I am not quite sure if I need to find another major, or if I will be able to compensate for my error. Some opinions would be very helpful in this regard.
I am interested in biological engineering because I want to start a company to work on projects that make crop yields greater and greater, to carry on the work of such men as Norman Borlaug, and perhaps explore other projects as making plants grow in places where plants currently do not grow. I am very passionate about this, and it has held my interest for a number of years.
The problem I am facing at the moment is that last year I developed mild depression, possibly from withdrawal from ADHD medication. I am now doing decently, and I feel that I will be able to get As from here on out in community college, because I don’t find the work difficult and I enjoy what I’m studying. In my stupor last year, however, I managed to receive a ‘C’ in first semester calculus and a ‘B’ in a chemistry class that precedes the standard Introduction to Chemistry that is required to transfer to Berkeley. I have all As otherwise.
My ultimate educational goal is to get into the JD/PhD in BioE program at Stanford University. I really don’t care what my undergraduate major is, or where I receive my undergraduate degree so long as I get into that program. I would prefer Berkeley, however, because I love the location of the campus, and I believe that the educational standards there are top notch.
So, what should I do? Is it plausible to get into Berkeley at this point? Will achievement in higher maths demonstrate that my C is an outlier and that it is not a demonstration of my mathematical understanding or ability? Or is pure GPA too heavily weighted in the application for me to have a chance, regardless of what I do at this point?
For the record, straight As at this point would yield a 3.71.