Discouraged- Course retakes.

[futuredrummerdoctor]

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Hey everyone, I've been retaking courses for grade replacement for a couple of semesters. For some of my retakes, I got an A- the second time around. My heart is so heavy right now, because I really thought I had a 4.0 this semester, but I got 2 A-'s instead. I'm wondering how this will be viewed by the admissions committees. I'll probably be applying to medical school with a GPA of 3.3-3.4. However, I have really good extracurriculars, and research publications from Yale on a topic in Neuroscience that I'm really interested in. I have my master's in neuroscience with a 3.08 GPA from the master's (got a lot of B's in the master's). Please, someone, tell me it'll be okay? 🙁 I've been studying my ass off for the MCAT, too, but sometimes I feel so incompetent.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

What? This is a non-issue. A couple A- won't do you in... heck you could get all A- in your retakes and no one will go, "well this applicant stinks because he only got A- on his retakes..." I would be more concerned with the low masters GPA, that's a real issue.

 

[Ulgarmoose]

A- = 3.7. That's awesome for DO and acceptable for MD.

On the other hand...what do you do about a slightly low masters GPA?

 

[futuredrummerdoctor]

A- = 3.7. That's awesome for DO and acceptable for MD.

On the other hand...what do you do about a slightly low masters GPA?

I really don't know what to do about the low master's GPA. it's in the past, and there's really nothing that I CAN do about it now.

 

[Shotapp]

@futuredrummerdoctor

Focus on what you can control/improve on (your retakes and solid ECs). For the Mcat, try to prepare for it without any distractions. Get a good Mcat score and apply broadly to DO schools.

 

[Zifish]

Hey everyone, I've been retaking courses for grade replacement for a couple of semesters...

Hi, I just finished speaking with an admissions dean at a DO school, and received some terrible news. I was planning to begin retakes in spring to remedy some failed semesters. He informed me that deans have voted and it's been approved to REMOVE grade replacement from AACOMAS beginning May 2017 cycle. The application will now be like AMCAS where grades are averaged, and he said that the people most hurt by this will be ones who've been doing retakes with a plan to apply in 2017 and beyond.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

You'll probably be questioned about the masters because they are notoriously known for grade inflation. I think your osteopathic chances are fine grade-wise. However, a strong MCAT performance is what will mitigate doubts over previous grades.

 

[Shotapp]

Hi, I just finished speaking with an admissions dean at a DO school, and received some terrible news. I was planning to begin retakes in spring to remedy some failed semesters. He informed me that deans have voted and it's been approved to REMOVE grade replacement from AACOMAS beginning May 2017 cycle. The application will now be like AMCAS where grades are averaged, and he said that the people most hurt by this will be ones who've been doing retakes with a plan to apply in 2017 and beyond.

Are there any published documents that back up what you are saying? @Goro ?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Hi, I just finished speaking with an admissions dean at a DO school, and received some terrible news. I was planning to begin retakes in spring to remedy some failed semesters. He informed me that deans have voted and it's been approved to REMOVE grade replacement from AACOMAS beginning May 2017 cycle. The application will now be like AMCAS where grades are averaged, and he said that the people most hurt by this will be ones who've been doing retakes with a plan to apply in 2017 and beyond.

Until it is published then I won't actually believe that it will go through. If grade replacement is taken away then DO schools will most likely be very surprised by how much their average GPAs drop. Grade replacement is pretty important to their numbers.

 

[Zifish]

Are there any published documents that back up what you are saying? @Goro ?

At this point, I only have this admissions deans word on it. I wish it was public news because I, just like everyone else, really needed grade replacement to repair my GPA. He said it was voted on and passed in November to take effect in the may 2017 cycle, and that it's already done. It is unfortunate that people who've been retaking courses for years will not benefit once this news is made public.

 

[Zifish]

Until it is published then I won't actually believe that it will go through. If grade replacement is taken away then DO schools will most likely be very surprised by how much their average GPAs drop. Grade replacement is pretty important to their numbers.

I'm having a hard time believing it myself, but apparently it's already gone through and was passed in November. I agree that gpa's will drop since the gpa's currently include replacements, and are still a bit below average MD apps. When replacement goes away...

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I just feel like this kind of thing is something that AACOMAS would already be announcing because of the adjustments that applicants will have to make.

 

[kamakazi5]

I just feel like this kind of thing is something that AACOMAS would already be announcing because of the adjustments that applicants will have to make.

My thinking as well. It's less than 6 months until the new cycle begins and nothing has been stated. This would be a pretty drastic change for a large number of applicants and something that some applicants plan a year or two in advance.

 

[Shotapp]

If this is really going to happen, I don't know what to say...I will wait and see. This is disheartening news indeed.

 

[68PGunner]

I just feel like this kind of thing is something that AACOMAS would already be announcing because of the adjustments that applicants will have to make.

Might be a consequence of the acgme merger which could be a good thing for current DOs...

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Might be a consequence of the acgme merger which could be a good thing for current DOs...

Why would it have anything to do with the merger?

 

[Goro]

This is news to me. If true, it's extremely stupid. It would wipe out huge numbers of perfectly fine candidates, especially with new schools are coming on line, yet.

They should be working on clinical rotation spots, not grade replacement.

There is no mention of this on the AACOMAS site.

My own Admissions dean has said nothing about this...and I expect that he would have, especially f this were a done deal.

As of now, treat this as hearsay....maybe this is specific to that particular school. A major change in admissions policy would require approval by AACOMAS or COCA.

 

[darkeon]

pardon the words but that's just plains stupid. if grade replacement goes away, then there is absolutely no reason to apply to the more expensive (in tuition and application costs) to 30some DO schools when you might as well apply to the 100+ MD schools unless you really are into the osteopathic philosophy and wish to become a full-time practitioner of it. Plenty of MD schools reward inventions and like comeback stories so it's not like DO schools will have that upper hand.

May 2017 is only less than half a year away. Announcements should have been like last century ago. Perhaps this is just the action of a few deans who simply will have their committees look at applicants with retakes much less favorably and possibly recalculate GPAs themselves.

nothing to it but to wait till May then.

 

[pseud0]

Until it is published then I won't actually believe that it will go through. If grade replacement is taken away then DO schools will most likely be very surprised by how much their average GPAs drop. Grade replacement is pretty important to their numbers.

remember, there are a crapton of applicants who meet their gpa averages outright without grade replacements but get rejected for whatever other reason while someone with grade replacement is accepted. What would happen is simply that those grade replacement people get rejected now, and some of the worse applicants who meet their gpa requirements would get accepted instead. It wouldn't change their GPA averages on paper, they'd just be admitting worse students.

 

[Zifish]

remember, there are a crapton of applicants who meet their gpa averages outright without grade replacements but get rejected for whatever other reason while someone with grade replacement is accepted. What would happen is simply that those grade replacement people get rejected now, and some of the worse applicants who meet their gpa requirements would get accepted instead. It wouldn't change their GPA averages on paper, they'd just be admitting worse students.

Or the adcoms will take a holistic approach and accept the person with the best application package despite the lower GPA. Also he made it sound like although aacomas will stop replacement, it'll be up to individual schools if they want to continue to honor it or not. But it may just push people with stellar gpa's to MD, middle of the road to DO, and lows to SMP/Masters

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

remember, there are a crapton of applicants who meet their gpa averages outright without grade replacements but get rejected for whatever other reason while someone with grade replacement is accepted. What would happen is simply that those grade replacement people get rejected now, and some of the worse applicants who meet their gpa requirements would get accepted instead. It wouldn't change their GPA averages on paper, they'd just be admitting worse students.

Eh... I think more people apply with a few retakes than people think. Even just one or two classes can really help a sGPA.

 

[kelminak]

I'm having a hard time believing it myself, but apparently it's already gone through and was passed in November. I agree that gpa's will drop since the gpa's currently include replacements, and are still a bit below average MD apps. When replacement goes away...

I'm gonna need to see some evidence of this, because it would absolutely destroy my chances of getting into med school. I've spent literal years building up my GPA with retakes and to do this with no warning would be absolutely absurd. They would at least give it a few years before doing something like this if they had any sense of reason.

 

[naivePremed]

Hi, I just finished speaking with an admissions dean at a DO school, and received some terrible news. I was planning to begin retakes in spring to remedy some failed semesters. He informed me that deans have voted and it's been approved to REMOVE grade replacement from AACOMAS beginning May 2017 cycle. The application will now be like AMCAS where grades are averaged, and he said that the people most hurt by this will be ones who've been doing retakes with a plan to apply in 2017 and beyond.

im going to pretend i never read that comment about grade replacement. if goro hasn't heard of it, it might just be school specific. Also, that is a huge change and in absolutely no way they would would wait to announce right before the next cycle; that is just insane. which school were you talking to? We can confirm this ourselves by calling as well.

 

[Alienman52]

Hey everyone, I've been retaking courses for grade replacement for a couple of semesters. For some of my retakes, I got an A- the second time around. My heart is so heavy right now, because I really thought I had a 4.0 this semester, but I got 2 A-'s instead. I'm wondering how this will be viewed by the admissions committees. I'll probably be applying to medical school with a GPA of 3.3-3.4. However, I have really good extracurriculars, and research publications from Yale on a topic in Neuroscience that I'm really interested in. I have my master's in neuroscience with a 3.08 GPA from the master's (got a lot of B's in the master's). Please, someone, tell me it'll be okay? 🙁 I've been studying my ass off for the MCAT, too, but sometimes I feel so incompetent.

3.3-3.4 isn't a death sentence for DO. That master's GPA might hurt a bit though, as it's pretty low. I'd really try to ace that MCAT if you want to have a solid shot. The A-'s on the course retakes are awesome. Don't be neurotic haha you did great, and you should be proud of that. Your master's GPA is what I'd be a bit more concerned about. Good luck on that MCAT; be sure to update us.

Good luck to you OP.

 

[Shotapp]

Hey @Zifish

Which school was it that gave you that information? Can you send me a PM? I would like to verify for myself.

 

[futuredrummerdoctor]

You'll probably be questioned about the masters because they are notoriously known for grade inflation. I think your osteopathic chances are fine grade-wise. However, a strong MCAT performance is what will mitigate doubts over previous grades.

Will I destroy my chances if I end up having to take the MCAT twice, doing much better the second time? I know that you're not supposed to take the MCAT more than once. I've been studying for months for the MCAT, actually more like a year, but it's been a challenge with realizing that I wasn't studying very efficiently and with my practice exam scores being somewhat up and down. I only recently started studying efficiently; i.e., TARGETED content review of high yield as well as weak areas. It only recently clicked, and I have shut out all distractions and have been studying like a crazy person with my phone off and high focus. My exam is on January 19, and I can't postpone due to the family drama that would ensue- my parents will cut off all financial assistance. I literally can't postpone the exam, it's a very sensitive issue. I'm just doing as much practice as possible and hoping for the best, but if I have to retake it, I want to know how this will be looked at considering my academic track record. Based on my scores on practice exams, I think I'm going to get anywhere between a 506-509 on the MCAT. I'm looking at some post-bac programs that have linkages to their DO schools, which that kind of score would be sufficient for. The applications for such programs open up right around when I will be receiving my scores. I know that's more money down the tube, but I will literally do anything it takes. (P.s., that's another reason why I don't want to postpone my MCAT; I want to apply to these post-bacc's ANYWAY, and some of them require you to submit an MCAT score). @Goro any thoughts?

I'm not going to be on the internet much over the next 4 weeks as I'm cramming, and I just want to make one more comment. I know that I messed up in the master's program. I'm a very sensitive girl and have suffered from really bad anxiety my entire life (shaking as I type this). I've come a very far way with my mental health, and life gave me a really bad hand over the past two years which I'm grateful for and that I personally believe have handled with a considerable amount of grace. I am committing the next few weeks to practice, practice, and more practice. I missed out on thanksgiving, christmas, and new years for the mcat, and I am in my apartment hundreds of miles away from my family and somehow I do not care because I want this badly enough and I know that this is my last chance to show that I am capable of this. I am a combination of stressed and excited to get this MCAT done. So I just want to say good luck to everyone else who is making sacrifices to reach their dreams. And thank you so much to this community for helping me.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Will I destroy my chances if I end up having to take the MCAT twice, doing much better the second time? I know that you're not supposed to take the MCAT more than once. I've been studying for months for the MCAT, actually more like a year, but it's been a challenge with realizing that I wasn't studying very efficiently and with my practice exam scores being somewhat up and down. I only recently started studying efficiently; i.e., TARGETED content review of high yield as well as weak areas. It only recently clicked, and I have shut out all distractions and have been studying like a crazy person with my phone off and high focus. My exam is on January 19, and I can't postpone due to the family drama that would ensue- my parents will cut off all financial assistance. I literally can't postpone the exam, it's a very sensitive issue. I'm just doing as much practice as possible and hoping for the best, but if I have to retake it, I want to know how this will be looked at considering my academic track record. Based on my scores on practice exams, I think I'm going to get anywhere between a 506-509 on the MCAT. I'm looking at some post-bac programs that have linkages to their DO schools, which that kind of score would be sufficient for. The applications for such programs open up right around when I will be receiving my scores. I know that's more money down the tube, but I will literally do anything it takes. (P.s., that's another reason why I don't want to postpone my MCAT; I want to apply to these post-bacc's ANYWAY, and some of them require you to submit an MCAT score). @Goro any thoughts?

I'm not going to be on the internet much over the next 4 weeks as I'm cramming, and I just want to make one more comment. I know that I messed up in the master's program. I'm a very sensitive girl and have suffered from really bad anxiety my entire life (shaking as I type this). I've come a very far way with my mental health, and life gave me a really bad hand over the past two years which I'm grateful for and that I personally believe have handled with a considerable amount of grace. I am committing the next few weeks to practice, practice, and more practice. I missed out on thanksgiving, christmas, and new years for the mcat, and I am in my apartment hundreds of miles away from my family and somehow I do not care because I want this badly enough and I know that this is my last chance to show that I am capable of this. I am a combination of stressed and excited to get this MCAT done. So I just want to say good luck to everyone else who is making sacrifices to reach their dreams. And thank you so much to this community for helping me.

If you're not ready, honestly, don't take it. Even if you go to the test and feel terrible, it's better to void than to score below your potential. I don't think the MCAT taken twice is bad if your score improves at least 5 to 10 percentile points, but don't put yourself through this if you don't have to.

If your anxiety is high, you may want to hold off on medical school. Trust me, your mental health has to be optimal for medical school. Your first semester will be particularly brutal having to adapt to the system. Don't shut out the people you love because of a test. At the end of the day the people you love and the memories you make are more important than a test.

Trust me, I know what you're going through. I remember being a premed and even ignoring similar advice to the one I'm giving you, but try not to make the mistakes we've all made. We give you this advice for a reason.

 

[futuredrummerdoctor]

If you're not ready, honestly, don't take it. Even if you go to the test and feel terrible, it's better to void than to score below your potential. I don't think the MCAT taken twice is bad if your score improves at least 5 to 10 percentile points, but don't put yourself through this if you don't have to.

If your anxiety is high, you may want to hold off on medical school. Trust me, your mental health has to be optimal for medical school. Your first semester will be particularly brutal having to adapt to the system. Don't shut out the people you love because of a test. At the end of the day the people you love and the memories you make are more important than a test.

Trust me, I know what you're going through. I remember being a premed and even ignoring similar advice to the one I'm giving you, but try not to make the mistakes we've all made. We give you this advice for a reason.

Thank you so much for

I remember you were talking about taking classes at UNE - did you wind up doing that?

UNE cuts off A- at 94 and tests on random ****. That is to say, they give you whatever grade they feel like giving you. No point in sweating it and its not a big deal.

I'm still debating the UNE course retake thing. I already took biochem in UG and got a C. I also took the bio sequence in undergrad and got a B- and C+. That's why I want to retake at least two of those online through UNE, to get that SGPA up at much as possible. Still debating- everyone's saying terrible things about the biochem course.

 

[futuredrummerdoctor]

The biochem when they were curving was reasonably graded - low 3.0 average. The biochem right now is a bloodbath and I wouldn't touch it.

Bio 2 with them was easy.

Bio 2 is the one I got a C+ in, so I think I will retake that. How long did it take you to complete bio 2?