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[Newtonian21]

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I am going to need some advice here! Anyone please. I started an informal post bacc in fall 2015, and I have 1 more semester to go in the spring where I would take orgo II and Biochem. My only concern is I have all B's in gen Chem I & II except A's in both labs. Orgo grade just came back its a B+ and a B in lab. I was really expecting an A in this class. My genetics and physics are also B's. What pains me most is that all these B's are barely off A's like 89.5 or 88.4. My plan retake them and get A's or take ochem II with next semester and move on to study for MCAT. My current cGPA is 3.23, and sGPA is 3.4. I could take molecular and embryology as well next semester to up my sGPA a little not big difference though or just take the two orgo and biochem only. Any thought? I'm just down cause post bacc supposed to be all A's. Thanks

 

[McRibs]

It's difficult to give advice without more information. I'm going to assume you want to apply DO based on your GPA. If you're scoring B's in the basic sciences, planning around potential A's in upper-level science courses is not realistic. Retaking the lecture portion of general chemistry I, II and physics is most likely the simplest path to a higher sGPA. Use grade replacement in conjunction with the path of least resistance.

Also, all pre-med grades are supposed to be A's. It rarely works out that way for any of us, especially here on the non-traditional board. I wouldn't sweat the disappointment too much. All you can do is dust yourself off and take another stab at it.

Best of luck.

 

[WGSgrad]

Ummmm...I would not retake courses in which you got a "B" or better. I think Goro or Gonnif has mentioned that Adcoms judge retakes more harshly since you have already been exposed to the material so the expectation is that you get an "A." If something (read: anything) goes down and you don't get an "A" it looks worse than if you had kept the original grade. I would do a search on retakes...


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[WGSgrad]

Also are you a post bacc as a career changer (didn't take prerequisites in college) or post bacc remedial (you took them in college and are trying to improve on a poor performance). If it's the later, then I understand you concerns a bit more, if it's the former then I think you're probably in a slightly better position then you thinks...folks get into medical school without all "As" in ALL prerequisites.


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[Newtonian21]

Also are you a post bacc as a career changer (didn't take prerequisites in college) or post bacc remedial (you took them in college and are trying to improve on a poor performance). If it's the later, then I understand you concerns a bit more, if it's the former then I think you're probably in a slightly better position then you thinks...folks get into medical school without all "As" in ALL prerequisites.


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I am sort of a career changer. An RN BSN, currently working as an RN 3 years experience. Lots of volunteering hours (I don't like to mention any of this because I pay more attention to my grades than anything else). I am URM as well. Recently went through a divorce, and I am 28yrs old. I took two upper level classes this semester, histology, and comparative anatomy, and got A's. It's just the chemistry and the genetics I have taken. I am usually better in biology than chemistry, but I don't believe I can't get an A in chemistry. What should I do now? Retake or just study my life off for MCAT?

 

[WGSgrad]

I am sort of a career changer. An RN BSN, currently working as an RN 3 years experience. Lots of volunteering hours (I don't like to mention any of this because I pay more attention to my grades than anything else). I am URM as well. Recently went through a divorce, and I am 28yrs old. I took two upper level classes this semester, histology, and comparative anatomy, and got A's. It's just the chemistry and the genetics I have taken. I am usually better in biology than chemistry, but I don't believe I can't get an A in chemistry. What should I do now? Retake or just study my life off for MCAT?

I'm sending my response in a PM.


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[Newtonian21]

You need a 3.7 sGPA to be middle of the pack for matriculated MD - 3.75 if white or Asian.

Yes, that's hard to do

Not to sound harsh but no one cares that 88.5 is close to an A

Ok

 

[Newtonian21]

I'm sending my response in a PM.


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Ok waiting thanks!

 

[gamieg]

for the Bs you've received -- are those retakes? are you attempting to take organic chemistry, biochemistry, and throwing in molecular? that's a pretty heavy courseload, and especially if you haven't done as well in science intensive courses as you would've liked, I would caution taking on that much at once.

what about your general biology grades? mathematics? do you have a smattering of As in your science courses or are they mostly Bs or below?

 

[AnotherLawyer]

You need a 3.7 sGPA to be middle of the pack for matriculated MD - 3.75 if white or Asian.

Yes, that's hard to do

Not to sound harsh but no one cares that 88.5 is close to an A

The mean sGPA for white and Asian matriculants is 3.68 and for blacks and Hispanics it is < 3.5.

It's also worth considering that those numbers are the mean. Looking at the MSAR, my impression is that the mean is skewed up by the relatively high number of 3.8-4.0 matriculants compared to the number of 3.4-3.6 matriculants. So the median, would be a little lower.

That's still obviously a very high GPA and no small feat to obtain.

 

[Newtonian21]

for the Bs you've received -- are those retakes? are you attempting to take organic chemistry, biochemistry, and throwing in molecular? that's a pretty heavy courseload, and especially if you haven't done as well in science intensive courses as you would've liked, I would caution taking on that much at once.

what about your general biology grades? mathematics? do you have a smattering of As in your science courses or are they mostly Bs or below?

No they are not retakes. They are all my first attempt. I got A's in the rest classes. It's just chemistry that I've had so far. Both Gen chems Labs are A's. I have never have to retake a class. I am good with Bio, I don't think molecular will be worrisome. But yea here I am.

 

[gamieg]

No they are not retakes. They are all my first attempt. I got A's in the rest classes. It's just chemistry that I've had so far. Both Gen chems Labs are A's. I have never have to retake a class. I am good with Bio, I don't think molecular will be worrisome. But yea here I am.

so the good thing is that for your B+'s, those count as 3.3 because there is a distinction with that "+." but it's not really about whether you'll struggle with molecular or not, but if doing well in that class will be at the detriment of your other prerequisite courses. it's much better to do well in two classes rather than do okay in three.

another consideration is the rigor of your coursework. it's not necessarily a bad thing to only take two courses per semester, but if that has been a trend where you haven't taken more than that and achieved good grades, it might raise a question of whether you can handle the science-intensive curriculum in med school.