Retaking biochemistry

[studentdoctor2021]

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Hi all,

I just received a D in biochemistry (w/ lab) during my sophomore spring and I'm thinking about when/where to retake it. I could retake it at my school but it's the same professor and I do not think that I would easily get an A since I struggled with the professor's way of teaching. I can't take it at a nearby university this summer, but I could take it at a community college (I don't think that would include lab...) or retake it online, but I don't know whether these would be acceptable even if I was to get an A on the retake. My other (best?) option is to retake it at another university near the one I attend that allows for cross registration, and hope for a better teaching method. Taking it at my university/the other nearby college is technically the cheapest option, although I'd probably have to drop one of my minors and move around my schedule for the next few semesters but I don't have any more pre-reqs to take after this. I would, however, really like to get biochemistry out of the way this summer if taking it at a community college is not seen negatively by med schools. Any thoughts?

Also, many overall GPA is a 3.2 as of right now. Do I still have a shot at med schools specifically? I'm not talking about the top ones, but any of them (not including DO schools). I know that's hard to tell without MCAT scores, but I do have about 150+ hours of clinical service (hospice, hospital, tutoring) and about 50 hours of shadowing, no research (yet... I do have some time), and 2 jobs. What should I aim for? Would a 3.5 at the end of senior year be okay?

I have a couple bad grades (only my pre-med reqs though) now (2 C+s and this D in physics and higher level chemistry) and I'm wondering whether I need to do a post-bac year. I'm a bio major and do just fine in every other course (mostly A-s), and I am positive I can focus on only getting A-s and As in the next 2 years, but I know that I need to take a gap year, but should it be for a job/volunteering/teachforamerica or should I take more classes?

Last question (sorry!): To raise my GPA should I take easy/random classes from now on or take a bunch of higher level science courses instead (where I'm not guaranteed an A, but nothing lower than a B+)? Thank you

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

what's your science GPA?

 

[Dr panda]

Online classes are not accepted for prerequisites, so avoid this option. Technically, you could take it at CC, but imagine how will it look like: you failed class at your home school and decided to take it at CC to ensure good grade, I would not do that.
3.5 is fine for DO schools, especially with upward trend. Volunteering will not compensate bad grades, focus on GPA. I would not take easy classes to raise GPA, adcoms consider whole application, not just numbers. Remember, each school gets ~20 applications for each spot, imagine it as there are 19 other people behind the door that want to get this seat, and it is ultimately your concern to convince adcoms that you are the one that deserves this seat, and I am not sure that easy classes after you failed hard ones will look good.
Your gap year is far from now don't concern about it right now, focus on current issues, which are your grades. But before retaking biochemistry and rushing into upper level science classes figure out what went wrong. If it is your study habits – visit student success center (or whatever it is called at your school), find out why you got bad grades, if you don't plan to change anything don't be surprised when you will end up with bad grades again.
There is nothing "guaranteed" in college grading process, I remember my only C+ throughout 2+ years of college, and guess what it was – business class at community college. I know few people who used to moan about art history or music classes and ended up with Ds and Cs there, so don't always perceive low level classes as something easy.

 

[studentdoctor2021]

what's your science GPA?

it's about a 3.0 right now. I can keep taking bio courses to raise it, I guess, what should I aim for?

 

[Dr panda]

it's about a 3.0 right now. I can keep taking bio courses to raise it, I guess, what should I aim for?

Average sGPA for MD matriculants was 3.6+, for DO aim for 3.3+