- Joined
- Jul 30, 2015
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 5
For some time I have been wondering how certain chemistry courses will affect my GPAs.
Firstly, before I began taking classes at my current school, I was given a chemistry placement exam, & knowing nothing about the subject, managed to fail it well enough to be assigned to the lowest level chemistry course (Chem23). This course was so low level that it didn't count as one of the two General Chemistry pre-reqs (chem25 & chem27) for all other chemistry courses (& presumably the two gen chem classes med schools want). I passed chem23 with an A. I'm curious if this should be counted towards my science GPA?? It is undeniably a science class, but it's not really on the level. I didn't take a high school chemistry course, but some students at my school consider it to be on-par with hs level.
Following this I had to take the proper two semesters of Gen. Chem. I took one the next semester at the same school, & then took the second one over the summer at a community college (because it was effectively free, & I received no finaid at my home university over summer). I had read taking a big science course at a community college is a no-no due to weaker competition; it'll look like a cowards' way out to med schools, or something like that. The competition was undeniably weaker, & as such, the A was almost as easy in this class as the aforementioned chem23. I can clearly articulate how I took the class at a CC as a time-save to get on track for O. Chem. at my home college that following semester (which I did relatively well at) &, in-fact, I became employed by the chemistry department as a workshop group tutor for that very general chemistry class the next spring. I assume given these circumstances, having taken an important class at a CC should be a non-issue??
While taking the summer chem class at the CC, I also took a 1-unit problem-solving partner class for that General Chemistry class. It was graded. I got an A. Ought this factor into my sGPA??
Being the workshop group tutor was also accredited, but not graded. It was a pass/fail thing. It's a job first & a cheap 2 credits second. The faculty coordinator of the workshops told me that failing to earn those 2 credits is possible & has happened often enough. I passed. I read once that a pass is generally considered by grad schools as equivalent to a C- & a fail is considered equivalent to an F. This makes perfect sense for a class in which one is given a choice between letter grade or p/f. In this situation, I did not have that choice. However, I did have the choice to not take it for credit, not have it on my transcript, & not worry about it. When I registered I didn't see any harm in getting an extra two credits for nothing. I imagine it won't affect my GPA, but can anyone reassure me of that?? & if it were to affect my GPA, do you think it would affect sGPA??
I'm not incredibly concerned about any of the above. I just want to know if I'll be harmed a wee bit by these tiny technicalities.
Firstly, before I began taking classes at my current school, I was given a chemistry placement exam, & knowing nothing about the subject, managed to fail it well enough to be assigned to the lowest level chemistry course (Chem23). This course was so low level that it didn't count as one of the two General Chemistry pre-reqs (chem25 & chem27) for all other chemistry courses (& presumably the two gen chem classes med schools want). I passed chem23 with an A. I'm curious if this should be counted towards my science GPA?? It is undeniably a science class, but it's not really on the level. I didn't take a high school chemistry course, but some students at my school consider it to be on-par with hs level.
Following this I had to take the proper two semesters of Gen. Chem. I took one the next semester at the same school, & then took the second one over the summer at a community college (because it was effectively free, & I received no finaid at my home university over summer). I had read taking a big science course at a community college is a no-no due to weaker competition; it'll look like a cowards' way out to med schools, or something like that. The competition was undeniably weaker, & as such, the A was almost as easy in this class as the aforementioned chem23. I can clearly articulate how I took the class at a CC as a time-save to get on track for O. Chem. at my home college that following semester (which I did relatively well at) &, in-fact, I became employed by the chemistry department as a workshop group tutor for that very general chemistry class the next spring. I assume given these circumstances, having taken an important class at a CC should be a non-issue??
While taking the summer chem class at the CC, I also took a 1-unit problem-solving partner class for that General Chemistry class. It was graded. I got an A. Ought this factor into my sGPA??
Being the workshop group tutor was also accredited, but not graded. It was a pass/fail thing. It's a job first & a cheap 2 credits second. The faculty coordinator of the workshops told me that failing to earn those 2 credits is possible & has happened often enough. I passed. I read once that a pass is generally considered by grad schools as equivalent to a C- & a fail is considered equivalent to an F. This makes perfect sense for a class in which one is given a choice between letter grade or p/f. In this situation, I did not have that choice. However, I did have the choice to not take it for credit, not have it on my transcript, & not worry about it. When I registered I didn't see any harm in getting an extra two credits for nothing. I imagine it won't affect my GPA, but can anyone reassure me of that?? & if it were to affect my GPA, do you think it would affect sGPA??
I'm not incredibly concerned about any of the above. I just want to know if I'll be harmed a wee bit by these tiny technicalities.
