Sparkles Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hi..... I've been browsing this forum for awhile and just want to say how much I love it! I'm a first year student (30) years old aching to get into medicine! I don't care where I go....it's been a passion of mine for years. However I am finding my return to school less than enjoyable. I work my ass off....but am pulling a 65 in my biology and a 70 in my stats. My English is only at an 81....French 89 and Chemistry 86...this is after all my midterms. I'm not sure if I should drop my stats or bio and aim for higher marks in my other courses? Or if I should just plug away and do my best. I want the best grades possible but I know alot of institutions want a full course load. I've tried my ass of in stats and biology but just don't seem to be pulling it off. I'd like to ROCK the finals for bio and stats, but that may be wishful thinking. Stats takes up most of my time....but if I retake it I can't see myself getting a much higher grade. Anyways....enough of my ramble. Are my chances of getting into medicine anywhere gone with these 2 low grades? Or if I continue and then ace everything else will the schools overlook this as first semester culture shock? I really want to plug away....I know I may not end up with the best grades in these, but I know feel I now know how to handle "college" life and would not end up with such low grades in my next semesters. What would you do? And remember....I will be applying to almost all the med schools I can when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahZ Posted November 1, 2006 Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 hi, I don't think medschools scour your transcript looking for bad grades, its all about the averages.Different schools calculate this differently, at some schools they won't even look at your first year, others weigh later years more or apply a weighting formula in which you can discount some of your lowest courses. Cheer up and just try your best, you will get the hang of studying soon. I wouldn't drop a class unless it was certain i would fail (cause your right its important to be fulltime), if I were you I would just do your best and see it through. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitum Medicinus Posted November 1, 2006 Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 Echoing what Sarah said and adding: Congratulations on your desire to pursue your dream. Far too many people wish for better and don't ever pursue it. You are already head and shoulders above so many dreamers by actually shooting for the moon, which makes you a star in my books. As far as your question: personally, my marks went up after first year. The things I enjoyed the most in terms of medical biology weren't taught in bio courses until third and fourth year; I didn't enjoy first-year bio (plants and the like) and consequently, did poorly in it, and I did much better in the things I liked much more and were more relevant to medicine that I learned in senior years (microbiology, immunology, physiology and the like). That being said, make sure that you're taking a major in something that you actually enjoy. It's better to get a 90% average in a History major than a 75% average in a Biology major; while schools do look at program strength, at the end of the day there's a lot to be said for an impressive GPA, and it's much easier to get a good GPA in a major you are truly enjoying. Don't take Biology just because you feel you have to or it would make the best "pre-med" degree; take whatever you would be interested in the most, as long as you can fulfull the prereq's of the school you're applying to. Many students end up having the time of their lives in their undergrad studying their hobbies, extracurricular passions or interests, music or arts or engineering or kinesiology, and then go on to fulfill their utmost dream and passion by getting accepted into medicine. Finally, you could always consider Caribbean or international schools (ie. http://www.atlanticbridge.com); while they cost much more, place you into a residency match as an International graduate (additional challenges but this could change soon), and arguably deliver a nonequivalent quality of education when compared to North American schools, it has been proven that in a number of cases you can get be accepted to those institutions with a lower average. You might want to check out a fellow blogger's experience in a Caribbean medical school; his URL is http://rumorsweretrue.wordpress.com/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles Posted November 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 Thanks for the encouragement! I'm just so frustrated and stats is so incredibly time consuming! I have a feeling I'm going to end up with a mark of about 70......and that worries me. The counsellor tells me to drop one of the two but I really don't want to if I don't have to....unless they weigh heavily on my getting into med school. And I do believe you are never too old to pursue your dream! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uofthopeful07 Posted November 1, 2006 Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 Thanks for the encouragement! I'm just so frustrated and stats is so incredibly time consuming! I have a feeling I'm going to end up with a mark of about 70......and that worries me. The counsellor tells me to drop one of the two but I really don't want to if I don't have to....unless they weigh heavily on my getting into med school. And I do believe you are never too old to pursue your dream! be careful with dropping courses etc. you might need a full course load for some of hte school's you'll be interested in applying to. for example, you could drop your bad courses, do really well this year in everything else--> and then not even have this year count for some schools, since it isn't at a full course load. also, just one note, i used to think that i would apply to every medical school i could as well. after applying this year, i would just like to say that it is a really time consuming process. applying widely, out of province, and in the states, i can say now, its a lot more work than i imagined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Heh, I was devastated to get a 55% on my physics midterm (granted, I didn't study as much as I should've) until I found out that 3/4 of the class got 50% or less. Now I tell everyone around me that I'm so proud to have gotten a whole 55%! Needless to say, she's giving us another midterm and will take the higher mark. Bottom line, 1) they can always end up curving grades at the end of the semester - by a lot, I remember having a C+ average in the first semester of physics which turned into a B+ after he curved everything 2) the rest of the class may be doing even worse, especially if it's a difficult subject like o-chem or physics, and even if your prof doesn't curve, your B may not look as bad when it's compared to other applicants' grades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daryn Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Jochi: your prof is so nice! Last year our math class had a final average of D+ (and after a mass exodus since the midterm which failed many people). Yet the department refuses to do anything about it. (it was a new prof and it's really too bad that he's teaching easier now and not then.) OP: Those are midterms! At least you still have the chance to pull great grades for the final. Have you looked for extra help from TAs and profs for bio and stats? Don't drop them because this may cost you even more in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles Posted November 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Heh, I was devastated to get a 55% on my physics midterm (granted, I didn't study as much as I should've) until I found out that 3/4 of the class got 50% or less. Now I tell everyone around me that I'm so proud to have gotten a whole 55%! Needless to say, she's giving us another midterm and will take the higher mark. Bottom line, 1) they can always end up curving grades at the end of the semester - by a lot, I remember having a C+ average in the first semester of physics which turned into a B+ after he curved everything 2) the rest of the class may be doing even worse, especially if it's a difficult subject like o-chem or physics, and even if your prof doesn't curve, your B may not look as bad when it's compared to other applicants' grades. For biology the class avg was 59 and the prof said he would give us all an extra 1-2 % at the end of the year. But for stats I had one of the worst marks!!! (70) I'm so stressed!!!! Everybody else seems to be withdrawing from subjects.....( the final date to withdraw is Nov 10), but I really don't want to. I've put so much time and effort in already! And I really don't want to takes stats again....I just want to get it over with!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDragoonX Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 removed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon01 Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Don't sweat it! I almost got kicked out after my first year of undergrad with my marks. But, like mentioned in the thread, some schools you can get by with a year or 2 of really @$!! grades. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Jochi: your prof is so nice! Last year our math class had a final average of D+ (and after a mass exodus since the midterm which failed many people). Yet the department refuses to do anything about it. (it was a new prof and it's really too bad that he's teaching easier now and not then.) I think it depends....when you have a HUGE proportion of the class get a mark below failing and the ones who didn't fail presumably didn't do so well either (I've spoken to many people in the class and the highest mark I've heard of so far is 65%), it tells you a few things about the professor's teaching abilities. Sure, some people don't study or don't study enough ( ) or just plain aren't very smart, but it's extremely unlikely that 3/4 of the class would be composed solely of those types of people. Besides, slackers usually know well enough not to take physics - I know most of the people in our class are hoping to go to dental or med school, so they can't be complete morons or have zero work (or study) ethic. I know some faculties will definitely question a professor's teaching ability if his or her class completely bombs an exam; but I guess it also depends on whether s/he has tenure or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge_w Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Honestly, stick with it if you think you can. Pull out all the stops, go see the professor, even hire a tutor if you have to! Above all, the pitfall is to feel stupid. Don't ever NOT ask a question because you think its a stupid question, and if the prof's answer really doesn't explain anything ask again! Honestly, its such a harmful and self-defeating impulse, and in the end, most people feel like you do. Good luck with everything, and good job on coming back to school! I see a few mature student sitting in class and I always admire them for their courage... It can't be easy sitting there with 400 annoying, loud, smelly teenagers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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