Retaking Classes – Should You, or Shouldn’t You?

Posted By: Kubin   |   Prerequisites, Grades, and Majors

We get asked about retaking classes all the time, so I thought I would speak to it specifically this week.

Retaking classes is time consuming, expensive, and generally a pain in the hip extensors (look them up, if you don’t know what I’m referring to…)  But in some cases it is exactly what needs to happen to get you over the bar and into PA program.  Knowing which courses to retake and when is key to getting you into PA school — and sooner, rather than later.But first a word of caution…

Retaking Classes for PA School – GPA Considerations

The first thing you need to be clear about is that retaking classes (in most cases) has a minimal effect on your GPA, because retaken classes don’t replace your low grades – they average in with them.  That’s right: your low grade won’t be dropped – the retaken class grade will be added to it and averaged.

For example:

Lets say you had a nasty case of mononucleosis that made you sleep through your entire physiology class in college, earning you a dreaded F (ow!)  You have a cumulative GPA of 2.9 at graduation, and are wondering if you should retake physiology, since your cumulative GPA is lackluster.  Assuming that your bachelor’s degree was completed in 128 semester units, and you will get an A in your retaken physiology class that is 5 units, that retaken class will only bump your 2.90 GPA up to a 2.94.  Many bachelor’s degrees are more than 128 semester units, so in reality, it may not even raise your GPA this much.

The lesson?  In general, you don’t retake classes for PA school in order to influence your cumulative GPA – they just don’t improve it that much.

So Why Should You Retake Classes At All? 

You should retake classes for PA school to prove that you can do well in them, plain and simple.

This is particularly true if you have done poorly in a required course, or, heaven forbid, a required science course.  PA school admissions committees need to know that you have mastered the basic science material on which the PA school curriculum relies.  If you get a poor grade in an important class, they will wonder if you can handle that kind of material and if you will have the foundation on which to build.

Which Classes to Retake for PA School

It doesn’t make much sense to retake everything you did poorly in, unless you did poorly in everything.  If that’s the case, 1) you should take some time off, 2) decide if becoming a PA is really for you, and 3) look into getting another bachelors degree.  Speak with an academic counselor.

So what do you retake?  Since 3.0 is considered a functional minimum GPA for getting into PA school *(yes, some do get in with <3.0), we think it makes sense to start with those courses that you got less than a B in.  C’s aren’t pretty, and they scream “Hey, I’m not ready for PA school” to PA school admissions committees.

Deciding which courses to retake can be challenging.  Here’s our recommended hierarchy (use if for all courses in which you received less than a B):

  1. First, retake ANY REQUIRED SCIENCE COURSE.  Courses like anatomy, physiology, microbiology, general or organic chemistry (if required) are considered foundational.  YOU MUST MASTER THESE to do well in PA school.  For this reason, THEY ARE YOUR FIRST PRIORITY.
  2. Next, retake any non-required science course that was over one unit.  If you failed a 1 unit course on bird behavior, don’t bother retaking it.  But if you failed a 3-unit course on evolution, health, etc., retake it to prove you can succeed in it.
  3. Next, retake any English composition course.  If you are a foreign student and English is your weak area, this should be your step #1.
  4. Finally, retake other courses only if they seem relevant to medicine and/or communication (speech, literature, etc.)

Retaking Classes for PA School – Do It Right

A few more things to remember:

  • There isn’t much sense in retaking a course for a mediocre grade – doing so will raise your GPA even less.  And if you do poorly on a course the second time you take it, you have reinforced the idea that you can’t handle that material – not at all what you want.  So do yourself a favor and CRUSH any class you retake.
  • To maximize the chance of doing well, retake courses that you struggled with one at a time.  Past performance is the best predictor of future performance, so if you know, for example, that organic chemistry was a bugger for you the first time, don’t put anything else on your plate the second time around.
  • You don’t need to retake classes at the same institution.  In most cases, PA schools care very little where you took a course.  If you can choose a better instructor or a better program, do it; the point is to do well at the course.
  • Some have asked us if they should retake undergraduate courses, or go for an advanced degree, like a Masters in Exercise Physiology or Immunology or other related discipline.  Our answer: NO.  PA schools don’t want to see that you’ve done well in some science course, they want to see that you can handle the courses on which their curriculum rests.  What’s the point of spending 2 or more years on a degree in Nutrition if you haven’t proven you have absorbed General Chemistry?  Going for such a degree is a major detour from your goal.  Sure taking new courses is more interesting, but what is your goal?  If it’s to become a PA, you need to get past the prerequisite material.
  • If you haven’t read it already, you might want to check out our articles on Getting Into PA School with a Low Grade, and Protecting Your GPA.

Retaking classes is a necessary evil if you have a few courses in which you really underperformed.  Retaking them will give you confidence in yourself, and it will give admissions committees the same. 

63 comments

  1. I got a few Cs in cell biology and bio 110 and 111. But when it comes to micro, biochem, AP 1 and 2 and other pre reqs I have all As. So for now I am enrolled in a Pharmacology class this semester and will take patho and chem 112 next semester (got an A in Chem 111 also) all in the hopes of boosting my sGPA from a 3.34 to around a 3.44.

  2. Hey thanks for the info ! So PA schools review your transcripts & average your GPA for them? What do they think of Withdrawals ? And is there a place on the the application for explanation of major academic failing due to illness/hospitalization you can prove ?

    1. Actually, you do the reviewing and tallying of your cumulative GPA for your CASPA application. CASPA will then independently confirm your numbers and approve your GPA.

      Withdrawals are handled differently. Though they don’t figure into your GPA, withdrawal failing should be looked upon as and F, and should be explained. Withdrawal passing can safely be ignored. The place to explain these things is in your essay and interview. That’s why having a strong essay is so important: it’s your chance to convince the admissions committees that you have good reasons behind any of your grade problems, and help them to see why they should admit you despite them.

      1. Hi Paul,

        I think at most schools there is a deadline to withdrawal and any withdrawal after that would automatically assign you a letter grade (likely an F). A withdrawal before this deadline would be a “withdrawal passing”?

        Thanks,

        Lauren

        1. That is correct. Many schools do not count withdraws. Pretty much all schools count withdraw failing. So if you in a back out of a class, do it before it’s too late!

  3. All I want to know is what PA school takes less than a 3.0 gpa??? (Besides the army) I’ve been busting my butt to stay as close to a 4.0 as possible!

    1. As you should. It’s not common to get into PA school with less than 3.0, but it happens. This is because schools often post their minimum GPAs as “blah blah blah GPA is generally considered competitive.”

      They are often vague on this issue to leave themselves wiggle room. They don’t want everyone in a America to apply because it’s a waste of their time and most of the applicants’ time if they are unlikely to be accepted.

      But sometimes they run across a really interesting/unusual/outstanding candidate whose numbers are less than stellar. By not setting a definitive GPA below which they won’t consider you, they allow you to submit in the chance that they will find a rose among thorns. This is again why the essay is so crucial: in the right hands, it can turn a old donkey into a Clydesdale.

      For more on this issue, see our upcoming ebook on the topic (release to be announced).

      1. I have to agree with Paul here. My undergrad GPA was not good. I don’t remember for sure, but I think it was below a 3.0. I became that interesting candidate. I worked for 3 years teaching bio and chem at a private high school. I retook some science classes and even did some computer classes in the meantime. I made sure I had a 4.0 in these night classes. This way I had more experience, and I could show that I was capable of much more than my GPA showed.

  4. First off, thanks for all of the time you continue to put into this! I’d been considering PA school for a couple of years, but decided to really get serious about taking care of pre-reqs earlier this year. This blog has been, by far, the most helpful resource I’ve come across.

    Here’s my question regarding this post. You mention that most PA schools care very little about where we take pre-req courses. Does that include community colleges?

    I graduated with an engineering degree 2 years ago, and have been working full time ever since. Community colleges around here offer many of the required courses while also providing two huge advantages:

    1) Substantially lower cost &
    2) A much more work-friendly schedule.

    However, I’ve spoken with several people that seem to think it is better to take the required science courses at a university.

    What do you think?

    1. Evasryone seems to worry about this, but I’ve never spoken to an admissions committee member who cared. I’m sure there are some out there who do, but in most cases, community college coursework is perfectly acceptable.

  5. What about retaking prerequisites that are too old? I have excellent transcripts, but most of my required courses are at least 17 years old. I am basically only applying to schools who don’t have a firm time-limit for prereqs, but a few at least want to see a current bio and chem course. Do I retake a chem class or take something new?

    1. If you did well in them the first time around, you would probably be okay taking another bio and chem class (that comes after general bio and chem). But doing so is a slight risk – taking an upper division course after not having the foundational course in 17 years. If you decide to do it, call the schools to make sure it’s okay, and then review so you don’t walk into your new course “cold.”

  6. Hi, I recently graduated from a large state university, and I’m actually in the exact situation that was talked about here. The only thing is… I have a 2.7 GPA. Honestly, it was because I wasn’t really sure of what I was doing while an undergrad. I was taking Bio courses (as a Bio major), but didn’t really know why. It wasn’t until my senior year that I had discovered PA school, and by then it was too late. As a result, my trend isn’t really upwards (it was on a downward trend by my graduation).

    After graduating, I decided I REALLY wanted to be a PA. I got my EMT-B cert. and am currently volunteering as one. I have many shadow and volunteer hours already, but my problem is the GPA. I was planning on retaking classes at a community college this spring, but what I’m wondering is… Is all hope lost? You mentioned in the article that if you sorta did poorly on all your prereqs, you may have to just get another bachelor’s. Is this my only option?

    Haha I guess you could say that I’m at a crossroads: I want to be a PA, but my past is casting a large shadow on that option.

    Sorry about the length, but any advice/info would be greatly appreciated.

    1. We get this question a lot. The better the case you make that you are now a better student, the less you may need to retake. What you need to do is retake the courses in which you did poorly. Get A’s. I don’t know how to be more specific.

      Doing this won’t bump your GPA hugely, since your new grades will factor in to the calculation of your GPA along with your old ones.

      BUT, you can then write an essay that says in effect, “Hey, look at all the A’s I’ve gotten lately, and they’re in all of your prerequisite courses.”

      If you can honestly say that you haven’t gotten less than an A in a class in X semesters, be sure to tell them that. You want to convince them that you have turned over a new leaf. If you do this, your GPA will be less of a factor (though still a factor).

      Lost cause? No. Will you get in? I don’t know – it depends on so many factors.

      But if you don’t try, will say with 100% certainty that you won’t get in.

  7. Thanks so much for the words of wisdom. You’re absolutely right–without trying, I’ll never know! And it’s actually encouraging to hear that you get the question a lot. It’s easy to feel like I’m the only one in that situation, as ridiculous as that sounds.

    Here’s to a happy thanksgiving and a new leaf!

  8. Paul,

    I was wondering, is it okay if I take prerequisites that are not required for my BS at other schools. For instance, for my major, I do not need anatomy or physiology. Could I take those at another school, say a community college over the summer? Or do they HAVE to transfer over to my regular university?

    Thanks so much!
    Patricia

    1. No, that’s fine. I know of no schools that will not accept coursework from another school or community college.

  9. Hello Paul,

    This is an amazingly helpful site. Thank you for that. I have been recently considering becoming a PA. I feel like I have several barriers to accomplishing this goal and am trying to figure out what path I would need to take to do so. I have a B.A in psychology and graduated in 1999. My GPA was sadly a 2.45 which does not reflect anything other than what I was going through during that time of my life. I have been working in the mental health field for the past 14 years and have been managing a residential for the past four years.
    My questions then are:
    1. Would my experience in the mental health field count towards hours? I have been medication trained, train others, and manage medications for 36 people. I also coordinate care with the resident’s PCP’s, specialists, along with the practitioners in the hospital when necessary.
    2. Due to the degree in psychology, I have minimum credits in the sciences and am realizing I would have to take many classes before being able to apply for the program. Any advice about what the wisest path would be for me?

    I appreciate you taking the time to provide me with some wisdom and knowledge in this area.

    Sincerely,
    Jackie

    1. Hi, Jackie –

      Yes, of course, mental health counts. Your experience with medications and patients is a huge asset. From here I suggest you get some “traditional” health care experience. ER or other would be a plus.

      Start with the “most required” courses. These are the science prerequisites that are listed in common by all of the PA schools you might apply to. Retake the biggies that interest you the most first – this will help you get fired up and possibly develop some momentum. Save one good course for the end of your journey as a reward.

      Once you have all the required courses, you should apply, but do so assuming that you might not get in. Doing so would have you scheduled to take other courses or obtain certifications that would improve your future application(s) if you were to apply again.

      Go get it, lady!

  10. Hi Paul,
    Thank you for this website it helps me out a lot. I know you said I don’t have to retake the course at the same institution, but I’ve heard that they won’t recognize it as a retake if its a different school. Is there somwhere in the website on CASPA that says that I can retake the class wherever?
    Thank you.

    1. This is a school thing, not a CASPA thing. If you think this may be the policy of a school to which you are applying, you should contact them directly to ask them about it. CASPA won’t care WHERE you take a class at all.

  11. Hello Paul,
    My cumulative GPA is a 2.99 and the science GPA is a 3.01. I did get a C/C+ in Gen Chem 1, 2 and Biochem. I got A’s and B’s in all my other science courses. Should I retake Gen Chem, Biochem or both to prove that I can handle the workload of PA school?
    I have 1000+ hr of HCE experience from a CNA job, 300 hrs of hospital volunteer experience and I’ve shadowed in 4 different specialties. Does this experience balance out my academic set back at all?
    I am committed to doing whatever it takes to get into PA school. Im just not sure if its absolutely necessary to retake classes or not. I’d appreciate your input!

    1. It’s hard to say. I don’t tend to think that medical experience “balances out” lower grades. You need to prove to PA schools that you can handle the academics, or they won’t feel comfortable admitting you. You might want to read our article on retaking classes.

  12. My situation is kinda confusing. I have been to 4 school due to being a military spouse. Many of my classes didn’t transfer and I have had to retake them. In Caspa it said to add all coursework. Will it look like a grade replacement scenario because I’ve had to retake them? Also my gpa will prob be around 2.8-3.0 but I have over 12000 pt contact hours and will take GRE this fall. Am I reaching too far here? Will the GRE, hours , and essay weigh heavier? Thanks for your help.

    1. I think you just need to explain that somewhere in your application so they don’t assume you were retaking because of poor performance. You could mention it briefly in your essay. I still think grades are the biggest predictor of admission to PA school. But you have an impressive number of HCE hours, so maybe they will feel better about admitting you. It’s hard to say.

      1. All things being equal, you have to have some instrument to sort through applicants – and GPA fits the bill. However, applicants with significant HCE should move to the front of the line. Just my opinion, but with a 3.4 overall and 3.2 science, I am banking on my 37850 hours as a career fire department paramedic to gain entry to a program.

        1. I understand your thinking. I think they are motivated to be sure that you will be able to handle the rigorous science curriculum.

  13. Hello Paul,

    This article was very insightful! I’m a senior in college and I had a rough start. I began as a business major and bombed a couple of the classes required for that degree. However, as a bio major, those bombed classes are not required for my upcoming B.S. degree. They will show up on my transcript and it will one day be submitted to CAPSA. But does CAPSA want the grades for a major that I didn’t even continue with? I won’t retake those classes because it isn’t required for my B.S. nor are they pre-reqs for PA school.

    1. They will see all of your grades, whether they apply to medicine or not. Most PA schools will pay more attention to the ones that relate to their curriculum, however they want to see what quality of a student you are overall. I probably wouldn’t suggest you retaking those courses, but you will need to do better on anything else you take to prove that you have changed as a student. In your essay, you probably should address why you receive these low grades.

  14. Hi Paul,

    Thank you again for your advice! I have a question about enrolling in a master’s program. Instead of retaking classes, would you recommend someone who did very well in his/her pre reqs for PA school with a low GPA and enroll in a 1 year master’s program? I’ve seen many Universities that offer either a 9 month of 1 year master’s program in the sciences. Thank You!

  15. It would seem that I am having some similar concerns.

    I have A’s in pretty much everything, EXCEPT science courses.

    In fact, the only science courses that I have A’s in are GenChem 1 lecture and lab, Bio 1 lab, GenChem 2 lab, and O-chem lab. I have a B- in GenChem 2 lecture and a B in bio 1 lecture, as well as C’s in both O-chem 1 lecture and O-chem 2 lecture. For some reason I do WAY better in lab courses than in lecture courses, as I think it’s nice for me to be able to SEE how what I’m learning is applied in a real life setting.

    The school I attend has a weird schedule of courses. But basically O-chem 2 lecture is not a pre-requisite for PA schools; so I technically only have 1 C and a few B’s on my transcript in pre-requisites. However, the C in O-chem 2 is going to bring my GPA down.

    The only reason my cumulative GPA is still sufficiently high is because I have A’s in everything else aside from a couple of math courses and a psychology course. Oh yeah, a B- in intro pysch (regretting that one) will be part of the pre-requisites for PA school too.

    Of course I have A’s. With 4 A’s, 3 B’s, and 1 C in pre-requisite coursework, I have more A’s than I do the other two grades. But I just feel disheartened because I feel like my transcript is mediocre right now.

    Of course I still have biochemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, molecular biology, and inorganic chemistry pre-requisites to complete over the next couple of years, but I’m having a hard time getting past these C’s and several B’s. I don’t yet have a sufficient amount of HCE (though I of course plan to over the course of the next few years) and I just feel like even if I don’t get any more C’s from here on out, my transcript still isn’t going to be stellar.

    The idea of having to retake all of those classes with a B- or below is overwhelming. Do I even have a chance?

    1. Of course you have a chance. But my rule is doubly true for you: don’t even THINK about HCE until you have your diploma in hand. The rest of your science courses are just too important. If you do well in them, I’d think PA schools would be able to overlook your lower/earlier ones. But it’s time to really drill down and focus on A’s in everything, even if that means lightening your course load a little. Protect your GPA!

  16. I’m a junior currently enrolled in a four-year university that is the number one public-school my state. It’s classes however, are extremely difficult. I’m taking multiple science classes at the same time which was a bad idea and I am probably receiving a D or possibly a D+ in anatomy 2. my grades for AP1/2 are poor because I am taking an accelerated version that is much more intense than the normal anatomy course because it is required for my major. Next year I am transferring to another campus that does not offer the anatomy course but I want to retake it. There’s a local community college nearby that also offers these courses. Is it okay if I retake it there? I would retake both versions, as I received a C+ in anatomy and physiology 1. I am also receiving about a C in or go so I will retake that at my normal school. My overall GPA, however, is about a 3.5 and once I go back to my other campus it will once again rise, hopefully to about a 3.6 3.7. So is it bad to retake anatomy one and two at a community college, especially if I know that I will get an A?

  17. Hi Paul!

    I hope you can help me out. Basically, I went to a UC and majored in Public Health, graduated 2 years ago. The outcome was terrible. Extremely low overall GPA. 2.5 – always knew I wanted to do PA school so I took my passions and I decided to go back to do my pre-reqs. I basically retook all the pre-reqs over again and these are my results:
    Statistics: A
    Psychology: A
    Sociology: A
    Nutrition: A
    Chemistry: A (in both semesters)
    Anatomy: A
    Microbiology: A
    Physiology: B going to take this Fall

    Basically, recently I got a B in physiology. I am extremely worried about this. I was basically trying to say “hey I screwed up in my undergrad but I went back to a community college and I retook all the pre-reqs and I killed these science classes and I KNOW I can handle them!” but… that B is just sitting there and physiology is probably one of the MOST important classes for PA. I’m just feeling a little discouraged and I already have a bad GPA from undergrad years… so how bad does this look? I do plan to ace genetics and biochem this Fall!!

    1. It’s a B. Don’t freak out. Don’t retake it. Apply with what you have. Retaking it only exposes you to the risk of getting the same or worse the THIRD time, which I think looks MUCH WORSE than just leaving it. That one grade isn’t going to make or break your application. Your recent grades are great. YES, they expect better than 2.5. But they DON’T expect perfection.

      1. Thank you so much!!! I needed to hear this from a professional. Your comment is so reassuring and keeps me sane. I couldn’t sleep all night because I just saw my grade a few hours ago. Thank you!!!!

  18. Hello Paul,

    I was hoping for some advice before I start applying to PA school. I am an upcoming senior in my undergrad degree. I plan on applying to PA school the summer after graduation. I am a Health Sciences major with a biology minor. My cumulative GPA is 3.153 at this time, but all of my “harder” classes are behind me so I am hoping to have closer to a 3.3 at graduation. I have all As in Bs in my prerequisite courses besides Organic chemistry, biochemistry, and anatomy. I have retaken Organic chemistry already, but I got a C both times I took the class. I got a C in anatomy and biochemistry, but I plan on retaking both classes before graduation. Should I also plan on retaking Organic chemistry again as well? I had gotten Cs in gen ed chemistry classes my first time around, but I got a B and B+ when I retook them. I have 1500 clinical hours as a CNA, and another 800 hours as a Monitor Technician. This upcoming year I plan on shadowing more PAs and doing volunteer work at a local health clinic. I will also be working as a PCT full time during the year I take off from school. I will also be obtaining my BLS, ACLS, and PAL certifications. I just want to know do I even stand a chance of getting into PA school? And if so, what else should I do to help my chances of getting in? I just want to use my last year to finish strong and prove to PA school I have what it takes!

    Thanks!!

    1. I think your chances of getting in right out of school are not good. You’re young. Your grades are not so sturdy, but you do have some patient experience. FOCUS your efforts. Forget ACLS and PALS (you can’t even use those yet!) Follow the instructions in the article you just read. Retake all of the courses that you did worse than a B- in, at least the ones that are PA school science prerequisites. Start with anatomy. Getting a C in Anatomy just won’t do. Biochemistry isn’t a PA school prerequisite, so I wouldn’t bother at this point. Don’t try to pretty up your application with things they don’t ask for. Get the basics down and your chances will be much better. That said, O-chem isn’t a requirement for many schools. But YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON YOUR GRADES. You won’t change your GPA noticeably, but you will show that you can handle the material that PA school is based on.

  19. I retook two classes that I did not do well with ( first semester of college, hard time adjusting,ect). However, according to my transcript because I retook the classes I do not get any credit for the bad grades only the improved grades.
    How does that work with CASPA? I know that everything must match according to the transcript. And that CASPA using the credits linked to that grade to calculate the GPA. But if there is no credit for the old grade, how does it calculate both grades?

    1. CASPA averages the grades. They treat retakes as additional classes in terms of GPA, so nothing “cancels” anything. If you took Chem 101 and got a C the first time and then an A, the Chem 101 portion of your GPA would be 3.0, not 4.0. There’s nothing really that you can do about this. If you have completed your undergrad, the new class won’t even average. You’ll have a C in undergrad, and a repeat (we’ll say an A) in the same class that will factor into your “baccalaureate” GPA. If you go on to get a Masters, all those grades will be factored into your “Graduate” GPA only. Basically, CASPA and schools give you multiple GPAs for the different periods during which you’ve been a student.

      1. Okay. That makes sense. Thank you for your help. I will finish my undergrad next spring 2016.
        Would it be wise to consider getting a masters degree? I think my gpa will be okay but it will not be competitive.

  20. Paul, I just graduated with a B.S. degree in Biomedical Sciences. I had a cummulitive GPA of 3.13 and science GPA of 2.98. I volunteered at an ER this past summer and am currently working as a medical scribe in another ER. I am about to begin volunteering for Hospice and this spring I plan on taking Medical Terminology online and retaking Biochemistry 1, since I made a C in it. All of my other prereqs are As and Bs. Do you have any advice? Will retaking those classes at another school effect my science GPA?

    1. Honestly, you should know that it won’t improve your GPA (science or cumulative) much, since they will all be averaged together, including the first and second time you take a course. But it shows to them that you have gotten better at a core topic since you first took it. In order to be okay admitting you, they need to know that you have gotten comfortable with the material that they will build on when you are a PA student. So yes, I think you should retake any science prerequisite that you got less than a B- in. If your science GPA is 2.98, then there may be other courses you didn’t do as well in (unless you got all B’s and one C, which could total 2.98). Keep building on your knowledge with patients by working and/or volunteering with patients. Over time, you will develop critical knowledge and skills, and show them that you are ready.

  21. Marcus Duviella says:

    I was wondering if molecular biology could be a substitute for microbiology? and which one makes you look better in terms of what PA schools are looking for?

    1. No, molecular bio and microbio are not interchangeable. They want you to understand the biology of bacteria and other microorganisms that you will be fighting as a PA. There may be some overlapp, but one cannot sub for the other. It’s not a question of “looking good,” it’s a question of having some mastery of the subjects that what they will teach you is founded on.

  22. Hello,
    I just finished my junior year of college and am now in the process of applying to PA school. My question comes to CASPA grading and calculation of GPA’s (I’ve done research on the CASPA’s site but, wasn’t particularly sure for my situation). So, at my school I started as a nursing major with MAIN intentions of going on to graduate school. A year through nursing school, the program itself was very much struggling and many students (myself) along with it. Since then, the university has reworked the entire program – switching from a 2 year to a 4 year and also re-crafting staff, curriculum, and grading scale. My first semester I did great with a 84-85% however, with the program’s absurd grading scale it goes into my transcript as a C+. My second semester I ended with an 81% which goes in as a C-. These are my two lowest grades in my entire college career. Since changing to a Biology Major I’ve been able to really turn my grades around and haven’t gotten anything less than an A- since. However, in some of these classes I’ve taken since my teachers bumped my grade up to the A- (for example: took calculus and O.Chem, received an 87% in both but, with the curve for a difficult class the teacher’s gave me an A-) how will CASPA put in these grades along with my horrid nursing grades? Currently I’m sitting at a 3.49 and I’m just very concerned about my GPA while applying.

    Sorry for the paragraph story but I would love an expert opinion – Thanks!

    1. That is a very strange grading system. CASPA will have absolutely no context. Whatever the school calls an A or a B or a C, CASPA will. My suggestion is that you use your essay to provide some context. There you can explain the crazy grading system and hopefully it will help them feel better about your GPA. BTW, 3.49 is pretty good.

  23. Hello!
    I just graduated from a UC and I am now looking to take my science prerequisites at a community college. I wrongly took my Chemistry series at the UC (it was an
    A-C series) and I got a C in the first and a C- in the following two. I know PA schools looks for C and above only so I definitely plan to retake these classes. However, how do they average out since it’s not considered a failing class? I am graduating from the UC with about a 2.8 overall. In terms of prerequisites: I have an A in stats, english composition, and psychology so far. I need to take the Spanish series and the other remaining science courses (anatomy, microbio, etc..) What do you think? How am I looking JUST in terms of grades?

    1. Anna — that’s such a tiny slice of data on you that it’s impossible to say what your chances are. I’m not going to sugar coat it: 2.8 is low for PA school. If you want to go to PA school you will need to retake science prerequisite courses in which you got less than a B. The better you do (A is the goal!) the easier time you will have convincing them that you are now a better student and worthy of admission. If you just graduated and your grades are low, I usually recommend waiting before more classes. Give yourself some breathing room and a chance to reflect on your goals. Maybe school isn’t what you want to do now — if you do it anyway, you might end up with bad grades that will seriously cross PA off the possibility list. Then, when you feel ready and are really excited to knock those classes out, that’s when to go back to school.

  24. Hi Paul I had a quick question.
    I graduated last May with a BS in Health Sciences. I got a C/C+ in gen chem 1/2, but i retook gen chem 1 and got an A. I got A’s in everything else but a B/B+ in bio 1/2. over 2500 hours of HCE as an EMT and ER Scribe. Shadowing experience in 6 different PA specialties, over 400 volunteer hrs in a Hospital and with school on wheels and the illumination foundation.
    Only thing is that I have not taken ochem or biochem. I was wondering if I should wait an extra yr and take those classes or just apply this yr.

    Best,

    Ferid Addish

    1. Apply this year. Most PA schools do not require organic chemistry or biochemistry. If you get in, then you’ve saved yourself a load of time and work. Obviously, if there’s a school that you really want to apply to that require those courses, that would be a reason to take them. But I say apply now.

  25. Hi,

    When repeating a science course, do you know if schools typically require both lecture and lab in the repeat course? I’ve heard mixed answers and am not sure if I should retake both for Gen Chem if I can just do the lecture?

    1. All repeated coursework should identical (or as much as possible). If it’s a Biology with lab that you’re repeating, then you need a bio with lab to retake. For the PA school science prerequisites, those labs are very important. Most schools won’t accept bio, chem, organic, micro, physio, or anatomy without a lab.

  26. Hi Paul. Thank you for the informative article.

    I’m confused on if I should be retaking a few classes to boost my gpa. I graduated with my bachelors in Kinesiology with a 3.339 gpa and my science gpa is 3.24 (if i calculated it correctly).
    I have mostly A and B in my pre-reqs:
    BIO 1: A
    BIO 2: B
    CHEM 1/2: B
    ORGO: A
    Psych: A
    AP 1/2: B
    GENETICS: B
    MICRO: A

    The thing thats bringing down my science GPA is physics which i got a C in. But if i wanted to boost my gpa should i retake BIO 2 and get an A? If so, how much will it improve my gpa..is it worth retaking? (How can i calculate that??) Or should I take a class such as biochem or immunology (which some pa schools now require) and aim for an A.Which would be better for my gpa, Help!!
    Thank you!

    1. Good question. No, I wouldn’t retake physics. It’s not a pre-requisite for most PA programs. And the goal of retaking classes (at least in the article that you read) isn’t to “raise your GPA.” That’s because retaking classes rarely raises your cumulative GPA much.

      If you do the math:
      for a standard 180 semester unit completed bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.3, you would need to take 30 units — with all A’s — to raise your cumulative GPA to 3.4.
      30 units! That’s 10 classes (3 units each) with perfect A’s all the way through.

      So the goal of retaking classes isn’t to raise your GPA. It’s to reassure them that you understand and have mastered the material on which they will be building in PA school.

  27. Hi,

    I had a medical issue in m early college years and I have a D in Intro to Sociology and a D in a Geology course (these are my only grades below a B on my transcript save for a withdrawal failure in Psych that I retook for a B later). I went back to school later when well again and graduated with a degree in English with a GPA of 3.4. I am now taking the hard science pre-reqs I need for PA school and I am rocking A’s and B’s. My question is this: do you recommend retaking Geology (for the sake of my science GPA) and Sociology (just to get rid of the other D)? Thank you so much!

  28. Hi Paul

    I have a question so currently I am majoring in psychology and I have currently about a 3.85 and a sicence GPA of 3.0, I am a hispanic student I am in many acedemic clubs thinking of joining student ogvernment in my university, also. I have pure b’s in my science courses. I had to withdraw from my chemistry classes because, I lived in a rural cummunity and my local community college was about an hour and half away, but I didn’t give up got them up to b’s and I am thinking of joining the army to be a physcian assistant in the army. What are my chances of entering a program or should I just give up and go into nursing ?

    1. 3.85 is good! The average overall GPA for starting PA school students is 3.35. Your science GPA is a little low, but B’s is generally good. I wouldn’t say you should give up! Get the best grades you can and then apply!

  29. Hi Paul,

    Thank you so much for your insight. I have read through most of these comments, so I will try to not to repeat questions that were already answered above. I graduated last spring from Colgate University and majored in something unrelated to sciences/PA school. Yet, I always knew I wanted to go to PA school so I took some courses at Colgate and my grades were all over the place in the sciences (pre-reqs w/ C+ were Gen Chem 1 and Gen Psych my freshman year, and Gen Bio 1 my senior year). I already took Gen Bio 2 and got an A, and plan on taking Microbiology this coming semester to finish my pre-reqs. My sGPA right now is 3.1 with the 1 outstanding Microbio class.

    After lots of research, I am deciding to stop work (as a scribe) for now and go back to school full time (at least for this semester and summer) instead of part time (I have enough hours to do so between scribing and EMT). My question is though:

    Should I retake ALL 3 of those classes I did below a B in? I know it won’t boost my GPA much at all and I have more psych courses that I did better in.
    OR
    Should I retake 1 or 2 of these classes and enroll in more upper levels? Such as Microbio, histology, genetics, advanced pathophys?

    Just not sure of the direction I should take…retaking all of the courses I did bad in seems like a waste of time and money to me but I know I have to prove my academic capabilities in these specific courses.

    Either way, I am going to take at least a few more upper levels than required to boost the GPA and prove myself.

    Thank you for your feedback!

    1. I don’t recommend going on to upper division courses. They don’t want to see that you can take “hard” courses, or even that you’re “smart.” They want to know that you have mastered the prerequisite material to what they will be teaching you. So I don’t think repeating them is a waste of time. You could, of course, retake 1 or 2 and apply while you’re working on the others, and if you aren’t accepted, you’ll have the other(s) done. Remember: it’s not about improving your GPA! It’s about proving you can handle what they throw at you, and they know you can’t handle it until you handle what comes BEFORE what they teach you.

  30. Hi Paul,

    First thanks so much for this website! It seriously helps reading all of the advice about PA school. I graduated UC with a 3.2 GPA overall. I got a C/C/B+ in Chem 1ABC and I got a C/B- for Calc 1A and 1B. My question to you is, should I redo the Gen Chem series at community college to get a A which will average out to a B? And second, instead of re-doing calc, should I do college algebra, since I haven’t taken that course and it could be used for my math grade? I’m afraid that it won’t look as strong since I took a higher level math (calc) at uni and are am taking a lower level math at community college.

    Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

    1. First off, you need to understand how PA school grades work. If you retake a class after you graduate, the grades won’t “average out.” You will have one GPA for undergrad, and one for any work you completed after PA school (they will call this your baccalaureate GPA). Worry less about WHERE you take a class, and much more about what grade you get. An A from a community college is better than a B from a university, and MUCH better than a C from a university. I would do the math course that you feel you will do best at, as long as you meet the math requirements for PA school entrance. So, if they require calculus, you should probably retake it. If not, algebra should be fine.

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