<p>Ok I'm in a bit of a jam. </p>
<p>I plan to transfer for Fall 2011. I was thinking Cal Poly Pomona or UCR. </p>
<p>Here's the problem. I took a Physics course last year, I got a B first semester but a D second semester. This Physics course is referred to at my school as "Trig Based Physics". This course is transferrable to Cal Poly but not to UCR. UCR wants "Calculus based Physics" which I couldn't take at the time because I wasn't in Calc yet. At the time I figured who cares I'll just take the Trig Based Physics and apply to Cal Poly. The problem is that I don't think I'll get into Cal Poly anymore bc I found out Bio is impacted there and I'm out of district. </p>
<p>So now I don't know what to do. If I retake the Physics course it will be worthless to UCR but if I don't retake it then my GPA is going to suck (if I retake it and get an A it will really boost my GPA). I'm in Calculus now but since I already got a B in the first semester of the Trig based Physics I can't waste time repeating the entire Calculus based Physics sequence. </p>
<p>I'm too scared of how terrible my GPA will be if I don't retake it (that D looks terrible even if the course isn't transferrable) but it will basically be a giant waste of time in the grand scheme of things since only Cal Poly will accept the course and if I don't get in there I'm screwed.</p>
<p>What should I do??? :(</p>
<p>To this date, what is your GPA, calculated from all your completed coursework? </p>
<p>Also, “Academic Renewal” is a program offered at CCs where you can change all grades of D to no longer count towards your GPA. Doing that for your Physics course may help in this case.</p>
<p>^^ “academic renewal” is a policy of the schools you’re applying to, not necessarily the CC you’re coming from. Trust me, I have plenty of Ds/Fs on my transcript 
They’re still on there, it’s just that below them it now says “course repeated [year and semester]”</p>
<p>UCs have academic renewal, but USC (for example) does not. Even if your CC allows you to retake the courses, USC will still average them out. I’m not sure how it is with Cal Poly.</p>
<p>I think most of the CSUs will accept trig-based Physics for Biology majors but it is an impacted major at most campuses and unless you are applying from their service area you would need a really high GPA to be accepted at any of the selective CSUs. I think that it will be much harder to get accepted at Cal Poly SLO than UCR so you might have no alternative but to take the two semesters of Calculus-based Physics. The two semester Calculus based Physics sequence that the UCs require of Biology majors is not nearly as difficult as the three semester Calculus based Physics sequence for physical science and engineering majors that both the UCs and CSUs require.</p>
<p>I realize from your perspective that that would leave you with three more semesters of physics to take since that D will hurt your GPA and can only be replaced by taking the exact same course you received it in. However, that might not be a bad idea since you clearly had problems with the material in Physics II, usually Electromagnetism, and repeating the course might help you understand it better and leave you better prepared to take the two Calculus based Physics courses. However, if you just do not have the time to take three more Physics courses and are doing well in your Calculus course you could just take the two Calculus based Physics courses. Not replacing that D will be hard on your GPA but if you do well in both semesters of the Calculus based Physics your chances for admission at UCR would not suffer that much since they would see that did learn the material if you do well in both semesters of Calculus based Physics.</p>
<p>To be honest. I think you should rethink your goals. Are you sure you want to major in bio? Do you even like science? What are your plans after college?</p>
<p>It doesn’t get any easier once you transfer, just saying. Also it is not too late to reevaluate your goals.</p>