<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I really embraced the crazy side of college freshman year and got a C+ in general chemistry (and only because I was lazy and didn't do the homework, I was doing great on the tests...dumbass). I finally grew up and did well in the first semester of organic chemistry, but as a result of overloading my schedule and becoming a student body officer I couldn't give 2nd semester of organic chemistry 100%, and I pulled a B- in that class. I feel like crap. If my college replaces the grade of a repeated course, do you think it is worth repeating? I am going to go out on a limb here and actually paste my transcript below, so you can see the predicament I am in. I am considering graduate programs in biochemistry and biogeochemistry, and I am curious whether I should retake these courses (at the expense of not taking other interesting classes) and raise my GPA or plow ahead and focus on acing my upper division courses. I am applying to graduate school in fall 2011, I am a biology and chemistry double major, and I could use some frank advice.</p>
<p>Stats: Junior, 3.475 GPA, lots of research experience in chemistry and paleontology (Volunteer at ACS national conference, presenter at Berkeley McNair National Conference, presenter at Geological Society of America National Conference). I love (micro)biology, geology, and chemistry.</p>
<p><em>Transcript</em></p>
<p>CLASS |CREDITS| GRADE</p>
<p>Classes I need to take next semester:</p>
<p>Physics for Sci. & Eng. II |4| ?
Math Methods of Physics |4| ?
Inorganic Chemistry & Lab |4| ?</p>
<p>*general chemistry II (retake?) |4|?</p>
<p>AND/OR</p>
<p>*organic chemistry II (retake) |4|?</p>
<p>//note: taking both yields 20 credit hours, significantly overloaded...</p>
<p>//cool classes I will be missing out on if I retake chemistry classes above:</p>
<p>Sedimentology & Stratigraphy |3|
Astrobiology |4| </p>
<p>Pending Current Fall 2010 Classes</p>
<p>Multivariable Calculus |4| likely B+
Cellular Neuroscience |4| likely A-/A
Discrete Mathematics |4| likely B+/A-
Physics I for Sci. & Eng. |4| likely B+/A-</p>
<p>Spring 2010
Cladistics & Evolution Seminar | 2 | A
Parasitology Seminar |2| A
Writing for Research Seminar |2| A-
Comparative Physiology |4| B-
Principles of Paleontology |4| A
Evolution |4| A-
Organic Chemistry & Lab II |4| B-</p>
<p>Fall 2009
Comparative Anatomy & Lab |4| B+
Genetics & Lab |4| A
Organic Chemistry I & Lab |4| B+
Film Seminar |2| A</p>
<p>Spring 2009
Biology I |4| B
General Chemistry II |4| C+
HPW Elective |1| A
Religions of the World (such a ******** class
) |3| B+
Speech & Public Presentations (ditto above) |3| A-</p>
<p>Fall 2008
Biology II |4| A-
General Chemistry I |4| A-
Spanish I |4| A-</p>
<p>Transfer credits (not including AP credit and placement waivers)
Computer Literacy |3| A
Elective |3| B
Elective |3| A-
Music I |3| A
Nutrition |3| B
Intro to College Chemistry
online (I took this the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. It was an online chemistry class, and it was taught horribly. I should have taken CR/NC, and I am curious how this will affect my chances for admissions to graduate school... I was 15 years old when I took this class...) |3| C
Elective |3| A-
Elective |3| A
Elective |3| B
Elective |3| B</p>
<p>//final note: I think overloading on classes is a bad idea, but retaking both classes, assuming I get an A (I most certainly will) would significantly boost my GPA. I am applying for graduate school NEXT fall, so this is my last chance to retake any classes before the grad schools see this transcript :/</p>