PharmCas GPA Question

[SClENCE]

Hello, I am looking to apply for pharmacy school for the 2015 school year and have a quick question about the pharmcas GPA calculation

Right now my cum GPA is around 3.1, and my GPA is really crippled by a few C's that I have (Organic II, Biochem I & II, Physics II, Immunology)... I know that a 3.1 with a 82 PCAT doesn't sound terrible (not that it's good by any means) but I am really worried about applying with so many C's in the most important upper level science classes

The way I understand it, if I take a 3 credit hour class and get a C and then retake the same 3 credit hour class with an A pharmcas will calculate the GPA as if I have 3 credit hour class with a B in it.

I am looking to retake OChem II and possibly another class or two this summer to improve my Prereq GPA

The problem is that my college does not offer these classes over the summer, but I am able to take the class at another university.

The OChem II that I took was a 4 credit hour class, and the lecture and lab grade was combined. The OChem II class that is offered over the summer has a different course code, and offers a 3 hour lecture grade and a 1 hour lab grade.

So with the class
a) At a different university
b) Split into a separate lab and lecture grade
c) On a different transcript

Will pharmcas calculate this as a repeat or as an additional class? Also, even if it does count it as a different class is it still worth retaking given my situation? (I know this isn't a definite yes/no question but any input would be appreciated)

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[Kelp103]

I don't think you really need to retake it. I'm not really for retaking anything unless you failed or got a C-. Your stats sound good, I would take the summer and focus on ECs (especially pharmacy experience or shadowing if you don't have any) or taking different higher level science classes and doing well in those. That's just my opinion though.

I believe PharmCAS simply counts it as a repeat since both will be labeled as Organic Chemistry when you put it in.

 

[SClENCE]

Ok thanks, as of right now my plans are to retake 1-2 classes, apply for tech job/volunteering positions, and try to improve my PCAT one final time before the application cycle opens up

If everything goes well I will be applying with a 3.2, 80-90 PCAT, and have experience as a pharm tech but that's a lot of "If's" so i'm quite nervous

 

[Kelp103]

If you're only planning on raising your GPA 0.1 point, I really would not stress about it. I doubt the admissions committee is going to be so putout by .1 point. I wouldn't freak out about the PCAT score either. Is 8 points higher gonna kill you that much? Remember your application as a whole 😛
Just curious, where are you planning on applying? Unless you have your heart set on one specific and very competitive school, I don't know why you'd have trouble getting in somewhere.

 

[SClENCE]

I'm looking to apply to most of the Ohio schools, my top choices are OSU and NEOMED

 

[blueheron]

Negative, Pharmcas will not give you a 3 hour 3.0 for the two classes. You will have a 6 hour 3.0. Still a 3.0 average, but harder to bring up. Wouldn't waste the time with one or two classes. It's been said on here before that someone should make an A the second time around and it's not going to impress anybody.

 

[SClENCE]

No that's not right... it will count it as only 3 credits of 3.0 average not 6 hours

 

[oldstock]

Negative, Pharmcas will not give you a 3 hour 3.0 for the two classes. You will have a 6 hour 3.0. Still a 3.0 average, but harder to bring up. Wouldn't waste the time with one or two classes. It's been said on here before that someone should make an A the second time around and it's not going to impress anybody.

No that's not right... it will count it as only 3 credits of 3.0 average not 6 hours

You are wrong bro. Blueheron is right on that one !! 🙂

 

[blueheron]

Ok guy.

• PharmCAS will include ALL initial AND repeated course work in its GPA calculations (including those repeated under freshman forgiveness, academic bankruptcy, and other related institutional policies).

• Grades and credit hours for all FAILED courses will be included in the PharmCAS GPA, even if they are not included in the GPA calculations of the transcript-issuing institution. The schools to which you are applying may recalculate your GPA excluding repeated coursework.


Grades and their hours are included.

6 hours, 18 points, period.

 

[oldstock]

Ok guy.

• PharmCAS will include ALL initial AND repeated course work in its GPA calculations (including those repeated under freshman forgiveness, academic bankruptcy, and other related institutional policies).

• Grades and credit hours for all FAILED courses will be included in the PharmCAS GPA, even if they are not included in the GPA calculations of the transcript-issuing institution. The schools to which you are applying may recalculate your GPA excluding repeated coursework.


Grades and their hours are included.

6 hours, 18 points, period.

I am probably really old now (sigh). Back in my old glory days, I had never heard of freshman/ grade forgiveness, academic bankruptcy... so... wow we have a collapse in education / academic or something ?? (I thought we only had economic recession to worry about)

 

[SClENCE]

"I called pharmcas and they calculate their GPA by averaging in repeated courses. This is different from the usual official transcripts where they take the highest grade received."

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/bad-news-for-people-who-repeated-courses.341375/

meaning:

Microeconomics is a 3 credit class and you get a C 3 * 2 = 6 points
You retake and get an A 3 * 4 = 12 points..

you would NOT end up with 18 points...

they would average your grade giving you 3 * 3 = 9 points

That way it looks like you got a B in one course, rather than an A in one and a C in the other. If they added them both in - It would water down your GPA, making your good grades less so, along with your bad grades...

So yes, both grades show up but as far as the GPA is should be averaged

Even if this is wrong retaking a class and getting an A can only help

Thanks anyways "guy"

 

[blueheron]

Straight from Pharmcas.org:

To calculate a grade-point-average (GPA), PharmCAS determines your total number of quality points by multiplying semester hours attempted by the value of the verified PharmCAS grade.

• All courses with credit hours and a PharmCAS Grade are calculated into the PharmCAS GPAs, regardless of whether the credit counts toward a degree or counted toward a college/university GPA.

• Cumulative quality points are divided by the cumulative attempted hours. (Total Quality Points / Total Credit Hours Attempted = GPA)


Not sure if you have trouble using Google or weeding through the page on pharmcas. But I took a couple minutes to do it for you. There is even more on there if you are still confused.

 

[oldstock]

Straight from Pharmcas.org:

To calculate a grade-point-average (GPA), PharmCAS determines your total number of quality points by multiplying semester hours attempted by the value of the verified PharmCAS grade.

• All courses with credit hours and a PharmCAS Grade are calculated into the PharmCAS GPAs, regardless of whether the credit counts toward a degree or counted toward a college/university GPA.

• Cumulative quality points are divided by the cumulative attempted hours. (Total Quality Points / Total Credit Hours Attempted = GPA)


Not sure if you have trouble using Google or weeding through the page on pharmcas. But I took a couple minutes to do it for you. There is even more on there if you are still confused.

LOL 🙂

to the OP : give up bro !! admit you are wrong !!

 

[SClENCE]

Another question... if a school requires 3 credit hours of economics and you take micro and macro for 6 hours does it put them both into your prereq GPA?

 

[oldstock]

Another question... if a school requires 3 credit hours of economics and you take micro and macro for 6 hours does it put them both into your prereq GPA?

your 6 credits of Econ + their points will contribute to your cumulative GPA as PharmCAS will take all classes / credits into their GPA calculation.

if your school requires only 3 credits of Econ, then only 3 credits of your 6 credits counts toward their prereq requirement. The remaining 3 will count to the elective requirement, which would vary depending on a specific school.