Prerequisite under a "C"

[apham]

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I've been feeling down since I received my grades for fall quarter. I took 18 credits and thought I would be fine because I was taking 20 credits every quarter last year and managed to do very well. I don't know what happened this quarter but I messed up in my biochem class. I received a grade below a C. I know that optometry schools want a grade of a C or higher. I don't know what to do at this point. I'm graduating this June and would have to retake this course (which is offered once a year at my university) as a nonmatriculated student. I have interviews coming up and I'm not sure if I should cancel them. My older sister, who is medical school, told me to explain what happened during my interview. I have never been so disappointed with my grade, I feel like I worked so hard and messed up at the last minute.

Has anyone been accepted with a prerequisite grade lower than a C?

As stressed as I'm feeling, I will not give up. Any advice would help.

Thank you.

 

[darcyohara]

I don't think all optometry schools require biochemistry. However, if this is the case for you, maybe you can try to take it at a community college in the spring.

 

[robotcat123]

I would look to see if the schools you are applying to require biochem. If so, you should talk to the school to see what you should do. I would not cancel the interview unless you have an emergency. If you wait, it might be more competitive because seats are filling up fast. Just explain to your interviewer should they ask, but I wouldn't bring up the subject. I would also try to explain and outline your best quality like your cGPA, EC, shadowing, etc.

 

[hockeystar123]

I believe that the only schools that require biochemistry are SCCO, Incarnate Word, and maybe Berkeley. Definitely do not cancel your interviews. I would retake the class somewhere else if I were you, and try getting an A in the class. Explain what happened exactly during your interviews.

 

[optoapp2012]

I've been feeling down since I received my grades for fall quarter. I took 18 credits and thought I would be fine because I was taking 20 credits every quarter last year and managed to do very well. I don't know what happened this quarter but I messed up in my biochem class. I received a grade below a C. I know that optometry schools want a grade of a C or higher. I don't know what to do at this point. I'm graduating this June and would have to retake this course (which is offered once a year at my university) as a nonmatriculated student. I have interviews coming up and I'm not sure if I should cancel them. My older sister, who is medical school, told me to explain what happened during my interview. I have never been so disappointed with my grade, I feel like I worked so hard and messed up at the last minute.

Has anyone been accepted with a prerequisite grade lower than a C?

As stressed as I'm feeling, I will not give up. Any advice would help.

Thank you.

I would call the admissions office before your interview, especially if you are paying to travel far (but also because if you get denied over this and then end up re-applying, that's just a messier situation). You might ask what their policy is for grades in pre-req's and if there is any chance they make exceptions. If they are adamant that they do not, then I don't think it's worth your time going to the interview...however, I highly doubt that's the case. I think they will say that they only make exceptions in rare cases, etc. You were taking a lot of classes - that makes perfect sense. But I would research your options to retake it (like at a community college like someone else said) so that you can be armed with that if they ask you. It's a pre-req for some schools because they feel like it's important material...so they want you to know the material at a C level or better. With a tough semester, that didn't happen for you - but you want to make sure to show them that you will in fact learn that material before starting optometry school. I don't think it's a dire situation, but I do think you should seek out advice from the admissions office rather than take people's wild guesses here - we want to help, but certainly don't know schools' policies like their admins! Also, you wouldn't necessarily have to give the admissions office your personal information when you call. You don't have to say that you have an interview coming up - you can just call and ask them about their policy, without really explaining how it pertains to your situation at the moment. Just an option if you are afraid it will jeopardize something for you!