About re-taking classes & GPA calculation

[effwun]

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I didn't realize until recently that AACOMAS will calculate your GPA by the grade you got when you re-took a class. My grades from freshman year when I was working a lot are kinda dragging me down. I'm about to graduate, and I was thinking about moving home and taking classes at a school there.

So the thing I was wondering is if they only re-calculate your grades if they're at the same school, or if you can take the same subject material at a different school and have it be calculated from that.

I applied to the PCOM post-bacc program, but if I could save myself $30k or so and just re-take the classes that were dragging me down at a different school, I'd much rather do that, and it'd bring my science GPA up from a 2.9 to a 3.2+ or so.

I have a 28P MCAT, which I totally took prematurely, but even if I don't re-take it, I should be fine there.

Does anyone know for sure?

I thought I read that AACOMAS doesn't advertise the fact that is how they calculate your GPA, so I wasn't sure if I should email them or what.

 

[CommanderRiker]

I had a 31 M.C.A.T. and it wasn't enough for allopathic schools and D.O. admission standards will only rise in the near future, especially at established institutions. My advice is to really take it again.

Riker-Omega out.

 

[lrobin15]

I had a 31 M.C.A.T. and it wasn't enough for allopathic schools and D.O. admission standards will only rise in the near future, especially at established institutions. My advice is to really take it again.

Riker-Omega out.

Im afraid it wasn't your 31 that wasn't enough!

 

[scdocusc]

Dont listen to people that tell you to retake the MCAT. Dont take the MCAT again. work on stuff that YOU think is weak in your application. I know plenty of people who didnt get in with a 30+ and it was because they interviewed really bad or didnt think it was important to get clinical experience! Live long and prosper!

 

[effwun]

Dont listen to people that tell you to retake the MCAT. Dont take the MCAT again. work on stuff that YOU think is weak in your application. I know plenty of people who didnt get in with a 30+ and it was because they interviewed really bad or didnt think it was important to get clinical experience! Live long and prosper!

Ok. I'm 98% sure I'm going to re-take it. I was actually pretty disappointed with my score. I was getting low-mid 30's on all the AAMC practice tests I took, but now that I've studied more of the stuff in school, and improved as a student, I think I can boost it up. And I know that even if I do bring my science GPA to a 3.2, it is still on the low end.

But getting back to my original question...can I take the same subject material at a different school, and have my GPA calculated from that?

What I'm looking at is taking 12-15 credits over the summer, and applying when those grades get posted.

FWIW, I do have about 150hrs. of emergency department volunteer experience. It's really just my freshman math/science grades, and since AACOMAS just takes your highest grade, it would significantly increase my science GPA.

 

[scdocusc]

I think that you would waste your time and money on retaking the MCAT IF you are thinking about D.O. school. Retake the classes you had a problem in and then take biochem, A&P and microbiology to show them you can handle a med school load. Like I said before, you need to target your problem areas and that is your GPA. Take the time and get that up. You might be able to do better on the MCAT if you took it again, but what if you go down? Then it looks worse. Why take that chance?

 

[GreenShirt]

I would contact AACOMAS about that directly. I think a repeat may only count if it appears as an "R" on your transcript, but I've heard other SDNers say otherwise. Your MCAT is fine for Osteopathic schools, but your GPA may limit which schools you apply to b/c some have a 3.0 science GPA cutoff. However some go down to 2.75, so if you could take a shot at this year's cycle.

 

[dr.kicia]

I would contact AACOMAS about that directly. I think a repeat may only count if it appears as an "R" on your transcript, but I've heard other SDNers say otherwise. Your MCAT is fine for Osteopathic schools, but your GPA may limit which schools you apply to b/c some have a 3.0 science GPA cutoff. However some go down to 2.75, so if you could take a shot at this year's cycle.

this is not true...
AAMCOMAS will just thake the MOST recent grade so you can even retake at cc and it still counts even if you never transfer these classes back to your institution. I was told by all the DO schools i emailed about this that acctually a lot of applicants do repeat courses at cc and it is totally fine. As long as you are retaking the right class they will replace the old grade with the new one when calculating your GPA. Ofcourse it also works backwords if you want to ratake a class you got a B in and you end up with a C then they will take a C.