What do I do if I have a "F" on my transcript?

[lazygun247]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Some schools no doubt will wonder why you have a "F" and in a lot of schools, they may even reject you outright. I feel like that is one of the main reasons why my last application season was so unsuccessful.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to approach this issue? How should I address this in secondaries? especially when asked?

Background: The F was in a science related class. I have retaken the class after graduation and received B+ while working full time. The reason I got the F in the first place is because I miscalculated and accidentally dropped a different class and I actually meant to drop this one as I did found it quite boring.

I am worried about how to address this in secondaries and at interviews. For instance: if I describe it the way above, it seems like that I am not a meticulous person and will easily make mistakes which isn't that tolerable especially in medicine.

Please help. Totally clueless at this point. Anyone in my shoes?

P.S. if it helps, I have a 3.5-3.6 gpa (science and combined) with a 34 MCAT and a lot of research background

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Explain it like you just did. Adcoms aren't looking for people who never make mistakes. If they were, they wouldn't accept anyone who didn't have a perfect 4.0. There's no possible way to explain an F that will make you sound smart, so stick with the truth. Be sure to point out that you retook the class and got a good grade, and you'll be all right. If it makes you feel better I got accepted with three Fs on my record, including one in astronomy lab. How stupid did I have to be to fail at stargazing?

 

[lazygun247]

Explain it like you just did. Adcoms aren't looking for people who never make mistakes. If they were, they wouldn't accept anyone who didn't have a perfect 4.0. There's no possible way to explain an F that will make you sound smart, so stick with the truth. Be sure to point out that you retook the class and got a good grade, and you'll be all right. If it makes you feel better I got accepted with three Fs on my record, including one in astronomy lab. How stupid did I have to be to fail at stargazing?

lol. Thanks a bunch. Still kind of worried, more so because it was in a class related to cell biology (so very much medicine related)

 

[plumhill]

It'll hurt, but I don't think the F alone will screen you out. Especially if you explain your situation and explain that you retook and did better (don't make excuses!) you'll be fine. Additionally if you're interested in DO schools, grade replacement will make this an almost non-issue.