Retaking Genetics

[mini67]

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Hi,
I want to retake Genetics to get a better grade but I'm not sure if I should do that during my Junior year or Senior year. I'm a sophomore now. I want to apply during the summer before junior year.

 

[HomeSkool]

What did you get in it the first time? If it's C or better, you stand nothing to gain by retaking it, but doing so actually could hurt you.

 

[de Ribas]

What did you get in it the first time? If it's C or better, you stand nothing to gain by retaking it, but doing so actually could hurt you.

what if original grade is C+ and you retake it with an A?

What if you took all upper courses with As and such but still want to take some science courses. Thank you.

EDIT: What I mean is if you took all upper science course you could possibly find. Another option is to start retaking courses with a C/C+ scores. What do you think about that?

 

[workaholic181]

Hi,
I want to retake Genetics to get a better grade but I'm not sure if I should do that during my Junior year or Senior year. I'm a sophomore now. I want to apply during the summer before junior year.

You mean you want to apply the summer before senior year?

Either way OP the above posters are right; if you passed the class with a C or greater you're better served to take other upper division bio classes and ace them. Only retake this course if you feel really devoid of the content knowledge on the MCAT.

good luck!

 

[mini67]

You mean you want to apply the summer before senior year?

Yes, I meant summer before senior year! thanks for catching that!

 

[HomeSkool]

EDIT: What I mean is if you took all upper science course you could possibly find. Another option is to start retaking courses with a C/C+ scores. What do you think about that?

Still not the best idea. Here are your options and how they could play out:

1. Retake the course
a. Get an A -> adcom says, "Well yeah, I'd expect him/her to get an A after already having seen the material once before."
b. Get anything other than an A -> adcom says, "What's wrong with this person that s/he can't get an A even after having essentially seen the answer key?"

2. Take an easier course
a. Get an A -> adcom says, "An A. Cool."
b. Get anything less than A (but still at least C) -> adcom says, "A (fill in grade here). Cool."

So with the first option (retaking the course) the BEST that can happen is that you break even. It offers you absolutely no advantage over taking something else because there's the expectation of an A on the retake.

To answer your question: retaking and getting an A won't hurt you, but it also offers no advantage (and has considerable downside if you somehow don't get an A). So you'd just be taking on additional risk with no hope of reward. To quote the wise Goro:

Again, it's all about reducing risk, people.

 

[Goro]

Hi,
I want to retake Genetics to get a better grade but I'm not sure if I should do that during my Junior year or Senior year. I'm a sophomore now. I want to apply during the summer before junior year.

Drop this mindset right now. Take a different course, and do well in that.

I can understand wanting to improve GPA, but just to get this out there, we Adcoms do NOT like perfectionist tendencies.

 

[de Ribas]

Drop this mindset right now. Take a different course, and do well in that.

I can understand wanting to improve GPA, but just to get this out there, we Adcoms do NOT like perfectionist tendencies.

So, taking some other science course, not necessarily harder, will be better than retaking?

 

[Goro]

So, taking some other science course, not necessarily harder, will be better than retaking?

Correct! !

 

[Spectar]

Still not the best idea. Here are your options and how they could play out:

1. Retake the course
a. Get an A -> adcom says, "Well yeah, I'd expect him/her to get an A after already having seen the material once before."
b. Get anything other than an A -> adcom says, "What's wrong with this person that s/he can't get an A even after having essentially seen the answer key?"

2. Take an easier course
a. Get an A -> adcom says, "An A. Cool."
b. Get anything less than A (but still at least C) -> adcom says, "A (fill in grade here). Cool."

So with the first option (retaking the course) the BEST that can happen is that you break even. It offers you absolutely no advantage over taking something else because there's the expectation of an A on the retake.

To answer your question: retaking and getting an A won't hurt you, but it also offers no advantage (and has considerable downside if you somehow don't get an A). So you'd just be taking on additional risk with no hope of reward. To quote the wise Goro:

Now if only my doctors could explain things as easy and entertaining like this