retaking classes

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ivey

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Does any one know how med schools consider grades from classes taken a second time? I already graduated but got some C's in science classes. If I took these classes again, would they be figured into my undergrad GPA? Thanks -- any information would be appreciated!

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I completely understand what you're going through. After graduating college I also had some C's on my transcript. I decided not to retake my pre-med courses. Instead, I took 16 hours of upper-level science courses, similar to those you would take in your first year of medical school. I got nothing lower than a B+ in all of these courses. I retook the MCAT's and did lots of volunteer work. This year, I got six interviews. I am sure that you will do fine as long as you keep motivated. Good Luck!
 
I completely understand what you're going through. After graduating college I also had some C's on my transcript. I decided not to retake my pre-med courses. Instead, I took 16 hours of upper-level science courses, similar to those you would take in your first year of medical school. I got nothing lower than a B+ in all of these courses. I retook the MCAT's and did lots of volunteer work. This year, I got six interviews. I am sure that you will do fine as long as you keep motivated. Good Luck!
 
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thanks medbound -- what upper level science classes would you recommend?
 
In college, I was an English major so I had only taken the basic pre-med requirements so I took classes like Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular biology, Biochemistry and Embryology. I took all of these at a four-year college. After speaking to many Deans, I found that Community College's were not ideal. I also took classes in the 300's (ie my biochem class was a graduate level course)
 
I'm retaking some science courses that I got C's. I asked several medical school if this is ok. They said it doesn't affect my application. It will only boost my science GPA up but it's also important to take some higher level courses at the same time or before applying to med school. I'm retaking some science courses because I never thought of going to med school in college and after deciding to become a doctor, I really wanted to have strong knowledge on basic sciences in order to do well on the next level science courses. Besides I have so many C's on my science courses and my GPA is not good at all. After I finish retaking some courses, I'm planning to take some higher-level science courses.
If you have too many C's on your science courses, I think it's better to retake some of your science courses. Hope this help.
 
If you retake classes at a different school than where you got your undergrad degree, does this still affect your GPA? Thanks in advance....
 
For osteopathic medical school, they recalculate GPA by replacing the most recent grade of the course with the course you already took the same. But the oldest grade will still appear on your application. Good thing is that your GPA is raised by retaking courses and getting better grades. But for allpathic medical school, I think they just combine the grades. For example, if you got C on physics and recently got A on another school, they will consider as B.
Just show them your motivation and your improvement. I did really poorly on lot of work when I was in undergrad. but I realize this is not the end. I think any other crazy trouble college student with low GPA can become a doctor if they do really well on their post-bacc pragram or in graduate school and kick @ss on MCAT.
I learned how to socialize and interact with all kinds of people when I went to party almost every weekends in college while other smarty college students study hard for their grades. I think to become a medical doctor is more than intelligence.
Hope this help.
 
"I learned how to socialize and interact with all kinds of people when I went to party almost every weekends in college while other smarty college students study hard for their grades. I think to become a medical doctor is more than intelligence."

This is pathetic - you are gonna be a good doctor because you can party? Some of us "smarty college students" got where we are today because we realized that we can go "to party", maybe not "every weekends" - but enough to balance our lives with school. Having fun and studying are not mutually exclusive.

[This message has been edited by bobo (edited 04-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by bobo (edited 04-12-2000).]
 
I have to say that partying may not make you a better doctor, but going in one direction and then making a 180 towards a greater goal is impressive. Sure it's great if you know all along that you want to be a doctor, but screwing up and fixing it is something to say in and of itself. I would like to think that doctors aren't made in molds, just like patients aren't either!
 
I didn't mean that we all should party in order to become medical doctor.
What I meant was that I wanted to give some hopes to some of students who had already failed to get good grades that there is a still chance to become a great doctor.
Try to think positively whatever you've done.
Great students who just graduated from college is not just a student with high GPA, but also a person who can manage how to LIVE, how to LOVE and how to LEARN.
Of course I regret that I didn't try my best on most of my academic work but it doesn't mean that I'm a loser. Especially people who wants to go to osteopathic medical school, life experience is also crucial because D.O. treat patients as a WHOLE-PERSON not just disease.
So some of smarty nerdy students, don't be too cocky about yourself.
There are some doctors in this world who are very cocky because they think they're smart and all that and make lots of money.
I would very appreciate any incite.
 
Hey ivey, i was in your position two years ago. i had 3 C's and an F!! But I wised up after college and took 20 hours of upper-division science classes and got all A's...got a recommend letter from my school's pre-med committee and things are working out now, i'm interviewing and looks like things are a-go this fall. anyway, just telling you that it's never too late to spice up your record even if you did mess up a little as an undergrad...just hang in there, ivey, make sure your post-bacc work is good. also, about taking courses over, check with your advisor but i'm pretty sure both grades will count, in other words if you get a C and then an A, it'll be like a B in their eyes. Might be just as good or better to take whole new courses....
see you and good luck!!!
 
Thanks for the encouragement! Unfortunately I did extremely poorly as an undergrad (worse than a few C's). I got a master's degree and now I'm in a PhD program. My GPA has just about doubled from what it was as an undergrad but I'm hoping that med schools will look past those dark undergrad years....who knows????
 
even if you retake classes..nothin can help your ****ty gpa..so just give up while you have the chance

The confused freshman... =P
 
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