Terrible Freshman GPA

WayOutWestMom
Sat, 10 May 2014 03:38:46 +0000

I tend to get good grades when I actually spend the necessary time.



It sounds like from your self-description you may be a smart kid who lacks the study skills, self-discipline and/or work ethic needed in college to get the good grades required to be competitive for med school.

Given this, I have to ask–what are you willing to do/how hard are you willing to work to get the essential good grades needed for med school?

Be honest with yourself. Unless you are willing to work very hard and to postpone your med school application at least until after graduation (while you work 1-2 years), potentially until after you complete a grad degree, then let go of the idea of med school. For now, at least.

Right now you’re in very bad place GPA-wise. Even if you earn As in every class you take for soph-jr-sr years, your GPA will still be very low (~3.2) for allopathic med schools. A single B+ will put you in an impossible position.

If you are willing to consider osteopathic schools and use their grade replacement policy, you may possibly have a chance. But you will need a 5th year of undergrad to re-do your freshman year.

Given all this, if you are thinking about changing your major to bio just for med school–this is probably not a great idea. Employment outlooks for bio majors are not terrific. (They’re no great shakes for chem majors either.)