Astronomy?

[Sanguis]

I am trying to put a DIY post bacc together, but I am having conflicting thoughts regarding astronomy classes. Does it look bad if I take Astro 1 & 2 just to bump that sGPA?

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[brownu6782]

I took astronomy as an undergrad and it did bump my science GPA by a little bit, but my advice would be to take it only if you have a genuine interest in the subject. If you have an interest in astronomy and want to learn more about it, I can't see that looking bad! But if you just want to take astronomy to boost your science GPA, maybe find a subject that you find more interesting. That's just my opinion!

 

[ChrisMack390]

You're calling this a physics class I'm assuming? Meh...I wouldn't...

 

[Goro]

Yes.

Take Anatomy, Physiology, Med Micro, Neuroscience etc.

Do you really think that if you're faking your grades that you'll do well in med school? We ne4ed to know that you can survive a med school curriculum. YOU need to know it!

So quit thinking like a freshman pre-med.

I am trying to put a DIY post bacc together, but I am having conflicting thoughts regarding astronomy classes. Does it look bad if I take Astro 1 & 2 just to bump that sGPA?

 

[Ismet]

You're calling this a physics class I'm assuming? Meh...I wouldn't...

AAMC explicitly lists Astronomy in the lIst of BCPM courses, under physics. It's fine.

I think it's fine, if you can work it in amongst the other courses. Regular pre-meds often take GPA-boosting science courses, I don't see why that's so taboo for a DIY postbacc. 2 classes won't raise your GPA that much but if you find it interesting, it can't hurt. You obviously need all the pre-reqs and you should throw some upper level science in there too.

 

[ChrisMack390]

AAMC explicitly lists Astronomy in the lIst of BCPM courses, under physics. It's fine.

I think it's fine, if you can work it in amongst the other courses. Regular pre-meds often take GPA-boosting science courses, I don't see why that's so taboo for a DIY postbacc. 2 classes won't raise your GPA that much but if you find it interesting, it can't hurt. You obviously need all the pre-reqs and you should throw some upper level science in there too.

I didn't mean I wouldn't call it physics, it's definitely an area of physics. I meant I just wouldn't take it at all.

 

[Ismet]

I think the issue is in postbacc, there is a direct connection to to showing preparedness for medical school and the "classic" view of premeds being good at biology related courses still predominates. Particularly with postbacc, where applicants are more likely had a need to improve GPA, and thus invite more scrutiny, that it may raise the question "why did this applicant take astronomy?" Unanswered questions being pondered by an adcom are a dangerous thing.

Granted I don't have as much admissions experience as faculty or longtime adcom members, so I'll defer to that, but in my 3 years as a committee member I have never heard anyone say "why did this person take X class?" People can have interests outside of biology and if they have the money to take those classes and want to take them, I don't see why they should be faulted. This is all assuming that this person will also take some upper level bio courses to demonstrate that they can do well in those.

I agree with the first poster that astronomy may not be the best choice if the OP is not actually interested in it. Astronomy, when done right, isn't a fluff course.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Yes.

Take Anatomy, Physiology, Med Micro, Neuroscience etc.

Do you really think that if you're faking your grades that you'll do well in med school? We ne4ed to know that you can survive a med school curriculum. YOU need to know it!

So quit thinking like a freshman pre-med.

oh snap

 

[Sanguis]

Thanks guys for clearing my mind = astronomy
I am better off taking biostats, and physio.

 

[JustintheDoctor]

damn i'm in the same boat. I'm actually interested, like I love watching videos and stuff about planets, space etc but I feel like the class would bore me to death with equations and stuff.

 

[kamakazi5]

As others have said don't take it during post-bac. Astronomy is awesome though, I took both semesters in undergrad and loved it. We even had astrobiology which was one of my favorite classes during college. If medical school doesn't work out I would love to do something in the field.

 

[Crayola227]

undergrad or post bacc, if you're fluffing your GPA with these courses I would be prepared to state convincingly why you took them to an interviewer

it's taken for granted that undergrads are trying to "find" themselves so any number of odd courses like underwatering basketweaving may go unquestioned especially early on

I took an acting course late in my undergrad unrelated to my major and was asked why, actually
[it was simple, it was for my minor (and my minor was foreign language which is respectable to adcoms) and I needed the credits and it was the only class open and I thought it would be fun}