<p>Cornell is pretty tough…you have to manage your time well.</p>
<p>aren’t you in med school norc?</p>
<p>I am, which is why I can speak for the difficulty of med school. Honestly, Cornell’s a piece of cake compared to it. I don’t even feel like I’m exaggerating. At Cornell, you might take 2-3 science courses a semester (which would be considered a “tough” courseload) but in med school you have 4 hours of science/day for 5 days a week without fail. That’s the equivalent of 20 credits of science at Cornell. Throw in the fact the classes go 2-3x as fast, we’re talking about taking 30-40 credits of college science at the same time. What’s amazing is that next year is supposed to be harder than this year. That’s what I mean when I say that there are always ways to make your life harder.</p>
<p>^ that sounds like hell. good luck with that… it def makes me reconsider the medical field.</p>
<p>The Tulane SOM kids had their biochem shelf exam today…they all looked like zombies afterwards.</p>
<p>Makes me sort of glad I’m taking the “easy” way into Tulane SOM.</p>
<p>im surprised your on this forum hahahahha</p>
<p>What’s amazing through all this is that the means on the tests are still ridiculously high. Our tests are always 6 hours long (4 hour written test followed by 2 1-hour practicals) and yet the mean has never dipped below 80%. I’m averaging approx. 90% on my tests but I’m barely in the top 1/3 of the class. You fail if you get below 70% on any test. So, not only is the material harder, you can’t afford to score in the 50’s and 60’s like you did in college. And I’m sure no one wants a doctor who only knows 60% of the material.</p>
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<p>I still like giving advice and making sarcastic comments.</p>
<p>I still mentor two kids on a weekly basis. In fact, I’m interviewing next week for a fairly prestigous fellowship on behalf of an organization I co-founded this year. Life doesn’t stop just because you’re in med school. There’s always time to do the things you enjoy.</p>
<p>i guess if i get into med school i’ll still be facebooking</p>
<p>Well I was the top student in my entire Community College, had a 4.0 - I broke every curve and made 104’s and 105’s on tests, taking 20 credits a semester, and including classes such as Calculus, Chem, Biology, etc.</p>
<p>My first semester GPA at Cornell was a 2.8. I made the mistake of taking Orgo first semester.</p>
<p>^^My situation is very similar to that. I attended a SUNY school…did 17 credit semesters, was principal flute in the orchestra and was on the swim team…I pulled a 3.7 my first semester and a 4.0 my second semester.</p>
<p>Thought I could pull that at Cornell so in my first semester I took orgo, orgo lab, physics, animal physiology and macroeconomics…I also had a job.</p>
<p>I pulled off a whopping 2.41 that semester…stupid macroecon. I got my act together for the spring…convinced my inner overachiever that it was ok to take a lighter course load…I did and did very well the following semester. And…I was never below a 3.0 again :D</p>
<p>Dew…what was your GPA the 2nd semester if you don’t mind?</p>
<p>Cause ya know, I’m trying to get my act together as well, but despite trying a lot harder, I think I’m heading for only around a 3.1-3.2 this semester if I’m lucky.</p>
<p>Also - did that 2.41 one semester hurt you for grad school/employment? How did you explain it away? I plan on going along the lines of “I’m glad it happened…it was a wake up call for me” etc.</p>
<p>Don’t mislead people by telling them it’s a mistake to take orgo first semester. The fact that you were the top student at your community college has no bearing on anything. I was the top bio student at my LAC before coming to Cornell and I did fine in orgo, I scored above the mean on every prelim. Wiser advice would be to not take more than 14-16 credits your first semester, allowing yourself time to explore ECs and network.</p>
<p>Don’t mislead people by telling them it’s a mistake to take orgo first semester (if you’re a transfer). Wiser advice would be to not take more than 14-16 credits your first semester, allowing yourself time to explore ECs, develop good study habits, and network.</p>
<p>Don’t mislead people by telling them it’s a mistake to take orgo first semester as a transfer. Wiser advice would be to not take more than 14-16 credits your first semester, allowing yourself time to explore ECs, develop good study habits, and network.</p>
<p>Orgo is okay, first semester. though i failed, i found the material to be interesting and not that hard. only problem was that i learnt the material after every exam instead of before so my orgo grade got owned. =D </p>
<p>its okay to take orgo first semester but not recommend to start off with a hard course… orgo lab is now harder as well, ruttledge is teaching lol and he decided to increase the # of labs from 10 to 12 in the same amt of lab time. =(. i dont recommend orgo lab for 1st semester transfers as well =)</p>
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<p>I never said it was a mistake to take orgo first semester. If anything…I would have dropped physics and saved it for junior year. Despite my crappy GPA from my first semester…I did quite well in orgo. </p>
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<p>I believe I made a 3.5 that semester.</p>
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<p>Well…the 2.4 doesn’t show up on my final transcript…just my final GPA shows, and naturally the 2.4 hurts it. If you look at my transcript…all you see is one craptastic grade from that semester. </p>
<p>Surprisingly in the med school interviews I did receive, I only had one interviewer who bluntly asked me about my GPA. I didn’t drag it out…just said I was adjusting to a new college and the increased workload…but I was glad it happened because it gave me the chance to reevaluate my study habits and time management skills etc. Then I pointed out the upward trend in my GPA.</p>
<p>My employer didn’t ask to see my grades…but I doubt it would have hurt me because I applied for a job that required specific research skills and (not to be arrogant)…I dominate in the lab ;)</p>
<p>Wow Callie, thanks for posting 3 times? lol</p>
<p>I gave the story about being tops at my CC because the OP talked about taking “pretty nasty courses” and “20+” credits at their CC, hoping that might prepare them for Cornell. I was giving a direct reason for why being a top student at a CC may or may not mean anything.</p>
<p>aren’t you in med school drew?</p>
<p>Please don’t take more than 5 classes.</p>
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<p>nope…I was on the application trail this year</p>