Retake or Take more Advanced Classes?

[futuremed85]

hello, want to thank you in advanced for any suggestion to my app! i applied to 19 schools, and was rejected by all. no interviews. i just spoke with an admissions counselor at one med school, and i was nailed for my cumulative BCPM GPA. i want to raise this gpa, but don't know what the best way to do it is.

should i retake classes, or take more advanced courses in the subject? how would you guys go about improving my cumulative BCPM GPA? should i repeat BIOLOGY 1 and OCHEM 2?

i have a BS in bio and MS in biochem. Thanks!

here are some stats:

AMCAS calculated-GPA: (Status / BCPM GPA / AO GPA / TOTAL GPA)
--------------------------------------------------------
Cumulative GPA / 2.8 / 3.4 / 3.1
Graduate GPA / 3.2 / - / 3.2


PRE-MED GRADES (Quarter System):

BIOLOGY 1 (Lec): C-
BIOLOGY 1 (Lab): C
BIOLOGY 2 (Lec/Lab): F / B- [repeated]
BIOLOGY 3 (Lec/Lab): B

GCHEM 1 (Lec/Lab): B
GCHEM 2 (Lec/Lab): B
GCHEM 3 (Lec/Lab): B

OCHEM 1 (Lec/Lab): B-
OCHEM 2 (Lec/Lab): C-
OCHEM 3 (Lec/Lab): C+

PHYSICS 1 (Lec): A-
PHYSICS 1 (Lab): B
PHYSICS 2 (Lec): A
PHYSICS 2 (Lab): B
PHYSICS 3 (Lec): A-
PHYSICS 3 (Lab): A

CALCULUS 1: AP Credit
CALCULUS 2: A-
CALCULUS 3: B

STATISTICS 1: A+

ENGLISH 1: B
ENGLISH 2: B
ENGLISH 3: A

ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY: A-
GENETICS: C+

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[afbdoc]

I personally would say retake these classes to create an upward trend in your grades-but you really have to knock it out of the park the second time around! I'm talking A's. On the other hand, you can't stay in school forever. I wouldn't take more than an extra semester, maybe two, of classes so pick the ones that you did most poorly in to re-do.

To me, there's no sense in going for graduate work when it seems like some of the basics didn't sink all the way in during undergrad. If you have any kind of extenuating circumstances that got in your way be sure to explain (without whining) in your app some place.

Good luck!

 

[Scottish Chap]

Agree with afbdoc. Of course, it's hard to know the mind of every admissions director, but meditate on the fact that they see thousands of applications, and need a very quick way to screen people out. They scan the file quickly and look for any red flags. C grades in prerequisite courses is an easy way for them to stop reading. Graduate grades don't really matter much. I agree that doing your best to replace those undergraduate C grades with A's is important. Also, keep in mind that osteopathic medical schools forgive the old grade if the new one is higher, so you are sort of killing two birds with one stone. Good luck!