Non-Pre-Req Course issue

[parisg3]

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Hi all:

I've been stressing a little about my situation and would like some advice moving on. I am still an undergrad planning to graduate in spring with a Biology major and Psych&Social Behavior minor. I don't want to go into the why's and how's at the moment but here are my concerns.

Before I took an interest in physical therapy, I took a neurobiology course and came out with a C. Basically, high enough to pass but not high enough to retake.

I know that neuro isn't a pre-req (at least for the schools I'm looking in to) but I took it as a required course for my major. I hate the grade but I have a couple of classes (B's) I'd like to retake that are pre-reqs. I'm wondering what I should do about this neuro class now because my local CC's don't even offer neurobio courses so I'm not even sure how to make it up...

Please let me know your thoughts - Thanks!

 

[Grizzlyman]

I doubt any school is going line by line down your transcript. If want to improve your science gpa taking any science course has the same affect as retaking a course because retakes are averaged. That is a lot of effort for a very small difference.

So many other things you can do that actually benefit society.

 

[kellerac]

Since neurobiology isn't a pre-req at most schools, I wouldn't worry about it. You can explain yourself briefly in an interview type setting, but overall they won't be too worried about it. It will lower your cGPA, but the pre-req GPA is more important. Look into retaking those courses if you need the boost.

Ignore Mr. Grizzlyman's smug comment...

 

[beyoutiful_sunshine]

This C isn't going to impact your pre-req GPA, so I think retaking pre-reqs instead would be more beneficial to you, especially since you don't have the option to take neuro at your CC.

The grade will however affect your science and your cGPA; but if it's your only C, I wouldn't worry too too much about it.

 

[beyoutiful_sunshine]

Another thing you may or may not know:
PTCAS averages all retakes. So if you make a B (3.0) in a pre-req and retake it and make an A (4.0), while at your undergrad institution, most likely the higher grade will show up, on PTCAS, your grade for the course will actually be a 3.5. Just letting you know so that you don't spend a lot of energy retaking classes and are disappointed afterwards if you see minimal changes to your cGPA.
Something it will affect though is your last 60 hour GPA, and it will make a significant difference to schools that look at the highest attempt, so you're not doing this in vain.

 

[parisg3]

@Grizzlyman Thanks.. If it makes it any better, I am doing other things that I think will benefit the society in the long run... But I also wouldn't mind putting in some more effort if it helped with my chances even just a bit.

@kellerac That's true.... I guess I was mainly concerned since it was a required major course, which I think might not reflect too well on me... But since pre-req is more important after all, I'll focus on that instead.

@beyoutiful_sunshine I felt like I hit a dead end after I realized I couldn't retake that class and had nowhere to go. Thanks for that info, I'll have to do some more research on the schools for these details.

 

[Grizzlyman]

Since neurobiology isn't a pre-req at most schools, I wouldn't worry about it. You can explain yourself briefly in an interview type setting, but overall they won't be too worried about it. It will lower your cGPA, but the pre-req GPA is more important. Look into retaking those courses if you need the boost.

Ignore Mr. Grizzlyman's smug comment...

Not trying to be smug but I am guilty of not fully explaining....here it goes, investing time in a charitable capacity such as a retirement home or hospital can make a much bigger difference than .01-.02 bump in a cGPA. A class like neurobiology requires about 9 hours a week for 4 months to get an A. Spending that same 120 hours voluntary in a meaningful environment would make a much bigger impact on admission and provide a lot of talking points in interviews.

 

[NJ DPT HOPEFUL]

It may bring down your science GPA, but in all honesty, you would get the same increase to sGPA by just taking an easier science class at cc if the program just averages grades anyways. Also not all programs even consider sGPA so check if they do before you get all worried.