evidence of traits med schools believe MDs should possess (eg altruism, compassion, leadership, communication skills, etc) This evidence can be found in one’s ECs, LoRs, PS, secondary essays, then if offered, an interview. So it’s not just about stats. In order to give you time to develop a competitive application in all respects, you should consider waiting until, at earliest, senior year before applying as it would maximize time to raise your grades and participate in say ECs prep/take MCAT, etc, and also have a college life. Yes it would involve a gap year(s).
All US med schools are good schools. 60% of those that apply do not get even one acceptance anywhere and half of those who get accepted only get one acceptance. Also do not blow off DO schools, you’re still a doctor, although you might be in primary care as a DO which isn’t a bad thing if that’s your goal anyways.
Good luck
A few C’s on your transcript is not the end of the world. As long as you show a swift response to those grades - make solid improvement in those classes in subsequent years. That kind of thing can actually work to your advantage - it shows the admissions committee’s your determination and resilience.