What to do...

[Misaya]

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Hi all,

I just finished my sophomore year and got my grades back. I made a C+ in Biochemistry. I'm not sure what went wrong since before going into the final, I was pretty sure I would make a B or B+. I was wondering how this would affect my chances. I have taken Organic Chemistry I and II at a community college over freshman summer and made As in both.

As of now, I have a 3.7 sGPA and 3.7 cumulative. I am a physics major, and was interested in doing a MD/PhD program (I started research this past spring semester in biological physics). For this summer, I am preparing for the MCAT while continuing my research.

Should I retake biochemistry, or just let it go? I only have one other bad grade, and that was a C+ in Biology II. Would it be better to take some other advanced biology course?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[lilwayne]

a

 

[Benedictus123]

Eh. Overall you have a good GPA, and a C here or there in a science class won't kill you. That said, biochem is becoming more and more important to med schools, so maybe it wouldn't hurt you to find another biochem class and take it. Retakes don't really help overall though, as there is no grade replacement with AMCAS. I guess it theoretically could have some impact if you retake it and get an A.

 

[theseeker4]

Eh. Overall you have a good GPA, and a C here or there in a science class won't kill you. That said, biochem is becoming more and more important to med schools, so maybe it wouldn't hurt you to find another biochem class and take it. Retakes don't really help overall though, as there is no grade replacement with AMCAS. I guess it theoretically could have some impact if you retake it and get an A.

Agree with this, much better to take a similar/more advanced course and ace that than to retake a course you already had once for an A. Getting an A in an advanced class will be more impressive by far than managing an A on the second attempt.

 

[BuddyTheElf]

Agree with this, much better to take a similar/more advanced course and ace that than to retake a course you already had once for an A. Getting an A in an advanced class will be more impressive by far than managing an A on the second attempt.

+1 👍

 

[fourhumours]

if it goes in-line with your studies then take another upper level bio course, if you have to drop another course or overburden yourself I wouldn't worry. I got a C in biochem and got into a medical school and my GPAs were well lower than yours. I think a 3.7 and a good mcat is more than enough to make up for two C+'s.

thought MD/PHD programs are more intense and I didn't apply to any of them so I don't know what a C+ would do.

 

[Misaya]

Thank you for all of your input! I feel like retaking Biochemistry would be redundant, especially since it was an intro course. I think I will take either Advanced Biochemistry (a mixed undergrad/grad class) or Biochemistry (from the Chemistry Department, which is more mathematically focused on energetics and metabolism).

 

[sakabato93]

Thank you for all of your input! I feel like retaking Biochemistry would be redundant, especially since it was an intro course. I think I will take either Advanced Biochemistry (a mixed undergrad/grad class) or Biochemistry (from the Chemistry Department, which is more mathematically focused on energetics and metabolism).

If you're a physics major, the chem department class will probably be better for you (since you're probably math-savvy).