Bad grade in math

[giants01]

Ok, so im currently a junior in college and applying to med school. I have a 3.8 gpa so far and did well in my upper level classes like orgo and nucleic acid chemistry, but freshman, first semester I got a 68 in math. That wasnt failing in my school so I didnt retake it, but I wanted to know when i apply to med school and they see a 68 in math, what they're going to think and am I still going to get credit for it? Thanks in advance.

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[kmktz]

Just my two cents, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Sounds like you have done well in the rest of your science classes which should show you have the ability to handle the course load.

Just be prepared to talk about it and explain why it happened and what you learned from it.

 

[giants01]

Thanks. The reason why I asked this is because, when I was looking at Columbia's med school (not that I plan on applying, just wanted to check it out) they said they wouldn't accept anything lower than a C- from a required course (bio, chem, math, etc), but when I checked other med schools admission page, such as NYMC, they didnt say anything about that, so I was wondering if that was a universal policy or just Columbia's policy.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

I had a 1.5 math GPA

 

[Katatonic]

You could probably shoot an e-mail to those schools and ask if it is something they would require you to re-take as a pre-req.

 

[chman]

I take it you aren't planning on using it for a pre-req math requirement? That would be a problem, but as far as your total app it sounds like you have redeemed yourself.

 

[giants01]

i was planning on using it as a pre-req because I only took a year of math. And TarHeel, did u really have a 1.5 math gpa and still get into med school?

 

[chman]

i was planning on using it as a pre-req because I only took a year of math. And TarHeel, did u really have a 1.5 math gpa and still get into med school?

I think most med schools only accept a C or higher for pre-reqs, so I'm sorry but that will be a problem. I think most people thought you were referring to your app as a whole.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

i was planning on using it as a pre-req because I only took a year of math. And TarHeel, did u really have a 1.5 math gpa and still get into med school?

Yes

 

[chman]

Yes

Did you not apply to schools with math pre-reqs? I think this is what OP is getting at...

 

[giants01]

Doesn't every med school have a pre-req for a year of math?

 

[TarHeelEMT]

Did you not apply to schools with math pre-reqs? I think this is what OP is getting at...

I don't know. I didn't really bother to look them up, but it didn't seem to be a problem for me.

 

[chman]

I don't know. I didn't really bother to look them up, but it didn't seem to be a problem for me.

Ahh. ok. I guess I was under the (false?) impression that any pre-reqs used had to be passing (>C-).

 

[TarHeelEMT]

Ahh. ok. I guess I was under the (false?) impression that any pre-reqs used had to be passing (>C-).

I think it's all discretional. Getting a D in Calc II isn't so meaningful when paired with all As in calc-based physics.