<p>Hi Everyone,
I am finishing my sophomore year and in a slight panic. So far, minus this semester's grades, my overall GPA is a 3.496. I am an English and Biology (BA) double major and so far I have taken most of my English courses with one A- in the bunch, but my sciences is what I am worried about. Last year, my grandfather died the day before finals week, so my grades were pretty screwed and some medical problems have made things problematic, but I hate making excuses so I want some honest answers. In the following science and math courses, here is what I have gotten:
Semester 1
Calc 1: A
into chem 1: B-
Semester 2
intro Bio 2: B-
into chem 2: B
Calc 2: B-
Semester 3
Orgo 1: B-
Intro Bio 1: A-
Semester 4
Orgo 2: grade pending, predicting a B or B-
Cell biology: Grade pending, predicting a B-</p>
<p>As you can see, semester 2 was not so great and it's been downhill from there, even though, I have only received As in my English courses. I plan to take Physics and developmental biology next semester as well as a seminar on Health care in the 21st century. I'm not worried about my non science GPA, but what can I do to fix this. I will be a junior next year and I don't know what I should do. I've wanted to be a doctor for so long (in fact, my parents moved to this country partly so that I could pursue my career) and it has been even more important to me since my grandfather's passing from prostate and bladder cancer. I'm a realistic person and I want to know if I still have a chance and how I could maximize my chances of getting into med school. As a side note, my resume and extra curricular activities are really good. I have experience and internships in many different field, from communications to turoting. Last summer, I shadowed a doctor and this summer I'm going to volunteer in the ER of a hospital as part of a program.
Please shower me with your wisdom and realism, I need a healthy dose.
Thanks
Myrcat</p>
<p>You're almost exactly where I was. I had slightly better science grades and a little bit more lackluster grades in my major (sociology) because I'd stop trying in my sociology classes to focus elsewhere.</p>
<p>Obviously, your GPA isn't not where you'd want it, but, it's not completely placing you out of the game. Just how competitive you are is going to depend on your MCAT score and where you have resident status. Certainly a 33+ on the MCAT is going to do a lot more to help you than a 30, but by the same token being a Kansas or Iowa resident is going to be more beneficial than if you're a California resident. </p>
<p>The good news - as a bio major, you probably still have a fair number of science courses left to finish and raise your science GPA. </p>
<p>The bad news - you don't have the best performance record of excelling in science courses. </p>
<p>What should you do?
1) Be VERY choosy about the remaining bio courses you take (when that's possible). As a major, you likely have a number of required courses, but for those bio electives you get to pick, try to pick the best professors available, and classes that you feel you can really excel in. Med school adcoms are going to be concerned about your ability to handle the high level science courses you'll face in med school, and the best way to show them that you can is to do well in the 300 and 400 level classes in undergrad. </p>
<p>2) With a double major, you're likely taking pretty heavy course loads...if at all possible, I'd try to cut down your semester hours. Definitely no more than 16, and I'd prefer you to be at 14 for a couple semesters. There's the possibility that being a little bit low will negatively affect you, but at 14 hours that seems pretty minimal, and if you can do really well in those semesters, then the benefits out way the negatives. Things like summer classes to fill in some of your graduation requirements (and even some of your english requirements) can keep you on track to graduate in 4 if that's something that's important to you (or if it's extremely abnormal to graduate in 5 at your school).</p>
<p>3) Continue to do your EC's and strive for leadership positions in those organizations. Now is not the time to be dropping things.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. As far as my classes are concerned, I really thought about the course that I am taking next semester, and I'm pretty happy with it. As for taking a lot of courses, I'm cutting down. I'm an overachiever and have been overloading for a year and a half, next semester, I'm taking a lot less. Also, as for my ECs, I had to drop an organization that I ran because it was giving me undo stress and I was getting no respect whatsoever, however, I'm going to be an academic adviser and continue as head of other organizations, including one that deals with raising money for cancer awareness and Camp sunrise on Long Island.
Thanks
Myrcat</p>
<p>I got my grades for my Cell biology class and I got a B and also for one of my English courses, a A-, not very happy about either. But, I have my orgo final tomorrow and I am panicking. There is so much material and my professor refused to tell us what would be on the exam. It's beyond nerve racking.</p>
<p>But, I have my orgo final tomorrow and I am panicking. There is so much material and my professor refused to tell us what would be on the exam. It's beyond nerve racking.</p>
<p>That's how I liked 'em, as long as there was a nice curve to go along with it... Exams that have 50 as an average allow you to "kill" the average much better than if the average was 85...</p>
<p>haha, yeah. The curves though in this class are not always so great. She curves to the average which a C- for her. So, it's not always helpful. But oh well, the exam was frightening so I hope that everyone but me fails (just kidding :)</p>