AnonymousJanuary 22, 2014 at 5:13 PM
Hi K! Just commenting because I didn't know where else to.
I'm in my third year now here, MCB major. I started off strong my freshman year actually - 3.9 GPA. But last semester, my grades dropped quite a bit (only got one A). And on top of it all, I've started to waver in my convictions in being pre-med. But when I looked at other requirements for other paths (like pre-opt, PA) I started to panicking because I would have to take a lot more extra courses (hard ones too) on top of my MCB upperdivs for my major with only one year of college left! I typically only take 3 courses (two core and one breadth) each semester and a decal. What to do?
Sidenote: What are your thoughts on taking IB 132 separately from IB 132L?
I'm in my third year now here, MCB major. I started off strong my freshman year actually - 3.9 GPA. But last semester, my grades dropped quite a bit (only got one A). And on top of it all, I've started to waver in my convictions in being pre-med. But when I looked at other requirements for other paths (like pre-opt, PA) I started to panicking because I would have to take a lot more extra courses (hard ones too) on top of my MCB upperdivs for my major with only one year of college left! I typically only take 3 courses (two core and one breadth) each semester and a decal. What to do?
Sidenote: What are your thoughts on taking IB 132 separately from IB 132L?
Dear Anonymous
Thanks for stopping by! I completely, 100%, know how you feel-I was in the same boat thoughout most of my sophomore and junior year (one semester, I had no A's at all). My grades plummeted so low that, for a while, I seriously questioned my will to keep going, and I too, started looking at other options in healthcare.. :( However, I am here to tell you that it is possible to bring your grades up, and the important thing is to keep going and don't lose hope (easier said than done, I know :). My grades only started going up once I started upper divs for my major, so don't throw in the towel just yet ;)
Whenever I got panicked about my grades, I calculated my projected gpa for future semesters to see what I needed to get to bring my gpa up to what I wanted/needed it to be, and that helped shape the number and kind of classes I signed up for (both for overall gpa and science gpa), and it helped motivate me to give it my all so I could achieve my goals~
Also, I think it's important to realize that you don't need a 3.8 or 3.9 to get into med school (well...that depends on what school you're aiming for I suppose haha), and that if your GPA is falling behind a little by the time you apply, then try to make up for it with ECs, mcat, or LORs. If, by the time you graduate, you still feel like your application is sub-par, then you can always postpone for a year or so and do a postbacc or SMP, which will increase your chances of getting accepted the next cycle. In other words, there are many paths to medical school and, hopefully, a low gpa will not deter you away from your dreams, even if it may take a bit longer to get there :) But like I said before, when you're anxious and stressed, it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep the hope alive, so I guess I'll help you with it haha: Don't lose hope, you still have time to bring your grades up, and if not, there are still other ways to get into med school- stay strong-you can do it! :)
With regards to IB132, I took it with lab but it's not necessary- they start off together but diverge after a few weeks. But with that said, if you're planning on doing them separately, it might be easier to take the lecture portion first because lab is more conceptual and application based :)
I hope everything works out and if you need more encouragement, I'll be more than happy to provide it!
-K
