Freshman GPA: What should I do??!

[class2020premed]

Hello,

I am a new member here and just wanted to ask a few questions about being a pre-med. I just finished my freshman year. Took Gen Chem 1, writing course in the first semester and took Gen Chem 2, Bio 1 and another writing course in the second semester. (Plus other courses that count towards my major of course.)

I did pretty okay in the first semester - 4.0 in Gen Chem 1, 3.3 in Writing course. BUT my grades dropped in the second semester - 3.0 in Gen Chem 2, 3.3 in Bio 1, 3.7 in Writing course. I am honestly freaking out because of the 3.0 in Gen Chem... Would doing better in Org Chem suffice this? Also, would you recommend taking another writing course that will replace the 3.3 that I got in the first semester?

Other questions:
- My college is known for grade deflation. Would medical schools consider that? Or will they just flat out look at the GPA?
- Would they look at my overall GPA (including non-premed req courses) or look more into the premed req GPA?
- Would they consider an improvement in GPA as something good? Or would they prefer a maintenance of great GPA throughout the four years?

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[Isoval]

As a current applicant, I can give only partially substantiated advice...but:

I received a C during my freshman year in a BCPM class as well as two B+s and several A-s. Since then, I have received almost all As with two A-s across the board. It should be noted that both TMDSAS and AMCAS applications will show your overall GPA as well as GPA by year. (AdComs for TMDSAS told me this)

I now have over a 3.8 BCPM GPA and, as of writing, have received an interview at an MD school as well as secondaries from each school to which I’ve applied (except one ).

I think you’re fine as long as you show it was just a fluke with the rest of your undergraduate career!

 

[Dox4lyfe]

What was your overall freshman year gpa? If it's near a 3.4, take it easy bruh. That's not a great start, but it's not bad either. Adjust your study habits, party a little less, study smarter and slowly bring your gpa up each year (or quickly I guess).

sGPA (gpa calculated using only bio,Chem,physics and math courses) and GPA trend are relatively more important than your overall gpa. Obviously maintaining a high gpa all four years is ideal, but an upwards trend is muy bueno tambien.

Regarding grade deflation: it sucks, but adcoms don't cut you slack for going to a harder school and getting a lower gpa. Trust me, I feel your pain. I also go to an MIT/berkeley type school.

 

[class2020premed]

What was your overall freshman year gpa? If it's near a 3.4, take it easy bruh. That's not a great start, but it's not bad either. Adjust your study habits, party a little less, study smarter and slowly bring your gpa up each year (or quickly I guess).

sGPA (gpa calculated using only bio,Chem,physics and math courses) and GPA trend are relatively more important than your overall gpa. Obviously maintaining a high gpa all four years is ideal, but an upwards trend is muy bueno tambien.

Regarding grade deflation: it sucks, but adcoms don't cut you slack for going to a harder school and getting a lower gpa. Trust me, I feel your pain. I also go to an MIT/berkeley type school.

I got 3.52 for my overall freshman year gpa... That's true. I was overloaded in the second semester and burned out easily (need to study smart haha)

Grade deflation: Oh man... :/ Guess I just have to work harder on the GPA.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

It should be noted that both TMDSAS and AMCAS applications will show your overall GPA as well as GPA by year.

Interesting. Is it true that AMCAS also reports GPA by year?

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Interesting. Is it true that AMCAS also reports GPA by year?

Amcas reports sGPA, cGPA and non-sGPA by year as well as overall. Semesters in a given year for a traditional student are combined. Hence, why it's difficult for adcoms to determine which classes were taken in each semester within a given year. For example, if a student gets a 3.0 in the fall and a 4.0 in the spring of the same year, gpa for that year will be reported as a 3.5 if the credit distribution is assumed to be the same.

 

[enchantediris]

Amcas reports sGPA, cGPA and non-sGPA by year as well as overall. Semesters in a given year for a traditional student are combined. Hence, why it's difficult for adcoms to determine which classes were taken in each semester within a given year. For example, if a student gets a 3.0 in the fall and a 4.0 in the spring of the same year, gpa for that year will be reported as a 3.5 if the credit distribution is assumed to be the same.

I think they can see your transcript, though. So if they really wanted to, they could go back and generally see how you did by semester, the difficulty of your courseload, etc.

 

[coralista]

Other questions:
- My college is known for grade deflation. Would medical schools consider that? Or will they just flat out look at the GPA?
- Would they look at my overall GPA (including non-premed req courses) or look more into the premed req GPA?
- Would they consider an improvement in GPA as something good? Or would they prefer a maintenance of great GPA throughout the four years?

- My undergrad is also known for grade deflation, and frankly I'm not sure what impact that has on how the adcom views our GPAs. It's certainly not a free pass, but it's not disregarded either; my guess is that each school probably has their own algorithm to standardize the GPAs and look at the number in relation to the MCAT, which is more of an equalizer because it's a standardized test.
- They look at both the overall/cumulative and science GPA.
- They do consider an upward trend favorably. I've seen friends and classmates starting out with worse freshman-year GPAs than you end up with multiple acceptances at great schools. It speaks to one's grit and willingness to adapt and improve to be able to turn the tide around, and these are characteristics that adcoms (and presumably the general public) want in their future doctors.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

You need to first, relax. You are a freshman. You have 3 more years worth of grades to add to the pot. It's important to care about your grades. That's why you're in school. But if you over stress about it all you can start a spiral.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Amcas reports sGPA, cGPA and non-sGPA by year as well as overall. Semesters in a given year for a traditional student are combined. Hence, why it's difficult for adcoms to determine which classes were taken in each semester within a given year. For example, if a student gets a 3.0 in the fall and a 4.0 in the spring of the same year, gpa for that year will be reported as a 3.5 if the credit distribution is assumed to be the same.

Thank you! That is good to know. Makes it much easier for adcoms to note an upward trend, particularly a drastic one.

I can understand why only a yearly GPA is computed. Some schools are on quarters, some semesters, and some trimesters. It would just get messy, particularly if a student attended multiple schools with varied sessions.

Where do summer sessions get computed? Within an annual? If so, the prior year or following year?

 

[Isoval]

Summer semesters are considered to be the year they precede.

i.e. Summer 2015 lumps in with Fall 2015 and Spring 2016

Thank you! That is good to know. Makes it much easier for adcoms to note an upward trend, particularly a drastic one.

I can understand why only a yearly GPA is computed. Some schools are on quarters, some semesters, and some trimesters. It would just get messy, particularly if a student attended multiple schools with varied sessions.

Where do summer sessions get computed? Within an annual? If so, the prior year or following year?