Do I need to retake all failed/withdrawn classes?

[thegoodjuju]

I finally got my transcripts from my old community college, and I need some advice on what I should and shouldn't retake.

Fall 2009

• ANT 1200 C+
• ENGL 1020 B
• MATH 1010 C+
• PHIL 1030 A
• SPAN 2010 B
• GPA - 3.0

Spring 2010

• ENGL 2320 C+
• MATH 1530 C
• PHIL 2010 B
• SPAN 2020 B
• GPA - 2.62

Fall 2010

• Withdrew from classes - these don't count, right?

Summer 2011

• HUM 2810 D
• SOC 1010 B
• GPA - 2.0

Fall 2011

• BIO 1110 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)
• HIST 1120 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)
• PHO 1000 F
• SOC 1020 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)

Spring 2012

• BIO 1110 F
• HIST 1120 F
• SOC 1020 F
• SWRK 2030 F

Current GPA - 1.8

As you can see, it's been a mess after those first two semesters. Those last two semesters I applied to be withdrawn too late. My current academic path doesn't require me to repeat the twice taken and failed history and sociology classes, nor the social work and photography classes I failed. Is it okay that I don't retake those courses, but of course re-take and make an A in Biology I and then continue with my other science prerequisites?

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[starrsgirl]

Ok, first the biggest thing you need to understand is that all those Fs in the last 2 semesters do indeed count towards your cumulative GPA. Yes, even though your school may have not counted them, they will factor into your cumulative. I had a few semesters like that and boy did I learn that the hard way. I can't tell how many credits anything is, but I suggest you calculate all of these on your own to get your real cum GPA right now. As for what classes to take, I would retake English, Math and Biology off the bat. But, what I'm guessing from these transcripts is you are going to have to take a heck of a lot of other classes for quite a few semesters to bring your GPA up. So basically, you will need more classes than just the pre reqs. I recommend taking classes you are most interested in and likely to do well in.

Withdrawn courses won't count against your GPA.

I also recommend you do some calculations to understand how many courses you need to take from here out to get your pre req GPA up to a reasonable level (usually a 3.0 is recommended). In my case, I also had to get my cumulative GPA up to a 3.0 but if you only apply to schools that take the last 60 hours, you might be able to avoid that one.

 

[NJ DPT HOPEFUL]

I finally got my transcripts from my old community college, and I need some advice on what I should and shouldn't retake.

Fall 2009

• ANT 1200 C+
• ENGL 1020 B
• MATH 1010 C+
• PHIL 1030 A
• SPAN 2010 B
• GPA - 3.0

Spring 2010

• ENGL 2320 C+
• MATH 1530 C
• PHIL 2010 B
• SPAN 2020 B
• GPA - 2.62

Fall 2010

• Withdrew from classes - these don't count, right?

Summer 2011

• HUM 2810 D
• SOC 1010 B
• GPA - 2.0

Fall 2011

• BIO 1110 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)
• HIST 1120 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)
• PHO 1000 F
• SOC 1020 F (repeated course exempt from GPA and earned hours)

Spring 2012

• BIO 1110 F
• HIST 1120 F
• SOC 1020 F
• SWRK 2030 F

Current GPA - 1.8

As you can see, it's been a mess after those first two semesters. Those last two semesters I applied to be withdrawn too late. My current academic path doesn't require me to repeat the twice taken and failed history and sociology classes, nor the social work and photography classes I failed. Is it okay that I don't retake those courses, but of course re-take and make an A in Biology I and then continue with my other science prerequisites?

What Stargirl said, all those Fs aren't except from your GPA as far as PTCAS is concerned (you can look into specific school policies to see if any are different.

Also with 2 Fs in Bio 1? That's going to torpedo your Pre-req GPA as well.

If I were you I wouldn't worry so much about repeating the Fs (besides Bio/math if that course is stats) And worry about taking as many credits as possible. Repeating the classes that aren't pre reqs isn't going to raise your gpa any more than any other class (Again this will be different at some schools, do your research) But if you were thinking about a school that doesn't take repeat grades and requires a 3.0 to apply (the majority of programs) Assuming bio Fs are 4 credits and the others 3, you currently have a 0.983 gpa. With my math you need 120 credts of 4.0 work to get a 3.0.

In short, you have a lot more to worry about than just a few retakes

 

[thegoodjuju]

But if you were thinking about a school that doesn't take repeat grades and requires a 3.0 to apply (the majority of programs) Assuming bio Fs are 4 credits and the others 3, you currently have a 0.983 gpa. With my math you need 120 credts of 4.0 work to get a 3.0.s

I wasn't aware that any schools didn't accept retakes, I thought all colleges did. :/

 

[Skyris]

I wasn't aware that any schools didn't accept retakes, I thought all colleges did. :/

Many schools will replace lower grades when calculating your prerequisite GPA, but I don't know of any schools that grade-replace in their cumulative GPA calculation, which is where you're in danger of being below the 3.0 minimum even with significant additional coursework.

 

[thegoodjuju]

Many schools will replace lower grades when calculating your prerequisite GPA, but I don't know of any schools that grade-replace in their cumulative GPA calculation, which is where you're in danger of being below the 3.0 minimum even with significant additional coursework.

Ah, okay, that makes sense... So then this going back to school idea kinda hopeless.

 

[thegoodjuju]

you currently have a 0.983 gpa. With my math you need 120 credts of 4.0 work to get a 3.0.

I used this cumulative GPA calculator (link) and since I don't count the withdrawn courses I have a cumulative GPA of 1.47 and even if I take all my science courses w/ labs and 3 semesters of other courses toward a bachelor's and make an A in every single class I would barely scrape by with a 3.011 cumulative GPA. And I'm sure I would get a couple of B+ grades or something and then would be below a 3.0 so I guess there's literally no way I could get accepted into a DPT program. I didn't realize cumulative GPA was calculated that way, I thought the re-take grade simply erased the bad grade.

 

[DesertPT]

0.983 gpa. With my math you need 120 credts of 4.0 work to get a 3.0.

In short, you have a lot more to worry about than just a few retakes

@thegoodjuju Things aren't completely hopeless, but realistically applications should be limited to schools that take a lot of retakes for pre-reqs and only look at the last 60 hours for cGPA. Careful and extensive research in what schools to apply to will be the key here, along with getting straight A's in all future coursework.


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[starrsgirl]

Yes, i agree that the situation isn't completely hopeless. I'm somewhat of success story myself coming from a 2.4 GPA. But, it took years of retakes and works to bring that one up...so just be prepared for the long haul. I also was not able to target schools that look at only the last 60 as I needed to stay in town. So there are schools out there that will be more friendly to you. But the reality is, you pretty much need to get straight As in every class from here on out to show you are capable of doing the work and make amends for the poor coursework.

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

Was there any particular reason you did so badly?
Idk about PT but you have a continuing downward trend, with your last 2 semesters flat lining at the lowest you could possibly go. I would think that it's pretty pointless to spend all the time and money you'd have to do to retake all of your prereqs in addition to more courses. And as people said earlier, you would have to get straight A's. It's not really realistic, and if you don't have the time/money/resources to do so, you should look into another profession

 

[thegoodjuju]

My local community college has an academic fresh start that is available to me since I've been out of school for more than 4 years. It supposedly wipes out all my past credits and I start from scratch. But I can't find any information on whether or not PTCAS would still use my failed classes if I did an academic fresh start.

 

[thegoodjuju]

Was there any particular reason you did so badly?
...
It's not really realistic, and if you don't have the time/money/resources to do so, you should look into another profession

I'm already in a great profession as a massage therapist. My current career has inspired me to want to go back to school. 🙂 The last two semesters of failing, I was in an abusive relationship.

 

[DesertPT]

My local community college has an academic fresh start that is available to me since I've been out of school for more than 4 years. It supposedly wipes out all my past credits and I start from scratch. But I can't find any information on whether or not PTCAS would still use my failed classes if I did an academic fresh start.

Yes, PTCAS and PT schools will look at your former coursework regardless. All college coursework you have ever completed in your life has to be reported, and all transcripts from all institutions you have ever attended have to be sent. No such thing as a true "fresh start" when applying to grad school unfortunately - unless you only apply to schools that base decisions on the last 60 hours taken - then they should disregard the GPAs PTCAS calculates and caluate their own.


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[starrsgirl]

In case you need to hear it twice, YES, PTCAS will use all of your courses even with a "fresh start". There is no such thing as a fresh start for PT school apps. I get to say that because I painfully lived and learned that one. I had a total of 4 Fs, and 1 D and a slew of C's and C minuses and it was the hardest crawl back up the mountain. I did it mostly to prove to myself I could, but I also did it slowly and cheaply (I would not have done it if it would have been expensive. I went to my very affordable local community college and worked full time to pay for those classes in cash).

My best advice is to give yourself a year. Sign up for heavy science courses and just give it a year. If you nail those courses and get straight As, then maybe you have found your way. If you totally flop the first semester, then jump off the ship quickly and get a new plan.