Letter of explanation of a bad grade in strength training course

[nreemalton]

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I took a strength training class in the fall semester. I have already taken the course twice before, and each time I opted to take the class as pass or fail. I thought I had opted to do the same thing last semester, but I guess I completely forgot to opt to do that. Unfortunately, I did not find out until I saw a big fat C on my final grade for the course. Crazy part is I had a 4.0 before this happened. I contacted my academic advisor to see if anything could be done, and I even went all the way to my dean. I had been in contact with my academic advisor all the way through this process.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the grade changed. My question is, should i get my academic adviser to write a letter explaining what happened alongside of my other letters of recommendation for medical school?

Thanks guys!

 

[MilkmanAl]

I'd just suck it up. Better to have a 3.9x with one C than a 4.0 and look like a whiner.

 

[ncguy2005]

I really, really don't think most medical schools will care that you got a C in a strength training course. I think writing a letter may actually work against you because it would highlight that grade out of all your good ones.

If you've earned straight A's all the way up to this point, and you just now earned one C, then I think that just shows you're human... like the rest of us, and you made a mistake.

If it does come up in an interview (I really doubt it would), just be honest and explain the sitation.

Thats my opinion at least...

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

So, what exactly do you have to do wrong to get a C in a "strength training class"? I'm not trying to belittle anything/anyone, I'm just genuinely curious.

 

[ChairmanMao]

I took a strength training class in the fall semester. I have already taken the course twice before, and each time I opted to take the class as pass or fail. I thought I had opted to do the same thing last semester, but I guess I completely forgot to opt to do that. Unfortunately, I did not find out until I saw a big fat C on my final grade for the course. Crazy part is I had a 4.0 before this happened. I contacted my academic advisor to see if anything could be done, and I even went all the way to my dean. I had been in contact with my academic advisor all the way through this process.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the grade changed. My question is, should i get my academic adviser to write a letter explaining what happened alongside of my other letters of recommendation for medical school?

Thanks guys!

Wow, I didn't even think it was possible to do badly in physical education, but now I know better. Thank god my school did away with the swimming test.

 

[nreemalton]

I had the class right before my engineering physics class, so I would skip it sometimes to study for my tests. You get docked off 10 pts for each time you skip class, and I had 3 physics tests... the rest is history.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Don't worry about it. It could hurt to have a letter written, probably would not help to have it written.

 

[Wylde]

Dont have a letter written.

Imagine yourself as an adcom. You see someone come in with all As and 1 C in a strength training course.

Are you going to really think anything negative about this person? Almost certainly not.

Are you going to remove this negative opinion if they have a letter written that says: "I forgot to opt for P/F"?

 

[GeraldMonroe]

Lol it would be funnier if the strength training course graded based upon how strong you were. AKA, some kind of curve based upon how your 1 rep maxes compared to the class.

 

[Ponger]

Seriously? Really? You're worried about one 'C' in a PE class? I personally can't believe you pushed the issue as far as you did over what was likely a 1 or 2 credit class.

Just calm down and go back to studying.

 

[GeraldMonroe]

Ponger : I'm right there with him. A 4.0 is hard. Further, it's sort of a 'flawless' paintjob, like keeping the factory shine on your application. Whether it actually matters, the fact is that having a less than perfect 4.0 might infitesimally lower his chances of acceptance to an Ivy League medical school.

However, a letter won't help : the damage is done. And no, a medical school is just going to be annoyed by such a letter, since your GPA is still fine and the majority of applicants to medical school have less than perfect GPAs.

 

[Ponger]

Ponger : I'm right there with him. A 4.0 is hard. Further, it's sort of a 'flawless' paintjob, like keeping the factory shine on your application. Whether it actually matters, the fact is that having a less than perfect 4.0 might infitesimally lower his chances of acceptance to an Ivy League medical school.

I guess it's hard to understand, me not having a 4.0 from the beginning. But, any rate, it is definitely one of those "oops, ****" moments for which someone should move on.

I get what you mean about the Ivy leagues, but not to be a dick or anything but infinitesimally means immeasurably small. I don't think you mean to say that having a less than perfect 4.0 might have a minutely small effect on his chances of acceptance. Unless you were being ironic and I completely wiffed on it. And I would really really like to think that there are several other variables considered (EC's, PS, RSTLNE, etc...) before the difference between a 4.0 and a 3.99 becomes a factor.

 

[GeraldMonroe]

Yes, I'm saying it probably has a minute effect. As in, if you went through thousands of application cycles, a 3.99 might do very slightly worse than a 4.0.