<p>Alright, my first semester grades were all decent EXCEPT my biology grade… of all the things to get me down, it just had to be that subject. I even got an A in my high school honors class! And then i get a D in college… I plan to retake this course this coming semester… I think i really dug myself a hole… but I DO feel like i can get out of it… Im going to make sure of it… </p>
<p>Thoughts? I hope my efforts this coming semester are not in vain… otherwise… tough luck for me, but i wont give up…</p>
<p>oh wow, i just found a thread a few threads below mine talking about freshmen year and an upward trend… i guess that kind of answered my question. haha…</p>
<p>Don’t assume that college is easy just because you done well in high school. I have a friend that got a A and 5 on the AP Physics C exam. He opted not to use the AP credit so he can impress adcoms with a higher higher science gpa. Well, nevertheless, he got a C in his first intro mechanics class. </p>
<p>High school is just way easy. I took precalc trig in highschool during my senior year when I had severe senioritis. And I still was able to top the class with no studying whatsoever. Then in college I had to show up to class and study everyday just to place 3rd in my intro calc class. </p>
<p>If you got an A and a 5(AP test), you can assume that you will get a C or lower given the same amount of studying. And if you go to a top school, well, assume even lower averages. </p>
<p>Just look at your schedule and see if are studying enough. For most people with a full science courseload, a rule of thumb is 40 weekly hrs minimum of studying out of class. Even then, if you don’t study right, your results will still be dismal.</p>
<p>i don’t think one can really contrive any sort of rule for this sort of thing. you should know your own study habits and needs after a semester or so in college and be able to adapt. The above suggestion strikes me as very silly because it would imply that one should study the same for organic chem as one should for a lit class that meets the same amount of time. ‘Until you understand the material’ is really the only appropriate measure, though talking to people who’ve taken the class before is something i’ve found useful as well.</p>
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The above suggestion strikes me as very silly because it would imply that one should study the same for organic chem as one should for a lit class that meets the same amount of time.
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<p>I meant it as a guideline for those taking heavy science courseloads. For example, someone simultaneously taking Ochem, Physics(the hard one), Bio, Calc and a GE would find it wise to spend a lot of time studying. The Ochem and Physics can potentially take up to 70% of ones’ time. Whereas, Bio, Calc and especially the GE tend to take less because they’re usually easier. Not to mention all the labs one has to take. </p>
<p>Also, sure if you’re a genius, then you don’t have to study 40hrs a week, even for a full math and science courseload. Heck, you don’t even have to study at all. But that doesn’t matter. When I said 40hrs a week, I was referring to students of average intellect( the ones that tend to be weeded out). Not everyone is genetically lucky. Some people have to spend more time. And thats fine. The fact is most people that get weeded out probably spent alot of time partying. If not, then they just don’t want to take the stress of actually studying all day. Thus leaving them out of the premed track. Well, whos left? The smart ones that don’t need to study as much.</p>
<p>For the first semester or two, it’s not a bad idea to overstudy and avoid those “I got a 3.1 my first semester!” stories. However, as time goes on, everyone will determine the amount of studying that’s right for them so it’s hard to generalize how much you will have to study. The key is to study smart, not study hard. In med school, you’ll have to study hard. But, I found college courses to be refreshingly memorization-free, even many of the bio ones. Consequently, you can do very well in your classes without studying for 8 hours a day, even if you aren’t a genius.</p>
<p>“Consequently, you can do very well in your classes without studying for 8 hours a day, even if you aren’t a genius.”</p>
<p>But then again, its a competition isn’t it? If you go to a school where everyone wants it badly, then you really have no choice. Plus, what if everyone studied smart and hard?</p>
<p>That’s like saying, “What if you go to a school where everyone studies 8 hours?” Are you going to study 12 hours/day then? 16 hours/day?</p>
<p>Again, the point is that you can out-compete others not by studying more but by studying better. There are plenty of college students who study a lot but don’t do well, even at top schools. The reason being, they have the mentality that you do: that you need to study a lot to do well. The key is to determine YOUR own individual strengths and work from there.</p>
<p>For example, I’m a good critical thinker. I spent a lot of time reading my textbooks and assimilating information. I often didn’t go to lectures because I found that I didn’t learn well in that format. I also almost never did practice problems in any of my classes as they bored me. My strategy was to get a firm grasp of the background information and rely on my critical thinking ability to conquer any problem I might encounter on the tests. I’ve met many students who did practice problem after practice problem without learning anything. They had become almost robotic. So, when the professor tweaked the problems just a little bit for the actual test, they couldn’t adjust and failed.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that everyone use my method. I have a good friend who almost never read the textbook and instead did a ton of practice problems. She gained a lot from the practice and had a great GPA as well. I had friends who attend lectures religiously and relied heavily on the professor for their learning and they did well also. The key is to find the method that is good for you. Maybe it’s studying and studying and studying. But that’s not the method that’s right for everyone.</p>
<p>BTW: My method worked well for the MCAT. You’ll get information that you’ve never seen before (maybe a passage on how a jet engine works or a passage on some esoteric strain of bacteria) and ask you to apply what you know about physics or bacteria to these new, specific scenarios. That’s what we mean when we say that the MCAT is a test of both knowledge and critical thinking.</p>
<p>wow, very interesting posts… and yes, my university did tell me that it would erase my D… however, they didnt tell me that AMCAS would still tabulate it into the GPA… so now im back to where i was before… to retake my bio class? or to continue forward?.. i believe i can make a huge improvement. Im just asking the pros and cons of both options… thanks for responding. and if you have any questions regarding me. ill be checking the forums…</p>
<p>Either way is fine. If you retake, you’ll be expected to get an A of course. Or you can just take an upper level bio course and get an A. The effect on your GPA is the same.</p>
<p>if biology is your major, then don’t you need a C- or above in every class for your major? if so, then i think this answers your question on retaking.</p>
<p>AMCAS sees all your grades. Your D may not be included in your school GPA but it certainly is accounted for in the one that medical schools will use.</p>