<p>I'll be taking a gap year starting this summer, and I will want to apply to UPenn in the coming September. I have a few pesky B's on my transcript from earlier grades, and I can retake them during the summer. However, on my transcript, the completion dates are noted, so I'm curious if retaking these courses during my summer will help?</p>
<p>Yes, I know doing other things will be more productive - e.g. finding researching opportunities. But, suppose I've got everything else in order. I just need to know if whether retaking these classes will help or not in absolute terms.</p>
<p>I doubt it will help.</p>
<p>do you care to elaborate?</p>
<p>You got Bs in courses from 9th and 10th grade. If you retake them, it is expected that you will get an A. You already took the course and did well in it. If you do not get an A it looks really bad. One or two Bs are not what kept you out of Penn. It was your ECs, LORs, essays, and other nonquantifiable aspects that led to your rejection. Your time is much better spent doing other things (even if it is spent playing video games or sleeping) rather than retaking courses. If you’re the same person who said in an earlier thread that you were taking a gap year just to reapply to Penn, don’t. Enroll in another college and go there. If you feel the need after that, apply as a transfer. I have a good number of friends who transfered into Penn. Many of them were rejected the first time around. They just went to a different school their freshman year and applied again. IMO, unless you do something amazing your gap year, it’s not going to help your chances too much when you reapply.</p>
<p>I agree. I was accepted into Wharton after being rejected for freshman year. I was greatly discouraged from taking a gap year by my teachers and relatives. </p>
<p>Instead, I suggest you go to a college, get a near-perfect GPA and join ECs to improve your chances for transfer.</p>