So, I will be applying to DO school and will be repeating some classes to increase my gpa. I made a "D" in General Geology. If I take Physical Geology this semester, will it replace the Gen. Geology? And will Calculus I replace Business Calculus? If you had any ideas, please educate. Thank you.
Repeating ugrad classes that I made C's and D's in
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It is my experience that if you want the grade to be replaced you have to take the exact same course at the exact same institution. To replace your D in General Geology you have to retake General Geology and so on. You can take Physical Geology and Calc I and those grades will be on your transcripts 'in addition' to the other two classes, but they won't 'replace' the lower grades from the other classes.
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AMCAS doesn't "replace" grades... but that is the MD application.
If the OP is wanting to apply to DO school, he will use the AACOMAS application which does replace grades.
To answer the OP's question. You will need to retake the identical courses. For example, business calculus is an entirely different class than calculus 1.
However, general geology may be the same as physical geology. You'll need to check with the institution to see if it has the same transfer code.
By transfer code I mean general geology may be GEOL 1310 or something at one school while physical geology may be the same course but called GEOL 1410 at another school.
(For the record I'm having to do the same thing...replacing about 18 hours of undergraduate courses to get my GPA up.)
My undergrad courses were in CA. I live in Texas currently so It's going to be tough. I think I'm going to repeat the obvious class for example redoing business calculus here at community college. I just learn that TX DO program does not use AACOMAS; they use TMDSAS so they calcuate gpa just like AMCAS.
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Well first off, welcome to Texas!
Second, I'm actually not applying to any schools here in Texas because of that reason. My uGPA would be WAY too low using the AMCAS calculation method.
My uGPA is poor (2.4), but I had a 4.0 in my masters program so I'm counting on that, good science grades, decent MCAT, and a ton of volunteer hours/EC's to get me in.
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I'm reading a fair amount of misinformation here.
Start an app on AACOMAS and see for yourself how you categorize your coursework. You are who designates what course is a repeat of what course. There is absolutely no requirement that a course be repeated at the same school or with whatever a "transfer code" is. Transfer credits or rules are simply not relevant on a med school app.
For example: I took first semester gen chem in 1988 at a city college. I took first quarter engineering chem in 1990 or so at a state university. I took it yet again, as premed gen chem, in 2005 at a different state university. None of these courses had the same title, description, credits or course number. All three count as first term gen chem, even though I got A's twice, because I marked them as repeats of the same class, and because my categorization isn't much of a stretch. (P.S. I was pretty stupid to give away an A, see how that was not in my favor?)
I wouldn't try to "get away with" something by falsely claiming a repeat, but think about how many apps they're going through: they're not going to nickel and dime you. If you think you have a reasonable case, then claim the repeat and be ready to answer for it. Personally I think both the geology and calculus repeats are legit, because (a) it's geology, who cares and (b) first term calculus is much harder than biz calc.
Best of luck to you.
Start an app on AACOMAS and see for yourself how you categorize your coursework. You are who designates what course is a repeat of what course. There is absolutely no requirement that a course be repeated at the same school or with whatever a "transfer code" is. Transfer credits or rules are simply not relevant on a med school app.
For example: I took first semester gen chem in 1988 at a city college. I took first quarter engineering chem in 1990 or so at a state university. I took it yet again, as premed gen chem, in 2005 at a different state university. None of these courses had the same title, description, credits or course number. All three count as first term gen chem, even though I got A's twice, because I marked them as repeats of the same class, and because my categorization isn't much of a stretch. (P.S. I was pretty stupid to give away an A, see how that was not in my favor?)
I wouldn't try to "get away with" something by falsely claiming a repeat, but think about how many apps they're going through: they're not going to nickel and dime you. If you think you have a reasonable case, then claim the repeat and be ready to answer for it. Personally I think both the geology and calculus repeats are legit, because (a) it's geology, who cares and (b) first term calculus is much harder than biz calc.
Best of luck to you.
D
deleted92121
Wow, I have 12 classes (somewhere near 40 credits) of D's and F's...as far as a C goes, they are the least of my worries.
However, I am replacing all science courses in which I got a C or lower. Plus I retook two of my above mentioned F's.
By the time I retake 4 or 5 of my science classes, I should have an overal GPA of 3.2 and a science GPA of 3.6.
As long as I do well on my MCAT, I cannot imagine that I won't at least get an interview.
Good luck,
DU
However, I am replacing all science courses in which I got a C or lower. Plus I retook two of my above mentioned F's.
By the time I retake 4 or 5 of my science classes, I should have an overal GPA of 3.2 and a science GPA of 3.6.
As long as I do well on my MCAT, I cannot imagine that I won't at least get an interview.
Good luck,
DU
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I wouldn't bother retaking Cs, unless you got more than a couple. I didn't.
I have quite a few C's; as in like 10. 90% of those classes aren'
t med. pre-reqs either. As far as repeating these classes, I asked the admission office directly on their thoughts and here's what they wrote back:
"You specifically asked how repetition
of undergraduate classes will be utilized in obtaining a revised GPA.
Since we are a member school of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools
Application Service (TMDSAS), we follow the rules set by common
agreement of member schools for dealing with GPA. If you repeat a
course, the more recent course GPA will be utilized in figuring the GPA
for each of the areas of the "Prescribed Course Report" (PCR) part of
the application. That means that if you made a C in first semester
organic and repeated the course making a B, the B would be utilized in
figuring your organic chemistry GPA on the PCR. It would also affect
your cumulative science GPA as shown on the profile page of the TMDSAS
application.
I will say that as a general rule, repeating courses in a somewhat
random fashion is not particularly useful in ameliorating a less than
stellar science GPA. You might want to check into a graduate program
such as the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences offered here at UNT
Health Science Center in the Graduate School. You can find useful
information about how to apply, prerequisites, etc. on our web site
under the rubric of the Graduate School. The main advantage of
undertaking such a program is that it is designed specifically for
people who want to go to medical school but are handicapped by a low
science GPA. You take some of the same courses taken by first year
medical students; obviously, if you do well in the grad courses, you
have effectively proved that you could do well as a first year med
student. "
I hope this information is useful.
Best regards,
I don't think postbac is the only way to go as suggested by this officer.
t med. pre-reqs either. As far as repeating these classes, I asked the admission office directly on their thoughts and here's what they wrote back:
"You specifically asked how repetition
of undergraduate classes will be utilized in obtaining a revised GPA.
Since we are a member school of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools
Application Service (TMDSAS), we follow the rules set by common
agreement of member schools for dealing with GPA. If you repeat a
course, the more recent course GPA will be utilized in figuring the GPA
for each of the areas of the "Prescribed Course Report" (PCR) part of
the application. That means that if you made a C in first semester
organic and repeated the course making a B, the B would be utilized in
figuring your organic chemistry GPA on the PCR. It would also affect
your cumulative science GPA as shown on the profile page of the TMDSAS
application.
I will say that as a general rule, repeating courses in a somewhat
random fashion is not particularly useful in ameliorating a less than
stellar science GPA. You might want to check into a graduate program
such as the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences offered here at UNT
Health Science Center in the Graduate School. You can find useful
information about how to apply, prerequisites, etc. on our web site
under the rubric of the Graduate School. The main advantage of
undertaking such a program is that it is designed specifically for
people who want to go to medical school but are handicapped by a low
science GPA. You take some of the same courses taken by first year
medical students; obviously, if you do well in the grad courses, you
have effectively proved that you could do well as a first year med
student. "
I hope this information is useful.
Best regards,
I don't think postbac is the only way to go as suggested by this officer.
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