AMCAS GPA

[fallenangels]

Hi I will be an undergraduate freshman at UCSD this fall. I'm exempted from one year of general chemistry due to AP credit. However, I would still like to retake the Chem 6 series for general chemistry. Unfortunately, UCSD will not give me any units or GPA points if I retake the chem class because their policy states that you can't retake a class for credit if you already have credit for that class. The class will still show up on my transcript, and I will get a grade, but I wont get UC credit. I read online that the AMCAS GPA includes all courses you took, regardless of whether you got credit at your school. However, when I called in today to ask, the woman that helped me said that retaking the chem class for no credit would not meet medical schools prereqs, and the
grade I get from the class will not be included in my AMCAS GPA. I read various other threads that said retaking classes that you were exempted from due to AP Credit would still meet medical and pharmacy school prereqs and your grade would be included in the AMCAS GPA. Now, I'm quite confused about this contradiction. Can anyone clarify this for me/ does anyone have past experience? I would ask my schools prehealth advisor, but I'll be signing up for classes before I arrive on campus. Thank you in advance.

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[nwts]

I think it kind of depends on what you mean by "receive no credit." If it shows up on your transcript as a 0 credit course, it probably won't count toward your AMCAS GPA, and it probably won't satisfy medical school requirements. However, if it shows up on your transcript as a 3 credit course (or 4 or whatever it is), but it just doesn't get factored into your GPA or get counted toward graduation requirements, then it will probably be counted in your AMCAS GPA and satisfy medical school requirements.

 

[fallenangels]

The transcript shows the amount of units and the grade for the course, but it also states repetition of transfer credit. Its a 3 credit course. However, for the total quarter credits I receive (which is on the upper hand corner of the transcript), I wont get any credits for taking general chem again. Will this satisfy the requirement?

 

[Evolver]

The woman who you called is incorrect, and everything you have read online is accurate. That course will be counted towards your AMCAS GPA even though UCSD will not.

 

[nwts]

Under the column on a transcript where number of credits is listed, will it say 3 or 0?

 

[fallenangels]

@Evolver. Are you sure about this? Is there any way to confirm with AMCAS again? I tried emailing them but they just told me to call in again.
@nwts. It will say 4 units; the general chem sequence is 3 courses long, with 4 units each.

 

[nwts]

@Evolver. Are you sure about this? Is there any way to confirm with AMCAS again? I tried emailing them but they just told me to call in again.
@nwts. It will say 4 units; the general chem sequence is 3 courses long, with 4 units each.

As long as it shows up on the transcript as being 4 credits and not 0 credits, it should count.

 

[fallenangels]

@nwts It will show up as 4 credits/units for the course itself, but I will not be given those 4 credits. Since I already got credit from my ap test, i wont get any additional credits for the class. will this still work?

 

[nwts]

@nwts It will show up as 4 credits/units for the course itself, but I will not be given those 4 credits. Since I already got credit from my ap test, i wont get any additional credits for the class. will this still work?

Yes, I believe so. If it shows up as a 4 credit course on your transcript, then it is a course taken for credit, even if the university doesn't actually recognize the credit as it pertains to GPA, graduation requirements, etc.

 

[fallenangels]

If it shows up on your college transcript with both credit and grade, it will be counted towards AMCAS GPA (though it may have to be listed as a repeat) and it will count towards prereq at a medical school. Being a repeat or not will have no impact on its use for a AMCAS GPA.

The part I'm confused about is that the credit I get from the Chem 6 series is through ap credits. When I retake the class, it shows the credit hours for the class itself, but I wont get credit for taking the class again. Since this is the case, doesnt that mean the credit I got for the class is through ap credit, and thus wont count towards AMCAS GPA?

 

[nwts]

The part I'm confused about is that the credit I get from the Chem 6 series is through ap credits. When I retake the class, it shows the credit hours for the class itself, but I wont get credit for taking the class again. Since this is the case, doesnt that mean the credit I got for the class is through ap credit, and thus wont count towards AMCAS GPA?

You are correct, your AP credit won't count toward your AMCAS GPA. However, since the course still appears on your transcript (even if you got AP credit and have no grade for it on your transcript), it will still be a repeat when you take it as an actual course at your college.

 

[fallenangels]

You are correct, your AP credit won't count toward your AMCAS GPA. However, since the course still appears on your transcript (even if you got AP credit and have no grade for it on your transcript), it will still be a repeat when you take it as an actual course at your college.

okay so the grade I get from the actual course at UCSD will count towards AMCAS GPA because the transcript will indicate repetition of transfer credit regardless of whether UCSD gives me UC credit? im so confused. when I called in, the woman said she couldnt make it any clearer when she told me that only classes that I got credit from my undergrad school would count towards the AMCAS GPA and med school prereqs

 

[nwts]

okay so the grade I get from the actual course at UCSD will count towards AMCAS GPA because the transcript will indicate repetition of transfer credit regardless of whether UCSD gives me UC credit? im so confused. when I called in, the woman said she couldnt make it any clearer when she told me that only classes that I got credit from my undergrad school would count towards the AMCAS GPA and med school prereqs

She was not exactly correct. What is true is that any courses that appear on your transcript with a nonzero number of credit hours and a grade will be counted toward your AMCAS GPA. This includes courses that your university does not factor into its own GPA.

As far as how the AP and the courses you take at UCSD will work, I'll explain as best as I can. I am assuming that UCSD got your AP score report, made note of it, and now the course that they gave you credit for shows up on your UCSD transcript, but with no letter grade. Since there is no letter grade, this course will not be factored into your AMCAS GPA, even though UCSD gave you credit for it. I am thinking that when you take the courses at UCSD, they will appear on your transcript as 4-credit courses with letter grades. Since they have a nonzero number of credits and a letter grade, they will count toward your AMCAS GPA. However, since you already had credit for these courses on your transcript (even though it was AP and you didn't have a letter grade), the AMCAS may view it as a repeat course and mark is as such.

 

[trickydick]

The woman who you called is incorrect, and everything you have read online is accurate. That course will be counted towards your AMCAS GPA even though UCSD will not.

So if I am understanding this correctly, I could have/can retake all the classes I received AP credit for and have my grades from those classes count towards my AMCAS GPA? My school lets me take classes I have AP credit for but not for a grade or credit. And even if the course is considered a retake AMCAS will essentially average the grades but since AP credits don't carry grades you it will just count the grade for the class, correct?

 

[nwts]

So if I am understanding this correctly, I could have/can retake all the classes I received AP credit for and have my grades from those classes count towards my AMCAS GPA? My school lets me take classes I have AP credit for but not for a grade or credit. And even if the course is considered a retake AMCAS will essentially average the grades but since AP credits don't carry grades you it will just count the grade for the class, correct?

Well, it depends. You only get credit toward your AMCAS GPA if the class shows up on your transcript as a class with a nonzero number of credits and a letter grade. If it doesn't meet both of these requirements, it won't be factored into your AMCAS GPA.

Additionally, it may be unwise to retake all the courses you have AP credit for. They will likely be counted as repeat courses, and having a whole bunch of repeats doesn't look good.

 

[fallenangels]

She was not exactly correct. What is true is that any courses that appear on your transcript with a nonzero number of credit hours and a grade will be counted toward your AMCAS GPA. This includes courses that your university does not factor into its own GPA.

As far as how the AP and the courses you take at UCSD will work, I'll explain as best as I can. I am assuming that UCSD got your AP score report, made note of it, and now the course that they gave you credit for shows up on your UCSD transcript, but with no letter grade. Since there is no letter grade, this course will not be factored into your AMCAS GPA, even though UCSD gave you credit for it. I am thinking that when you take the courses at UCSD, they will appear on your transcript as 4-credit courses with letter grades. Since they have a nonzero number of credits and a letter grade, they will count toward your AMCAS GPA. However, since you already had credit for these courses on your transcript (even though it was AP and you didn't have a letter grade), the AMCAS may view it as a repeat course and mark is as such.

okay. the AMCAS GPA does include repeat courses right? and if it is a repeat course does it still fulfill the prereqs? thanks for helping me with this @nwts

 

[nwts]

okay. the AMCAS GPA does include repeat courses right? and if it is a repeat course does it still fulfill the prereqs? thanks for helping me with this @nwts

You're welcome! Yes, repeats are included as long as they meet the requirements that all other courses have to meet to be counted (have a letter grade, have a nonzero number of credits). It should still fulfill prereqs, but that's up to individual medical schools, not the AMCAS.

 

[fallenangels]

You're welcome! Yes, repeats are included as long as they meet the requirements that all other courses have to meet to be counted (have a letter grade, have a nonzero number of credits). It should still fulfill prereqs, but that's up to individual medical schools, not the AMCAS.

so if i include the class as a repeat, should i also include the credits under ap credits?

 

[nwts]

so if i include the class as a repeat, should i also include the credits under ap credits?

When you enter the second time you take the class (at UCSD), you should not enter it under AP credits because it is not an AP course.

 

[fallenangels]

When you enter the second time you take the class (at UCSD), you should not enter it under AP credits because it is not an AP course.

okay thanks again for all your help !

 

[fallenangels]

@nwts sorry but i actually have one more question. If the gen chem course shows 4 units, but i dont earn 4 units, do I still put 4 credit hours on the AMCAS application or do I just leave the credit hours sections blank

 

[nwts]

You put 4 credits.

 

[fallenangels]

okay thank you thank you thank you youre the best

 

[nwts]

okay thank you thank you thank you youre the best

No problem! Best of luck!