I don't want to come off sounding like a condescending jerk. All of this is coming from my experience, so I'm just trying to warn you of some of the...pitfalls of retaking. I've had to retake two classes, and let me say this:
DO NOT TRY TO GET A D! Getting a D to allow you to retake a course is about as desirable, and as easily avoided, as chewing your leg out of a rusted 18th century bear trap that you fell on because you decided to jump out of a tree instead of climbing down.
I cannot stress this point enough. Here is why:
1) A C IS BETTER THAN A D. Simple.Is this your first corse in college? If you are an incoming freshman and this is your first science class and you decide to get a D to create the "option" of retaking a course and improving your science GPA, you will be starting out with a 1.0 science GPA! While GPAs do rise, it is EASIER to raise a GPA from a 2.0 (A "C") than it is from a D.
2) A D IS NOT A GOOD GRADE. It looks bad on your transcript. It may not look as bad depending on where you are in your academic career, but still, why would you want that on your transcript? Ds are hard grades to overcome, its not something you should seek out. A C in Pre-Calc is not the end of the world. Its Pre-calc, which is not as important as organic chemistry. Adcoms won't reject you because you got a C in pre-calc, but they will look a lot less favorably upon a D.
3) THERE IS NO GRADE REPLACEMENT. Amcas will see all of your grades, so say your class is five credit hours, and you get a D. But retaking the course doesn't remove the old grade, it only averages in the new grade. So, instead of retaking a class, you could get a C and take a difference science class. This would still have the same effect on your GPA, except that you would NOT have a D on your transcript. DO does offer grade replacement, but MD does not. Something you might want to consider. Also, what if you do WORSE the second time around? I did, and I was talking to the dean of admissions at UIC, who told me, that doing worse the second time around was "a kiss of death". I don't know any interpretion of the phrase "kiss of death" that is positive...
3) RETAKING CLASSES IS NOT FUN. I have had to retake orgo, twice (I was really irresponsible, yes all of you pre-meds are better human beings than me). Yes, that means I've taken organic chemistry I, three times. IT is AWFUL. Because you go over the same material, over, and over, and over again. Pre-calc not sparking your intrest now? Well, it won't next smester, and it may even be less palatable. You might also underestimate the difficulty of the class and tell yourself you don't need to study as much because you been exposed to the material before. This may not happen to you, but its a mistake I've made, and didn't even think would happen. Retaking a class takes away from the chance to a new class in something you find more interesting and something you can do well in. You have a FINITE time and money in undergrad. I love the feeling knowing the loan money I am taking out is to retake a class I paid for and screwed up. Retaking classes is last resort, when you do get a D.
Finally, you should have the basics of pre-calc down. They will come up again in calc I, and in physics, both of which you have to take. It is really important that you get this C, if you can. Even if you can't, study as hard as possible. It will make the second time around easier...
So, want to do well in pre-calc? Do practice problems, go to office hours, and instead of spending money on retakes, get a tutor.
