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Hey everyone,
I need suggestions for those willing to give suggestions. I’m about ready to wrap up my first quarter here at UCLA. I don’t think I’m going to be too happy with my final grades. If I’m optimistic (REALLY optimistic), I can recieve 2 A’s and one B. Realistically, I’m looking at an A, a B, and a C :no: .
I don’t know what to do. I’m applying this June for Medical school and I’m just extremely worried. So many factors played into me not performing so well this quarter. Adjustment to the University and quarter system, vacation mood lingering on into the quarter :rolleyes: , MUCH harder classes, living circumstances, having to adjust to not being able to see my daughter as much (I only have 3 days out of the week with her), little spurts of depression. Regardless, I’ll be devastated if I cannot keep up with the standards of having my dreams come true 🙁 .
Advice anyone?
Annie
Annie,
I don’t know your circumstances exactly…yes, it’s important to do well in the pre-med classes and have a decent (i.e. >3.0) GPA. OK, so with an A, a B and a C, it will probably come out to 3.0, depending on what the credit hours are in each of your courses.
You have a lot on your plate! Is it possible to back-pedal for a year — stretch your coursework out by a semester or two — and apply one year later than what you are currently thinking? It’s more important to “make the grade” than it is to do it all fast. There’s no point in exceeding your speed limit! It’s been written here and elsewhere, that getting into and going through med school is a marathon, not a sprint.
Anything that you can do to make your logistics of work/school/family any easier or smoother? There might be some simple-ish solutions…only you, and maybe a close friend or advisor, can brainstorm that out well! “Little spurts of depression” are not unusual for pre-meds, or anyone undertaking a stressful, demanding endeavor…yet it’s also something to keep an eye on and seek help for, if it becomes too much.
These courses are real brain-benders! Bio, chem, ochem, physics, math and so forth (micro, biochem…) are harder than first meets the eye. AND, regardless of how intelligent one is, they are extremely time consuming! Time is something that older students manage well, but have less of than the 18-22 year olds (typically, but not always).
What courses are you scheduled for next quarter? Is there anyway that you can take fewer credits? Anything else that you can scale back, so that you have more time to study? Is there an advisor that you can help plan your coursework?
For you and everyone here, I wish you the best…have a happy Thanksgiving!
I have to agree with the above poster, see if you can maybe slow down even if it means applying to med school one year later. Because (I am assuming you are non-trad) we are older and wiser getting less than stellar grades will not be good for us. One C or two will not be that bad if the rest of your grades are mostly A’s and some B’s. From my understanding all your pre-reqs are done right? so just take it easy from now on (less classes) so you can do well in them.
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. UCLA is a hard school, and the admissions people know that. If this is your first quarter at UCLA, then your grades can possibly be attributed to getting situated, etc. (I know that my worst grades at UCLA came during my first quarter freshman year.) Good luck!
Thanks for the replies gals. I really appreciate the advice and suggestions and most importantly, your encouragement 🙂 .
As for cutting down my course load, I don’t think I’ll be able to go under 12 units. I’m not too well off financially and, the financial aid that I recieve really helps. I pull out as many loans as I possibly can and the grants are also very helpful. However, I also look at it this way. I don’t want to prolong any of this any longer than it should take. I feel as if my daughter’s waiting for me and the sooner I finish the better. We’ll see how I do next quarter (14 units) :boggled: . With that said, it doesn’t help that I haven’t gone to class for 2 1/2 weeks. That’s a whole other story…. :no:
Anyways, thanks for your input and I hope all of you have a wonderful quarter. I’m looking forward to the Christmas break. I think that’s what is pushing me forward to end this quarter. Just shut my eyes and soon, it’ll all be over…then, I have all break to spend with my daughter…
Annie
I am sure that UCLA is a difficult school and if you are applying to California medical schools that may be taken into consideration but regardless due to the large volume of applications received GPA and MCAT score will be used as a bar to pare down the applicant pool. I am not trying to rain on anyone’s parade but do not assume that due to the difficulty of your undergrad that adcoms will be more lenient with you. All undergraduate schools are difficult (some more than others) but when medical schools are receiving anywhere from 1000-5000 applications they do use numbers to diminish the huge pile..
efex101,
I completely understand what you’re saying which is why I said that I know I should be doing better. Really, it’s not the difficulty of the school that’s holding me back at this point. Alot of my own personal issues are to blame. However, with luck on my side they will hopefully see an improvement. Who knows, if I improve, they might bring it up during the interview (if I get one). I heard they’ve been known to do that…ask questions about your academic life based off of the numbers that they hold in their hand.
Thanks though,Annie
Annie, this is your first quarter there right? so as long as you show upward trend that should take care of that. So do not worry too much about a so-so semester. I wish you the best and I hope that you kick some final exam bootie! and get better grades than what you are thinking you may get. Good luck! :wave:
Hi Annie
I pretty much am in the same boat as you as far as grades..but I was wondering if there is any way you can get around the financial aid barrier so that you can take less units…
I go to Berkeley and here most student parents are allowed (with permission..depending on the college) to take less that a full load (13 units..). Here FinAid only checks full time status at 5 weeks..so there is a period between 5 to 8 wks where there is a window to drop below full time w/o notation and still keep financial aid..(they teach us this in class!) I don’t know if there is something similar down there, but might be worth checking out..take care
trish
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