How do medical schools average repeated courses into your gpa?

[McGG55]

Say I failed a course then retook it and got an A. Does that mean the two grades are averaged together into one overall grade for the course (essentially turning the F into a C) or is it just an A added to your list of grades like a totally separate grade with the F still taking it's heavy toll on your GPA? Averaging an A and an F into a C for one course helps boost your gpa higher than just getting another seperate A on an already large list of grades that has an F in it. I just wanted clarity on this, I've seen people say that the two grades are averaged into one grade but I've seen people say otherwsie.

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[Goro]

Say I failed a course then retook it and got an A. Does that mean the two grades are averaged together into one overall grade for the course (essentially turning the F into a C) or is it just an A added to your list of grades like a totally separate grade with the F still taking it's heavy toll on your GPA? Averaging an A and an F into a C for one course helps boost your gpa higher than just getting another seperate A on an already large list of grades that has an F in it. I just wanted clarity on this, I've seen people say that the two grades are averaged into one grade but I've seen people say otherwsie.

The grades are averaged.

 

[eaglebaseball4]

In that scenario, Both the A and the F would contribute to the GPA separately. It is does not appear as a C, it would be listed once as an A and once as an F.

 

[McGG55]

I know that it would show both grades A and F and not a C, however I'm confused regarding the weight it has on the GPA. Are repeated classes only averaged with the original attempt for that class, meaning even though for that one class it shows an A and F, that one course now the weight of a 2.00?

e.g, a hypothetical student GPA/grades list:

#1
A - 4.0
A -4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
F,A - ((4.0+0.0)/2 = 2.0) - 2.0

#2
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
F - 0.0
A - 4.0


#1 would result in a 3.6, #2 would result in a 3.3 (give or take very little for both) Which one is how it would be calculated as?

 

[ciestar]

I know that it would show both grades A and F and not a C, however I'm confused regarding the weight it has on the GPA. Are repeated classes only averaged with the original attempt for that class, meaning even though for that one class it shows an A and F, that one course now the weight of a 2.00?

e.g, a hypothetical student GPA/grades list:

#1
A - 4.0
A -4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
F,A - ((4.0+0.0)/2 = 2.0) - 2.0

#2
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
A - 4.0
F - 0.0
A - 4.0


#1 would result in a 3.6, #2 would result in a 3.3 (give or take very little for both) Which one is how it would be calculated as?

Equal weight. Every course and grade stands alone. AMCAS would have it as different semesters, anyway. So if you took it in Spring 15 and then again in Fall 19, it would appear at each of those moments. They’re treated 100% separately when calculating.

 

[chemdoctor]

Equal weight. Every course and grade stands alone. AMCAS would have it as different semesters, anyway. So if you took it in Spring 15 and then again in Fall 19, it would appear at each of those moments. They’re treated 100% separately when calculating.

If that’s the case then in what way are they averaged?

 

[faerie62]

It's scenario 2 as written up there

 

[500miles]

If that’s the case then in what way are they averaged?

I believe they just contribute to the overall gpa. So if you only took two classes and received an F and an A your gpa would be a C.

 

[LizzyM]

Each course contributes to your GPA. The number of credits the course carries determines the weight. If you took a 3 credit course and got an F and then repeated it for another 3 credits and got an A (or took any other 3 credit course, it wouldn't have to be a repeat of the course you flunked), you'd have 0(3) + (4)(3). That would be 12 grade points divided by 6 credits for a grade point average of 2.0. If you took 30 more credits and earned all As you'd have an additional 120 grade points for a total of 132 points divided by 36 credits or a GPA of 3.67.

 

[McGG55]

@LizzyM Thank you additional clarification, this probably explains it best. It's kind of disappointing to hear that's how averaging of repeated courses works, but I'm not here to complain about the rules.

 

[chemdoctor]

I believe they just contribute to the overall gpa. So if you only took two classes and received an F and an A your gpa would be a C.

OHHH OK makes sense

 

[jcw_90]

@LizzyM then is there any benefit to listing a course as a "repeat" when applying? For example, I took Calc 1, a 5 unit course, and got a C 10 years ago. I retook it this Fall and got an A. The effect to my gpa of re-taking this math course is the exact same effect that taking a 5 unit Biology course with an A would be, yes?

 

[KnightDoc]

@LizzyM then is there any benefit to listing a course as a "repeat" when applying? For example, I took Calc 1, a 5 unit course, and got a C 10 years ago. I retook it this Fall and got an A. The effect to my gpa of re-taking this math course is the exact same effect that taking a 5 unit Biology course with an A would be, yes?

Marking a course as a repeat is not about a benefit to the GPA calculation. There is none.

You do it because AMCAS requires you to. Schools want repeats identified, for, among reasons, the purpose of making sure you include grades on your initial attempt that might have been replaced by your school, as well as to simply highlight for them which courses are repeats. As you note, any class has the exact same effect on a GPA regardless of whether or not it is a repeat.

 

[candbgirl]

@LizzyM then is there any benefit to listing a course as a "repeat" when applying? For example, I took Calc 1, a 5 unit course, and got a C 10 years ago. I retook it this Fall and got an A. The effect to my gpa of re-taking this math course is the exact same effect that taking a 5 unit Biology course with an A would be, yes?

And that’s why people on here that know what they are talking about, tell you not to retake a C or above. Most schools require a C or above to accept the course. I understand you probably retook the course more as a refresher. Retakes of the same course are really expected to be an A.