Quoted:Hit rock bottom

[Doodledog]

I haven't been able to sleep well for the past couple of days and have already spoke with my advisors and premed advisors, but received only generic answers. I'll get straight to the point:

I am going to be sophomore this fall declared as a science major at one of the top three UC school in Cali. My main problem is that I ended my Freshman year with a 2.18 GPA (including the two summer classes I took this summer which were both science). I'm in the middle of taking two more science classes, but am not doing well in these classes either. So I'm debating whether to drop one class in order to keep my gpa from falling anymore, but am not sure. I have one week until finals.

I understand only now what I did wrong and realize that I've been rushing into things without knowing at all. In my situation I HAVE to receive grades no less than A's for my whole stay at college in order to bring up my gpa to at least a 3.5/3.6.

I really don't know what to do at this point. I'm doing pretty well in everything else. I'm in a volunteer program at a hospital and shadow a doctor that I work for in a research lab. It's just my gpa is horrendous. I'm not behind or anything (now that I realize) and am able to graduate in four years. I want to stay in Cali for med school. The thing is I don't want to change my major or try to find another "path." I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I actually want to become a pediatrician and work with kids. But what does a good heart have to do when my grades can't keep up with me?

Please give me some advice on what I should do from here. By taking more classes? I do plan on taking a year off after I graduate perhaps committing myself to medical missions or working abroad. I can't make anymore academic mistakes and am very willing to work hard. Also if I'm not doing so well in my one of my summer science classes should I withdraw with a W? The only other W I have on my transcript is from a GE class.

I really can't sleep at all...

I have posted this so that others might comment. I think you need to evaluate your career plans fully with a counselor and with faculty at your school. Certainly if you are having symptoms such as sleeplessness then it is not a good situation and you should obtain appropriate guidance and counseling as soon as possible.

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[nlax30]

I was in a similar situation during my first two years of college. I jumped right in to a difficult science major, started off with a hard and full schedule and just fell flat on my face. After a year and a half my GPA was down around 2.1-2.3 like yours.

At this point you have to seriously ask yourself some hard questions and then depending on those, move on from there. At this moment though, if you are not doing well in these current classes then I would recommend withdrawing instead of getting a low grade. For me, it turned into a downward spiral where at first a started doing bad in a few classes, which frustrated me, as I started doing worse and worse I started to get a little depressed and that made me want to do even less, and so I continued down that path until I realized that I was shooting myself in the foot, and withdrew from school altogether to take some time off. That's when I seriously looked at myself in the mirror, decided that i still wanted to pursue medicine, saw that I had matured enough, and then focused on doing what it took and started small by taking some CC classes, and then went back to my university to finish my degree and take some extra sciences to help out my GPA.

You may not be at the point where you need to take a complete break from school for a semester or two, but let just encourage you that if that's what you need to do, then do it. I can only speak for myself here, but if there is an element of depression sneaking in that you haven't deal with then it can and will hurt you from focusing and moving forward.

I'm probably not directly answering your question, but really I think you know what you have to do. You have got to start doing really well in the rest of your classes. It may mean taking an extra after you graduate and just taking more science courses, or a post-bacc program, or even a masters program. You know what's required, you just need to figure out what it is that's keeping you from doing that right now, study habits? Motivation? Maturity level? Distraction at school? Depression? Other issues? etc......

But right now if you feel that you're not doing well in the class, take the W. And then step back and really look at this problem. But all hope is not lost and I was able to come back from academic problems and everything turned out fine. So once you turn this around and "re-dedicate" yourself to pursuing this it'll show.

 

[thedelicatessen]

First off, your ECs sound very good and beneficial for career development. Your GPA needs work, and it's good that you have acknowledged that weakness early in the game. Dropping one of your summer classes will salvage your GPA, but if it will be recorded as a W on your transcript, you may have to explain it in the admissions process. Many people have a difficult time with college their first year, so hope is not lost yet. As you said, maybe you need to just slow things down, but I would further suggest re-examining your study techniques perhaps at your school's learning center.

With persistence, I'm sure you will do well. However, I'm a bit concerned about this tunnel vision focused on CA med school. Admission to any medical school is already competitive, but getting into a CA allopathic school is ultra-difficult. Many of my extremely qualified peers who attended UC undergrad with the whole admissions package (strong GPA/MCAT, ECs, etc) were admitted only to schools outside of CA. Also, why can you "only" be a doctor? If your goal is really taking care of kids, there are also other occupations within and outside of healthcare that will allow you to do so.

It's really great that you are seeking advice from different resources. I know the uncertain future can be scary, but if you take it little by little, it isn't so bad. For now I would focus on your classes and maintaining a positive attitude . Good luck!