Every premed knows how important GPA is; we hold it close to us as if our lives depended on it. When it falls, it’s scary and maybe people think it is the end of their dream of becoming a doctor. Well I’m here to tell you that they are wrong! If you fix mistakes early, you can raise your GPA up to where you want it to be.
It All Started With Organic Chemistry…
My first year of college I was on the honor roll and my GPA was around a 3.6; then organic chemistry came. . . and it came with a vengeance! To be honest, organic chemistry was hard for me, it would not click and the tests seemed like they were written in a different language than the language we learned the material in.
My first semester of organic chemistry ended in a C+. I was heartbroken and cried a lot. It was the worst grade I have ever gotten in my life. C+ was average, and I am not average.
The second semester of organic I was determined to improve my grade, to show medical schools an upward trend. Well that did not work as planned and I ended organic chemistry II with a C.
More tears, more hopelessness, more feelings of failure. The next semester, the first semester of my junior year, a B- in biochemistry brought my 3.6 GPA down to a 3.35, the lowest my GPA was all throughout college.
Making A Plan
My friend, who was also premed at the time, sat down with me at the end of the first semester of junior year, when I realized what my grade was going to be in biochem and we calculated what grades I would need in all of my classes until I graduated.
Our calculations {which turned out to be a little incorrect, but incorrect in my favor} told us that I needed an A in every future class to graduate with a 3.5.
So that’s what I did!
I was not going to let chemistry prevent me from becoming a doctor. I completely switched up my study skills and focused completely on school {except for the occasional weekend out with friends as a reward}. Along with my study tips outlined in this post, I focused on two main things in the next two semesters: spread out studying and read.
Change When You Study
I made it my personal law to start studying at least one week before my exam. Cramming DOES NOT WORK, PEOPLE! All-nighters are bad not only for your grade but for your health and brain!
I would start reviewing and, in some classes, rewriting my notes at least a week before the exam. I would also make sure to put in my planner that I had an exam the next week so I would not forget about studying.
A few days before the exam is when I would make a Quizlet. I love Quizlet because it shows you the terms you get wrong more frequently and you also type the answer which is helpful for tests where you have to write the answer and make sure you spell it correctly.
For more tips on how to study as a premed, check out this post!
Read Your Textbooks
Prior to my GPA wake-up call, I rarely read the textbooks the professors required us to purchase. I always purchased the textbooks, but I rarely opened them.
I strongly believe if I utilized my chemistry textbooks more, I would have done better in my chemistry classes. Unless your professor is reading the textbook during class, your book provides another way of stating an idea or concept.
Many textbooks also have review questions that can be used to quiz yourself while studying. You don’t have to sit and read every single word of the textbook, but it can be quite useful for topics you do not quite understand from lecture.
My Results
So after reevaluating my study habits and how I learned, my next semester, spring of junior year, my lowest grade was an A- and I made the university Dean’s List for the first time.
The next semester, fall of senior year, my lowest grade was a B+ and the rest were A’s and my cumulative GPA is at a 3.52 {turns out our GPA calculations were a little off and I had some wiggle room}. I made the Dean’s List for the second semester in a row.
I graduated cum laude and earned the honors medallion from the Honors College and you can bet that I will be bringing my study habits to medical school!
Don’t Let A Low GPA Get You Down!
I am so proud of myself for not giving up when my dreams felt impossible and my message for anyone with a lower-than-ideal GPA is to not give up. It’s a lot of hard work but it IS possible to raise your GPA with enough time and dedication.Â
As always, please feel free to comment or ask me any questions on this post or on my Instagram @medicineandmoscato and hit the button below to share with your friends! You can recover from low grades.
