Geometry in 8th Grade with one B+

Parents Forum
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My daughter is medical study aspirant and we have hired a private college counselor, yesterday the counselor told my daughter she has low chance of getting in reputable undergrad for Biology and Chemistry because she has a B+ in 8th grade (Geometry). Her suggestion was to some other courses in reputable college and change major later on. My daughter is super disappointed by this recommendation.

My daughter has good course rigor, she has done AP World, AP Calc AB, AP Bio. AP score of 4s and 5s. Her grades is entering into junior year is 4.21(4.17 10-12) weighted and 3.86(3.67 10-12) unweighted and she plan to do AP Physics, AP Chem along with other APs and community college courses.

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Is the 8th grade geometry B+ on the transcript? Included in the HS GPA?

This is confusing. What is her cumulative unweighted GPA for 9th and 10th? How many non A’s in core courses does she have in 9th and 10th?

I would consider getting a new counselor. Is that an option or did you already pay for services thru 12th grade?

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I would get a new counselor.

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This is the advice from a paid college counselor?! You should ask for a refund.

You’ll get much better advice here for free!

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Sorry for confusion, student driver here

Not sure how to calculate 9th and 10th separately and if that is what you are asking but she has all As or A+s in 9th grade courses done are Hon Algebra, Hon Chem, Pre Calc. 10th Grade with Calc AB B+ AP Score 5, AP Bio B+and AP Score 4, AP WH course grade A and AP Score 4. Planning for AP Chem, AP Stat and advance courses in community college. Hope that helps

Unfortunately we paid lump sum in beginning. She has pretty good results helping kids go to ivy and top 10s

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Totally, I have been reading in background. This amount of knowledge and energy in this forum is amazing. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Yes

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I meant cumulative unweighted, so combined for those two years…maybe that’s on the transcript?

I would not worry much about the B in 8th grade. B’s (and lower) in 9th-11th will matter much more.

Make sure she takes core courses in each of the five core subject areas (eng, math, sci, Soc studies, foreign lang) all 4 years. She should also take bio, chem, and physics.

What math classes will she be taking in 11th and 12th?

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Ivys and top 10 admission are a crap shoot. Your counselor may be trying to manage expectations.

Honestly, Bs in bio and calc are more worrisome than a grade in 8th grade. Bs in math and science for a future pre med will likely keep her out of the very top schools. BUT…it doesn’t matter! There are plenty of great schools where your child will get a great education and still be able to matriculate to medical school.

I would also say that your child is taking some of these APs much earlier than most. I would caution you about over acceleration.

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I gave you her overall GPA earlier. I see now it all in the sections and for Grade 9-10 it is showing GPA: 4.33 U/W GPA: 3.83

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Calc BC and Stat

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Is she doing AP physics and AP chem during junior year? Or am I reading it wrong?

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Did the counselor tell you that premed is not a major and you can take the necessary classes pretty much anywhere? And college gpa is weighed heavily for medical school so more rejective colleges might make it even more difficult to get into medical school? Never mind the low percentage of students who planned on that path starting college who actually go to medical school? What are her test scores?

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I think there’s a pretty severe disconnect. “Reputable” universities are not going to blink at a 3.86 unweighted GPA - she can find lots of options. Now if you’re hiring the college counselor as you’re gunning for ivy and Top 10 - 3 Bs are going to hurt. But the total disconnect is pretty much none of those schools admit by major, so whether she is applying as a Biology major is not going to make a bit of difference.

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Your daughter does not need to go to a top 20 college to be accepted to medical school and have a wonderful career as a doctor.

Fact is…your kid can take the required courses for medical school applicants at just about every four year college in this country. Applications to medical school consider your college GPA, sGPA and MCAT scores as the first cut. They don’t care at all about any grade in HS. And believe me, there are plenty of medical school students who have a couple of B grades and even a C grade…in college!

When the time comes, years from now, your student will look at their college academic info, and perhaps work with the health careers advising folks (although really…most medical school applicants do most of the hunting themselves) to find a variety of MD and DO schools to send applications to (and yes, you can be a very successful doctor getting your medical degree from a DO school…you can message me for more info)

@WayOutWestMom can weigh in here…

My free advice is for your daughter not to be discouraged by what this college counselor has told her. And truthfully, I’m sorry that happened. Your daughter needs a college that she likes a lot, where she can see herself being happy and successful as a student for her undergrad years. Put medical school on the back burner for now. She is only a rising junior, and much can change between now and applications to medical schools many years down the road.

What does this mean? Your daughter can major in anything she likes in undergrad as long as she takes the required courses for medical school applicants as well. This can be done as electives, or during a glide year between undergrad and medical school. I’m also not sure what “reputable college” means. There are literally thousands of colleges in this country that are just fine…and where medical school students did their undergrad studies. Your daughter does not need to go to an elite top 20 college to be accepted to medical school.

And…attending a tippy top undergrad will not guarantee a medical school admission if the student doesn’t also have significant shadowing, volunteering with underprivileged folks, working or volunteering doing patient facing experience, and for some places undergrad research (some…not all).

Can you minimize your daughter’s contacts with this hired college counselor. Maybe have them help her with choosing great HS ECs to continue, and help with essay topics, and maybe help in choosing a variety of colleges to which to apply. Not all elite reach schools.

@WayOutWestMom what did I miss.

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So the counselor suggested Public Health major rather than Biology major. Honestly speaking my daughter neither care about Top 10/20 nor specific major. All she care about is top education that position her to do well in MCAT and be a competitive candidate. She likes to study science and has great interest in biological, chemical sciences and psychology

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My daughter has done some extra curricular activities related to mental health and is a good candidate for psychological studies but her interest lies more in neurological or physiological sciences

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There is no college in this country that prepares students to do well on the MCAT. That is on the student.

I can’t imagine why public health would be a good major for your kid UNLESS this is an area that is very interesting to her.

Your daughter doesn’t have to choose her college major today…or even when she applies to college at many colleges. PLUS, many many college students actually switch majors and some multiple times.

What areas of study does your daughter love? Those are things to consider.

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Has your daughter shadowed any doctors? How does she really know she might want to be a doctor? Might she want to consider some other careers in health care. Check out this site…although really…she doesn’t have to make this decision today…nor should she.

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Why?

Then this is what she should study (she might change her mind and that’s ok)

The MCAT is on her, not the school. She can take the prerequisites at almost any school and she does not have to go to a top 20 to get a fabulous education.

Has she done any shadowing or informational interviews?

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