NEED ADVICE: First semester experience

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
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<p>So I just barely survived my first semester at Berkeley. I'm an intended MCB major with premed intentions. However, after seeing my grades, I think my chances of getting into any medical school are really low. I got a C in both math 1A and chem 1A. Horrible, I know. I'm really upset with myself, and I think I could have done so much better if I worked harder.</p>

<p>Chemistry was never really something that came naturally to me. I'm actually happy that I passed because I was expecting a failing grade, considering my horrible chemistry background. I had horrible chem teachers in high school who couldn't pass the AP exam themselves, and Majda was the worst lecturer ever. I'm taking chem 3A next semester, and I'm deathly afraid that it'll be worse than my experience with 1A. However, people have been telling me that 3A is actually easier than 1A, and that students tend to do better than they did in 1A. Is that true?</p>

<p>I'm mostly disappointed with my performance in math 1A. I love calculus, and I got a 5 on the BC exam, so I was expecting the class to be a breeze. I was wrong. I had Vojta as a professor, whose lectures consisted of nothing but proofs, and a GSI with a thick incomprehensible accent. You can imagine how that went. On the plus side, I have a supposedly easy professor next semester for 1B, but I'll definitely work harder this time.</p>

<p>I know the first semester of college is the adjustment period, so of course it's going to be challenging. But is there still hope for me? Is there a way for me to make up for my poor grades? For example, I was thinking of taking multivariable calculus to make up for my grade in math 1A. And do I still have a chance of getting into medical school?</p>

<p>Please tell me it isn't the end of the road for me just yet /:
And thank you for taking the time to read my post!</p>

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<p>Absolutely. Although I think Berkeley is a terrible place to be a pre-med, bad grades in the first semester can be overcome as long as you realize what the problem was and not make the same mistake.</p>

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<p>You do not have to major in MCB or anything in particular to take the pre-med courses, although taking more BCPM* courses and getting A grades in them would dilute the C grades you got. However, it may be best to think of backup plans if you do not get into medical school – MCB majors do not have very good job and career prospects at the bachelor’s degree level: <a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Getting a C in Math 1A after a 5 on the AP calculus BC test may indicate that you need to modify your study habits. Lots of students came into the course (with the same instructors) with less or no calculus background (and others with the same calculus background as you had did fine in courses more advanced than Math 1A), so it is not like you were at a disadvantage.</p>

<p>*biology, chemistry, physics, math</p>

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<p>Not enough data is available to us to show why good students coming out of California public high schools with 5’s in Calculus AB/BC (and other tough AP’s) still get C’s in 1A, 1B, 53 and 54 classes. Most likely, if you had “worked harder”, whatever that means, you might have gotten a C+ or B- and not the kind of grade you’re looking for. It’s the system, not you. There is a whole generation of smart kids that are getting messed up. Best of luck to you! You are not alone. By the way, it’s the same at UCLA.</p>

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<p>It’s not the system, it’s these kids coming into classes thinking it will be a “breeze” because they are basically “retaking” a course that’s causing them to fail. I see it all the time, these guys come in with “5’s” expecting easy A’s and they either don’t go to lecture, don’t pay attention when they go to lecture, don’t go to section, don’t pay attention in section, don’t actually try to do the homework, and don’t actually “try” to study for exams. They flip through the Stewart calculus books and say to themselves, “I can take a derivative” and that’s that. </p>

<p>Just look at the way you talk OP, “my professors are terrible, my GSI has a thick accent, worst lecturer ever.” You know, there are 500 other kids in the class, and quite frankly grade distributions are almost identical from any of these lower division classes; just look at schedule builder. In terms of grading, you have basically the same opportunity as other kids. </p>

<p>It’s time to stop making excuses for your terrible grades and own up to them. Your study habits were trash, there’s no getting around it. The sooner you stop relying on professors to “hand you” A’s, the easier time you will have in Berkeley.</p>

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<p>Students coming from California public high schools will generally perform below the average for these classes. It’s particularly harsh when the classes are curved to a C+/B-. It’s not their attitude or purported laziness.</p>

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<p>Most students at Berkeley are from California public high schools, and many of them do quite well (i.e. A grades) taking more advanced math courses than Math 1A after scoring 5 on AP calculus BC.</p>

<p>Indeed, it would not be surprising if the honors courses (H1B, H53, H54) are mainly populated by freshmen coming straight from high school calculus with scores of 5 on a calculus AP test.</p>

<p>Average grades at Berkeley were over 3.2 as of 2005, according to [National</a> Trends in Grade Inflation, American Colleges and Universities](<a href=“http://www.gradeinflation.com%5DNational”>http://www.gradeinflation.com) .</p>

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<p>You’re making the assumption that students coming from California public high schools generally do worse in these classes, but agree that not enough data is available. In this case, you’re just making a hypothesis and fishing for evidence which agrees with your initial hunch. </p>

<p>For every story you “heard” about a student doing bad, I can easily tell you one about a student doing good (myself included, coming from one of the poorest California public high schools). </p>

<p>Perhaps it’s not the system, but it’s just the way its meant to be. For so long these kids have been the creme de la creme of their classes, absolutely crushing the competition since middle school. Some have parents that held their hands, some had tutors, some just can’t handle college serious enough because they’re out on their own and have no one looking over their shoulders. This isn’t high school where people are going to nag on you for skipping classes or not turning in assignments. </p>

<p>If you really wanted to succeed, you would try harder. There are so many opportunities for support at Berkeley for these lower division classes its ridiculous. Your GSI has an unbearable accent? Go to another GSI’s office hours. Go to the SLC. Form a study group. </p>

<p>The quicker these superstars from high schools stop blaming the professors, their GSIs, “the system” for their failures the better. No need to fuel these students with the notion that it’s not them it’s the system (which I’m willing to be a left nut on that it’s based off either your personal experiences or from stories of your fellow classmates, which is NOT representative of the true realities). </p>

<p>Long story short, try harder, do something different. Change your study habits, review lecture notes after lecture, do the homework a couple days before it’s due, watch online videos to solidify your understanding, do extra practice problems, visit your GSI’s office hours, visit OTHER GSI’s office hours, form a study group, go to the SLC (free tutoring?!). There are so many things to do that I find it hard to believe it’s the “professors” fault or the “systems” fault.</p>

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<p>+1 to ApTester</p>

<p>Purely anecdotal, but I went to a California public high school, got a 4 on BC and never took AP Chem, and performed better than the OP in Math 1A and Chem 1A.</p>

<p>You’ve got to work smarter and harder, especially if you’re premed. There are other premeds in the same classes as you who will ALWAYS do what it takes to get an A. It’s not impossible. You just have do to the same if you want to be competitive.</p>

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<p>Thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it. I’ve realized that I have no one to blame but myself for my poor performance. Lesson learned. I know now that if I really want it, I have to do everything I can to get it.</p>

<p>I just wanted to know if I can still do it.</p>

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<p>Chem 3a is not easier than chem 1a, maybe for some but for most people, no</p>

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<p>the amount of effort you put in correlates with the grade you will get. i came from a fairly competitive high school and did well in my AP chem class yet still got 70% on my first 2 midterms because i underestimated how hard berkeley is. i studied my butt off for the third midterm and got a 95%. trust me. intelligence, although a factor, does not determine your gpa. also, berkeley isn’t known for its personal attention so you have to find your resources. </p>

<p>now with all that said, hope is not lost. even if you can’t become a doctor, there are plenty of other health-related careers. biostatistics, pharmacy, etc. are stable jobs that have decent pay. :slight_smile: just work harder next semester!</p>

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<p>California public high schools are absolutely awful compared to public high schools in most of the country.</p>

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<p>UCBalum and APTester are both right. </p>

<p>You need to change your study habits fast. When you study in college, it is especially vital to go to the office hours. Even if you dont have a lot to ask, since there will be a lot of your classmates there. You’ll learn what the professor prefers to put on the test if nothing else.</p>

<p>I went to every single office hour the professor had and every GSI review as well. Chem 3a has some of the best GSIs of any lower division class and there were a lot of uGSIs who are real geniuses. </p>

<p>Math 1B is famous for being much more difficult than Math 1A. Likewise, Chem1A is just a simple prelude to Chem 3a and 3b. I advise you not to take more than two of any of the following in any semester based on my experience. </p>

<p>Math 1B
Chem 3a
Chem 3b
Physics 8b
Bio 1A
MCB100</p>

<p>I planned my schedule well enough so that I took each of those in different semesters (yes, it is possible). The relatively easier pre-reqs by general consensus are.</p>

<p>Math 1A
Bio 1B
Chem 1A
Physics 8A</p>

<p>I personally gave up my social life completely to do well in class. The bottom line is, it isn’t going to get easier. You need to make changes to what you’ve been doing immediately.</p>