<p>Hi,
I am seriously in big trouble right now? I feel like I am going to end up with a bad grade in my Physical Chemistry course, because of the course load I am currently taking 18 units. I am a pre-med student and wanting to get into medical school and I feel like a bad grade will affect my acceptance into a good medical school? </p>
<p>Would a NP and retake the course or a C- or D and retake the course? which one looks better? Or try to petition to drop the course? which is rarely accepted? </p>
<p>So whats the difference between getting a drop notation on transcript or a NP and retake the course or to get a C? which one looks better? </p>
<p>Does a NP and retake the course or D and retake the course? Which one looks better?
Please help!</p>
<p>Calm down and talk to your pre-med advisor. He knows the best specifics of your UG and other classes in your 18 credits. Overall, 18 is normal for first 2 years as you need lower in junior and senior year respectively for MCAT prep. and going to Med. School interviews. However, what is included in 18 might make a big difference. Make sure to take no more than 2 very challenging science classes and maybe additional easier science class per semester, with the rest being easy classes. Again, only you and your pre-med advisor can determine which classes are more challenging specifically for you and specifically at your UG. As an example, Gen. Chem was very easy at D’s UG (or maybe for her and not others), while many other classes (all Bio classes, including the first one) were extremely challenging. General advice might not work for you. I have no idea about NP vs C- vs D, again, I would ask advisor at your school.</p>
<p>Does NP = fail? If so, then that’s definitely the worst option. Remember that retaking a class does not erase the old one (unless you’re applying to DOs), it’s still there, contributing just as much to your GPA as you new one. In other words, a C retaken to an A is the same as getting two Bs. A fail (if that’s what NP is) retaken to an A is the same as getting two Cs.</p>
<p>OP, why do you think you are going to get a bad grade in pchem? It’s very early in the semester to be so pessimistic. How did you do in all of the supporting classes? (physics, genchem) Were you prepared? Are you sure you understand how the class will be graded? Can you get help with the subject?(Prof, TA, tutoring). Don’t act until you understand all of your options and all of the consequences. And don’t let pchem intimidate you, it’s really not that hard.</p>
<p>I am taking a Organic chem II, Molecular Bio, Lab, Language course, and physical chemistry. I took three tough science courses. NP means not passing, it doesn’t affect your GPA, but if you retake it on the transcript, it would just say NP/ retaken for letter grade. Then the letter grade will play roll in the GPA, NP will just be there as well. So does 1 NP really bad? I guess NP sounds same as F grade. Would medical schools will take the NP against you? would this decrease the chances of acceptance?</p>
<p>If it shows up on your transcript I don’t see how it’s not the same as failing. Maybe your school doesn’t calculate it as a 0, but AMCAS might? I don’t know. Maybe, as suggested by Miami, you should talk to your advisor since I don’t think any of us are going to understand this system and how AMCAS handles it. I have only seen schools where no pass = 0 credits or no pass = not reported in any way on transcript.</p>
<p>I think it’s crucial to realize that the way AMCAS calculates your GPA is not necessarily the same was as your school does.</p>
<p>So if your school says “PChem NP/B = 3.0”, great. But since AMCAS treats retaking the class as taking the class two times (that is, the better grade doesn’t replace the worse grade, they both count together), and says “PChem NP = F = 0.0”, and “PChem B = 3.0”, making the overall effect on your cumulative GPA “PChem = 1.5.” If I were in your shoes, I would do just about anything to avoid said situation. Are you 100% certain you’re going to fail (ie, legitimately get a lower grade than you must have in order for this class to count) if you don’t withdraw? If so, why? How can you guarantee you’ll do better in the future?</p>
<p>Of course, AMCAS might also say NP means nothing, and the B is all that matters–and that’s where your advisor comes in. You need to meet with your advisor and ask how NP from your school is treated for AMCAS. You might even print out the part of the AMCAS instructions about GPA calculations and ask them to go over it with you. That way, when he inevitably says “Oh they treat it the same way we do,” you can politely ask him to show you where that policy is in the AMCAS guide. </p>
<p>In the end, the only GPA that matters for med school is your AMCAS GPA. Protect it!</p>
<p>“three tough science courses” is way too much, they all have labs also. As a rule stick to 2 tough science courses plus possibly easier one. asuming that they all have labs graded separately. You did not specify who adivsed on taking 3 tough science courses. Anyway, I would not listen to this person in a future.</p>
<p>So How would AMCAS consider a drop and then retaken the course for a letter grade? </p>
<p>P/NP is different because lets say if you pass the course and u still get no credit. It just helps you get the prereq for the next level of the course. If you receive a D =1.0 and F =0.0 or even C- =1.5 , you still would have to retake the course. But I am not sure how medical schools look at these things, if NP looks better than a D F C- and then retaken?</p>
<p>Miami, op does not say adviser endorsed this schedule.</p>
<p>Op, TALK TO YOUR ADVISOR. He/she will have a much better idea on how to answer this question than us</p>
<p>If you did not talk to advisor before taking 3 tough classes, that was a mistake. You cannot change it now, but it should be a good lesson for future.</p>