Should I retake?

[buckeye]

I received a C- in my Physics II class this quarter and am extremely disappointed in myself, despite the fact that I worked very hard to try to understand the material. As a Junior, this is the first grade of my college career that I've received below that is below a B (with the majority of my grades being A's). So what I'm wondering is if I should retake the physics class and work even harder than I did already to pull that grade up or should I let the grade ride? How bad will that C- look mixed in with all of my other high marks when I apply to medical school, assuming that I continue to do well in all of my other classes?

Physics is a huge weakness for me, so I'm afraid that retaking it might have the same end result. Any advice or insight that anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Critical Mass]

Yes. If nothing else, you need to spank that stuff for the MCAT now that you have a C on your transcript. AMCAS lists both grades for retakes if they appear on your college's transcript.

4 posts since October? Quite the lurker!

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

I wouldn't retake it. It will just look like an aberration, and you should be able to explain it away if it ever comes up. You might boost your AMCAS gpa if you retook it, but by how much? Plus, the C will still show up. Also, the last thing you want to do is retake it and get a C again.

 

[DreamyKid]

Yeah, I agree on not retaking it. Just try to learn the stuff really well, and do well on the MCATs. More importantly, if you go onto a higher physics class just make sure you do better. A C- is bad, but I don't think you should retake it. Because even if the chance is low, if you get a C again, that would just suck. With 1 C-, its very guessable as to what went wrong, as compared to 2 C's and them saying, okay this kid definitely sucks at physics

 

[kurlyque]

I am fairly certain you HAVE to retake it. A C is ok and explainable, but most medical schools don't count a C- as passing. You might want to read the medical school websites you are interested in, many will say what they consider a passing grade.

 

[DocBR]

I am fairly certain you HAVE to retake it. A C is ok and explainable, but most medical schools don't count a C- as passing. You might want to read the medical school websites you are interested in, many will say what they consider a passing grade.

Maybe not most, but a lot will not count the C-.

Aside from that, the MCAT physical science section is full of electromagnetism, circuits, etc - you will need to re-learn the material anyway, might as well get a good grade in the process.

I say retake.

 

[scholj]

I'm a physics major and got a C in physics II but still got into med school without retaking. Although, I have A's in all of my upper level classes (quantum physics, thermodynamics, intermediate mechanics...) to make up for it. I guess it depends on the overall look of your application. My GPA isn't stellar, but my MCAT was good. I spent a lot of time going over the physics II concepts for the MCAT (and the stuff isn't that hard the second time around).

Soooo.... no.... don't retake it unless you're sure you can get an A and you have room in your schedule. My advisor told me that med schools ask for all of your grades anyway, so there's no reason to retake classes.

Just my two cents.

Oh, and also, my school didn't have grade modifiers when I took physics II (like C+/ C/ C-... they were all just "C").

 

[kurlyque]

I think the deciding factor here, is the minus part of the C-. If you get a C, I think most will agree that it is not necessary to retake. Many people get into medical school with a few C's. Plus even if you do retake, AMCAS averages the two grades. You would be better off taking an upper division science course and getting an A. This shows schools that you can handle difficult coursework. This being said a C- is not the same as a C. When a school says that you need a C or better in all prereq classes, they don't mean a C- or better.