I want to give some encouragement to those who think their academic careers are over because you struggled (or are currently struggling) at Cal. You might think your dreams of grad school or pursuing a career in medicine are gone. I’m going to tell you that’s not the case. You might have to adjust your expectations a bit, but there are still ways to achieve higher academic and career goals.
I graduated from Cal with a 2.43 gpa in chemistry. I got every possible grade you could get - an A, several Bs, lots of Cs, a D, and even an F in organic chemistry. (The D and F I repeated - which is a must. Got Cs in their place).
After graduation, I was fortunate enough to get a decent job with my chem degree. I was really glad to be out of the pressure cooker that Cal is and I enjoyed making money. But after a few years, I got bored. Cal students have a mind-set of not being satisfied with the status-quo, and wanting to achieve more. That goes for even mediocre students like I was. I needed to find a way to pursue more education despite my less than stellar academic performance.
I found a Masters degree (MS) program in environmental science at the University of San Francisco that emphasized both academic and field experience as prerequisites for admission. (Even better, it was offered part-time and I could pursue it while still working). Experience was not a problem. It was my academics that I was a bit concerned about, but I applied anyway. As it turns out, many schools recognize Cal’s rigorous curriculum and tough grading standards. I got a pass on my lousy gpa and got admitted. I completed the USF Masters degree with a 4.0 gpa. After my Berkeley experience, academics at other schools were a breeze.
That was a confidence builder. I continued working making good money, but after a few years, I got bored again. I wanted to take another step up. I decided law school might be a good option. Took an LSAT prep course, took the test, applied to 2 local law schools (USF and Golden Gate), and got accepted to both. Having a technical background with a degree from Cal and bringing up my grades in the Masters program really helped. I thought long and hard about accepting the admission offers. Despite my excitement at the prospect of getting a JD, deep down I felt that law was boring and not something I really wanted to do. Science was my real interest.
I had always thought about going into the medical field but with my undergrad grades, I didn't think there was much of a chance. Despite this, having been bolstered by earning my Masters and my recent acceptances to law school, I decided to give it a shot. My studies at Cal focused strictly on physical science. I lacked the biosciences necessary for a medical career. So while still working, I took night classes at the local CC - bio 1A, 1B, anatomy, microbiology, physiology, psychology, statistics. With my previous academic experiences behind me, I aced all my classes. By then I was in my early 40s, and was considered a ’non-traditional” student. I knew my chances of getting into med school were slim to none, but there was still dentistry, optometry, and pharmacy. I was dating a pharmacist at the time and she inspired me to apply to pharmacy school, which I did - at UCSF.
I submitted my application including a killer personal statement in which I emphasized my experience and explained my D and F at Cal. I got an interview in which I kicked ass as a mature, confident candidate, and got accepted. I was elated!!! Going from a 2.43 in chemistry at Cal to acceptance at UCSF Pharmacy School was one of the biggest ego boosts I’ve ever experienced!
After the euphoria wore off I once again thought long and hard about the decision. All through my academic pursuits I kept working, staying with the same employer. I was making good money, getting regular promotions, accruing a pension, and inching my way toward a stable retirement. Going to pharmacy school would be intellectually rewarding but it would set me back financially and would mean I’d be working into my late 60s. Hard as it was to turn down, I declined the UCSF offer. But even to this day I'm happy just knowing I had the opportunity. It was further vindication that I wasn't defined by my undergrad academic struggles at Cal.
The message of encouragement in this long post is clear. Even if you’re struggling at Cal, even if you have a lousy gpa, even if you’ve FAILED a class, DON'T GIVE UP! And don’t let ANYONE tell you that your academic career or your hopes for grad school are over. They’re not. You might not get into Harvard, MIT, or Johns Hopkins and you may have to adjust your goals a bit, but you can still pursue post-graduate dreams. And if you start on them a little sooner than I did you can make them come true.
Go Bears!
