Grade alleviations - Do they factor in AMCAS?

[Launcelot]

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Okay, so its like this:

I just found out that I got a D in my Calculus 3 class, but that class was unnecessary for my major (I took it just to see if I could do it [Obviously couldn't]). I'm at a community college right now with a 3.7 GPA, and that class is the only class that basically going to weigh me down on my transcript.

My college has something called "grade alleviation" which would erase that class from my transcripts, given that 2 years have elapsed since I took it, and that it was a D or F, and if my previous semester GPA and total GPA is over a 3.0.

Would this blemish still show when I send transcripts to medical schools two years from now?

From what I understand, it doesn't make it a W, but it is "appropriately annotated in a manner to ensure that all entries are legible and that a true and complete record is maintained." and that grade is not calculated into GPA.

 

[CopaceticOne]

Okay, so its like this:

I just found out that I got a D in my Calculus 3 class, but that class was unnecessary for my major (I took it just to see if I could do it [Obviously couldn't]). I'm at a community college right now with a 3.7 GPA, and that class is the only class that basically going to weigh me down on my transcript.

My college has something called "grade alleviation" which would erase that class from my transcripts, given that 2 years have elapsed since I took it, and that it was a D or F, and if my previous semester GPA and total GPA is over a 3.0.

Would this blemish still show when I send transcripts to medical schools two years from now?

From what I understand, it doesn't make it a W, but it is "appropriately annotated in a manner to ensure that all entries are legible and that a true and complete record is maintained." and that grade is not calculated into GPA.

It is very simple - if it is on your official transcript then it counts for AMCAS calculations.

 

[Catalystik]

Agreed. AMCAS recalculates its own application GPA based on all the official transcripts submitted by each college you attend, regardless of the policy of the original school.

AACOMAS, the DO application service, only counts the most recent grade earned if you retake, though, provided the credit hours are the same or greater.

 

[organdonor]

It is very simple - if it is on your official transcript then it counts for AMCAS calculations.

It is actually even simpler than that. Any college level class you ever took anywhere, including but not limited to high school, community college, forgiven, school burned down, repeated, all must be reported.

When entering course work, you must include information and corresponding grades for every course in which you have ever enrolled at any U.S., U.S. Territorial, or Canadian post-secondary institution, regardless of whether credit was earned. This includes, but is not limited to withdrawals, repeats, failures, incompletes, and future course work. Courses removed from your transcripts or GPA as a result of academic bankruptcy, forgiveness, or similar institutional policies must also be included.]

Straight from the horses mouth
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/how_to_apply/130652/entering_your_course_work.html

 

[CopaceticOne]

It is actually even simpler than that. Any college level class you ever took anywhere, including but not limited to high school, community college, forgiven, school burned down, repeated, all must be reported.

Yes, I know. The OPs question was in reference to the grade being incorporated into GPAs as calculated for primary applications.

 

[Sephiroth]

It is actually even simpler than that. Any college level class you ever took anywhere, including but not limited to high school, community college, forgiven, school burned down, repeated, all must be reported.



Straight from the horses mouth
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/how_to_apply/130652/entering_your_course_work.html

Similar to the discussion on not reporting IAs from schools that were left, I wonder that if it doesn't appear on the transcript and you just don't report it, would they really find out? (again, I'm not recommending anyone do this, just asking)

 

[PantherPride]

My school does something similar.

It's given a different name, but has the same idea. Most likely, you might "alleviate" the grade when the transcript is taken into consideration by your own school, but when your transcript is sent to other schools, they will see an F with a * on the side and a tiny note on the bottom saying "*= grade alleviation."

In other words, it is likely that the grade will still be posted on your official transcript. And when schools do find it, they will just recalculate your gpa with that grade that was supposedly "alleviated." I don't think its professional at all for schools to practice, even at my school. It tricks students into thinking its ok to take the F. Other schools will look at a grade alleviation just how they would look at a D or an F. There's not a magic wand that can make a blemish on your transcript disappear.

Of course, this is just based off of my knowledge, so there's a chance I could be wrong. Besides though, it has already been posted that you must show all your classes taken and their respective grades, and I don't think lying on your application will be a good start to med school

 

[organdonor]

Would this blemish still show when I send transcripts to medical schools two years from now?

The OPs question was in reference to the grade being incorporated into GPAs as calculated for primary applications.

It certainly will show on primary applications. I'm not 100% sure it would figure into the gpa calculation as I think AMCAS only uses grades that they can verify for gpa calculations. The undergrad school can say this isn't true until they are blue in the face, but I'll make a bet that on the official transcript they send out to other institutions there is an asterisk that references a record somewhere buried deep down in the basement where that bad mark can be verified. Kind of a moot point though, as like I said earlier you have to report it. Let them take it from there.

Similar to the discussion on not reporting IAs from schools that were left, I wonder that if it doesn't appear on the transcript and you just don't report it, would they really find out? (again, I'm not recommending anyone do this, just asking)

http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/

It's not the only place people/institutions can go to verify education, just the only one I can remember off the top of my head.

Misrepresenting your grades is academic dishonesty which can get you expelled from any medical school in the country. Just imagine a little "white" lie from your application being found out in your 3rd or 4th year with all that debt hanging over you and nothing to show for it yet. Fat chance you'd get in anywhere else with such a stigma as being expelled. Be honest and follow the rules, it really is in your best interest.

 

[Sephiroth]

http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/

It's not the only place people/institutions can go to verify education, just the only one I can remember off the top of my head.

Misrepresenting your grades is academic dishonesty which can get you expelled from any medical school in the country. Just imagine a little "white" lie from your application being found out in your 3rd or 4th year with all that debt hanging over you and nothing to show for it yet. Fat chance you'd get in anywhere else with such a stigma as being expelled. Be honest and follow the rules, it really is in your best interest.

Haha, relax, the question wouldn't apply to me anyway as I only went to one university that reports everything on transcripts. I'm just asking out of curiosity of the hypothetical situation.

Andwebsites like this get their information from the schools themselves, so if the school didn't report "alleviated" grades, then I don't see how anyone would find out.

It's not something I would do. There are ethical concerns and still a hefy risk involved. But I can't help but think there are people who are willing to do that and can get away with it.