retakes

[Dr Yiot]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am trying to take advantage of the retake system offered by aacomas. I just had a few questions. Does it matter what type of courses you retake? for instance, I retook a good amount of science courses thus far. However, I do have some non science courses which I did poorly in that I can retake as well, from back in 2004 and 2005. This would increase my gpa a good amount, but I am wondering if adcoms wouldnt think too highly of it. Also, I am wondering if retaking too many classes is a bad thing as I have retaken quite a few classes thus far. Despite this, I have showed that I can handle a science heavy curriculumn from past semesters and have aced many 3k level classes (not retakes) such as biochem, micro and medical botany. But some of my prereq's where bad (C's and D's) so I decided to retake them and now I am worried that since I retook them that if I decided to retake other non science courses that its going to look bad.

summary

So far I have retaken 6 courses and they are all prerequisites. Like I said prior to retaking these courses I completed some upper level bio's where I buckled down and did well. I decided to go back and retake prereq's which I didnt do well in. Now I am wondering if I retook to many courses and cant go back and retake non science courses to increase my GPA further. I am also open to taking other 3k level science courses at the same time.
here are the courses I retook.

Inorganic 1 C- retook to a A-
Inorganic 2 D retook to an A-
Biology 1 C+ retook to an A
Biology 2 C and will be retaking in the summer to an A
Physics 1 C- retook to an A
Physics 2 D- retook to a B+

other prereq's that I never retook where the orgo's

Orgo 1 B+
Orgo 2 B-

Upper levels I took during my post bach or senior year and did well
Biochem A
Medical Botany A-
Microbiology A-
Comparative anatomy B

courses that I did bad in that were 3k level in 2006 and havent retaken
Genetics C+

what do you guys think? is 6 classes enough and I shouldnt retake more? is taking more going to look bad? and is going back and retaking classes like introduction to precalc, introduction to psycology or sociology or contemporary health a bad idea?

 

[Rob C]

.

 

[Dr Yiot]

I would not worry about retaking non-science classes. Your app is going to look a little funny to adcoms as is. In another thread, someone mentions that retaking more than 4 classes is looked down upon.

I think your succeeding in tough classes that are a part of the med school ciriculum makes a strong case for admission. You should emphasize that when you do apply. You may want to take some additional classes that would further strengthen your app such as immunology or pathology. Shoot to get a 28+ on the MCAT with strong performance in each section. With that, I think you will get into a respectable DO school.

Best of luck.

can you maybe link this thread?

I also have an mcat score thats about average for DO schools. I know the average is a 26 and is continously increasing as the competition increases. I scored a 25, PS 9 VR 7 BS 9. I applied this year got rejected by most, recieved 1 interview which led to bieng waitlisted so I am continueing to improve my app. When I got rejected from a school, I called a few of them and each and every one mentioned my GPA and didnt say a thing about my mcat. So for now, I am goint to focus primarily on my GPA and then once that is down, focus on retake the MCAT if need be.

would taking Anatomy and Physiology be considered a medical school type course? in 2006 I transferred from a 4 year institution to my local community college. This is where I took Bio 1 and 2. I then transfered to the 4 year where I graduated, took my other prerequisites and where I also retook them. However, After 2 years of commuting an hour to my 4 year, retaking bio 1 was quite nice considering the much shorter (and more affordable) commute. My slew of upper level course work which I did well in was at my 4 year, but I am now spoiled and wondering If it would be OK to take A&P at the CC close by. I could even do it over the summer in 5 weeks and it would be 600 bux. I am married and my spouse has a job up here so moving down to the 4 year would be an issue. Also the closest 4 year is about 50k a year and is private. not really affordable by any means. The CC I took the prereq at is nothing to sneeze at however, and it IS affiliated with a 4 year school that IS attached, if that adds any legitamacy to it. my bio 1 prof was a PhD who also taught at rutgers and used to teach at the university of delaware. the guy was legit and the class covered everything on the mcat and more. anyways now I am running off topic, sorry.

BTW I am aiming to get my GPA to the 3.5 range. I currently have a 3.3 cgpa and a 3.3 sgpa. This was brought up from a 2.0 cgpa and a 1.8 sgpa. When I applied this year and was complete in sept I had a 3.0 cgpa and a 2.94 sci gpa. After retaking courses that was brought to a 3.18 cgpa and a 3.2 sci gpa by febuary. now I am at a 3.3 for both and hoping to increase as much as humanely and affordably possible. Again, the feedback I got from schools was that my GPA was the MAIN issue, not my mcat score. Hopefully applying day 1 with the improvements will help me. I have PLENTY of EC"s, lor's etc.

 

[Dr Yiot]

oh and thank you for your post Rob C

 

[agh2415]

Sounds like you know what needs to be done. Can't go wrong with more science courses and maybe some kind of advanced psych but your primary focus should be improving that MCAT.

 

[Rob C]

.

 

[Dr Yiot]

Rob c. Thanx for ur advice and taking the time to write out ur responses. Congratulations on getting in. That's awsome.

I will take anatomy at the cc but I still don't know about retaking the mcat. To be honest with u I thnk I would do better having retaken a few of the prereqs and actually learned the material finally. However its still very intimidating and having taken it three times to finally receive the 25 I got this past september I am afraid that I could do worse or even if I do better still not break a thirty. Its just a crazy hard test and it scares the living crap out of me. I know this sounds weak but I feel like I can't do better than that.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I had a ton of retakes, nearly all in non-science. Only one school I interviewed at mentioned my retakes (only one I think that actually looked in depth at the classes I took) all the others commented on my high GPA without mentioning my retakes.

I saw the thread that mentioned 4 retakes is looked down upon, but much like my situation I think that is anecdotal. Since you have already retaken all your science classes I would retake your non-science classes if you have the time

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Fwiw, I went and spoke to my dream DO school and they said that 3 retakes up near the max they like to see. But this is one school. I have heard of many people retaking up to 12 classes and getting accepted.

I am confused, what courses did you take at the CC and what at the university?

 

[Dr Yiot]

Fwiw, I went and spoke to my dream DO school and they said that 3 retakes up near the max they like to see. But this is one school. I have heard of many people retaking up to 12 classes and getting accepted.

I am confused, what courses did you take at the CC and what at the university?

in 2004 I took bios I and II at a CC. The rest I took and retook at my fourth year.
I recently retook both bios @ my CC again.
The only class that's. The exeption is physics I. I originally took that at my 4 year but retook it at my CC.

I know its confusing lol.
I'm getting some mixed replies here. I think its one of those things that probably varies among schools.is that something worth contacting them and asking?

Also MLT, awsome to hear you say that. I definitly have the time to retake some.

 

[fiznat]

I would take whatever classes would have the most effect on your GPA, regardless of whether they are science or not. 3.3/25 really isn't even all that bad, I wonder why you had so little success this season. Are you lacking in the EC/experience department? Anything else you can think of?

 

[NurWollen]

I had a ton of retakes, nearly all in non-science. Only one school I interviewed at mentioned my retakes (only one I think that actually looked in depth at the classes I took) all the others commented on my high GPA without mentioning my retakes.

I saw the thread that mentioned 4 retakes is looked down upon, but much like my situation I think that is anecdotal. Since you have already retaken all your science classes I would retake your non-science classes if you have the time

Just out of curiosity, what makes you think others didn't look that closely at your classes?

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Just out of curiosity, what makes you think others didn't look that closely at your classes?

As I mentioned they really never said a word about my retakes. I have a substantial amount of retakes (due to being an idiot 10 years ago) and it is obviously a deficiency in my application. Instead I recieved positive comments on my overall and Sci GPA.

Of Note, I have ~300 credits and I wouldn't really blame anyone for not sifting through my transcripts to 10 years prior.

FWIW, I am one of those 12+ retake people that had multiple acceptances that Frky mentioned

 

[Dr Yiot]

I would take whatever classes would have the most effect on your GPA, regardless of whether they are science or not. 3.3/25 really isn't even all that bad, I wonder why you had so little success this season. Are you lacking in the EC/experience department? Anything else you can think of?

well. ill have the 3.3 in about 4 weeks. i have a 3.2 now and thats what the schools see. however they were updated on the 3.2 in febuary, so I am thinking that is kind of late in the app season.

Also, when I was complete in september I had a 3.01 and a 2.94(sci) so I didnt do all that well. Also in sept, I had a 23 which I then retook and schools where updated of my 25 by oct. 1st. so I am thinking lateness in my app is what killed me.

as far as EC"s I think they are unique and different, however I participated in one over xmas time that I believe puts my app over the top but again, it was during xmas time and lasted 12 weeks.

I think I will perform much better this app season, with schools not waiting for anything. thanks for the encouraging words though. I will be retaking anything that gets my GPA higher substantially and using the aacomas calculator online to predict where I am at.

thanks for everyones help in this thread and MLT thats quite the determination. Congrats man, you trully deserve to be accepted.