General Admissions & OTCAS Retaking Anatomy/Physiology?

[HopefullyAnOTStudentSoon]

Hello!

I'm a reapplicant for the upcoming year. I originally got lower grades in A&P, but I retook the first semester and got an A. My second semester of it is a B-, and now I'm debating on whether or not I should retake that (AKA spend the time and money).

A little about me/my application:
cum GPA: 3.7
pre-req GPA: around 3.7, depending on the school
Related Work: I've worked at a camp for people with disabilities for about 4 years, and I currently work as an ABA therapist (and I work alongside OTs at my company)
Observation Hours: I have plenty of shadowing hours in pediatrics, school, clinic, in home, and I will have more pediatrics, elderly homes, and hospital hours on my application by the time I submit them this year

I was originally waitlisted at two schools, but that was it for the first year. My work as an ABA is new and I will have a lot more volunteer/shadowing hours on my applications this time around. Do you think a better grade in the second semester of Anatomy is an important addition?

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[therapist2be]

In my opinion nah. A B- if not a C is what most schools require for their prerequisites and plus you received an A in one of them. That plus the fact that you'll have more volunteer experience plus your new job experience I think will look really good. I just don't know if it would be worth the extra time and money just for that, when you meet the requirement. I'm applying for the first time this cycle though so take my advice with a grain of salt. I just know that if I had your exact situation I wouldn't. Good luck!


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[harmcharm]

If you did retake and make an A, how much would your prereq GPA go up? Going from a 3.7 to a 4.0 would look good, but if it's only going from like a 3.7 to a 3.75 that's not worth it. Also be honest with yourself about the rest of your application - are your rec letters and personal statement strong? If they are, you probably don't need to retake this one class. If they aren't, then it might be worth it. But like you said, that's more time and money you'll have to put in. I suggest making a pros and cons list to help you decide. I do think it's a good sign that you were already waitlisted last year and have worked to gain more experience and hours this time.

 

[MrTL]

I know some schools require a B or higher (so B- wouldn't cut it) in A&P, so it really just depends on the schools you're looking to apply to. But with a 3.7 overall and 3.7 prereq, I wouldn't invest the time retaking a B-.

 

[student4life101]

If schools allow for retakes, then it is a good sign that they expect an A in those classes. Even when they require a B, many students go above and beyond.

 

[HopefullyAnOTStudentSoon]

Thanks for all of the responses, everyone!