Undergrad science + HES = Problem?

Started by JohnBlack
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JohnBlack

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I'm from Arkansas, and I graduated from the University of Arkansas with a history major and a 3.2 GPA. I took chemistry my freshman year (failed it, F), and took it again my sophomore year and got a C. I also took general biology and microbiology and received B's in both classes. I made A's in all my labs. I'm seriously considering going to the Harvard extension school and try to get sponsored. Would they mind if I already took 3 science classes (technically 4 since I took chem. twice) already in undergrad?

Also, with a 3.2 undergrad GPA, excellent grades from HES, and a solid MCAT score, could I get into a decent MD school considering my undergraduate science performance?
 
Define 'decent' MD school. With HES, and that GPA, you'll need excellent MCATs and ECs to be competitive at most MD school.
 
The University of Arkansas medical school, for example. How high would consider an excellent MCAT to be, and is there a better route for me take than HES?

And if I apply to HES, will there be any sort of hang-up because of the three science courses I took as an undergrad?
 
JohnBlack said:
The University of Arkansas medical school, for example. How high would consider an excellent MCAT to be, and is there a better route for me take than HES?

And if I apply to HES, will there be any sort of hang-up because of the three science courses I took as an undergrad?
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You're lucky - IIRC Arkansas has low #'s. Post-bacc decision is pretty personal, but there are a lot of us that have come back from worse than a 3.25. You'll have to do at least as well as your average pre-med (3.7) in your post-bacc and get a 35+ on the MCAT to really have a good chance. This is pure opinion, don't know much about Arkansas.

If you go to HES, you just won't be a degree candidate since you already took some of the pre-reqs.
 
So do you think HES would still be a good choice? Also, if I obtain a high science GPA there (3.7-4.0), and a good MCAT score, I will be able to get into somewhere, right?
 
JohnBlack said:
So do you think HES would still be a good choice? Also, if I obtain a high science GPA there (3.7-4.0), and a good MCAT score, I will be able to get into somewhere, right?
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Tough to say without seeing a whole app, but if you have a normal degree (120 hours) of a 3.2 and you get 32 hours (all the pre-reqs) at HES with a 3.7 then your GPA will be a 3.30 and you'll have a nice upward trend. Throw this in with a good MCAT, good EC's, and you should have a shot at some MD schools. Whether or not HES is for you is a personal choice, I loved the place.
 
(Edit: Sorry for all the differents fonts and sizes. I copy and pasted some of this, and the toolbar won't let me alter fonts and sizes.)

I don't have any experience working or volunteering in a hospital...yet. I definately plan on doing so this spring/summer before I go to HES in the fall. I just turned 23, and right now I'm in Taipei teaching English.

I checked out the stats for the Univ. of Arkansas MS. Average GPA 3.61, MCAT 27. Btw, every single in state applicant gets an interview.

Prereqs for Univ. of Arkansas MS:

Biology: 2 semesters
Gen. Chem: 2 semesters
Organic Chem: 2 semesters
Physics: 2 semesters
Mathematics: 2 semesters (or through Cal I)
English: 2 semesters

Here is my undergrad story in the prereqs:

Chem I- F
Chem I- C
Chem I lab- A
Chem II- dropped the class early
Chem II lab- A
Pre-cal- A
Cal I- dropped it early (Cal isn't a specific requirement for UAMS, but it helped me fulfill my math requirement)
Cal I- D
Cal I- C
General Biology- B
Lab- A
Microbiolody- B
Lab- A
English I- A
English II- B

Yeah, my first few years of college were a bit turbulent to say the least.

I'm planning on going to HES and taking all of these classes over again (with the exception of the English classes, pre-cal, and the labs). Is that a good idea? Will HES still sponsor me even though I've taken some of the science courses in undergrad?

Also, I was looking at UAMS's website and under the list of prereqs they had another list of "strongly recommended courses" for prospective students.
Here they are:

BIOLOGY

Embryology
Histology
Genetics
Cellular and Mollecular

CHEMISTRY

Biochemistry

PHYSICS & MATH

Statistics
Computer Science

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE

Sociology
Physical or Cultural Anthropology
Human Ecology
General and Special Psychology

HUMANITIES

Speech
Foreign Language
Composition
World Literature
World History
Logic

There are actually some more classes like these recommended by the UA premed website. Should I take some of these classes too when I go to HES? I figure it will help my GPA, pad my resume, and help me prepare for the MCAT. I also want to take a full load each semester to show I can handle the workload of med school, rather than taking only 2 or 3 classes a semester.
 
So should I retake all my prereqs along with some of the recommended courses, and would doing so give me a shot of getting into UA medical school?
 
Thank you for the reply Lohktar. Just a few questions.

1. I'm just curious, why shouldn't I retake the B's? Is it because a B is a fairly decent score and getting an A on the retake won't make much of a difference?

2. Also, it's been about four years since I've taken those classes, so do you think that will hurt me when I take the MCAT?

3. What about the non pre-req strongly recommended courses, do you think I should take some of them? I want to take a full load each semester, and it seems like taking some of these along with the pre-reqs would accomplish that.

4. Finally, UA will not be the only school I apply to, but do you literally mean 30 schools, or are you just trying to get the point across that I need to apply to a lot of schools? I'm guessing the latter.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I just want to go about doing this the right way!
 
I'm no expert, but it seems to me (and gleaning from other posts I've read) that re-taking a B is just too risky. If, God forbid, you happen to do badly, you've basically just screwed up your prior success in that subject. Especially coupled with the fact that it's been a substantial number of years since you've taken the courses, it might be a risk you don't want to take.

And yes, it would be a good idea to take some of the "strongly recommended" courses. They're called that for a reason. 😉
 
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