Should I Retake... and What are the Chances?

[Grace1990]

Hello,

Really new here, but I needed someone who will level with me (you know how it goes, friends and family tell you you can do anything you put your mind to).

For the past year I have been facing some serious familial issues. My father has been struggling with a crack addiction that had put a lot of the strain on the family, and me in particular as my mother and I were the ones to have to go find him, had our cars stolen, ect. This has, understandably, left quite a mark on my gpa for the past year.

While I have not failed a class, I have not done the best that I could have done in some of my prerequisite classes, ending with the crowning culmination of a C in Orgo II.

I was wondering if it would be prudent to retake this class, as my university locks the grade (they don't see the previous grade on a transcript, but do see that I retook the class), or if it would be better to bite the bullet and take the C. Could I explain the situation to whomever may be viewing my gpa/records? Also, if I do well in the more difficult classes, will this be taken into account?

Thank you for your help!

P.s. A little background information... I am currently rocking a 3.5 gpa (not too happy with that), and am a Junior with a double major in German and Biochemistry. I still have quite a ways left to go with the biochemistry degree, so I do have a chance to raise my science as well as overall gpa.

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[theseeker4]

Hello,

Really new here, but I needed someone who will level with me (you know how it goes, friends and family tell you you can do anything you put your mind to).

For the past year I have been facing some serious familial issues. My father has been struggling with a crack addiction that had put a lot of the strain on the family, and me in particular as my mother and I were the ones to have to go find him, had our cars stolen, ect. This has, understandably, left quite a mark on my gpa for the past year.

While I have not failed a class, I have not done the best that I could have done in some of my prerequisite classes, ending with the crowning culmination of a C in Orgo II.

I was wondering if it would be prudent to retake this class, as my university locks the grade (they don't see the previous grade on a transcript, but do see that I retook the class), or if it would be better to bite the bullet and take the C. Could I explain the situation to whomever may be viewing my gpa/records? Also, if I do well in the more difficult classes, will this be taken into account?

Thank you for your help!

P.s. A little background information... I am currently rocking a 3.5 gpa (not too happy with that), and am a Junior with a double major in German and Biochemistry. I still have quite a ways left to go with the biochemistry degree, so I do have a chance to raise my science as well as overall gpa.

First, sorry about the problems in your life, and hopefully everything is under control now. I am not sure it would be worth it to re-take a C in your position. Getting an A on a re-take will obviously not cancel out the C, and A's in upper-level chem courses will show the C was a fluke and not demonstrative of your true ability. You are definitely not sunk as far as MD chances go, but you want to put your school on hold until the other issues are no longer a problem.

Life happens, and there is nothing wrong with taking a semester or two off, but you do want to limit the damage, and your chemistry courses are only going to get harder compared to Orgo. It will be far better for you to work out the issues now, and then dedicate yourself 100% to school, than to try to balance the two and end up with more C's on your record (or worse.) Good luck, and you still have excellent chances at admission if you can focus on school 100% for your future classes.

 

[Catalystik]

Hello,

Really new here, but I needed someone who will level with me (you know how it goes, friends and family tell you you can do anything you put your mind to).

For the past year I have been facing some serious familial issues. My father has been struggling with a crack addiction that had put a lot of the strain on the family, and me in particular as my mother and I were the ones to have to go find him, had our cars stolen, ect. This has, understandably, left quite a mark on my gpa for the past year.

While I have not failed a class, I have not done the best that I could have done in some of my prerequisite classes, ending with the crowning culmination of a C in Orgo II.

I was wondering if it would be prudent to retake this class, as my university locks the grade (they don't see the previous grade on a transcript, but do see that I retook the class), or if it would be better to bite the bullet and take the C. Could I explain the situation to whomever may be viewing my gpa/records? Also, if I do well in the more difficult classes, will this be taken into account?

Thank you for your help!

P.s. A little background information... I am currently rocking a 3.5 gpa (not too happy with that), and am a Junior with a double major in German and Biochemistry. I still have quite a ways left to go with the biochemistry degree, so I do have a chance to raise my science as well as overall gpa.

For AMCAS, retaking for an A would help your GPA no more than taking additional new coursework, like Biochem (in which an A, IMO, would redeem the lower grade). Even if your university doesn't reveal the previous grade, AMCAS requires you to report it anyway. As most versions of the MCAT seem to have little OChem II, I see no reason to retake, unless it's an personal honor thing for you to prove you can excel.

For AACOMAS (DO schools), only the retaken grade would count, as they have a grade forgiveness policy.

You can take the opportunity to explain the C with an appropriate Secondary essay prompt, but personally, I don't think it's such a black mark that it needs explaining. Why call attention to it?