Advising: New Upper Level classes or lower level retakes?

[SiakTiDoc]

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Hi Everyone!
I was hoping to get some advice and clarification as to how ADCOMs view upper courses instead of retaking lower courses (Since they are more forgiving as they do believe in reinvention).

Story time:
My ideal plan was to retake 3 lower science courses (2 in the summer and one in Fall along with more upper science electives, because they're fun) graduate in fall then take the MCAT and apply the following cycle.
Unfortunately the department of biology and chemistry would not allow me to retake the course over the summer as I passed each course (With a C), I tried asking the professors and they told me to ask closer to when classes begin (to give priority to those who have not taken the class) long story short I got one approved, but the other course got filled up and my advisor refuses to put in a good word for me as she feels retakes would not help me :/

I find it not worthwhile financially in this case to pay for summer classes and dorming for one class.
(school is far away and local CC doesn't offer these courses during the summer)

My new plan is to instead invest my time and take the MCAT this summer and then graduate 2 semesters late to do some GPA repair.

But if I get rejected from retaking the courses again, would it look bad to just take upper Bio/Micro/Zoo courses as a means to show reinvention and leave the Cs alone?
My pre-reqs grades are pretty crappy as I took them when I was a naive immature freshmen. Though I have been taking upper courses and have been pulling A's and B+'s in them.

If you have read through all that, I'd give you a fistbump.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks guys!

 

[mathnerd88]

Well, it honestly depends on your final cGPA and sGPA. If you have a good enough cGPA and sGPA, it is not necessary to retake C's you've had. Coupled with a strong MCAT score, you should have no problem.

What are you current GPAs?

 

[holdthemayo]

Hi Everyone!

But if I get rejected from retaking the courses again, would it look bad to just take upper Bio/Micro/Zoo courses as a means to show reinvention and leave the Cs alone?
My pre-reqs grades are pretty crappy as I took them when I was a naive immature freshmen. Though I have been taking upper courses and have been pulling A's and B+'s in them.

It never looks bad to excel at upper level sciences coursework. The problem is it may not do much to boost your gpa for DO schools depending on your total credits. I would recommend taking some time to calculate your gpa with retakes vs with upper level classes and see how big of a difference it will make. My guess would be that you'll get a much greater gpa impact from the retakes, but plug some numbers and see how significant that difference is before you put down money for an extra year. Where is your GPA now and where do you want it to be before you apply? You want to get the greatest return out of that time/money that you can get.

 

[SiakTiDoc]

~

 

[SiakTiDoc]

Also as a side note.
Is it worth retaking non-science courses to raise your cGPA? Or is sGPA the most important?

The classes in particular are calculus :/

 

[SiakTiDoc]

@Goro I'd greatly appreciate your opinion on this.
If I'm unable to retake some lower end courses, would good grades in upper courses coupled with a decent MCAT make up for the Cs in my pre-reqs?
Also with my current stats c3.2 and s3.07 (I can guarantee both will increase after this semester and in following semester.)
what sort of MCAT score should I shoot for?

 

[Goro]

What we want to see is a pattern of academic excellence so that we know you can handle med school. So, I suggest take the upper level classes and doing well in them.

I don't recommend retaking non-science classes.

Also as a side note.
Is it worth retaking non-science courses to raise your cGPA? Or is sGPA the most important?

The classes in particular are calculus :/

Your current GPAs are circling the drain for many DO schools. You'd be autorejected at mine. You should be trying for as high an MCAT as possible.

@GoroAlso with my current stats c3.2 and s3.07 (I can guarantee both will increase after this semester and in following semester.)
what sort of MCAT score should I shoot for?

 

[SiakTiDoc]

What we want to see is a pattern of academic excellence so that we know you can handle med school. So, I suggest take the upper level classes and doing well in them.

I don't recommend retaking non-science classes.

Your current GPAs are circling the drain for many DO schools. You'd be autorejected at mine. You should be trying for as high an MCAT as possible.

Thank you so much for the advice and the reality check Goro!
I'll be sure to clog the drain with more A's to prevent that from happening.