Best way to raise GPA ?

[Eritrawit]

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Hey all,

What is the best way to raise your gpa if you already have a BS and have completed your pre-pharmacy requirements. What about taking easy classes that you know you can get an A, and taking an overload of credits each quarter? Any suggestions, thanks. 🙂

 

[bananaface]

Retake classes in which you got a C or lower.

 

[ckim812]

Retake classes in which you got a C or lower.

The problem is that some state schools such as UCs in California, don't allow students to repeat classes if you passed with a C- or above. Should i take the classes in Junior college? or other universities? Do pharmacy schools replace the classes that i retook when they calculate GPAs??

 

[rxprincess]

The problem is that some state schools such as UCs in California, don't allow students to repeat classes if you passed with a C- or above. Should i take the classes in Junior college? or other universities? Do pharmacy schools replace the classes that i retook when they calculate GPAs??

If you can take them at other universities or schools, you should if you really need to raise your gpa. Some pharmacy schools will take your best grade, meaning they will replace the better grade with your old grade when re-taking classes. Other schools will average the grades together. Whatever school you're interested in, you should call them and ask. Many admissions counselors of pharmacy programs are pretty nice and straightforward with information like that. Some even suggest taking upper-level science courses to raise the gpa b/c it shows you can handle taking more difficult classes and your science gpa goes up along with your overall gpa. Hope this helps!

 

[bananaface]

The problem is that some state schools such as UCs in California, don't allow students to repeat classes if you passed with a C- or above. Should i take the classes in Junior college? or other universities? Do pharmacy schools replace the classes that i retook when they calculate GPAs??

If they are science classes, they ought to be retaken in one way, shape, or form, if they are keeping you from being able to get into a pharmacy school. If they are non-science classes, then you may or may not want to repeat them. Each pharmacy school has its own policy on how it factors retakes into your GPA. Most take an average. Very few replace your score.

 

[eddie269]

Hey all,

What is the best way to raise your gpa if you already have a BS and have completed your pre-pharmacy requirements. What about taking easy classes that you know you can get an A, and taking an overload of credits each quarter? Any suggestions, thanks. 🙂

I am on the same boat as you. Currently, I am taking physics 1 at a JC (schools I applied to didn't require it), bio-chem, and 2 other GE's. I already have my BA and also worked for a year after I graduated. The adcom told me to SHOW THEM you can handle the pharmacy course load.

He recommended taking upper-div science courses that aren't required pre-req's. (i.e., bio-chem, genetics, molecular bio, etc), which I plan to finish by winter 2006. If I do not get in next year, I will then retake the courses I got C's in (Chem I and Chem II and Bio I.) By that time, I hope to have my gpa up to a 3.4 cum. gpa and a 3.2 sci gpa. I hope by showing them I am being persistent and challenging myself, that I deserve a spot =)

Good luck buddy! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!


FORGOT TO ADD: They did stress taking your classes at a 4 yr university over a JC if possible (financially). That is why I am taking my GE's and physics I at the JC and taking bio-chem at a university this semester. Sad thing is, the one bio-chem class costs THREE TIMES as much as my 3 other JC classes. 👎

 

[Caliyaddamean]

Hey all,

What is the best way to raise your gpa if you already have a BS and have completed your pre-pharmacy requirements. What about taking easy classes that you know you can get an A, and taking an overload of credits each quarter? Any suggestions, thanks. 🙂

Im also in the same situation...Im am taking courses towards raising my gpa. Im taking some classes over that I received a low grade in. I advise that you take some courses over that you received a low grade in and also take some upper level courses if at all possible. Also do not by any means....get discouraged because there are several individuals you need to retake some classes.....Look at the situation as a new start....you will be surprised 👍

 

[Fatpharm]

Every pre-pharm class that is offered usually has more than one teacher that teaches the class. If you research your classes, you can find better teachers, easier work loads, or easier grading. You need to talk to upperclassmen that have taken the same teachers for advice.
Also, you can go to www.ratemyprofessors.com.

 

[CauBePharmD]

This might me a stupid answer but I don't know if it works for you. Go to the community college around your state and start all over again. Isn't it beautiful?? a new GPA

 

[MeHungryRx]

The problem is that some state schools such as UCs in California, don't allow students to repeat classes if you passed with a C- or above. Should i take the classes in Junior college? or other universities? Do pharmacy schools replace the classes that i retook when they calculate GPAs??

Well, actually I'm currently attending UC Davis, and I recieved a C in General Chemistry freshman year. Now that's a senior, I simply retook the class waiving the lab section and recieved an A. The office of registrar will give you NO units/credits for taking the class, but new GRADE will show up. Hope that helps.

 

[Smilescali]

This might me a stupid answer but I don't know if it works for you. Go to the community college around your state and start all over again. Isn't it beautiful?? a new GPA

You still have to submit all of your attempts at taking classes even if you took them at another college when applying to pharmacy school.

 

[Eritrawit]

This might me a stupid answer but I don't know if it works for you. Go to the community college around your state and start all over again. Isn't it beautiful?? a new GPA

It's not really starting all over again, because you still need to submit all your transcripts, including the classes that you have taken in the past and received poor grades. The adcom will consider the both poor grade you received in the past, and the better grade you received after you retook the classes.

 

[Eritrawit]

If they are science classes, they ought to be retaken in one way, shape, or form, if they are keeping you from being able to get into a pharmacy school. If they are non-science classes, then you may or may not want to repeat them. Each pharmacy school has its own policy on how it factors retakes into your GPA. Most take an average. Very few replace your score.

Should a science class be retaken even if it’s not a pharmacy prerequisite? For example if you received a poor grade in an upper level science class that was not required for pharmacy school admissions, does that class need to be repeated just because its a science class.

 

[ckim812]

Well, actually I'm currently attending UC Davis, and I recieved a C in General Chemistry freshman year. Now that's a senior, I simply retook the class waiving the lab section and recieved an A. The office of registrar will give you NO units/credits for taking the class, but new GRADE will show up. Hope that helps.

I go to UC Davis too~! I am a senior even though i am junior standing, i have one more question about retaking classes.

1. Is it still okay if i retake some classes that i got C-'s, which are not prerequiste for pharm, to raise my GPA without credit??
2. Can i take Bio 1B that i got a C in CC again? or will it be better if i take in Davis without the lab?

 

[eddie269]

I go to UC Davis too~! I am a senior even though i am junior standing, i have one more question about retaking classes.

1. Is it still okay if i retake some classes that i got C-'s, which are not prerequiste for pharm, to raise my GPA without credit??
2. Can i take Bio 1B that i got a C in CC again? or will it be better if i take in Davis without the lab?

I graduated from UC Davis too in 9/2004! 😀

Anyways, I would just retake bio 1B at Davis because it's such a specific part of bio. Whereas if you go to a JC, you would need to retake TWO semesters of Bio since Bio 1b starts at the end of BIO I and ends at the beginning of Bio II. Get it? It's the whole quarter vs semester system thing. Plus, you can skip the lab and just concentrate on the class itself. I don't know many JC's in the area that go by quarter system either.

I received a C+ and a C in Bio 1A and Bio 1B and got a B+ in Bio 1C. However, I will plan to retake a WHOLE year of Bio at a JC if I do not get in next year. Just to cover all bases of the Bio series.

And as far as retaking classes you got a C- in, just forget about it. Unless it's an upper-div science courses (i.e. genetics or mol. bio, etc) it will not stand out. For example, C- in CMN 140 is OK. C- in CHE118a is NOT OK.

GOOD LUCK! (ahhh, chem 194 days. *sigh*) 🙁

 

[MeHungryRx]

I go to UC Davis too~! I am a senior even though i am junior standing, i have one more question about retaking classes.

1. Is it still okay if i retake some classes that i got C-'s, which are not prerequiste for pharm, to raise my GPA without credit??
2. Can i take Bio 1B that i got a C in CC again? or will it be better if i take in Davis without the lab?

1. I would strongly recommend retaking all the classes at Davis for the classes you got a C- or lower in. The policy is that you can retake up to 16 units of C- or lower in the classes you took. After you retake more than 16 units, they'll average your grades in the gpa, instead of replacing your grade.

2. I would also retake Bio 1B here, since at a CC it won't be equivalent as someone said previously.

Hope it helps.

 

[meg]

I would always make sure I have one "easy" class every semester that I was guaranteed an A in that would help balance out a lower grade in a hard course.

Some easy classes I took:
Radio, TV and Film
Gemology
Band (or choir if you sing)
Spanish 101

They are usually only 1-3 credits, but they help!

 

[ckim812]

MeHungryRx, eddie269, rxprincess, and bananaface. Thanks for all the kind replies, I really appreciate it!!

 

[pharmacology]

You may also want to see how some schools handle the minus portion of a grade. If they just count it as a "C" it is a 2.0. If they count it as a "-" then I think that comes out to a 1.67. If it is a required course for pharmacy school you will have to consider if you want to send them a course grade that is in the 1's. Along side a student whose college only gives out whole grades, their grade comes out to a 2.0 while you would have a 1.67. If the COP just takes letter grades and strips the minus then it doesn't matter. But then again a 2.0 in a required course is considered "average".