need some advice... i'm stumped

Depending on your MCAT, you may not need to retake if you want to get into "a" med school. However, if you want a shot at some of the better schools, you do need to boost your GPA in some way. I do not think you should retake the same course that you got a C+ in. It would be better to enroll in a master's program (e.g. MPH) and try to do well there. If you retake a course, AMCAS considers both grades, so it's probably to just move on and take other things if you got a C or better.

Hopeless119 said:

I been reading the forum for a while but always found my questions answered by searching. However, I do have question I couldn't find an answer too. I currently have a 3.3 overall GPA and 3.1 sci GPA. Yeah I know it's a bit low and it's because I got C+'s in some of the science classes . I checked out post-bac programs but they don't accept students who have completed more than half of the pre-req science courses. I want to boost my sci GPA up by retaking the course I got a C+ in. My dilemma is, should I retake during my undergrad or graduate then retake? I'm graduating in Fall of 2007. Taking MCATS this April. Need some advice... thanks

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i may have misunderstood your point, but is this not the answer to your question?

regardless, your AMCAS GPA factors in all the grades you received in undergrad. so even if you do retake the courses, those C+ grades will still be factored into your GPA. since some undergrads have some sort of forgiveness policy for retaking classes, your AMCAS GPA may differ from your undergrad school's gpa.

Hopeless119 said:

I been reading the forum for a while but always found my questions answered by searching. However, I do have question I couldn't find an answer too. I currently have a 3.3 overall GPA and 3.1 sci GPA. Yeah I know it's a bit low and it's because I got C+'s in some of the science classes . I checked out post-bac programs but they don't accept students who have completed more than half of the pre-req science courses. I want to boost my sci GPA up by retaking the course I got a C+ in. My dilemma is, should I retake during my undergrad or graduate then retake? I'm graduating in Fall of 2007. Taking MCATS this April. Need some advice... thanks

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If you're going to retake the courses you got C+'s in, then do it in undergrad where it will factor in to your undergrad GPA, which is the one that counts to AMCAS. Get an A and it will end up being like 2 B+'s. Or get A's on the retakes and apply to DO schools, and it will magically change your C+ to an A.

Do you have to graduate this Fall? You can get financial aid up through 180 units. Could you go to school for an extra year to say, get a second major (low unit requirement, like psych, soc, ess, history, etc.) or a minor in a science? Ace your classes and your GPA could perhaps go up to a 3.5 (do the math, I'm not sure). Ace classes in a science minor or just sprinkle in some easier science courses and your science GPA would go up too. If not, check out braluk's faq on postbac/smp on the postbac forum (the smp would make more sense if you've got the science).

Don't be afraid of DO schools. They generally have lower GPA requirements and acceptance averages for GPA. They also only count your last retake, which can make a big difference in GPA if you change several C's to A's. DO's are seen as functionally the same as MD's by the state and can compete for allo residencies. If you want to be a physician, this is a great option.

Hopeless119 said:

I been reading the forum for a while but always found my questions answered by searching. However, I do have question I couldn't find an answer too. I currently have a 3.3 overall GPA and 3.1 sci GPA. Yeah I know it's a bit low and it's because I got C+'s in some of the science classes . I checked out post-bac programs but they don't accept students who have completed more than half of the pre-req science courses. I want to boost my sci GPA up by retaking the course I got a C+ in. My dilemma is, should I retake during my undergrad or graduate then retake? I'm graduating in Fall of 2007. Taking MCATS this April. Need some advice... thanks

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While the formal postbac programs tend to be set up for folks who haven't had the prereqs yet, there are, in fact many places which allow one to do an informal or open enrollment type postbac and take upper levels, retake classes etc. Certainly delaying graduation and taking more courses can accomplish this same mission. There are also SMP programs, which, though they won't up the GPA, tend to have decent track records in getting folks into med school. Go check out the postbac board -- the answers are all there.

GoodDoctor said:

If you're going to retake the courses you got C+'s in, then do it in undergrad where it will factor in to your undergrad GPA, which is the one that counts to AMCAS.

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Not exactly accurate -- undergrad level postbacs also will be included in a category on AMCAS, and that is the one reportedly used by med schools (ug GPA + ug postbac). That is the point of why many people on here take postbac courses after college to rehabilitate a lackluster GPA. While it probably makes sense for the OP to just stay in undergrad, as long as the course level is undergraduate, he can help his GPA.

What science classes did you get the C+'s in? If they were basic classes, I would personally recommend not retaking them, but taking some upper div courses along the same track. Doing well in those shows greater improvement and maturity then simply retaking a course.

My GPA's are almost the same as yours, but reversed, 3.2 overall and 3.4 science. I got a C- in Orgo I and thought my life was over. I retook only because I had too since the C- does not count. After that I switched to a chem major and took a few advanced orgo classes and did well in those. I got into a couple of allo schools and am still interviewing and the C- never came up.

I know you're running out of time, but the advice another poster gave about taking an extra year to take more science classes is something worth considering.

Good luck!!

Hopeless119 said:

Thanks for the help . I already have over 100 credits, which means bringing up the GPA would be super hard. I got two C+ in physics 2 and orgo 2 . I can stay another semester to retake but even if I get A's it would only bring my GPA up by like .0##.

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Just like Law2Doc said, look for other post-bac programs where there's no restriction or anything. Also few C+s wouldn't hurt too much so if you decide to go with post-bac, take some other science classes to raise your gpa, not just retake those classes. good luck.