Easy class to boost GPA?

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do you guys suggest taking easier classes for hopes of it being a science/math-GPA booster? E.g: intro calculus? (got a 3 in AP calc which technically fulfills the math requirement at my school, took honors calc in high school)


thanks

Actually, some medical schools require calculus as one of their admissions prerequisites. Some of those schools will allow the substitution of AP credit to satisfy the requirement, others don't. UCLA is an example of one that doesn't.
 
I don't get it. Why cant you retake Calculus if you aren't using AP credit?

I doubt they force you to use your AP credit. If you're retaking it and you didn't get AP credit how do medical schools found out you took AP classes and received a good score?
 
I don't get it. Why cant you retake Calculus if you aren't using AP credit?

I doubt they force you to use your AP credit. If you're retaking it and you didn't get AP credit how do medical schools found out you took AP classes and received a good score?

Not all transcripts will show AP credit. Mine won't but that's simply because I never had the scores sent to the school. Even if you do have them sent, a lot of times they will only show as credit given, not the score you received.

You can retake calculus even if you do have AP credit. Most schools do not force you to use your AP credit (I don't know of one that does). There are various reasons why one would want to take a class you already got AP credit for. For example, I retook intro chemistry because I treated it like a joke in High School and somehow managed a 4 on the AP test when I actually know nothing. Retaking that class was one of the best things I've ever done and I actually learned and enjoyed it so much that I decided to double major in Chemistry now in addition to my other major. Retaking AP classes is not a big deal so long as you're doing well in many of your classes and not only the ones you had AP credit for.
 
I thought Astronomy didn't count towards your science GPA. 😕
 
Not all transcripts will show AP credit. Mine won't but that's simply because I never had the scores sent to the school. Even if you do have them sent, a lot of times they will only show as credit given, not the score you received.

You can retake calculus even if you do have AP credit. Most schools do not force you to use your AP credit (I don't know of one that does). There are various reasons why one would want to take a class you already got AP credit for. For example, I retook intro chemistry because I treated it like a joke in High School and somehow managed a 4 on the AP test when I actually know nothing. Retaking that class was one of the best things I've ever done and I actually learned and enjoyed it so much that I decided to double major in Chemistry now in addition to my other major. Retaking AP classes is not a big deal so long as you're doing well in many of your classes and not only the ones you had AP credit for.

And in the OP's case, he (or she) received a 3 in AP calculus. Some of the schools that require calculus and let you substitute AP credits require a score of 4 or 5 (example: Harvard) Thus the OP probably should retake calculus.

Speaking of Harvard, they are one of the schools that require a full year of calculus. So even if you have a good AP score for AB calculus, you still need to have a good AP score for BC calculus, or take calculus II in college. Rather than jumping from high school AB calculus into college-level calculus II, it may be smarter to just take the full year in college. That is what I did and it worked out very well.
 
do med schools other than Harvard look to see your actual score on your AP exam to decide if they want to accept it or not? (even though your undergrad school accepts it?)
 
do med schools other than Harvard look to see your actual score on your AP exam to decide if they want to accept it or not? (even though your undergrad school accepts it?)

I suggest you get a copy of the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) either here https://services.aamc.org/publicati...1&cftoken=F0BBDE2D-AEAC-65E6-12E6ACCFF97E837E or borrow one from the library. The MSAR shows what classes are currently required for each of the medical schools, and then you can go to those specific medical school's websites you are concerned about to see what they have to say about AP classes.

In the case of your AP calculus credit, keep in mind that calculus is one of those classes that more medical schools seem to be adding as a requirement rather than just recommended (the MSAR shows both). So what is acceptable this year may not be the same as when you eventually apply.
 
I thought Astronomy didn't count towards your science GPA. 😕

page 38 in the instruction book for filling out the AMCAS:

Physics (PHYS) - BCPM
Astronomy
Physics
 
do med schools other than Harvard look to see your actual score on your AP exam to decide if they want to accept it or not? (even though your undergrad school accepts it?)

I highly doubt it. Most schools have policies outlining whether or not they'll accept AP credit. A 4 versus a 5 on a test won't make a difference. They'll either accept the credit or they won't.
 
you may also check out KOOFERS.COM if ratemyprofs seems askew. it gives you grade distributions based on class and professor.

your undergrad gpa is as much a function of your work ethic as it is an indicator of how well you can game the system: right class with the right professor in the right sem.
 
don't pick classes, pick professors. Ratemyprofessors.com is your friend.

best advice ever.

that being said, I know people who have taken intro to descriptive astronomy and they said it was the easiest class they have taken (science or not.) basically, it is has none of the physics you would expect from a astronomy course, but it still somehow counted toward BCPM. it is like counting a course on drawing pretty pictures of bunnies or butterflys, and saying it is a zoology course.
 
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