Class retake. Is it worth it?

[qqDipps]

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I'm applying to med school next year and I was wondering if I should retake Bio 100. I tested out of high school when I was 16 and started to go to community college. I took bio 100 and didn't really go to class or study so I got a C. I dropped out for about three years before going back. I have taken the bio for majors sequence and got an A, B+, B+ and will be a junior next year. My understanding is that most MD schools don't accept grade replacement, but because of average stats I plan to also apply DO. Stats: (not including first transcript) 3.48c and 3.72s Biochem major/ math minor at lower tier state school. EC's also mediocre. I prob won't retake the class unless it's highly recommended. How understanding do you think admissions would be about my cc experience at such a young age?


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[Cambino]

I'm applying to med school next year and I was wondering if I should retake Bio 100. I tested out of high school when I was 16 and started to go to community college. I took bio 100 and didn't really go to class or study so I got a C. I dropped out for about three years before going back. I have taken the bio for majors sequence and got an A, B+, B+ and will be a junior next year. My understanding is that most MD schools don't accept grade replacement, but because of average stats I plan to also apply DO. Stats: (not including first transcript) 3.48c and 3.72s Biochem major/ math minor at lower tier state school. EC's also mediocre. I prob won't retake the class unless it's highly recommended. How understanding do you think admissions would be about my cc experience at such a young age?


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Pro troll.

 

[qqDipps]

What's up?


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[qqDipps]

I've been an SDN lurker long enough to know that a troll is not a good thing, but I don't know why you consider my post as "trolling".


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[sc4s2cg]

IIRC, the typical SDN advice is to retake any C's.

That said, your GPA is a 3.48/3.72. Retaking a Bio 100 class is not going to raise it too much from the MD perspective. From the DO perspective it would be beneficial to retake, just because they replace the grades.

To give you an example: I have very similar stats as you (3.4c and 3.48s from MD perspective). Because I retook my Freshman science classes one summer, my DO GPA is 3.55c, 3.64s. So just weigh the disadvantages with advantages and your predictions for the future, then see how it goes. 🙂

 

[blub1212]

I'm applying to med school next year and I was wondering if I should retake Bio 100. I tested out of high school when I was 16 and started to go to community college. I took bio 100 and didn't really go to class or study so I got a C. I dropped out for about three years before going back. I have taken the bio for majors sequence and got an A, B+, B+ and will be a junior next year. My understanding is that most MD schools don't accept grade replacement, but because of average stats I plan to also apply DO. Stats: (not including first transcript) 3.48c and 3.72s Biochem major/ math minor at lower tier state school. EC's also mediocre. I prob won't retake the class unless it's highly recommended. How understanding do you think admissions would be about my cc experience at such a young age?
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First, don't use lingo from your school, nobody knows what three classes you took ("bio for majors sequence"). Second, no MD schools do grade replacement. This is how I would feel if I was an ADCOM looking at your file: You were smart enough to graduate from high school early, great. You sucked it up at a cc early on, could be understandable if you explain yourself well. Your non-science GPA is way lower than your science GPA, you look like a lazy individual that only puts effort into things that you deem will get you ahead. You claim your ECs are also mediocre, which also makes you look lazy. I don't think you need to retake the intro to bio class, but you need to rock this year. Get some shadowing, do some service, and for the love of god, bring your non-science GPA up. Unless you are taking ridiculous classes, your non-science classes should be easy in comparison. Also, make sure you do well on the MCAT. If I was an ADCOM, I would expect more of you, since you were smart enough to graduate from high school early (this is also coming from someone who graduated high school early).

 

[qqDipps]

First, don't use lingo from your school, nobody knows what three classes you took ("bio for majors sequence"). Second, no MD schools do grade replacement. This is how I would feel if I was an ADCOM looking at your file: You were smart enough to graduate from high school early, great. You sucked it up at a cc early on, could be understandable if you explain yourself well. Your non-science GPA is way lower than your science GPA, you look like a lazy individual that only puts effort into things that you deem will get you ahead. You claim your ECs are also mediocre, which also makes you look lazy. I don't think you need to retake the intro to bio class, but you need to rock this year. Get some shadowing, do some service, and for the love of god, bring your non-science GPA up. Unless you are taking ridiculous classes, your non-science classes should be easy in comparison. Also, make sure you do well on the MCAT. If I was an ADCOM, I would expect more of you, since you were smart enough to graduate from high school early (this is also coming from someone who graduated high school early).

General biology.

Tested out of high school because I had hardly any credits and got my diploma from the state. I went to 5 high schools first two years due to unstable living situation. Long story short.

Lazy or over worked. Have worked between 48-56 hours a week since I've gone back to school, so I basically have to prioritize my school work. Meaning that humanities tend to go on the back burner, never below a B though. Also why my ECs aren't great. Couple clubs, tenure Committee, tutor, etc.

Yup def using this summer to bump up my ECs especially medically related ones.

Haha thanks. I plan to rock it out this next year.



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[blub1212]

That was probably more harsh than I meant it. Sorry, I am tired. Make sure you include that stuff in your PS (not as a sob story, but in a way that would make the reader genuinely interested in knowing you better, i.e. an interview). If you are interested/able, try find something that will boost your ECs while getting paid (then perhaps you can take less hours per week at your job, so you don't kill yourself). For instance, you can try to find a professor who has extra grant money and is looking to hire a student to help with research (on my school website there was an employment section, and there were always professors looking for a student to help with research). Or, tutor underprivileged students. There were a couple tutoring programs at my school, but one would only take underprivileged students, so I got paid to tutor them, while doing something that looked good. Also, I took an on-call position at a hospital (2 shifts a month) as a rehab tech (only certification required was BLS, which they provided after I was hired), giving me patient interactions (while getting paid) and incidentally lead to an awesome LOR from the operational director. I know it will be difficult, but make sure you study accordingly for the MCAT. This might be controversial, but if you haven't been taking out the max in federal loans, I would consider doing so. I moved out of my parents house at 16, blah blah blah, long story short, I was living on my own with no support while in college, so I took out the max in loans. This allowed me to work less and concentrate more on getting done what needs to get done in med school. Good luck!!