Retaking Courses? Better or worse

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In summary, the conversation discusses the idea of retaking courses and the potential implications for applying to medical school. The reasons for retaking a course may include needing it for a degree objective, receiving a below average grade, seeing a deterioration in skills and knowledge over time, or being unsatisfied with the quality of the course. Reenrolling in a course may also provide a GPA boost, but it is important to consider the impact on future transcripts. It is suggested to first identify the previous material needed for the current course and to study it independently before deciding to retake the course.
  • #1
jessdoan
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So, I have been having a rough two years at my university right now. Over the summer I have been playing with the idea of retaking some courses. Is this advisable? Will this reflect poorly on me if I intend to apply to med school?
 
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  • #2
What are the reasons for retaking a course? What should be those reasons?
  • Need course for degree objective
  • Credit in course was below average (less than C)
  • Skill and Knowledge of course has deteriorated over time
  • Course taken and credit received but course as done was of bad quality
Those, I believe, are the only reasons to reenroll in a course. MIGHT be one more reason, such as, you did not learn from it well but received a grade of C or better anyway; and so you NEED the course to LEARN because you previously did not learn from it.
 
  • #3
@symbolipoint so I feel like I didn’t do this course justice. Credit was given but I am debating if I know enough about this course as a foundation for my harder classes that will build on this knowledge. Furthermore, this class will be needed for me to continue in my career.

But if I am completely honest a part of me is weighing the gpa boost this would be to potential graduate schools towards this decision as well.
 
  • #4
If your decision is to figure what to do for ONE single course, then this might be a very small, possibly insignificant affect upon others who will analyze your transcripts later. You could certainly increase your grade average since you should expect that with HARD work, you should be able to earn one grade number higher than what you earned the first time (or more than one grade number).

You did not tell what the course is which you need to improve your learning. There may be two things you might want to do.
  • Determine or identify which previous material you needed to know in order to study your course of present concern.
  • Study that previous material and the current course of concern ON YOUR OWN, before possibly re-enrolling in the course which you officially want to improve.
 

1. Is it worth retaking a course?

It depends on your individual circumstances. If you received a low grade and need to improve your GPA, retaking the course may be beneficial. However, if you already received a passing grade and are looking to improve your understanding of the subject, it may not be necessary.

2. Will retaking a course affect my GPA?

Yes, retaking a course will typically replace the previous grade in your GPA calculation. However, this may vary depending on your school's policies.

3. Can I retake a course if I received a passing grade?

Yes, you can usually retake a course even if you received a passing grade. However, keep in mind that the new grade may not significantly impact your GPA.

4. Will retaking a course look bad on my transcript?

Retaking a course may not look bad on your transcript, especially if you received a significantly higher grade the second time around. However, if you repeatedly retake courses, it may raise concerns for potential employers or graduate schools.

5. Are retaken courses treated differently by graduate schools?

It depends on the specific graduate school's policies. Some may only consider the highest grade, while others may average both grades. It's best to research the policies of the schools you are interested in applying to.

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