retaking pre-requisites; need advice!

[opto2]

I am in my third year of undergrad and I haven't done so great in my science courses and it's made me worried for the future when I start applying to Optometry schools. Here are my grades:

general bio 1-C
general chem 1-C
physics 1-C
physics 2-A
organic chem-B

and then I took general bio 2 and chem 2 in the same semester and got D's, but I retook general bio 2 and got a C and general chem 2 at a community college and got an A.

As you can see, I didn't do that great in the most important classes. I struggle with time management and just now started improving my study habits. I was thinking of taking a year off and finishing up the last three pre-reqs (micro,biochem,calc) and also retake all the courses above in which I didn't get an A in (besides ochem). Do you think this is a wise idea? Do you think it is worth it and that Optometry schools will accept the newest grades? I am also graduating in May 2013, so I will have to re-take those courses the summer after graduation; will my new grades still be replaced with my old ones, or will it be a completely separate GPA? My university does not allow students to retake a course if you have received a C or better, but I want to talk to someone about it (hopefully they understand) so that I can retake the classes and boost up my science GPA. I am really worried that I won't be accepted because of my terrible GPA, so I feel like since I am realizing now and thinking of taking this step, I will probably save time in the end so that I won't have to go back and do my masters and re-apply. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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[optoapp2012]

I am in my third year of undergrad and I haven't done so great in my science courses and it's made me worried for the future when I start applying to Optometry schools. Here are my grades:

general bio 1-C
general chem 1-C
physics 1-C
physics 2-A
organic chem-B

and then I took general bio 2 and chem 2 in the same semester and got D's, but I retook general bio 2 and got a C and general chem 2 at a community college and got an A.

As you can see, I didn't do that great in the most important classes. I struggle with time management and just now started improving my study habits. I was thinking of taking a year off and finishing up the last three pre-reqs (micro,biochem,calc) and also retake all the courses above in which I didn't get an A in (besides ochem). Do you think this is a wise idea? Do you think it is worth it and that Optometry schools will accept the newest grades? I am also graduating in May 2013, so I will have to re-take those courses the summer after graduation; will my new grades still be replaced with my old ones, or will it be a completely separate GPA? My university does not allow students to retake a course if you have received a C or better, but I want to talk to someone about it (hopefully they understand) so that I can retake the classes and boost up my science GPA. I am really worried that I won't be accepted because of my terrible GPA, so I feel like since I am realizing now and thinking of taking this step, I will probably save time in the end so that I won't have to go back and do my masters and re-apply. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

You definitely need to retake the classes you mentioned. Time management is suuuper important in opt school, because you will be taking a lot more classes than you are now. So it's good to hear that you feel like you've learned some lessons - just make sure you are ready for that even bigger commitment in grad school!

When you retake courses at the same institution, the newest score (whether better or worse) replaces the older score. If you do not take the class at the same school, but end up going somewhere else, then I know one score doesn't replace the other. I *think* they are both averaged into your GPA. So a C at your current college and an A at another school would average to a B....I think that's how that works. In any case, that's still better than having a C average.

You might call the admissions offices where you want to apply, because many of them have admissions counselors that can really help you with these questions and help you understand what the school expects from you in order to consider you for admissions. I know SCO and SCCO are two schools that do lots of counseling. I am sure there are lots of others out there, but those were 2 of the 5 that I applied to that I felt really provided lots of guidance to prospective students.

Good luck!

 

[opto2]

Yep I am fixing up my study habits now so that I can better them for the future!

Oh I see. Yeah I will be talking to some counselor's at school first to see if I am able to retake those courses since they say you cannot retake a class if you have received a "C" or better.

And I will definitely take your advice on calling the admissions offices since they are the ones that know the best.

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[icuriosity]

If your seriously considering optometry as your future career take pride in showing you can do better and press on. The administration will see your improvement and optomcas uses the highest grade

 

[balltc]

Yep I am fixing up my study habits now so that I can better them for the future!

Oh I see. Yeah I will be talking to some counselor's at school first to see if I am able to retake those courses since they say you cannot retake a class if you have received a "C" or better.

And I will definitely take your advice on calling the admissions offices since they are the ones that know the best.

Thanks again for your advice!

If they don't let you retake classes you got C's in then you should just take them at another college.

 

[luckyfeet]

But I hear if you retake at another college, it counts as a separate class not a repeat class. So your first try still factors into your gpa


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[balltc]

But I hear if you retake at another college, it counts as a separate class not a repeat class. So your first try still factors into your gpa


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For optomcas's GPA calculations, yes that is correct, you have to take the same class at the same school with the same course number for it to be replaced on optomcas. HOWEVER, Schools have different policies about this where some will take the newer grade regardless of whether you took the class at the same school and some will average the two classes together even if it was from the same school. Schools don't necessarily go by optomcas's method of calculating GPAs

 

[luckyfeet]

Would you happen to know which schools take the higher grade of regardless where you took it? Bc that changes my gpa drastically


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[balltc]

Would you happen to know which schools take the higher grade of regardless where you took it? Bc that changes my gpa drastically


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not sure about the higher grade, but the NEWER grade. You should call the schools you are interested and ask them, dont be scared.

 

[luckyfeet]

I meant newer grade oops! Thanks I will def call and let you all know incase anyone else is wondering!


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[sya]

My advice is to retake classes only if it's lower than a C since most colleges require it. Retaking at CC gets you at most a B when averaged and will look terrible if you fail to do so. Makes minimal changes in your GPA overall. So I suggest you work harder on the OAT to prove you know your material instead. GPA can vary a lot from colleges, while OAT doesn't. Shadow as many doctors as you can. Not only does it show your interest in the field but gets you a LOR. Get to know your professors and do research on the side. LOR do make a difference. Also, most schools will allow you to explain your grades so be honest and let them know how you changed and improved.

Focus on the things you can do now to make your application strong (OAT, shadowing, extracurricular, finish prereqs) and ONLY retake if you didn't do too well on the above. Final advice, apply early.

Good luck!