Specific grading question

[Arjuna]

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So I talked about this before, but I really want to get this issue out of my mind once and for all, so here goes.

Two things:

I know that people on this forum have said that overall BCPM/Cumulative GPA is what matters, but what about cases where one receives a lower than usual grade in a class, especially a pre-req? For example, lets say that someone has a 3.9, but has a D in a pre-req. Won't that be unacceptable? As in, the person will have to retake the course, as a C is needed for that prereq to count at all medical schools? This confuses me to no end. On the same page, it is very possible to raise the sGPA by taking upper level courses later in your soph/jun/senior years BUT would this discount the fact that, say, someone got Bs in both semesters of Organic? Do Adcoms have specific printouts of each prereq and the grade received, or do they have a more holistic approach?

Secondly,

What would be better: Withdrawing from an entire semester due to extenuating circumstances, or taking lackluster grades (inc. a C) and explaining the circumstances?

Thanks!

 

[jla314]

1) i would ask an adcom about this...i can't really speak about this with any kind of authority, but in my opinion i think prereq grades are probably important because *every applicant* has to take those same classes. even though grading varies from school to school, it's important to do well in these classes so you don't stick out from the pack in a bad way.
as for upper level science courses, they might redeem you in the eyes of an adcom if you do well in them after not doing well in a lower level prereq, but as an example i don't think taking upper level bio courses would negate bombing orgo (taking upper level orgo and succeeding might help in that case, though).

2) it might depend on the circumstances. would you be taking W's, or would you be withdrawing early enough so that you'd be taking time off with nothing on your transcript?

 

[Naijaba]

This depends upon your "extenuating circumstances." The 1 C+ in ochem that I received was because I was overworked...not a very good reason. In retrospect I should have taken another summer to finish that class with enough time to do better, but I couldn't because of Teach for America.

 

[Arjuna]

When UMich's Roberto Ruiz came to our school, the same question was asked, and he didn't say anything specific. He said "ask the premed advising office" and "depends on the grade". As far as the W, it would say "withdrew from all classes" on my transcript; I had very bad circumstances, with a loss of job among other things. I dont know what is better, take the C and run with it, or take the W and retake the class (which I am doing anyway) What a mess!

 

[Morsetlis]

W is better than C.