had my VCOM app reviewed

[Bevo]

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I got a call back this morning. And what I understood was that they had my science gpa at a 2.68, which isn't what was on AACOMAS or my own calculations. And said I should retake some of my science classes or other non-required science classes to boost up my science gpa.

AACOMAS has my PB science gpa at 3.15 (which is up around a 3.3 after fall) and the cum science gpa at 3.04.

I was told that you shouldn't bother retaking a course if its a B- or higher. I can understand the need to retake 2 of my labs where I receibed Cs at my old school. But I have like 4 classes/labs where I got a B- in.

is math included in the science gpa calculations ?

I dunno. There was some miscommunication somewhere....

 

[14931]

yeah maths is included in ur science GPA

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

math is included in science (BCPM=Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math)

Good luck, you'll get in somewhere, if not this year, then definately next.

Take care,

Russell

 

[Bevo]

i guess thats where Im getting brought down and is the one subject I just can't retake. its always been my worst subject and the one class I struggled to pass. This school is proud of they're accelerated math classes where they combine calc 1-3 into 2 classes and the 2 professors who teach them aren't very good.

Id take it elsewhere, but the math department wont accept the courses from a different college because they accelerate them here ...🙁 ie calc2 at any other college would get me cacl 1 credit here.

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

Where there's a will, there's a way! Imbebo, math is and always will be my absolute worst subject. I got fed up with myself when I was taking Calc II (round two). I said that I am better than this stupid class and I'm going to ace the class. I went to a tutor two times a week, and went to my teacher when I had a problem with his teaching. He was a very good teacher, but spoke english with a very thick indian accent. It was difficult and though I didn't ace it, I got an A-. That was the first time in my entire life (no joke) that I'd gotten an A in a math class. What was it that Doc Brown says in Back to the future? "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything." Cmon dude, you are going to be a doctor some day, I think you can tackle Calculus.

Russell

 

[Bevo]

thing is when I took calc II here, I was in the math tutoring office 3 times a week working with tutors. I barely pased with a C-


Since I only have time to take 1 course, would it be ok if I just retook calc II. I got a C in calc I and a C- in calcII.

 

[Bevo]

can anyone recommend a good refresher and review book for calc ?

my trig is long forgotten and some of my basic algebra skills are very rusty

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

Take which ever one you will be able to do well in, but I would suggest taking Calc II. I figure that if you do well in II, then it will show that you have mastered the skills for Calc I.

Whatever you decide, Good luck. You will be ok. Look at me, I only have a slightly better GPA than you. I never would have imagined having to turn down an offer. But I had the opportunity not only to turn down an acceptance, but an interview at a school where they were apparantly drooling over me.

You will be fine.

Russell

 

[Bevo]

ok Im going over my grades.

on my aacomas application it shows a Math/Stat with a 1.80 (*shudder*)

calc II was 4 hours and a 1.7, calc I was 4 hours and I guess a 1.7 as well.

aacomas says I took 12 hours. The only way I can figure this out is if it counts my statistics course in Economics where I got a 3.0 in 4 hours or its counting my withdraw from calc I at my post bacc school.

Either way I can't compute the 1.80 gpa it either comes up below or above it.

I need to figure this out, because counting just those 2 courses with my fall courses, I come out with a 3.006 BCPM? gpa. and a 2.83 without my fall courses.

 

[WishUponAStar]

Hmm...

You don't neccessarily need to retake your calculus classes. The end result is having a decent science GPA and a decent overall GPA. What I suggest is that you take other math courses which you consider to be easy and that you will do very well in and receive an A. 9 credits of easy math A's will do wonders for that section of your GPA. I personally only recommend taking math classes over that you failed.

You need to improve your science GPA too. So take some science classes. Take ones that interest you and that you can do well in. 2 or 3 classes with A's would do that category wonders. If you can get your overall GPA to 3.3 and your science GPA to 3.3 and get a decent MCAT score greater than 24... You'll find yourself with multiple opportunities for acceptances.

You don't neccessarily need to backpeddle. Taking more courses and receiving A's is a great incentive for osteopathic schools to be interested in you.

I know from experience.

 

[Bevo]

Im just not sure how much time I can give. I planned to have a fairly light schedule this spring so I can really bear(or bare?) down on studying for the mcat.

I am signed up for genetics because UHS requires it as a prereq. I am signed up as a TA for a biology course for non-science students. Thats 7 hours right there. I could take 2-3 courses over the summer. My overall is a 2.76 right now, it would be very very very difficult for it come up to a 3.3. My post bacc gpa is a 3.2 overall and a 3.3 science. If retook calc 2 my postbacc gpa might go up to a 3.3 or so as my school will ignore the previous grade.

But come next year I just can't be here any longer taking anymore courses. This is my 3rd year here. I lose my support, financial and other, and a part of me really wants to move on.

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

I say, do what you've planned. Finish genetics and smoke the MCAT. Then, get on with your life. Do other things, get a full time job, tour Europe, join the peace corps... Do something that defines you as a person rather than a med school applicant. That, if nothing else, will greatly improve your chance of getting into med school.

Russell

 

[maysqrd]

Just to clarify one point on your science gpa. AACOMAS DOES NOT include math in your science gpa. Read the fine print in the AACOMAS application instructions and you will find that only courses coded in biochem, biology/zoology, inorganic chem, organic chem, physics and other sciences such as astronomy or engineering are considered in your science gpa. Math is included in your non-science gpa for AACOMAS calculations. That may be the difference in what you are seeing from AACOM and what the school is calculating.

As far as repeating classes. Remember that the more units you accumulate the less impact getting straight A's will help you. I could have taken 12 units and gotten A's in every class and it would only increase my gpa by .06 because I had so many units already but by retaking only one class and getting a good grade in it the second time, AACOM recalculated the grade using only the units from the repeat and it improve my gpa by .13

As for the math, the application instructions include math, computer science, statistics and any other course that has math in the title as your math gpa.

If you have questions as to how AACOMAS is calculating the gpa, email them. Any time I had questions, I emailed them and got very prompt answers, usually within 24 hours.