Transferring...MADDER THAN HELL...and I need advice

[Cofo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I took Microbiology at my current university, but it is not for biology majors (it was for nursing majors but I took it because I knew it was taught in dental school).
Well, I am transferring to a different university and they will not accept my Microbiology credits since IT IS for biology majors at the new university. My options at the new university are this:
(1) RE-TAKE microbiology
(2) take ecology (which I don't want to really do since ratemyprofessors.com says out of 49 students, the professor who teaches it has a rating of 1.4 in 'easiness.' I even had an advisor tell me that the class can be a GPA killer

And yes, I am obligated by the university to take one of these courses 😡

 

[amanda9717]

Yikes, that stinks. If it were me, I'd probably just take microbio again. It should be fairly easy since you've already taken it, and you'll know the material really well when you get to dental school.

 

[Cofo]

Yikes, that stinks. If it were me, I'd probably just take microbio again. It should be fairly easy since you've already taken it, and you'll know the material really well when you get to dental school.

Thanks Amanda. Since I've already taken it and made a B at my old university...if I take it again at a different university and make an A...won't dental school just average the two grades together? I am trying to raise my science GPA, and me re-taking the course I'm guessing won't help out very much. Anyone else have an opinion/advice?

 

[sacapuntas]

Thanks Amanda. Since I've already taken it and made a B at my old university...if I take it again at a different university and make an A...won't dental school just average the two grades together? I am trying to raise my science GPA, and me re-taking the course I'm guessing won't help out very much. Anyone else have an opinion/advice?

I believe that you re-taking microbio and getting an A will have the same impact on your GPA as taking another class of the same amount of credits and getting an A. I don't think it matters that you have taken it before.

Now if I was an adcom I would maybe wonder why you re-took it instead of taking another Bio, but that's not to say you couldn't explain your reasoning.

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

I took Microbiology at my current university, but it is not for biology majors (it was for nursing majors but I took it because I knew it was taught in dental school).
Well, I am transferring to a different university and they will not accept my Microbiology credits since IT IS for biology majors at the new university. My options at the new university are this:
(1) RE-TAKE microbiology
(2) take ecology (which I don't want to really do since ratemyprofessors.com says out of 49 students, the professor who teaches it has a rating of 1.4 in 'easiness.' I even had an advisor tell me that the class can be a GPA killer

And yes, I am obligated by the university to take one of these courses 😡

Do you HAVE to take ecology as the only option? Do you have any other upper level bio courses that you can fit in that look good? Neuroscience, immunology, embryology, etc, etc?

Because if you've already taken micro, then according to dental schools, you've taken micro. No point in taking it again. Who cares what your new university thinks?

 

[flourish09]

That is a sticky situation and I definitely feel your pain. I transferred universities this semester and the requirements were so different. I was a Chemistry major but due to the way my credits transferred at my new university in order to graduate on time I had to classify as a Bio major 🙁 (no offense to any Bio majors -all my best friends are Bio majors I just personally enjoy Chem more haha)

But back to your question, it is true that they might average them out for 1 Micro grade if you re-take it but it is possible that they stay 2 separate grades. For instance, at my previous university there were 2 different Micro courses available : 1 for nursing majors and 1 for bio majors (the one for bio majors was more rigorous). Although they were both Biology electives, they were classified differently and showed up as 2 separate grades on a transcript.

I've been told that it is better to take upper level biology classes as opposed to re-taking courses so if it was me I would probably take the Ecology course. Regardless of how it's classified at your new university, you've taken Micro and that's what will show on your transcript.
Good Luck !

 

[Cofo]

That is a sticky situation and I definitely feel your pain. I transferred universities this semester and the requirements were so different. I was a Chemistry major but due to the way my credits transferred at my new university in order to graduate on time I had to classify as a Bio major 🙁 (no offense to any Bio majors -all my best friends are Bio majors I just personally enjoy Chem more haha)

But back to your question, it is true that they might average them out for 1 Micro grade if you re-take it but it is possible that they stay 2 separate grades. For instance, at my previous university there were 2 different Micro courses available : 1 for nursing majors and 1 for bio majors (the one for bio majors was more rigorous). Although they were both Biology electives, they were classified differently and showed up as 2 separate grades on a transcript.

I've been told that it is better to take upper level biology classes as opposed to re-taking courses so if it was me I would probably take the Ecology course. Regardless of how it's classified at your new university, you've taken Micro and that's what will show on your transcript.
Good Luck !

I absolutely MUST take microbiology again or take ecology for the first time. I took it when it was for nursing majors (and this by far was the most difficult class I've ever taken in college). I had to explain my reasoning on tests in essay style. I think I am going to just take it again. Oh well, that's what I get for transferring. It will be fun though to take it again.

 

[flourish09]

I absolutely MUST take microbiology again or take ecology for the first time. I took it when it was for nursing majors (and this by far was the most difficult class I've ever taken in college). I had to explain my reasoning on tests in essay style. I think I am going to just take it again. Oh well, that's what I get for transferring. It will be fun though to take it again.

i thought the same thing once I transferred ! haha good luck with retaking micro, since you've had the course before you should do very well in it 🙂

 

[Babyblue57]

I'd take micro again. And it's simple explanation to adcoms, micro you felt was more pertinent to your future studies as a health care professional. The previous micro class was for nursing students and you wanted to make sure you had a solid foundation in the subject. Best of luck Cofo.

 

[Predentaljr]

I was in the same situation. I retook and got an A. The fact that I made an A in both impressed the adcom.

 

[SEG14]

How far are you along are you...I transferred schools 1 yr before graduating and instead of transferring all my classes to my new school (who was more strict on excepting credits), I transferred the last year back to my old school and received my degree from them....this could save you a retake....

 

[journeybegins]

Does your microbio have a lab component?

I ask because Midwestern-AZ and Midwestern-IL want you to have microbio with lab.

Looks like...I will be retaking microbio too. I took microbiology lecture, but it didn't have a lab component. If you plan on applying to those schools, you need those. If not, then don't.

PLUS! Microbiology is very useful in dental school =) I've taken a couple ecology classes. I like ecology too, but microbiology isn't so bad! It's more interesting.

PLUS PLUS! Doesn't matter if you retake the class. It counts as TWO grades when AADSAS calculates it.