How do Med school look at undergrad Pass/No Pass grades?

[kmnfive]

Now, before i get flamed for not doing a search, let me tell u, i've tried; and the only posts that come up about pass no pass pertained to med school, and not undergrad (at least it was after the first 4 or 5 pages)

at any rate, I was wondering how med school look at a Pass/Fail grades on your undergraduate record; i've heard mixed opinions. how they see a pass as a C, and a fail as an F when you fill out your amcas.

Thanks guys, i appreciate the help.

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[dopaminophile]

I don't know how AMCAS takes it into account, but I had 4 classes pass/fail in undergrad and I certainly haven't been treated like I had 4 C's as far as interviews go. Nobody has asked me about them and I've done pretty well throughout the process.

 

[utgirl812]

As far as the medical schools are concerned, I am pretty sure they definitely want to see grades for all pre-requisite courses. Other than that- you are fine to pass/fail course not required for your major or those that go above and beyond what you'd need for med school or to graduate. I have pass/ failed 2 upper-division science classes and still just got into medical school. I don't think they picture them as C's. Good luck!

 

[kmnfive]

thanks guys i appreciate it . its a weight off of my back

 

[beep]

no one said squat about mine. just don't take o-chem pass/fail or anything.

 

[QofQuimica]

All of my undergraduate work, including my pre-medical pre-requisites, is pass/fail (no grades are ever given at that institution) and I do not have any undergraduate GPA. I've called several medical schools to ask them whether I can still realistically apply in spite of this. Since I've gone to graduate school, and I do have grades there, most of them said that it was fine. They also said that my MCAT score would be super important as proof that I have a strong pre-medical science background. If you're worried, I suggest contacting the schools you're interested in and asking them directly.

 

[kmnfive]

All of my undergraduate work, including my pre-medical pre-requisites, is pass/fail (no grades are ever given at that institution) and I do not have any undergraduate GPA. I've called several medical schools to ask them whether I can still realistically apply in spite of this. Since I've gone to graduate school, and I do have grades there, most of them said that it was fine. They also said that my MCAT score would be super important as proof that I have a strong pre-medical science background. If you're worried, I suggest contacting the schools you're interested in and asking them directly.

so each school would have different policies?

 

[QofQuimica]

so each school would have different policies?

Some of the schools were more flexible about my situation than others. Obviously I don't want to waste their time (or my own!) applying to the schools that told me right off the bat that I wouldn't have a good chance of getting in there. I have ended up with quite a different list of schools than I began with based on the results of my phone calls. It takes some time and effort to contact the schools this way, but I feel that it has been completely worth it, because I have eliminated the schools at which I would not be a strong candidate.

 

[tacrum43]

All of my undergraduate work, including my pre-medical pre-requisites, is pass/fail (no grades are ever given at that institution) and I do not have any undergraduate GPA. I've called several medical schools to ask them whether I can still realistically apply in spite of this. Since I've gone to graduate school, and I do have grades there, most of them said that it was fine. They also said that my MCAT score would be super important as proof that I have a strong pre-medical science background. If you're worried, I suggest contacting the schools you're interested in and asking them directly.

Well Q, from what I've heard about your MCAT you should be in great shape if that's what they're going to use for numbers.

 

[QofQuimica]

Well Q, from what I've heard about your MCAT you should be in great shape if that's what they're going to use for numbers.

It does make it harder for them to dismiss me off the bat, in spite of my unusual college background. But I'm not counting on anything until I have that first acceptance firmly in hand.

 

[kmnfive]

=/

 

[boardchic]

kmnfive, before you get too freaked out and start calling a bunch of schools, keep in mind that going to an undergraduate institution where everything is pass/fail is very different than taking a few pass/fail courses. i took 6 pass/fail courses during undergrad (3 of them were dance or theater mandatory pass/fail) and have gotten interviews and acceptances at top schools. no one's said anything. i think the advice to take all of the really competitive premed classes for a grade is important, but if there's a class that you want to take pass/fail, don't worry about it.

 

[Rodeo]

I took a public speaking class pass/fail and I've had multiple acceptances--only 1 interviewer mentioned it and not in a bad light. My feeling is that if its not an "important" class and it is only done once or twice then you are probably fine.