Retake a core course?

[tb8]

So I got a B- on one of my requirement class (PsychologyMaster student here).

Although my adviser said I don't have to retake it as long as my GPA is meeting standards.

I wonder if i should retake it anyway.

I'm worried that a B- will affect my admission to a Ph.D program in the future.

My other grades aren't stellar either got a B and B+, only 2 A-'s so far.

Any opinion. PhD programs usually need to see at least a 3.5+ to apply right?

Edited December 1, 2011 by tb8

[ktel]

Are you in 1st year?

[biomedicalman]

I'm not clear on this, but it would seem that you should do well with your research in the MA program if you are going for a PhD. The grades partly matter, but your research ability is most important in a PhD program. Theoretically, you could have a student who was barely passing courses in a PhD program (which means barely earning a 3.0) and doing stellar research, and that would be OK. The opposite, where little to no productive research is happening but grades are good, is actually not preferred. However, if you are applying to a PhD program for counseling psychology, I have no idea.

[ktel]

Sorry I missed the part in your post that said you were a Master's student. I thought you were an undergrad. In most grad programs a B- is basically a minimum pass, so it does reflect poorly on you. That coupled with the fact that your other grades are in the B region could be troublesome, but with strong research that could probably be overlooked.

[tb8]

Thanks for replying,

Maybe I should expand more...although my grades are not stellar but...

I have 3 years of on-going research in a lab, with some presentations at national conferences of those work along with that.

I'm planning to apply to a Developmental or experimental psychology PhD program.

I have yet to take the GRE.

I guessed it's hard to tell from these credentials? But would research experience be weighted more than grades for a PhD program? or they will look at both equally.

I'm on my last year of my master program and I was wondering if I should repeat the core course since the B- does not look good on the transcript.

Edited December 2, 2011 by tb8

[biomedicalman]

Depends on where you are applying. I think in most cases a B- not in a PhD program, in combination with several other mid-level grades, is probably something you should fix. So I would say, repeat it. Also, get a second faculty opinion. Your advisor may not be the best source of info on this, depending on how many students s/he has graduated, how well s/he is in touch with the general picture of getting into PhD programs, etc.

[tb8]

Thanks for replying. I decide to retake it.

But if I apply to Phd programs in the future, how will the adcoms look at a repeated course on the transcript? or will the adcom not know that I repeated a course (say they only look at the overall grade on the application and not the transcript? not sure if that's even possible).