Recovering pre-req/science GPA

[r_macadamia 0]

Hi,

 

College junior here looking for advice on recovering from low science/pre-req grades. Does anyone on this forum have advice for recovering from low chemistry grades? Since they're a part of many program prerequisites, I want to know if admissions will look at advanced courses etc. Since they are "passing" I don't know whether to spend the money retaking these courses, or if doing better (A) in Orgo II and Orgo lab would suffice to show that I am competent in chemistry. My stats in general bio aren't as great either - no C grades, but Bs. Will improving my oversall sGPA make any impact on programs that see poor prereq grades? As a note I am a science major, so I still have more advanced science classes to take.

 

Gen Chem I (5): C

 

Gen Chem II (5): C

 

Orgo I (4): C

 

Orgo lab (1):TBD

 

Orgo II (4): not taken, not sure if I should or will have to in the future

 

Biochem (3): C

 

Personal sidenote: I really, really regret doing so badly in gen chem. I took it my freshman year and I beat myself up over it b/c then even if I did better in later sciences I would at least have some sort of prereq cushion. Oh well, moving forward.

 

[Edit]: I'm not sure why "college junior" is highlighted or why it links to some random webpage. Please ignore.

[rev ronin 4,411]

Realistically, you need a 3.2 cGPA and a HIGHER sGPA to even be competitive. You've got a LONG row to hoe ahead of you.  The answer to your question is pretty much "You're going to need to do everything you possibly can to raise your sGPA if you want to go to PA school".

[dndandrea 86]

It surprises me that some programs still only require a C or higher for pre-reqs. All the schools I applied to required a B or higher. I had a C in gen bio I, gen bio II, and gen chem I originally during my 1st & 2nd year as a college student. I went back and retook them a few years later and got As in them. I am a PA-S now. I would retake the gen chems at least. Retaking them will show admins you're serious about your future now and willing to take the sacrifice to make it into school.

[MT2PA 1,232]

Getting A's in Ochem 2/lab and some other advanced science courses will not make up for the fact that you got Bs and mostly Cs in the required pre-reqs.  Your GPA probably still won't be competitive and it just plain won't look good to schools.  I also caution on counting on getting higher grades in advanced courses.  Everyone learns and grows and can become better, but you have a LOT of Cs in your history which doesn't indicate As in upper courses are a guarantee.  

 

Retake the Cs for sure, maybe the Bs, to show that you actually have learned and understand that material.  Also take upper level courses to show that you can handle more difficult classes and material.  You'll realistically need to do both, and get A's on pretty much all of them, to be competitive.

[r_macadamia 0]

Can someone explain to me why it is better to retake prereq courses instead of improving overall sGPA? I still have 30-40ish hours before I finish my program and the majority of those are science courses. Granted, not much more chemistry but still upper level science coursework.

[r_macadamia 0]

Realistically, you need a 3.2 cGPA and a HIGHER sGPA to even be competitive. You've got a LONG row to hoe ahead of you.  The answer to your question is pretty much "You're going to need to do everything you possibly can to raise your sGPA if you want to go to PA school".

 

I'm not under any impression that that it's going to be easy by any means. However, this was not conductive at all to my question of whether improving pre-req GPA matters as much as overall sGPA. THAT is my question - whether pre-req coursework matters more than overall science coursework in upper level classes to admissions as well as why.

[MT2PA 1,232]

Can someone explain to me why it is better to retake prereq courses instead of improving overall sGPA? I still have 30-40ish hours before I finish my program and the majority of those are science courses. Granted, not much more chemistry but still upper level science coursework.

Retaking pre-reqs will help improve the sGPA (your grades for those courses will average).  It will also show that you actually know that material.  Pre-reqs are essential to the core science you will learn in PA school.  A lot of upper level courses are nice to have, great supplementally to being a PA, but they don't replace knowing basic science concepts.

 

If you don't retake the pre-req courses, sure, you'll still improve your sGPA with upper level courses assuming you get As in them.  But compared to other applicants who got As in their pre-reqs PLUS have a better sGPA and overall GPA, you'll be at a disadvantage.  Retaking the pre-reqs is showing commitment to personal improvement, commitment to understanding the material, and commitment to the process.  

 

In reference to the other post about a specific GPA - most schools have minimums and CAPSA is very particular about how they calculate the sGPA.  With that many Cs simply taking upper level courses probably won't get your sGPA to the level it needs to be competitive with other applicants.  Basically BOTH pre-req course work AND sGPA matter - equally.  There are some applicants that did NOT have science majors and ONLY take the pre-reqs required and that basically constitutes their sGPA - so they have As in their pre-reqs and that means they also have a stellar sGPA.  Consider that if you are being compared to these applicants you will want stellar pre-req grades as well.  On the other hand, some schools may use the sGPA as a filter to whittle down their applicant pool - so you'll need a good sGPA to make it through the filter.  

 

If you have Cs in your pre-reqs but a great sGPA, you will be at a disadvantage.  If you have As in the pre-reqs but a poor sGPA, you're also doomed.  One isn't more important than the other.  In the realm of grades, both matter in getting into PA school.  If you decide you only have time to fix one or the other, you will be up against thousands of other applicants who found a way to make both aspects great.  You listed about 18ish credits at a C grade (2.0 GPA) and if you have 40 credits left - even if you get As (4.0) - that's a 3.3ish - but that's not taking into consideration your other science courses (B in bio?) and it's assuming you get straight As in your upper courses.  A 3.3 won't be impressive enough to make up for the Cs in the pre-reqs.  Adcoms would rather see a 3.3 with As in pre-reqs knowing that you at least have an understanding of the basic material.  Retaking courses won't count towards your degree credits so you could take 40 credits and get As, retake the pre-reqs and get As (to average those Cs out to Bs) and then you'd have an even better sGPA PLUS good pre-reqs grades.  THAT'S how you'll be competitive with other applicants.

[r_macadamia 0]

Retaking pre-reqs will help improve the sGPA (your grades for those courses will average).  It will also show that you actually know that material.  Pre-reqs are essential to the core science you will learn in PA school.  A lot of upper level courses are nice to have, great supplementally to being a PA, but they don't replace knowing basic science concepts.

 

If you don't retake the pre-req courses, sure, you'll still improve your sGPA with upper level courses assuming you get As in them.  But compared to other applicants who got As in their pre-reqs PLUS have a better sGPA and overall GPA, you'll be at a disadvantage.  Retaking the pre-reqs is showing commitment to personal improvement, commitment to understanding the material, and commitment to the process.  

 

In reference to the other post about a specific GPA - most schools have minimums and CAPSA is very particular about how they calculate the sGPA.  With that many Cs simply taking upper level courses probably won't get your sGPA to the level it needs to be competitive with other applicants.  Basically BOTH pre-req course work AND sGPA matter - equally.  There are some applicants that did NOT have science majors and ONLY take the pre-reqs required and that basically constitutes their sGPA - so they have As in their pre-reqs and that means they also have a stellar sGPA.  Consider that if you are being compared to these applicants you will want stellar pre-req grades as well.  On the other hand, some schools may use the sGPA as a filter to whittle down their applicant pool - so you'll need a good sGPA to make it through the filter.  PA school is competitive - you need to do everything you can to make sure your app stands out positively instead of negatively.

 

Thank you for your thoughtful answer. This was extremely helpful. Your point about applicants that have a different concentration where pre-req GPA may be their only source of science coursework really hits home. It makes me regret not choosing a major I was actually interested and would do well in rather than default Pre-med bio or chem. Still, all I want to do now is finish undergraduate strong (no point in switching majors now) and then re-evaluate what I need to do to get into grad school.

 

*I don't know why "hits home" is highlited or why it links to some random webpage. Please ignore...