What looks worse on an application?

[DrMarx]

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I literally have the worst professor in the world. I know that sounds like I'm a degenerate, however that's not the case. I have the highest grade in the class and that's a C at the moment. So, what looks worse, a C or a W? I wouldn't have to take this class again if that makes a difference. Also, it would be my first W.

 

[Moose A Moose]

I'd think they would bell curve you guys at the end of the semester if what you're saying is truly the case.. Ask your professor about it.

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I literally have the worst professor in the world. I know that sounds like I'm a degenerate, however that's not the case. I have the highest grade in the class and that's a C at the moment. So, what looks worse, a C or a W? I wouldn't have to take this class again if that makes a difference. Also, it would be my first W.

Is it a notoriously tough class like organic? Or are we talking general bio 1?

Ws look much worse than a C, I assure you. I think I had a C in orgo 2 and a C+ in orgo 1 and no one batted an eyelash at these grades. My organic professor was the same way (I sympathized with him, but that's irrelevant), and they literally banned him from teaching organic the year after I took it because it was "so bad." Personally, I chalked it up to a somewhat socially awkward teacher, being a really tough grader, teaching a class many students struggle with. Many students got angry they failed the class, and then essentially got him kicked out of that job, but I digress, take the C.

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[DrMarx]

I had a bunch of W's (3-4) on my transcript due to switching my college major 2-3 times and no one gave me any grief when I applied to podiatry schools. If this is your first W I would drop the class.

Or you could look at it from this point of view....how much would a C hurt your GPA? If it doesn't really do anything then maybe stick it out and take the C.

Nobody here knows what your academic transcript looks like, therefore it's kind of hard to give you real advice on what to do next.

Well, I have a 4.0 right now for both oGPA and sGPA. I think a C would bring me down to a 3.7 for both GPA's. It really wouldn't hurt, but it's chem I. However, the Chem II professor at my college is actually amazing, or so I've heard. So many a C in Chem I and an A in Chem II would look better then a W.

 

[hughesn2]

I have been in a situation like that twice at MSU. Took Orgo 1, class average was a 48% (about a 2.2 out of 4.0 when you average it out on our grade scale, but grades are only in 0.5 increments). I finished with a 78%, which was just 2pts away (in a 550pt class) from a 3.5 and my teacher refused to boost me up to a 3.5. My TA told me that of the 250 students in the class only 28 students got a 3.5 or 4.0 in the class. I had two friends who were 4.0 students in Chem and Bio and got a 2.0 in the class. There is a reason it took 3 semesters of class averages from 46% to 49% for him to finally get fired. But again I still got a 3.0 in that class, but the fact that I was probably near the top 12% in the class I still got a 3.0 (or a B).
Then I have had a Adv Physio and Adv BioChem course where of the 250 student class if you are in the bottom 25% you automatically FAIL and in order to just get a 3.0 you have to be in the top 30% of the entire class. And these classes are full of pre-med students that are going to graduate with High Honors (above a 3.65 cumulative GPA) in a year. So i am in the same boat. My GPA was great but now that I am taking the 4 hardest undergrad NatSci courses offered at my school and each one the grades are based SOLELY on the class rank. I have kids in my class that entered last semester with a 3.75 cumulative GPA through 6 semesters at MSU and received a 2.5 grade in the class.
Up until last fall semester I had never thought that I would receive a 2.0 (C) in a class since I have had three classes that were just hard as hell and just barely missed a 3.0, so I received a 2.5. BUT my school doesn't care and makes sure that the hardest NatSci major students have to take the ONLY 4 undergrad classes that you are graded on a class rank.
If I were you I would just ride it out. If you take the W then you have to take this class over again. If you KNOW you will get a C then just go for it. I got one C and a D (2.0 and a 1.0 (b/c my BioChem teacher gave me a zero on an exam b/c the girl next to me was cheating off of me, so I also got the zero BS I KNOW!) last semester while two classes of a 3.5 grade and my GPA decreased by just 0.09...but again I went from 91 to 106 credits

 

[hughesn2]

I have been in a situation like that twice at MSU. Took Orgo 1, class average was a 48% (about a 2.2 out of 4.0 when you average it out on our grade scale, but grades are only in 0.5 increments). I finished with a 78%, which was just 2pts away (in a 550pt class) from a 3.5 and my teacher refused to boost me up to a 3.5. My TA told me that of the 250 students in the class only 28 students got a 3.5 or 4.0 in the class. I had two friends who were 4.0 students in Chem and Bio and got a 2.0 in the class. There is a reason it took 3 semesters of class averages from 46% to 49% for him to finally get fired. But again I still got a 3.0 in that class, but the fact that I was probably near the top 12% in the class I still got a 3.0 (or a B).
Then I have had a Adv Physio and Adv BioChem course where of the 250 student class if you are in the bottom 25% you automatically FAIL and in order to just get a 3.0 you have to be in the top 30% of the entire class. And these classes are full of pre-med students that are going to graduate with High Honors (above a 3.65 cumulative GPA) in a year. So i am in the same boat. My GPA was great but now that I am taking the 4 hardest undergrad NatSci courses offered at my school and each one the grades are based SOLELY on the class rank. I have kids in my class that entered last semester with a 3.75 cumulative GPA through 6 semesters at MSU and received a 2.5 grade in the class.
Up until last fall semester I had never thought that I would receive a 2.0 (C) in a class since I have had three classes that were just hard as hell and just barely missed a 3.0, so I received a 2.5. BUT my school doesn't care and makes sure that the hardest NatSci major students have to take the ONLY 4 undergrad classes that you are graded on a class rank.
If I were you I would just ride it out. If you take the W then you have to take this class over again. If you KNOW you will get a C then just go for it. I got one C and a D (2.0 and a 1.0 (b/c my BioChem teacher gave me a zero on an exam b/c the girl next to me was cheating off of me, so I also got the zero BS I KNOW!) last semester while two classes of a 3.5 grade and my GPA decreased by just 0.09...but again I went from 91 to 106 credits

So I am taking a guess that you are a Freshmen since one C would drop you that much. But the last part of your sentence is a smart but also bad presence of mind. Don't go into next semester thinking "Well, he is a good teacher so I'll get a 4.0" I remember I thought my Chem 1 and 2 were going to be simple since it was the teachers first year. Just the opposite, our exams were based on what the other 2 teachers taught their class and about 10% of the exam was what she actually taught us and the other 90% was either stuff we hadn't gone over or the other teachers stuff. Then the next year all of her exams were the easiest exams ever. My freshmen yr our class avg was about a 68% on exams. Her second year, the average was about 84%.

 

[DrRock44]

Take the C. a 3.7 is a solid sGPA for pod school. don't waste the time and money retaking chem one if you feel you can do better in I/ O-chem.

 

[Zalligan]

A C shouldn't drop a 4.0 to a 3.7 unless you're like, a freshman or sophomore. If you have a substantial amount of credits you could still be looking at a 3.9 or so. I'd take the C unless you're just hell bent on the 4.0. I had several Cs on my transcript and wasn't called on em. I was called on a D in a 1 hour orientation class at my CC during my kent interview. We had a good laugh about it, lol.

 

[rushrhees]

Think of it as this the avg GPA of a DPM student is very slightly above 3.0, so for every A an average student gets they got a C (not quite 1:1 but you get the idea) Given that I am sure a few Cs will not kill your app

 

[hughesn2]

A C shouldn't drop a 4.0 to a 3.7 unless you're like, a freshman or sophomore. If you have a substantial amount of credits you could still be looking at a 3.9 or so. I'd take the C unless you're just hell bent on the 4.0. I had several Cs on my transcript and wasn't called on em. I was called on a D in a 1 hour orientation class at my CC during my kent interview. We had a good laugh about it, lol.

That is what I said. But I believe that since it is Chem 1 then yeah this person has to be in their 2nd semester of their Freshmen year. So the person who posted this probably (I assume) has another 3+ years left of undegrad. But if you could get a straight 4.0 in your first semester at college you should be good. I remember after my first semester I was not prepared for my Chem class in the honors college I was at. But hey, I stuck with it.

TAKE THE C!!!!!

The following statement may piss off a few people here, but it will be the truth. Have you guys noticed that the only threads that seem to be about someone freaking out about a C in a class (at least 4 over the last 3 months I recall) on their transcript ended up being FRESHMEN. I feel as if it is also those same freshmen that have a well above average GPA for a pre-pod are the same ones complaining and freaking out about a C in one class. Like everyone else has stated here: If you graduate with above a 3.4 GPA and you have ONE C then stop freaking out!

 

[foot2foot]

I received some F's but I've retaken most of those classes and received A's .I've switched my major 3 times and I just withdrew from gen chem II . Is there still a chance for me? Side note those F's came from the lack of studying after my dad passed and I had to go get a job to help with the bills.

 

[DrMarx]

I just talked to my professor today, if I failed my next test I'd get a B in the class.. So, I'm actually looking at an A in the class now. I think I worry way too much about my grades. Stupid admission standards.

 

[hughesn2]

Also, if you are a freshmen please don't freak out. Over the last few days while studying for finals it has been really annoying listening and talking to freshmen who are just finishing their 2nd semester of university and are freaking out about getting accepted into medical school.

Yes, I understand that right now it is a stressful time because of finals, but if you are a freshmen you will have 3yrs left and if you are freaking out now you will be freaking out in a couple years.

I am here listening to a bunch of kids looking at the GPA for the med schools and they have only had two semesters under their belt. Nothing is worse than a freshmen thinking their life is over just because they got a single B in a hard class.