Designating coursework

[Lucillus]

I've taken a class during my graduate degree that is available for senior undergraduate and graduate students. On the graduate studies page, it states that the course is a graduate-level course. On the undergraduate studies page, the course is designated as an upper-level course.

The class is not a part of my graduate degree curriculum. I took the class for my own interest.

Would I designate it as a post-bacc course in AMCAS?

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[KnightDoc]

I've taken a class during my graduate degree that is available for senior undergraduate and graduate students. On the graduate studies page, it states that the course is a graduate-level course. On the undergraduate studies page, the course is designated as an upper-level course.

The class is not a part of my graduate degree curriculum. I took the class for my own interest.

Would I designate it as a post-bacc course in AMCAS?

How can you designate a course you are taking as part of a graduate program as a post-bacc, just because it isn't required for the graduate degree???? Remember, AMCAS is going to see your transcript during verification, it is available to the schools at any time, and the school will see it if you enroll!!!

 

[Lucillus]

How can you designate a course you are taking as part of a graduate program as a post-bacc, just because it isn't required for the graduate degree???? Remember, AMCAS is going to see your transcript during verification, it is available to the schools at any time, and the school will see it if you enroll!!!

As per AMCAS instructions.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/182162/data/amcas_instruction_manual.pdf (p37).

Assign Post Baccalaureate (PB) status to any undergraduate-level coursework you
enrolled in:
After receipt of your initial BA/BS degree.
While enrolled in a graduate program, if coursework is not applied to a
graduate degree.

Which is my case.
.
Assign Graduate (GR) status to any professional or graduate-level coursework that
is not applied to an undergraduate degree.

The issue.

Comes down to the course being labeled as upper-level advanced undergraduate coursework on the undergraduate studies page but as a graduate course on the graduate studies page. On my transcript, the designation isn't made/displayed either. What should I go by?

Hopefully, this clarifies it for you and anyone else.

 

[baz2020]

Does your school differentiate between graduate and undergraduate using course numbers? For example at my school a class that is graduate and undergraduate co-enrollment the grad students get a 5xx while undergrads get a 4xx

 

[KnightDoc]

The issue.

Comes down to the course being labeled as upper-level advanced undergraduate coursework on the undergraduate studies page but as a graduate course on the graduate studies page. On my transcript, the designation isn't made/displayed either. What should I go by?

Hopefully, this clarifies it for you and anyone else.

It does, and the answer is very clear to me. Even though it is not required for your graduate degree, either you are receiving credit for it towards your degree or you are not. If you receive credit, it is applied to the degree, and it is GR for AMCAS purposes. Otherwise it is not. Period. Easy peasy.

 

[Lucillus]

Does your school differentiate between graduate and undergraduate using course numbers? For example at my school a class that is graduate and undergraduate co-enrollment the grad students get a 5xx while undergrads get a 4xx

My course is a 5xx level. 1xx-5xx is considered undergraduate coursework. 5xx-7xx is considered graduate coursework. The reason for this is that some departments have overlap with 5xx courses, as is the case in my situation, and is offered to senior undergraduates and graduate students. There is no clear distinction in some departments, mine being one of them. Therefore it muddles the waters in terms of clarity.

 

[Lucillus]

It does, and the answer is very clear to me. Even though it is not required for your graduate degree, either you are receiving credit for it towards your degree or you are not. If you receive credit, it is applied to the degree, and it is GR for AMCAS purposes. Otherwise it is not. Period. Easy peasy.

My course has a loose interpretation as to whether if it's a graduate or undergraduate course. Are you inferring that since it was taken as a graduate student, it should be treated as a graduate course regardless of its loose interpretation but due to my standing with the university?

So if an undergraduate course was being taken during a graduate degree but isn't a part of the curriculum however the credits are applied to the degree, it would still count as GR for AMCAS purposes? Also, then how would one define post-bacc classes? Only as courses taken while enrolled in an institution with no terminal degree? This would go against one of the policies noted by AMCAS though regarding designation.

 

[KnightDoc]

My course has a loose interpretation as to whether if it's a graduate or undergraduate course. Are you inferring that since it was taken as a graduate student, it should be treated as a graduate course regardless of its loose interpretation but due to my standing with the university?

So if an undergraduate course was being taken during a graduate degree but isn't a part of the curriculum however the credits are applied to the degree, it would still count as GR for AMCAS purposes? Also, then how would one define post-bacc classes? Only as courses taken while enrolled in an institution with no terminal degree? This would go against one of the policies noted by AMCAS though regarding designation.

Yes. It's not a "loose interpretation." It's a course that is undergraduate for a student in an undergraduate program and graduate for a student in a graduate program. Yes, a 500-level class taken by a grad student enrolled in a graduate degree program is classified as GR by AMCAS. It's not ambiguous.

If for any reason you don't agree, please feel free to do whatever you think is correct. AMCAS will make a final determination during verification.

 

[Lucillus]

Yes. It's not a "loose interpretation." It's a course that is undergraduate for a student in an undergraduate program and graduate for a student in a graduate program. Yes, a 500-level class taken by a grad student enrolled in a graduate degree program is classified as GR by AMCAS. It's not ambiguous.

You are right now that I've thought about it. Will list as GR.
Thanks for the feedback. Wanted to label it as PB to bolster my GPA, so there was some conflicting bias there

 

[KnightDoc]

You are right now that I've thought about it. Will list as GR.
Thanks for the feedback. Wanted to label it as PB to bolster my GPA, so there was some conflicting bias there

I figured, but, at the end of the day, how much can 3 or 4 credits move a needle?

 

[Lucillus]

I figured, but, at the end of the day, how much can 3 or 4 credits move a needle?

Agreed, not by much lol