<p>I'm a premed rising sophomore at Duke University. I had a very poor freshman year GPA-wise and am trying to figure out how exactly to plan my next three years in order to best position myself for medical school acceptance. I had been planning on being an Econ or Computer Science major, but it looks like I will be compelled to major in a science out of necessity (seems impossible to bring up my science GPA sufficiently otherwise). My advisors have been coercing me to take two humanities classes and two science classes each semester but it doesn't seem like I will be able to improve my science GPA enough if I do this. I am fairly gifted in the humanities/social sciences but I am much more interested in the hard sciences and practical things like Econ/Compsci. Would it be a good idea to start taking 3 science classes and 1 liberal arts class each semester, or maybe to overload? Am I thinking about this situation the right way? Thanks for any insight/advice.</p>
<p>My grades freshman year were:</p>
<p>1st Semester:
Writing: A
Computer Science: A
Inorganic Chemistry I: B
Laboratory Calculus I: C+</p>
<p>2nd Semester:
Philosophy: A
Literature: A
Organic Chemistry I: A-
Laboratory Calculus II: B+</p>
<p>I know this is really bad (science GPA of ~3.1) but I'm wondering if it's possible to overcome this poor start. Has anyone had a similar freshman performance and overcome it? What was helpful? I find it hard to accept that I'm 'not cut out for medical school' because of my GPA (I think I'm more intelligent than my grades indicate, I just have had major issues adjusting to college social life) but I appreciate honesty all the same.</p>
<p>If you take 6 more BCPM courses (pre-med courses) with all A grades, that looks like a BCPM GPA of around 3.53. If you take 11 more BCPM courses (major in a science) with all A grades, that looks like a BCPM GPA of around 3.69. Doesn’t look like you have much room for error if you still want to try for MD school in the US.</p>
<p>I think that I am capable of raising my science GPA to ~3.6 by the end of my junior year (overall GPA to ~3.8) if I major in Biology without overloading or taking summer classes. </p>
<p>I don’t think that I could realistically hit a 3.7 science GPA by the end of junior year unless I overloaded more than once, took summer classes, and cut back on my extracurriculars. Would it be better to do this or to just apply after my senior year? I am reasonably confident that I can bring my science GPA to a 3.7 by the end of my undergraduate career if I major in Biology. My main concern is whether or not I should start approaching my undergraduate career as if I will not apply until after senior year.</p>
<p>I do extremely well on standardized tests (2400 SAT, 35 ACT) and am expecting to get a competitive (36+) MCAT score but I’m not sure how much that can mitigate the 3.6 or worse I will have at the end of junior year.</p>
<p>Is biology the BCPM subject you are most interested in (as opposed to chemistry, physics, or math)? You are more likely to get the highest grades in the subject you are most interested in.</p>
<p>But it may be a little early to decide on a major – can you take courses next semester or year to make progress toward pre-med requirements, one or more of the BCPM majors, and your other majors of interest (economics and/or computer science), so that you can decide later which way to go after seeing some more BCPM grades?</p>
<p>I am probably most interested in Chemistry but–though I hate to think like this–I don’t think that I could maintain a high enough GPA in a Chem major.</p>
<p>At Duke, Chemistry classes curve to B-/B, Biology classes curve to B/B+, and Math/Physics curve to C+/B-. Because of this, and because I do very well in less quantitative (more conceptual) classes like Biology, it seems like Biology is the best option.</p>
<p>I think that I would get mostly B+/A- grades in Chem classes, B/B+ grades in Math/Physics, and A-/A grades in Biology. However, I do think it’s a good idea to wait and see how my next semester goes before committing to a major. I’m taking Orgo II and, since I missed the solid “A” by a hairsbreadth this semester, I think it’s quite possible that I might get an A in Orgo II and then I think I might be confident enough to pursue a Chem major. </p>
<p>I feel as though I’ve shot myself in foot with these grades and really wish I had ignored the people who said not to worry about grades freshman year and gone with my instinct.</p>
<p>Why don’t you just plan to apply to med school the summer you graduate, this allows another year of science grades to be averaged in plus another year of ECs.</p>
Aaah. So now we know what went wrong. You went to “Lawn and Garden” for advice when you should have gone to “Plumbing and Electrical”. Lesson learned, huh?</p>
Better to put forward the best app possible. You do not want to re-apply. And anyway, if you start planning now for your slide year, it could be awesome. Maybe the best year of your life so far, if you do it right. ;)</p>
<p>My DD was completely happy to have that year off, she had a great job with great experience and enjoyed the break from studying. She also noticed that, after hanging out with non-educationally minded people, she wanted to get back to school. A good way to begin a grueling journey.</p>
<p>Much better to apply once with your strongest profile and find something cool to do that slide year.</p>
OP, Based on your posts, if you really want to major in chemistry, you may want to consider whether you have enough quantitive skills by the time you will take two semesters of Physical Chemistry, which is the bread-and-butter, required course for any chemistry major. How well you do with a premed orgo class has very little correlation with how well you will likely do in the physical chemistry class (unless your p-chem professor chooses a “conceptual chemistry” approach to teach quantum chemistry, which is unlikely at most colleges.)</p>
<p>A student who was a year before DS’s year, a chemistry major, once posted on CC that how well you possibly do in a class like p-chem has more to do on your math or even physics preparation, rather than the skills for acing an introductory chemistry. Actually, the p-chem professor at DS’s school seems to welcome an engineering student more than a biology or even biochem students to take his class because he really does not want to “cut corners” in his presentation in the p-chem class (meaning that it requires a lot of advanced math which is likely either at or above the level of calculus 3.)</p>
<p>BTW, There is a chance that, when your parents (or even RA) told you what you just posted (about “not to overly stress yourself to get top grades in freshman year”), it is because they do not want to give you too much pressure when you start to adjust to your college life. If this is the case, you should appreciate the fact that your parents are at least not those kinds of parents who are fully aware that your high school science/math teachers were really not that great (e.g., your family could not afford to live in the best school district in town or send you to a top prep school?) but still give you a lot of pressure to perform at the level of the best student from a top high school when you set your foot on campus. Their intention may be to give you some time to catch up with those top gunners. (A lot of speculation on my part here.)</p>
BTW, I know a case that an elder brother who is a med school student gives his younger sibling “bad advice” with all good intentions. This is because he did not go to the same institute his younger sibling did. Only you know yourself the best. Be diligent to seek advices, but make a decision by yourself.</p>
<p>I don’t think that I’m BAD at more quantitative classes by any means. My main hinderance in quantitative classes so far has been largely due to lack of sufficient effort on my part. However, I readily admit that math is not one of my natural talents. That said, I suppose I could sit in on some physical chemistry classes next semester to try and determine if it’s within my ability. Also, I could consider a double major in Biology (BS) and Chemistry (BA) because the BA in Chemistry does not require any higher level math than what I have already taken. Also, this path would allow me to potentially dilute my poor BCPM GPA more effectively. </p>
<p>Oh and my parents are actually quite wealthy and offered to pay for a better high school, I just stubbornly did not want to go to a private prep school because my friends were going to a mediocre public school nearby. I deeply regret this in hindsight. Also they don’t pressure me at all really, and I wish they did. All of my motivation to do well academically has been my own, and I think I would be much more intelligent and capable today if my parents were a bit more “pressuring.”</p>
<p>^ If anything, please don’t blame your parents or anyone else. The first thing in accepting your own fault is recognizing it as your own fault. Unfortunately, that is the place to start improving, no matter how much it stings, but it gets you running.</p>
<p>You did well getting into Duke from an average public HS with no pressure from parents. You also did well on Org Chem. Just be careful about taking toughness classes that are unnecessary. </p>
<p>Do you like Biology? You should take Biology I and decide what to do. And, you don’t need to decide on a major yet. You can always take science courses from Chemistry or others if you like.</p>