Pre-Calc or Calc.

For pre-med, I have to take Gen Chem. And a pre-req or co-req for Gen chem 1 is pre calc or calc 1. I dont know if I should take calc. I havent taken a hard math in over a year. I took college calc in HS junior year. So, Im pretty rusty. Math isn’t my best subject in general. Im a freshman btw. So, if I take pre-calc does that look bad to med schools and grad schools because I took calc 1 in HS? I think I should take pre calc now. Calc 1 later. You might be thinking that colleges dont look at HS GPA, but I took college level classes like College Now so I have to. For reference, I got a C in calc. I mean school is starting soon so I have to review while Im taking the class if I take Calc 1.

You are required to report any college level coursework you took in high school when you apply to medical school.

Because you’ve already taken and passed calc 1, it would look really bad for you to take pre-calc. (It looks like you’re padding your GPA-- med school adcomms hate that.) They may even question why you’ve retook Calc 1 since you passed.

So I suggest that you do a quick review of pre-calc topics (try Khan’s Academy videos), then enroll in calc 1 at your college. The review shouldn’t take you more than a week or so of work.

Also, check the academic support center at your college. It offers free tutoring in most lower level classes–including calc 1.

Med school like applicants take challenge courses, precalc is not a very challenging course in med schools book, so it will be looked down even if you get an A in it.

Yes, I know I have to send a transcript of my college level high school classes. I tried to get that across in my statement but I guess I didn’t do it well. I am taking Calc because it’s a co req for chem 1. But youre saying the Calc credit should carry over so I don’t know. Im not even trying to pad or bolster my gpa or anything with this class. This is going to be a weak class for me so Im scared more than anything. Thank you for your tips and advice!

Did you send your College Now transcripts to your college? Did they grant you credit for your CC classes?

If your college granted you credit, you don’t need to take Calc 1 again since you’ve already fulfilled the co-req requirement.

Co-req only means that you need to complete the co-req course no later than at the same time as main course. You can take it before and still meet the co-req requirement.

Adcomms won’t care whether or not you’re intentionally trying to fluff your GPA. They’re just going to assume you are based on your choice of classes. The general recommendation for pre-meds to not to retake any class you passed.

^ actually, almost all premeds retake at least somz classes taken in high school (calculus, biology, chemistry, being the most common ones, in part because at many colleges the college course doesn’t match AP calc ab, AP chemistry, and AP Bio.) In addition, if her major requires op to also take calculus 2, a C in a classes taken junior year would be a horrible foundation.

My case is a little unique because these were college level classes, not AP’s. Can I forego calc and chem for now and take them in the fall? What can I take instead now? Thanks for all your help. .

Med schools don’t like you to retake ANY college level courses that has a C or better, you need to take a HIGHER level course to make up that C. Maybe stats? Regarding your pre-req for Chem, your college level Calc I should fulfil the prereq, afterall, C is passing grade for most, if not all, schools.

Nevertheless, you will have a rough start in premed with that C in BCMP or sGPA. You need work double hard to get the minimum 3.7 cGPA and perhaps 3.6 sGPA.

Sorry, whats BCMP?
What about people who go to public schools that dont accept any credits?
If I talk to my pre-med advisor about this, especially the pre-req/co-req part, what should I say?
I know! It kind of feels unfair at times I have to start off with this record. I know I have to work twice as hard.
At this point I kind of want to postpone calc and chem and study for it before I take it in the fall, so I am ready. Not set on it, though.

BCMP = Biology, Chemistry, Math, Physics

These are the courses that make up your science gpa (sGPA). Your sGPA is more important than your overall GPA for med school admission.

Your pre-med advisor will tell you that if your credits for calc 1 have been accepted then you have fulfilled your co-req and you don’t need to take calc 1 again at their school. They will probably tell you to review pre-calc/calc on your own before you take chem if you don’t feel confident in your math skills. They will also advise you that you need to take one or more additional math classes, statistics in particular, if you’re sincere about pursuing med school.

There is a risk in doing co-enrollment classes during high school. On the positive side, those college credits can enhance your high school transcript and make you a more attractive candidate for certain colleges. They may also allow you to skip introductory level required classes in college and graduate sooner or graduate with a double or triple major or with a BS/MS in 4 years. On the negative side, those college credits in high school are going to follow you around forever. You will always be required to send transcripts when you apply for graduate or professional school, when you apply for certain jobs, when you apply for professional licensure, etc.

There’s nothing particularly fair or unfair about that.

If you feel you are unready to face calc or chemistry this term, then the best course is to postpone it. Review math over the summer and take chem in the fall.

@MYOS1634 retaking an AP course that doesn’t appear on your AMCAS transcript is very different from retaking a college course that appears on your transcript.

I agree but this student can’t take calculus 2 with a calculus class passed with a C 2 years ago. And many science major require both calc 1+2. Succeeding in calculus 2 after a C in a subject not taken over nearly 2 years will require much more than just reviewing alone in the summer.
In addition, even if only the first grade is used for allopathic med schools, wouldn’t it count for osteopathic medical schools?

@MYOS1634 Osteopathic medical schools eliminated grade replacement in Jan 2017. For both MD and DO programs, all college level classes are included in GPA calculations. There are no more “do-overs” for DO schools.

The student might consider auditing calc 1. Although audited classes still have to be reported to AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS, it might be easier to explain an audit since there’s no impact on the GPA–thus eliminating the appearance of GPA padding.

Yes, I was thinking of auditing the class! I went to class today and the teacher seemed really nice, luckily. Much better than my previous calc teacher. What do you think? Should I wait till the next class session to decide?

Cont. I have a scholarship so my credits didn’t really transfer. How does that make me look to med schools that I may have to repeat?

Does your major require calculus 2?

I don’t know if I will major in something that requires calc 2. At this point, no.

Did med schools get rid of the calc requirement? Have you taken pre-calc?

@iwannabe_Brown

Some med schools still require calc; most still require a year of “college level mathematics.”

The OP took pre-calc and Calc1 in high school. S/he took Calc 1 as a dual enrollment course through a CC.

If a medical school does require calc, should I take it, in my case? I havent actually taken pre-calc went straight to calc.
If I decide to major in something that requires calc, let’s say for example, comp sci, do I have to take it then?