<p>Hi! You may or may not remember me, but you were quite helpful in answering some of my questions as I made my college decision last year.</p>
<p>I have a specific and general question, I hope you could answer. I attend a perennially top-5 nationally ranked university, where I am currently in my third quarter of my freshman year. Currently, I am strongly considering (though not declared) a major in biology and a minor in public policy. My specific question lies in whether to retake a Chemistry course. At my school, General/Inorganic Chemistry is taken in one quarter (by all students), and next is a three-quarter sequence of organic chemistry (2 quarters of separate lab). My first quarter, I received a C+ (2/200 points on the final away from a B-). I am wondering if I should retake the course, as it is a BCPM class, and will definitely significantly affect, at the very least, the aesthetics of my application. I believe I can get an A, since I have a pretty strong Chemistry background and basically had a set of final papers due the same day, impairing my ability to study (more than a few hours) and get more than 2 hours of sleep the night before. That's just not going to cut it at such a strong, competitive university.
If I retake it, the original grade becomes an "RP"- which I'm not sure if it is a good or bad thing (since it may look like I may have just failed the class). I currently have a ~3.2 GPA, and (disappointedly) received a B in first quarter Organic Chemistry. My BCPM is a measely 3.03, so a retake (at least in the short run) should change that significantly for the better. Your advice?</p>
<p>My more general question is related, but, admittedly, more broad. I know (though completely off-topic) Law Schools are nearly completely numbers-driven. I also understand that majorly the "first cut" of many medical schools are honestly quite numbers driven.</p>
<p>Here are some numbers:
In high school, I took:
67.5 semester units at a local community college, attaining a 3.719 GPA.
16 semester units at a local state university (CA) attaining a 3.44 GPA
Now, at my 4-year university (though on quarter system), my converted-to-semester units are 21.33 units with a 3.219 GPA (nearly 3.5 second quarter)
Thus, my total GPA right now is actually 3.574, and my BCPM is nearly 3.5 (counting "college" math class, though these are classes from Geometry, Algebra II, Trig, etc. through Calculus)</p>
<p>Say, including these seemingly GPA boosting classes taken prior to high school (though these are now in the past), will medical schools like that realistic total GPA of (say, at application time) 3.45-3.5?</p>
<p>Thanks so much.</p>
<p>edit: I understand that GPA and MCAT scores are a lot, but not everything. I was actually accepted into a BA/MD program, only to turn it down because it was not even comparable, in terms of strength at the undergrad level (and it locked you in)- again, maybe a good or bad decision. I am currently involved with a few on-campus organizations, including sportswriting for the university newspaper, and an extensive (prospective leadership) physician-shadowing, ER-volunteering program. My second question, however, could be clarified in that, I am wondering what my chances look like, taking into consideration how much the previous coursework may boost my GPA. Thanks!</p>