bad biology marks but good chemistry/physics/math... need to take more bio?

[sugarmouse]

the title is pretty self explanatory.
My biology marks tend to be poorer (~B-A- average) than my Chemistry and Physics (A/A+) courses. (I have taken upper level bio and chem courses)

Should I try taking more bio courses or do SMP etc.. in order to increase my biology average?? Can having a strong chem/physics marks offset my bad bio marks?

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[Ismet]

what is your sGPA

 

[mimelim]

the title is pretty self explanatory.
My biology marks tend to be poorer (~B-A- average) than my Chemistry and Physics (A/A+) courses. (I have taken upper level bio and chem courses)

Should I try taking more bio courses or do SMP etc.. in order to increase my biology average?? Can having a strong chem/physics marks offset my bad bio marks?

Nobody looks at the details of a couple of classes or departments. They look at your GPA, science GPA, obvious trends and outlier courses. Nobody calculates a Physics GPA or a Biology GPA. There is no such thing as a "biology average".

 

[Catalystik]

the title is pretty self explanatory.
My biology marks tend to be poorer (~B-A- average) than my Chemistry and Physics (A/A+) courses. (I have taken upper level bio and chem courses)

Should I try taking more bio courses or do SMP etc.. in order to increase my biology average?? Can having a strong chem/physics marks offset my bad bio marks?

As you previously reported a 3.5ish sGPA and mid-30s MCAT, I think you'll be fine if you informally take some additional upper-level Bio and Biochem and earn As to establish/maintain an upward grade trend and pull up the sGPA somewhat, especially if you're a Canadian applying to US schools.

 

[sugarmouse]

Thanks for all the replys!
My concern is that I'm keeping up with my GPA BECAUSE of upper year physics & chemistry courses. I have taken upper year bio level courses and they ruined my GPA. Since medical schools want biology, but I seem to suck at it, I am worried that it could raise flags when I apply to US schools. In the MCAT, my biology mark is bleh, but my PS section score is great.

Due to family reasons, going to US schools could potentially be a better option for me. This year, I'm taking more upper year organic chemistry/biomaterial synthesis courses instead of taking physiology/biochemistry etc.. courses. After 2012-2013 year is over (graduation), do you recommend that I should take more biology courses in the summer or pursue a grad degree in this area?

 

[Catalystik]

Thanks for all the replys!
My concern is that I'm keeping up with my GPA BECAUSE of upper year physics & chemistry courses. I have taken upper year bio level courses and they ruined my GPA. Since medical schools want biology, but I seem to suck at it, I am worried that it could raise flags when I apply to US schools. In the MCAT, my biology mark is bleh, but my PS section score is great.

Due to family reasons, going to US schools could potentially be a better option for me. This year, I'm taking more upper year organic chemistry/biomaterial synthesis courses instead of taking physiology/biochemistry etc.. courses. After 2012-2013 year is over (graduation), do you recommend that I should take more biology courses in the summer or pursue a grad degree in this area?

A traditional graduate degree GPA is, in general, not going to redeem the undergrad GPA by which med school candidates are compared/evaluated (as they are largely not considered at all). An SMP will be a colossal waste of time and money if you earn Bs (a 3.7+ GPA while competing with first year med students equates most closely with a subsequent successful application cycle). Med school will be an agony if you don't figure out how to excel in upper-level Biology, being as you'll have (most typically) two years of about 21 credit hours of Bio per semester force fed to you.

After you graduate, you might try taking one upper-level, med school-like class over the summer when you have nothing else scheduled, and do what it takes to master new study strategies, and get an A, so as to conquer your problem. Then take off from there.

 

[nabilesmail]

Thanks for all the replys!
My concern is that I'm keeping up with my GPA BECAUSE of upper year physics & chemistry courses. I have taken upper year bio level courses and they ruined my GPA. Since medical schools want biology, but I seem to suck at it, I am worried that it could raise flags when I apply to US schools. In the MCAT, my biology mark is bleh, but my PS section score is great.

Due to family reasons, going to US schools could potentially be a better option for me. This year, I'm taking more upper year organic chemistry/biomaterial synthesis courses instead of taking physiology/biochemistry etc.. courses. After 2012-2013 year is over (graduation), do you recommend that I should take more biology courses in the summer or pursue a grad degree in this area?

Maybe you have great conceptual/logic/problem solving intelligence, but it is hard for you to remember a bunch of facts (Biology)?