C- in a prequisite course

[chocolatethunder]

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Hi everyone,

I got a C- in Organic Chemistry 2 in my Junior Year of college. I am applying to medical school this summer. I know the general consensus is that one should get above a C in their prerequisites but I wanted to know whether I will be screened out for that grade by admission committees, or it does not matter as long as the overall GPA is in check. My overall GPA is a 3.66 (sGPA 3.52) and most of my other courses are B+ or higher, so this is my only outlier on the app.

In terms of further improvement, i got a A- in Neurochemistry (heavily Organic Chemistry based) and did Organic Chemistry research for 1.5 years with a publication on the way.

Thanks in advance!

 

[chocolatethunder]

C- is usually below minimum required grade for prereq. this will not keep you out via screening but you will not be allowed to matriculate without retaking the course and getting at least a C (in some schools C+)

prereqs are not checked at admission but after you have taken an offer of acceptance during prematriculation when you must have all official transcripts directly to school for that purpose

Would you recommend that I enroll at a university to retake that one particular class? I won't matriculate until June, 2018 so I can take it in Fall or Spring?

Also does it have to be at my university (went to a private school and it would cost 4-5k, which I can't afford) or can i do it at a community college to save money/

 

[LnSin]

You can do it at a CC and you can do it next fall or spring

Can you technically complete the pre-few AFTER getting acceptance? As in, can schools give you conditional acceptance?


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[PreMedMissteps]

Some schools don't require orgo II.

But you could retake it in fall or spring. A school "might" accept you with the provision that you retake and get a C or better before matriculation, but why take that chance? Take it in the fall and include that on your app.

It's mid June and you haven't submitted yet? Get going on that and include a mention that you'll be retaking Orgo II this fall.

 

[chocolatethunder]

Some schools don't require orgo II.

But you could retake it in fall or spring. A school "might" accept you with the provision that you retake and get a C or better before matriculation, but why take that chance? Take it in the fall and include that on your app.

It's mid June and you haven't submitted yet? Get going on that and include a mention that you'll be retaking Orgo II this fall.

I was planning to submit by the end of this week. What's wrong with not submitting primaries by this time!?

 

[LnSin]

I was planning to submit by the end of this week. What's wrong with not submitting primaries by this time!?

Absolutely nothing. Neuroticism is on a spectrum in this forum...


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[PreMedMissteps]

I was planning to submit by the end of this week. What's wrong with not submitting primaries by this time!?

The later you submit in the summer, the longer it can take to be verified. I've noticed that those who submit the first week are verified within days. Those who submit in late June or July, may find it can take 4-6 weeks to be verified. Plus, if there is an issue, it's better if it can resolved earlier rather than later.

I've spent a lot of time looking thru MDapps and there seems to be better results (more interviews/more acceptances) when the app is submitted in early-mid June.

Submitting at the end of this week is fine. Good luck.

 

[DrBallerBro]

I got 3 Cs in prereqs, non-URM w/ a lower cum GPA than you -> 6 MD interviews...It will be an uphill battle but far from over. so make sure you have a dope PS and ECs

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I got 3 Cs in prereqs, non-URM w/ a lower cum GPA than you -> 6 MD interviews...It will be an uphill battle but far from over. so make sure you have a dope PS and ECs

Congrats. How many acceptances? What was your MCAT?

How many schools did you apply to?

 

[DBC03]

C- is usually below minimum required grade for prereq. this will not keep you out via screening but you will not be allowed to matriculate without retaking the course and getting at least a C (in some schools C+)

prereqs are not checked at admission but after you have taken an offer of acceptance during prematriculation when you must have all official transcripts directly to school for that purpose

I've never heard this before. Orgo is a pretty obvious prereq - but does this apply to math classes? I got a D in linear algebra, but I have AP credit for two semesters of calculus, A+ in stats and A in differential equations. Schools don't require linear algebra per se, but they often require two semesters of college level math. Would a grade like that in a class that could be considered a pre-req prevent someone from matriculating?

 

[serviam9]

Maybe call the schools you're interested in to see if they'd require you to retake it? Remain anonymous though. Whether or not they make you retake it, I don't think it should stop you from turning your app in if you didn't already

 

[AttemptingScholar]

I've never heard this before. Orgo is a pretty obvious prereq - but does this apply to math classes? I got a D in linear algebra, but I have AP credit for two semesters of calculus, A+ in stats and A in differential equations. Schools don't require linear algebra per se, but they often require two semesters of college level math. Would a grade like that in a class that could be considered a pre-req prevent someone from matriculating?

You fulfill the math prereq without linear algebra, so the fail won't DQ you. It will tank your sGPA, but I imagine you knew that.

 

[DBC03]

You can't imagine how many ways I wanted to convince AMCAS that it wasn't a legitimate math class. But I bit the bullet and included it. Definitely killed the sGPA.

 

[DBC03]

virtually every school has some form of this. That is, a C is minimum for prereq (could be C+ or possibly C-). The issue that students have with this is not during admission but after they have taken an offer of acceptance during pre-matriculation. At that time you will be required to have official transcripts sent directly to the school where it will be check for prereq fulfillment. Not having them filled prior to schedule matriculation date could get you involuntary deferred or worse

This is really good to know. Thank you for posting this. In this case is it best for applicants to contact each school and determine which classes will count as prerequisites and would require a C or better? I realize some schools are moving toward the "recommended" course work instead of "required." If the course is recommended but not required, does the grade no longer matter for matriculation?

 

[ecko126]

virtually every school has some form of this. That is, a C is minimum for prereq (could be C+ or possibly C-). The issue that students have with this is not during admission but after they have taken an offer of acceptance during pre-matriculation. At that time you will be required to have official transcripts sent directly to the school where it will be check for prereq fulfillment. Not having them filled prior to schedule matriculation date could get you involuntary deferred or worse

Just a quick question that might be a little off topic: my girlfriend is currently applying to schools in a similar situation as OP (with a C/C- in orgo). Sometimes we are unable to find if a school has a minimum grade requirement on their website, so we email the school. They usually say something along the lines of "We don't have a minimum GPA and we use a holistic approach to admissions". Since they aren't really directly answering the question, should we take this to mean that she won't be screened out by applying there? She wouldn't be forced to involuntary defer if she's accepted to one of those schools, right?

 

[ecko126]

You are asking two different questions:

1) she will not be automatically screened out because of a specific grade as prereqs are not checked at time of admission
2) she may not be able to matriculate because of the C- and not only may she be forced to defer, her acceptance could be rescinded by not having successfully completed prereqs priot to orientation

Thanks so much for the help! Do you know if somewhere we could check the minimum grade requirements if the school's website doesn't have anything listed? Emailing has recently resulted in generic replies that don't really answer the question.

 

[DBC03]

Probably will still matter

Thanks for the help - doesn't apply to me (assuming my three other math classes count as pre-reqs), but I think it could make a difference for some applicants as so many schools are moving in that direction.

 

[chocolatethunder]

You can do it at a CC and you can do it next fall or spring

I am having trouble figuring out where to mention my C- and my desire to retake it, on the primary app. Do you think it is important to mention it here, or will I have the opportunity to mention on my secondaries. Will any of the schools not provide me with a secondary due to a C- if i do not mention that I will be retaking it?

 

[PreMedMissteps]

1)Do not mention it at all in primary or secondary in any way, shape or form
2) prereqs are not checked at admission but after you taken up an offer of acceptance.
3) at that time you br required to send official transcript directly to the school to check which is where the retake will seen

I always find that statement confusing about timing of prereqs being checked. I can understand that formally the SOM may check after an acceptance offer, but surely when they're looking over grades when deciding to interview, they would have a cursory view of which prereqs were completed and their grades.

 

[Misunderstood Warlock]

I have a C- in Ochem 3 (from a quarter system), and I plan on re-taking it in the Spring before I apply, but my grades would come out in mid-to-late June. Would it be worth delaying sending in my application until my grades come out and I send my completed transcripts? Or should I just send them on June 1st with the transcripts saying that I'm in the middle of taking it and update the schools later? I'm worried about how much it'd hurt my chances if I get verified around early mid to mid-July (based on what I've seen from people sending in their applications in mid-to-late June) if I wait for the grade to come out compared to early June if I don't wait.

 

[saffe94]

I have a C- in Ochem 3 (from a quarter system), and I plan on re-taking it in the Spring before I apply, but my grades would come out in mid-to-late June. Would it be worth delaying sending in my application until my grades come out and I send my completed transcripts? Or should I just send them on June 1st with the transcripts saying that I'm in the middle of taking it and update the schools later? I'm worried about how much it'd hurt my chances if I get verified around early mid to mid-July (based on what I've seen from people sending in their applications in mid-to-late June) if I wait for the grade to come out compared to early June if I don't wait.

I'm applying this cycle after finishing my degree in June and waited to send final grades. I've had some success so far, I think as long as you are submitting primaries as soon as those grades do come out you'll do fine.