I want to dispel a myth about pre-reqs

[TUVIX]

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Every school has a list of prerequisite courses. Most are similar but there are some small variations, such as statistics or being able to replace second semester orgo for biochem etc...

Anyway, in AACOMAS and on every schools website every school says they require a C or better in every pre requisite. I just want to say that if you have proven you are prepared for medical school in other ways, then many schools literally throw this rule out of the window. Not every school, but many. I had below a C in 2 of my pre requisite courses on my transcripts and received 6 II and multiple acceptances.

I just want to dispel this myth that if you get a C- in a pre req that you absolutely must retake it or you are complete done with getting into medical school.

I have seen this advice given on here and it's wrong. This is not to say that you shouldn't retake a poor grade, but just that life is not as bleak as many people on SDN make it out to be.

Cheers!


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[mathnerd88]

Every school has a list of prerequisite courses. Most are similar but there are some small variations, such as statistics or being able to replace second semester orgo for biochem etc...

Anyway, in AACOMAS and on every schools website every school says they require a C or better in every pre requisite. I just want to say that if you have proven you are prepared for medical school in other ways, then many schools literally throw this rule out of the window. Not every school, but many. I had below a C in 2 of my pre requisite courses on my transcripts and received 6 II and multiple acceptances.

I just want to dispel this myth that if you get a C- in a pre req that you absolutely must retake it or you are complete done with getting into medical school.

I have seen this advice given on here and it's wrong. This is not to say that you shouldn't retake a poor grade, but just that life is not as bleak as many people on SDN make it out to be.

Cheers!

This is hugely YMMV. Just like there are people who get into MD or DO schools with lower than 3.o GPA...

However, if you have many things to make up for it, then you're not necessarily "done" just because you got a C- in a prerequisite class. It really is up to admissions to "bend the rules" a little bit for you.

I still have heard some schools rescinding acceptances when a student got lower than a C after acceptance.

 

[TUVIX]

This is hugely YMMV. Just like there are people who get into MD or DO schools with lower than 3.o GPA...

However, if you have many things to make up for it, then you're not necessarily "done" just because you got a C- in a prerequisite class. It really is up to admissions to "bend the rules" a little bit for you.

I still have heard some schools rescinding acceptances when a student got lower than a C after acceptance.

I'm just saying at least 6 schools bent the rule.


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[0dee]

They bent the rule for YOU, no one but yourself know your app. There might be some aspects of your app that make up for your prerequisites. However, that might not be the case for the rest of the applicants. It's safe to say that if someone received below C in a pre-req then an applicant should retake that class.

 

[TUVIX]

They bent the rule for YOU, no one but yourself know your app. There might be some aspects of your app that make up for your prerequisites. However, that might not be the case for the rest of the applicants. It's safe to say that if someone received below C in a pre-req then an applicant should retake that class.

Yea, once again I'm just saying that there is flexibility in the right circumstances and that it's not true that a C- or below means you're done for. It's obvious that my application is unique, as is everyone's.


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[I'mJustCurious]

Yea, once again I'm just saying that there is flexibility in the right circumstances and that it's not true that a C- or below means you're done for. It's obvious that my application is unique, as is everyone's.


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Would be kind of cool to state why the bent the "rule" for you. I'm assuming high MCAT score.

 

[TUVIX]

Would be kind of cool to state why the bent the "rule" for you. I'm assuming high MCAT score.

Sure thing. I never asked them so I can only assume.

30 MCAT
SMP 4.0 GPA
Old pre-reqs (career changer)

But none the less, it still goes to show that everyone is unique. There is a lot of nay saying and negativity on SDN and I just think people should show some of the positive results on here as well. No single factor (aside from something horrible) is a nail in the coffin.


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[mathnerd88]

Sure thing. I never asked them so I can only assume.

30 MCAT
SMP 4.0 GPA
Old pre-reqs (career changer)

But none the less, it still goes to show that everyone is unique. There is a lot of nay saying and negativity on SDN and I just think people should show some of the positive results on here as well. No single factor (aside from something horrible) is a nail in the coffin.


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There you go...you had a 4.0 in your SMP as well as a 30 MCAT. That would do it. Your case looks pretty special to me. Those two alone would alleviate ANY concern about your success in medical school to an adcom. This is an example of reinvention that everyone is mentioning.

I would say most people who had lower than C on any prerequisite would have a hard time getting a 30 on the MCAT or even a 4.0 in a SMP. Obviously there are exceptions, but congratulations on your success!

And yes, I would still advise almost all people who got a grade below C in ANY prerequisite to retake it, just to be on the safe side.

 

[DrMikeP]

Every school has a list of prerequisite courses. Most are similar but there are some small variations, such as statistics or being able to replace second semester orgo for biochem etc...

Anyway, in AACOMAS and on every schools website every school says they require a C or better in every pre requisite. I just want to say that if you have proven you are prepared for medical school in other ways, then many schools literally throw this rule out of the window. Not every school, but many. I had below a C in 2 of my pre requisite courses on my transcripts and received 6 II and multiple acceptances.

I just want to dispel this myth that if you get a C- in a pre req that you absolutely must retake it or you are complete done with getting into medical school.

I have seen this advice given on here and it's wrong. This is not to say that you shouldn't retake a poor grade, but just that life is not as bleak as many people on SDN make it out to be.

Cheers!


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There are always exceptions!!!! However, one should do everything absolutely humanly possible to not be an exception, because the odds are ~60% against those who aren't exceptions and probably >98% against those who are. That said, if you are an exception and you can't reasonably fix it then you can always try instead of giving up a dream.

Congrats on being one of those <2% exceptions though!!

 

[mathnerd88]

There are always exceptions!!!! However, one should do everything absolutely humanly possible to not be an exception, because the odds are ~60% against those who aren't exceptions and probably >98% against those who are. That said, if you are an exception and you can't reasonably fix it then you can always try instead of giving up a dream.

Congrats on being one of those <2% exceptions though!!

Plus, the OP has a 30 MCAT and 4.0 SMP GPA...

 

[TUVIX]

Plus, the OP has a 30 MCAT and 4.0 SMP GPA...

Exactly. Which I don't think makes me an exception as much as it shows that if you move on and keep working hard you can make up for deficits. I'm just trying to show an example of that. I really doubt that only 2% in my exact situation would have had success in applying. I think I was a great candidate besides this issue and my undergrad GPA. But it goes to show that you can still make yourself a good candidate even with a couple of C- grades. I really am just trying to show a positive outcome. I see a lot of depressed and worried people on here and a lot of nasty negative advice and I'm just trying to share a positive result and that you can in fact turn things around. Each candidate must determine what's right for them. Most will have to retake a C- but some won't. This also applies to any other single factor.


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[mathnerd88]

Exactly. Which I don't think makes me an exception as much as it shows that if you move on and keep working hard you can make up for deficits. I'm just trying to show an example of that. I really doubt that only 2% in my exact situation would have had success in applying. I think I was a great candidate besides this issue and my undergrad GPA. But it goes to show that you can still make yourself a good candidate even with a couple of C- grades. I really am just trying to show a positive outcome. I see a lot of depressed and worried people on here and a lot of nasty negative advice and I'm just trying to share a positive result and that you can in fact turn things around. Each candidate must determine what's right for them. Most will have to retake a C- but some won't. This also applies to any other single factor.


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It puts you in the minority because statistically, most who do poorly in prerequisites will not do well on the MCAT either, unless reinvention happens (which is true in your case by getting that 4.0 SMP.) Again, you even have written "most will have to retake a C- but some won't." Nobody on here is really saying that once you have a C- in your prerequisites, you need to retake. During my time here, that retake advice is usually given to those who have a poor GPA (<3.2.)

On SDN, we can't really know everyone's specific situation, so we have to always go on the safe side and assume they're going to be part of the majority, based on statistics released by AACOMAS and AMCAS.

 

[DrMikeP]

Exactly. Which I don't think makes me an exception as much as it shows that if you move on and keep working hard you can make up for deficits. I'm just trying to show an example of that. I really doubt that only 2% in my exact situation would have had success in applying. I think I was a great candidate besides this issue and my undergrad GPA. But it goes to show that you can still make yourself a good candidate even with a couple of C- grades. I really am just trying to show a positive outcome. I see a lot of depressed and worried people on here and a lot of nasty negative advice and I'm just trying to share a positive result and that you can in fact turn things around. Each candidate must determine what's right for them. Most will have to retake a C- but some won't. This also applies to any other single factor.


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It still makes you an exception in that your instance occurs in less than ~2% of applicants. 3 S.D. beyond the mean. Someone with enough hard work might can bump their odds sufficiently to be in that category and people absolutely should be the best possible candidate they can be and apply, just as someone will win the lottery. However, I would not want to base my future or suggest that someone blindly rely on being an exception.

That said, it is great to share positive outcomes! That's why there are threads for <3.0 gpa, older nontrads, <500 MCATs, etc who have made it.

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

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[samac]

I think it's in bad taste to tell people not to worry if they have a C- in their pre reqs. You had a pretty good MCAT and a perfect SMP. Most people don't. You should probably lead with that

 

[j4pac]

This feels like watching Magic Johnson tell the world that there is a cure for AIDS...all you need is $180,000.

 

[TUVIX]

More negativity. No surprise.


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[surfguy84]

Every school has a list of prerequisite courses. Most are similar but there are some small variations, such as statistics or being able to replace second semester orgo for biochem etc...

Anyway, in AACOMAS and on every schools website every school says they require a C or better in every pre requisite. I just want to say that if you have proven you are prepared for medical school in other ways, then many schools literally throw this rule out of the window. Not every school, but many. I had below a C in 2 of my pre requisite courses on my transcripts and received 6 II and multiple acceptances.

I just want to dispel this myth that if you get a C- in a pre req that you absolutely must retake it or you are complete done with getting into medical school.

I have seen this advice given on here and it's wrong. This is not to say that you shouldn't retake a poor grade, but just that life is not as bleak as many people on SDN make it out to be.

Cheers!


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Don't want to rain on your parade, but we had a girl kicked out during orientation (how she go that far, I have no idea) when it was discovered she had not gotten credit for a pre-req. I would confirm, in writing, that your below C's will be accepted.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Such a classic SDN topic right here lol

OP: If you have a great app otherwise schools might overlook some bad grades!

Everyone: NO YOU IDIOT SCHOOLS ONLY OVERLOOKED YOUR BAD GRADES BECAUSE YOU HAD A GREAT APP OTHERWISE

 

[echo87]

OP, you're not dispelling a myth. You are providing an example of an exception to the rule. Your hyperbole is unwarranted.

 

[ClassicJandT]

Such a classic SDN topic right here lol

OP: If you have a great app otherwise schools might overlook some bad grades!

Everyone: NO YOU IDIOT SCHOOLS ONLY OVERLOOKED YOUR BAD GRADES BECAUSE YOU HAD A GREAT APP OTHERWISE

It's not about bad grades. It's about not meeting the minimum requirements. I have a low gpa but I went back and made sure I retook any grades in the prerequisite that were below the requirements. As a fellow underdog, I am really happy that op was successful but they are definitely doing a disservice to people by saying we don't need to worry about meeting the minimum requirements.

 

[TUVIX]

Don't want to rain on your parade, but we had a girl kicked out during orientation (how she go that far, I have no idea) when it was discovered she had not gotten credit for a pre-req. I would confirm, in writing, that your below C's will be accepted.

Not getting credit is a very different story. I got credit and my app is very transparent and accurate and I have had all transcripts sent to schools that accepted me.


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[TUVIX]

It's not about bad grades. It's about not meeting the minimum requirements. I have a low gpa but I went back and made sure I retook any grades in the prerequisite that were below the requirements. As a fellow underdog, I am really happy that op was successful but they are definitely doing a disservice to people by saying we don't need to worry about meeting the minimum requirements.

You are putting words in my mouth. I never said not to worry about meeting minimum requirements. It's crazy how people on SDN react so negatively to absolutely everything. I was simply stating that it is a myth that schools will not accept people who haven't met the prereq grade requirements. I have seen multiple examples of people telling other users that because they got a poor grade in a prereq that they can't get in. It just isn't true. That was the entire point of this thread. I even said that you should retake those classes if possible in my original post, if you read it. Congrats on getting in, fellow underdog!

 

[TUVIX]

I think it's in bad taste to tell people not to worry if they have a C- in their pre reqs. You had a pretty good MCAT and a perfect SMP. Most people don't. You should probably lead with that

That's not what I told anyone.

 

[mathnerd88]

You are putting words in my mouth. I never said not to worry about meeting minimum requirements. It's crazy how people on SDN react so negatively to absolutely everything. I was simply stating that it is a myth that schools will not accept people who haven't met the prereq grade requirements. I have seen multiple examples of people telling other users that because they got a poor grade in a prereq that they can't get in. It just isn't true. That was the entire point of this thread. I even said that you should retake those classes if possible in my original post, if you read it. Congrats on getting in, fellow underdog!

What's the purpose of this thread? I'm confused...are you saying that people should not worry about retaking because they got lower than a C in their prerequisites and that their application would be fine and they shouldn't worry as long as they have a good rest of their application? Everyone who has gotten below a C in ANY prerequisite course usually needs to do some form of reinvention or retake (or get a high score on the MCAT) to prove that they can handle medical school. There are NO exceptions to this (you included.)

I'm not trying to bash you here, but I'm not sure what the purpose of this thread is, because this is no different than the generic advice given on SDN that having a poor GPA needs improvement to succeed.

 

[TUVIX]

What's the purpose of this thread? I'm confused...are you saying that people should not care about retaking because they got lower than a C in their prerequisites and that their application would be fine and they shouldn't worry?

No that is not what I am saying at all in any way. I think people interpreted it that way and I apologize if it came off that way. I am saying that having below a C in a prereq is not alone going to make it so you can't get in. That was literally the entire point. If you make up for it in other ways and do have reinvention and prove yourself it is clear that some schools are willing to overlook it. I fully encourage people to retake classes they did poorly in if it is possible for them. For me, I didn't feel that it made sense because the prereqs with lower grades were very old and I needed to move on and do an SMP. For me, this worked out. I am not saying and never have said or encouraged people to not care about a grade below a C in a prereq. Also, some people may say this is not a myth that needs to be dispelled, however I have seen multiple accounts of people telling other users that having that grade is a death sentence. It simply isn't and that is myth. that was the entire point of the post. My point is to encourage people to not give up, if that means retaking a poor grade, great, but if that also means moving on and making up for it in other ways, then that is also ok. It all depends on your situation and I never would want to advise people not to care about a below C grade in a prereq.

 

[mathnerd88]

No that is not what I am saying at all in any way. I think people interpreted it that way and I apologize if it came off that way. I am saying that having below a C in a prereq is not alone going to make it so you can't get in. That was literally the entire point. If you make up for it in other ways and do have reinvention and prove yourself it is clear that some schools are willing to overlook it. I fully encourage people to retake classes they did poorly in if it is possible for them. For me, I didn't feel that it made sense because the prereqs with lower grades were very old and I needed to move on and do an SMP. For me, this worked out. I am not saying and never have said or encouraged people to not care about a grade below a C in a prereq. Also, some people may say this is not a myth that needs to be dispelled, however I have seen multiple accounts of people telling other users that having that grade is a death sentence. It simply isn't and that is myth. that was the entire point of the post. My point is to encourage people to not give up, if that means retaking a poor grade, great, but if that also means moving on and making up for it in other ways, then that is also ok. It all depends on your situation and I never would want to advise people not to care about a below C grade in a prereq.

Oh...gotcha. Yeah I agree there are usually exceptions. You can also substitute poor prerequisite grades for much better grades in upper level classes. Schools like to see reinvention and getting good grades will definitely help your application.

 

[surfguy84]

Not getting credit is a very different story. I got credit and my app is very transparent and accurate and I have had all transcripts sent to schools that accepted me.


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What I was saying was, not getting credit; i.e. grade below a C. Any UG institution I've encountered doesn't give credit for grades below a C. Maybe your school was different though.

 

[TUVIX]

What I was saying was, not getting credit; i.e. grade below a C. Any UG institution I've encountered doesn't give credit for grades below a C. Maybe your school was different though.

Never heard of that. At my school, if the course was required for your major you had to get above a D+ to get credit. I can't remember. But I mean, it's clearly on your transcript showing if you got credit or not. The girl you speak of who didn't get credit would have had zero credits next to that class on her transcript.

 

[Shotapp]

@TUVIX

Congrats on your your acceptance. Your stance on this discussion makes sense. You fully redeemed yourself from the mishaps you made in the past through your recent academic performances. If you don't mind me asking, what significant changes did you make to bring this success of yours into fruition? (especially for the MCAT)

 

[TUVIX]

@TUVIX

Congrats on your your acceptance. Your stance on this discussion makes sense. You fully redeemed yourself from the mishaps you made in the past through your recent academic performances. If you don't mind me asking, what significant changes did you make to bring this success of yours into fruition? (especially for the MCAT)

I took time off after college and did other things. I grew up a bit and got focused. For the MCAT, I took a prep course as a refresher because my prereqs were old. I also refused to take the exam until I was ready to take it. I rescheduled it once when i felt I wasn't ready. I have found that a lot of people who score poorly just were not ready and I had a lot of friends in grad school who retook it and did fine by waiting until they were ready. In grad school I treated school like a job and just made sure to never get behind. That's pretty much all I did. I wish I had found that level of determination and focus in undergrad, as I would probably be a resident now and not just starting medical school. However, I do feel these challenges were good for me and helped me be a better person overall. I also had some health and personal issues I was dealing with in undergrad that took my focus away from success in school.

 

[IslandStyle808]

You are putting words in my mouth. I never said not to worry about meeting minimum requirements. It's crazy how people on SDN react so negatively to absolutely everything. I was simply stating that it is a myth that schools will not accept people who haven't met the prereq grade requirements. I have seen multiple examples of people telling other users that because they got a poor grade in a prereq that they can't get in. It just isn't true. That was the entire point of this thread. I even said that you should retake those classes if possible in my original post, if you read it. Congrats on getting in, fellow underdog!

It is better to say these are blanket statements more than myths. As you read this site more and more, you will find this true for many things. I think this post will be good for those who have a very similar situation to yours. Of course, if those C's can be retaken, then they must (better safe than sorry).