I tried searching for this but couldn't find a conclusive opinion. So I have the option of repeating both of these classes this summer, should I do it? These are my lowest marks from freshman year and I know MD schools don't replace your grades with the most recent one. Do they take the average of the two grades or how do they look at repeats exactly? I know this will definitely help me in the DO department but I want to be competitive for MD schools as well. Any input is appreciated!
Should I retake a D- in Physics 2 and C- in Chem 2?
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MD's will average both grades together. I would say retake the D. If you got an A then that would average to a C+/B-. Its basically like adding an A to your GPA. What is your overall GPA?
I say retake the D because it looks horrible, not to boast GPA.
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Don't you have to retake anything lower than a C anyway?
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These courses are prereqs for med school and have to be completed with a grade of C or better anyways. You don't have any other option.
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The problem with physics is..in the second semester of my freshman is when I first took physics 2 which I failed. I retook it in the summer and got a D-..my school has a 3-repeat policy where a course can only be taken 3 times. Now even if I retake physics and get a 4.0, I would still end up with a grade less than a C..
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I don't want to sound like an *******, but what happened that caused you to fail it the first time, and still not do very well the second? Are you finding science courses inherently very difficult?
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A D isn't passing in college so yeah, you would have to retake that physics class.
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What is your overall GPA? It sounds like your chances for MD might be very low with an F, D and a C. You have to retake the D, it sounds like from those above, and you might want to just retake both so when you apply DO the old scores can be removed.
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Agree with the above, I would also add that since you're in your freshmen year, you might want to take a serious look at what you need to change in your study habits/lifestyle/commitment level/whatever in order to get the grades you need. If you continue the same trend throughout your college years, you won't stand a chance at med school, either MD or DO.
Schools will tend to be more forgiving of these poor grades if you can pull As and Bs from here on out. If I were you, I wouldn't take another class until I had a solid plan in place for getting better grades in the future.
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Yes.
A grade of D- is like a 52% at my school so I still got the credit for it. It's just that I was having personal problems throughout the whole year. Overall GPA is 2.8, I did very well (As) in bio 1, bio 2, gen chem 1 and got a B- in physics 1. I just ran into personal troubles in my second semester of freshman year where I took gen chem 2 and physics 2 and received those marks. And they continued throughout the summer semester where I re-took physics 2 and ended up with a D- only because I explained my situation to my professor and he let me re-do a few assignments or else I would have failed it again.
The things that happened last year were out of my control so I really couldn't do much to prevent these bad grades. I wasn't able to concentrate on my work at all, I was way too depressed during that time. I have documentation from the counselors at my college who helped me get through that semester.
The things that happened last year were out of my control so I really couldn't do much to prevent these bad grades. I wasn't able to concentrate on my work at all, I was way too depressed during that time. I have documentation from the counselors at my college who helped me get through that semester.
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Well a C average overall is better than the D-/F you have now...having already gotten a D- on a retake after failing isn't helping either...
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Yes retake the classes until you get them right. B- or better.
For physics 2, I just did the math again. Even if I get a 4.0 on the third try, the highest mark I can end up with is a 1.67 (C-) when you average the three marks.
1st try F = 0
2nd try D- = 0.67
3rd try A+ = 4.33 (4.33 = 4.0 at my school)
and you get 1.67...which is a C-
1st try F = 0
2nd try D- = 0.67
3rd try A+ = 4.33 (4.33 = 4.0 at my school)
and you get 1.67...which is a C-
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u should retake both so that u learn the material
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Your two options are still retake and have a better chance at acceptance or not retake and have a higher chance of rejection.
Dude, because it was your first year, it shouldn't kill you, but you really have to do well from now on to show that you are not the sort of student who has to take a class repeatedly to do well. I don't know about DO schools, but MD schools will almost certainly ask what happened with your physics class because it's not just a D-, or a fail, it's a D- after a fail. I've heard getting an A the second time around in a class doesn't impress schools, because you already knew a lot of the material going in again, I don't know what that says about the third time...
Getting into medical school isn't easy, and it does require commitment and sacrifice (unless you're a complete genius); I'm not sure what your current commitment and study habits are, but you're going to have to evaluate them if you want a real shot at getting into a medical school.
Getting into medical school isn't easy, and it does require commitment and sacrifice (unless you're a complete genius); I'm not sure what your current commitment and study habits are, but you're going to have to evaluate them if you want a real shot at getting into a medical school.
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Unless things have changed dramatically in the last 4 years, the vast majority of med schools require a C or better in everything you're trying to get credit for as a pre-req. I can't recall one - DO or MD - that didn't. Similarly, I believe it's pretty common practice for colleges to not give you credit towards your major for courses you got less than a C in. Short answer: retake both courses.
okay, thanks for the advice everyone. I'll be retaking these courses this summer then..
But I am really concerned now that you mention that most schools require atleast a C in pre-requsites. Getting a C is not mathematically possible in physics 2 now even if I get 100% in that class, so does that mean I won't be able to apply to certain schools? Could there be some wiggle room if I do really well from now on and I know I can be cause I did well in my first semester but things took a turn for the worse after my first semester when I had to deal with certain issues...
But I am really concerned now that you mention that most schools require atleast a C in pre-requsites. Getting a C is not mathematically possible in physics 2 now even if I get 100% in that class, so does that mean I won't be able to apply to certain schools? Could there be some wiggle room if I do really well from now on and I know I can be cause I did well in my first semester but things took a turn for the worse after my first semester when I had to deal with certain issues...
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No, you won't be able to apply to ANY medical schools at all if you don't have retake your physics and chem and get a C or higher. This requirement is based on the most recent grade, however both grades will be calculated into your gpa.
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That was what tiedyeddog said. How is getting an A not like adding an A to your GPA?
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I interpreted him saying that they would average and correct them as if the course occurred once.
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The end result is the same cGPA. Both courses with both grades would remain on the transcript. I assumed that his "that" referred to the GPA, not the letter grade that appends to the course name.
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The end result would be a slightly different gpa's (play around in excel if you don't believe me) when multiple credit hours are taken into account. I just wanted to clear it up because I was originally under the impression that they averaged the courses when calculated the GPA, until I read the AMCAS booklet on this topic.
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Of course if they reduced the maximum amount of credit hours that would result in a different GPA. The basic fact that should be understood here is that the AMCAS does not do grade replacement, but for all intents and purposes one could calculate the GPA of a C and an A re-take as either having an extra A in a different class (true), or having a B in both classes (will not reflect on transcript).
Well, if you take the derivative of the A, then square root it, and subtract 5, then it isn't like adding an A to your GPA.
Ok I am a little confused now. With the "minimum grade of C in each pre-requisite" requirement that med schools have, do they require you to obtain a minimum average of C in your most recent repeat? Or do they take all three repeats, average the marks and if it doesn't add up to a C then I don't meet the requirement for that particular course. Which one is it?
If its the latter then I will definitely get a mark better than a C this time but even if I get an A+, when I average all three repeats for physics 2, the maximum mark I can get is a C-...so I still don't meet the requirement. I am freaking out right now, someone please clear this up..
If its the latter then I will definitely get a mark better than a C this time but even if I get an A+, when I average all three repeats for physics 2, the maximum mark I can get is a C-...so I still don't meet the requirement. I am freaking out right now, someone please clear this up..
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They require your most recent grade in a course to be a C or above.
Ahh okay so I am still safe if I retake and get a good grade. Thanks everyone!
