Should I retake a C in a pre req?

[az43]

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I'm a transfer student attending a UC Davis . My overall GPA from CC is a 3.3 (92 semester units). I'm a physiology major and have a 3.89 UC gpa. I Have earned A's in all my Upper div courses, so I have a steep upward trend along with clinical work and research.

I was working 30-35 hrs/week throughout my CC years. I earned B's in lots of "easy GE's" and got C's in gen chem2, bio2, phys1, and ochem 2.

I was wondering if I should retake those pre reqs since I received a C in them? I would retake genchem at UC Davis (I would have to retake quarters 2 & 3 of genchem) and would take bio2, phys1, and ochem2 at a CC after graduation Is this worth the time? Will med schools look down on this since I would be taking most of the courses at a CC after graduating?

 

[GrapesofRath]

No

 

[az43]

Lol, it would be a waste of time?

 

[DrMidlife]

in California, yes, retake. do it before you graduate. add a minor or major if you need to.

FYI you don't have a 3.89 unless that includes your CC grades, which is nearly impossible math. Use your cumulative GPAs to gauge your competitiveness.

 

[GrapesofRath]

On second thought I do think it is closer. That said I don't think there's a clear yes or no answer. Two key things to consider.

What is your cumulative GPA? As long as it is below a 3.6-3.7 type range you are probably going to apply to a number of DO's(pending MCAT score) in which case re-takes would help. The other key question is how many classes/years worth of upper level classes A's are we talking about?

If we are talking 2-3 years worth of upper level classes worth of A's since those C's I would still hesitate a bit to recommend retaking 4 classes unless your GPA is still low enough where you are going to have to apply to a significant amount of DO schools. I don't know if it'll really add to your application or provex anything. The 2-3 years worth of upper level A's talk for themselves. I would say this is even more the case if some of these upper level classes are chem intensive which would show you've come along with way since those c's in Ochem 2 and Gen Chem 2.

 

[az43]

in California, yes, retake. do it before you graduate. add a minor or major if you need to.

FYI you don't have a 3.89 unless that includes your CC grades, which is nearly impossible math. Use your cumulative GPAs to gauge your competitiveness.

Hmm, alright I'll consider it. My UC gpa is a 3.89, not including my CC. Cumulative including my CC gpa is a 3.51.

 

[az43]

On second thought I do think it is closer. That said I don't think there's a clear yes or no answer. Two key things to consider.

What is your cumulative GPA? As long as it is below a 3.6-3.7 type range you are probably going to apply to a number of DO's(pending MCAT score) in which case re-takes would help. The other key question is how many classes/years worth of upper level classes A's are we talking about?

If we are talking 2-3 years worth of upper level classes worth of A's since those C's I would still hesitate a bit to recommend retaking 4 classes unless your GPA is still low enough where you are going to have to apply to a significant amount of DO schools. I don't know if it'll really add to your application or provex anything. The 2-3 years worth of upper level A's talk for themselves. I would say this is even more the case if some of these upper level classes are chem intensive which would show you've come along with way since those c's in Ochem 2 and Gen Chem 2.

Cumulative GPA is 3.51. I have taken 2 years (2.5 if you include summer session) of upper div bio courses. Here are the upper div courses I've taken and the corresponding grades:

Cell Biology A
Genetics A
Biochemistry and structure of Biomolocules B
Biostatistics B-
Metabolic Biochemistry A
Systemic Physiology A
Neurbiology of Addictive Drugs A
Neurobiology A
Microbiology A
Animal Behavior A
Systemic Physiology lab A
Intro to Evolution (IN PROGRESS)
Hormones and Behavior A
Insect Behavioral Ecology A
Nutrition/Metabolism A
Writing in Health Professions A
Gastrointestinal Physiology A
Exercise Physiology A
Contemporary Leadership A

 

[GrapesofRath]

Cumulative GPA is 3.51. I have taken 2 years (2.5 if you include summer session) of upper div bio courses. Here are the upper div courses I've taken and the corresponding grades:

Cell Biology A
Genetics A
Biochemistry and structure of Biomolocules B
Biostatistics B-
Metabolic Biochemistry A
Systemic Physiology A
Neurbiology of Addictive Drugs A
Neurobiology A
Microbiology A
Animal Behavior A
Systemic Physiology lab A
Intro to Evolution (IN PROGRESS)
Hormones and Behavior A
Insect Behavioral Ecology A
Nutrition/Metabolism A
Writing in Health Professions A
Gastrointestinal Physiology A
Exercise Physiology A
Contemporary Leadership A

This is 57 credits worth of upper level science classes give or take with which you've maintained a 3.88. Based off this there's no need to re-take for DO schools for whom the only point in re-taking would be(your GPA is already at the average for those schools without any retakes). I think it was gonnif who said that retaking classes you've gotten Cs or better in (ie passing) can be seen as a red flag for a couple of reasons for MDs. Just keep getting A's and you'll be fine forget about the past.

 

[ZedsDed]

If we're talking C's in Ochem/gen chem/ physics then you might want to strongly consider retaking them. Intro bio? Maybe you can avoid a retake. I have a very similar story, and I can promise you upper div bio classes don't make up for poor grades in non-bio classes in Ca. Don't take my word for it, AdCom members like Goro have often suggested retaking C's in prereqs when their is a large number of them.

 

[GrapesofRath]

If we're talking C's in Ochem/gen chem/ physics then you might want to strongly consider retaking them. Intro bio? Maybe you can avoid a retake. I have a very similar story, and I can promise you upper div bio classes don't make up for poor grades in non-bio classes in Ca. Don't take my word for it, AdCom members like Goro have often suggested retaking C's in prereqs when their is a large number of them.

While this is all well and good and I'll defer to someone like Goro if they think it's worth re-taking multiple C's in pre-reqs lets just make one thing clear; re-taking pre-reqs won't make up for those poor grades either. Any MD ADCOM will expect someone re-taking a class to get an A the 2nd time around. It proves nothing. Those C's will still be on the transcript that's the issue. They are what they are. While per how MD schools calculate grades C and A on the re-take gets averaged to a B, no ADCOM will just look at OCHEM 2 as the OP just getting a B the first time around and leave it at that.

If re-taking proves nothing then what does prove something? Doing well in new upper level classes. There's no "making up" for those C's per se they'll always be there. But re-taking and getting an A the 2nd time around isn't really going to show much .

I can see your point about chem classes vs bio classes. And the OP doesn't have upper level chem classes with high grades. But at most I would say re-take OCHEM 2. I don't think there's a point in re-taking both; an A in OCHEM-2 the 2nd time around I think makes it largely unnecessary to re-take a gen chem grade which is a pre-req and on average a class that doesn't have nearly as many low grades as OCHEM. So that might be the OP's solution. If the OP got at least a B in physics 2 I don't think re-taking physics 1 accomplishes much either. Like I said it is worth noting gonnifs point in the past that re-taking grades of C and higher that are considered passing can be seen as a red flag for a couple reasons.

 

[ZedsDed]

While this is all well and good and I'll defer to someone like Goro if they think it's worth re-taking multiple C's in pre-reqs lets just make one thing clear; re-taking pre-reqs won't make up for those poor grades either. Any MD ADCOM will expect someone re-taking a class to get an A the 2nd time around. It proves nothing. Those C's will still be on the transcript that's the issue. They are what they are. While per how MD schools calculate grades C and A on the re-take gets averaged to a B, no ADCOM will just look at OCHEM 2 as the OP just getting a B the first time around and leave it at that.

If re-taking proves nothing then what does prove something? Doing well in new upper level classes. There's no "making up" for those C's per se they'll always be there. But re-taking and getting an A the 2nd time around isn't really going to show much .

I can see your point about chem classes vs bio classes. And the OP doesn't have upper level chem classes with high grades. But at most I would say re-take OCHEM 2. I don't think there's a point in re-taking both; an A in OCHEM-2 the 2nd time around I think makes it largely unnecessary to re-take a gen chem grade which is a pre-req and on average a class that doesn't have nearly as many low grades as OCHEM. So that might be the OP's solution. If the OP got at least a B in physics 2 I don't think re-taking physics 1 accomplishes much either. Like I said it is worth noting gonnifs point in the past that re-taking grades of C and higher that are considered passing can be seen as a red flag for a couple reasons.

Your logic is sound, but it's kind of irrelevant. It doesn't matter what you or I think, it matters what AdCom members perceive. And while I greatly respect gonnif's opinion, it seems to go against the consensus here. No, I don't think the OP needs to retake every single C. The OP will have to ask around and figure out which classes are essential.