Should I retake premedical courses that I have not failled, but still need a higher grade in (GPA 3.3)

[WillyC]

I'm graduating from undergrad in about a year, I have already taken all of my premedical coursework and I have a 3.3 cumGPA and 3.1 sciGPA to show for it. What's interesting about my case is that I have not failed any courses, in fact I have received a B in every single one of my science courses (except for one A- and one B+). I'm seeing a lot of threads/articles that say it won't help to retake courses unless you have failed them, but in my case my GPA is still not good enough to get into medical schools (at least not allopathic ones).

Volunteering/research/clinical work is in an appropriate spot, I believe, and if anything will continue to grow since I will definitely be taking at least one gap year.

I have not yet taken the MCAT but I plan on doing so.

Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated! :
Should I retake my premedical courses after graduation to try for a higher grade?
Should I instead take upper-level (or even maybe graduate medical) courses after graduation to prove my academic worth?
Also any particular knowledge on whether formal postbacc programs (like the one at Harvard Extension School) or DIY postbaccs (just signing up for and taking the courses myself on my own) are better/cheaper?

Thank you all in advance!

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[Shotapp]

Take upper level sciences and establish an upward trend before you graduate. Take the MCAT and apply to SMPs if you're aiming for MD. Depending on how you do on the MCAT you should be ok for DO schools.

 

[candbgirl]

Only retake your prereqs if you get a C- or lower. Instead take upper level science courses and get As. Bs aren’t a bad grade but a bunch of them don’t do much for your sGPA. ADCOMS might question your judgement if you retake Bs. So do upper level science courses and get as many As as possible. Good luck!

 

[KnightDoc]

Only retake your prereqs if you get a C- or lower. Instead take upper level science courses and get As. Bs aren’t a bad grade but a bunch of them don’t do much for your sGPA. ADCOMS might question your judgement if you retake Bs. So do upper level science courses and get as many As as possible. Good luck!

They are not only going to question your judgment, they are going to realize that you are doing nothing more than padding your transcript. You are not going to receive any credit at all for turning a B into an A on a retake. Nobody would expect anything less, so it will really count for nothing. The only way to go is to take more advanced courses.

The point of a retake is to show competence in a prereq that you barely passed (or failed). It's NOT to fluff up your transcript!

 

[Goro]

Take upper level sciences and establish an upward trend before you graduate. Take the MCAT and apply to SMPs if you're aiming for MD. Depending on how you do on the MCAT you should be ok for DO schools.

This.
/thread

 

[WillyC]

Thank you all for the advice thus far!

Take upper level sciences and establish an upward trend before you graduate. Take the MCAT and apply to SMPs if you're aiming for MD. Depending on how you do on the MCAT you should be ok for DO schools.

Thank you so much for this advice, Shotapp. I really want to go MD, and want to exhaust every possible option before going DO. My problem with SMPs is that they are incredibly expensive. Not much aid available that isn't in the form of loans.

Would taking upper-level science courses at a local university (independantly of a specific program) after undergrad be a wise decision?

 

[KnightDoc]

Thank you all for the advice thus far!


Thank you so much for this advice, Shotapp. I really want to go MD, and want to exhaust every possible option before going DO. My problem with SMPs is that they are incredibly expensive. Not much aid available that isn't in the form of loans.

Would taking upper-level science courses at a local university (independantly of a specific program) after undergrad be a wise decision?

Yes -- this is the universally accepted alternative to a SMP for those who need GPA repair.