Does AMCAS Count Repeated Courses? (The Harsh Truth)

The Grade Forgiveness Myth

One of the most common pieces of advice given by undergraduate academic advisors is: "Just retake the class! The new grade will replace the old one."

While this is true for your undergraduate transcript, it is entirely false for your medical school application.

When you apply to medical school, the AAMC requires you to submit official transcripts from every single college or university you have ever attended. They do not look at your university's calculated GPA. Instead, they input every single raw grade into their own algorithm.

How AMCAS Averages Retakes

If you failed Biology 101 with an F (0.0), and then retook it the next semester and earned an A (4.0), your university might show a 4.0 for that requirement.

AMCAS will average the two. For AMCAS, you essentially took two different 3-credit classes. They will add the 0.0 and the 4.0, resulting in a 2.0 average (C) for those 6 credits.

Does it Look Bad to Retake a Class?

Retaking a class to prove you can master the material is better than leaving an F on your transcript. Medical school admissions committees appreciate an "upward trend." If they see you failed Organic Chemistry as a freshman but earned an A as a sophomore, it shows resilience.

However, you must mathematically prepare for the fact that the original F will still drag down your cumulative and BCPM (Science) GPA.

What Should You Do?

If you have multiple repeated courses, do not rely on the GPA printed on your diploma. You must manually calculate your AMCAS GPA before applying so you know exactly where you stand against the competition.