13 credits hours- sophomore year- how bad?

[Leer]

If I take 13 credits (O chem, genetics + random other stuff) how bad will this look, as opposed to taking the 16 I was going to take?

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[necoli]

If I take 13 credits (O chem, genetics + random other stuff) how bad will this look, as opposed to taking the 16 I was going to take?

It isn't terrible, but you will eventually want to show that you can cope with a heavey credit load. If you are busy with lots of other activities (e.g. a full time job, student athelete, or a comparable EC), then adcoms will take that into consideration.

 

[SitraAchra]

It isn't terrible, but you will eventually want to show that you can cope with a heavey credit load. If you are busy with lots of other activities (e.g. a full time job, student athelete, or a comparable EC), then adcoms will take that into consideration.

This is classic bad advice, also perpetrated by premed advisors at colleges everywhere.

As long as you stay a full time student and make good grades, no one will care if you took a few semesters with fewer than 16 credit hours. The idea that getting a 3.4 GPA while volunteering and working and doing research is better than getting a 4.0 and doing say one of those ECs is FALSE.

Adcoms will look at your GPA and your MCAT. Then they will chose to open that app.

 

[deleted357625]

If I take 13 credits (O chem, genetics + random other stuff) how bad will this look, as opposed to taking the 16 I was going to take?

dude that is totally fine, go at your own pace.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Unlucky 13!

 

[kpcrew]

it's fine, don't worry about it. as long as you take all the required classes and are set to graduate on time, you will be okay. but it's nice to do something with the free time you have, go volunteer or work just to have that experience.

 

[Propylene]

Agreed, if you only take 13 units it gives you plenty of time to develop some strong ECs. Keep those grades up too and you'll be fine!

 

[getright]

I think you're fine as long as you get mostly A's and complete some Ec's.

 

[elbow123]

Think of adcom's as looking as your GPA score as a whole first -- quality over quantity. You should strive to get all A's, and add more units *only* if you know you can handle the extra workload. It also depends on your overall GPA so far. Do you need to boost it significantly? If so, then you might consider adding more units and doing well in all of them.

One last thing, try asking yourself why you think you can't handle more classes? Lack of time? If you have no time, perhaps you have too many commitments. You can focus on them in the summer--or focus on them now and take more classes in the summer. Too hard? Actively seek help at office hours or section, you can pick up a great rec letter on the way. Bad time management? I know a lot of students (myself included) enjoy going out and socializing, but if this is affecting school, then be real with yourself and remember what's important.

Good luck 🙂

 

[NewYorker9]

Show at least one semester that you can take 17-18 credit hours with upper level sciences + labs and get A's so they know you can perform well in the sciences with a heavier work load

 

[gettheleadout]

This is classic bad advice, also perpetrated by premed advisors at colleges everywhere.

As long as you stay a full time student and make good grades, no one will care if you took a few semesters with fewer than 16 credit hours. The idea that getting a 3.4 GPA while volunteering and working and doing research is better than getting a 4.0 and doing say one of those ECs is FALSE.

Adcoms will look at your GPA and your MCAT. Then they will chose to open that app.

Show at least one semester that you can take 17-18 credit hours with upper level sciences + labs and get A's so they know you can perform well in the sciences with a heavier work load

Uh...

 

[miabullitt]

I'd consider switching career paths, you doomed yourself.

 

[alexandertg6]

unlucky 13!

+1

youre looking at carribean at best

 

[bunnity]

Credits vary from school to school so it's not very accurate to get advice from someone at another school. 16 credits at one school is not the same difficulty as 16 credits as another school (it could be 4-6 classes depending on how the school assigns credits to classes).

 

[Narmerguy]

I don't understand why people are talking about someone never taking an average course load. If you can't handle 15 undergraduate credits a semester you're going to have trouble in medical school anyway. However, there's no rule that you can't go under 15 credits a few semesters.

Clearly taking 13 a semester and coasting with AP credits to make up the difference probably isn't the best either. However, taking 18+ credits a few semesters isn't going to impress anyone either. In fact, taking 18+ credits every semester probably isn't going to be as big as a deal as your GPA. They're going to care more about your GPA than any of that stuff, and if your application seems compelling they may look at some of the specific courses you took as a way to possibly explain anomalies in your application (39 MCAT but 3.56 BCPM).

More importantly, this, as with many things, is likely school dependent and it's difficult for us to state unequivocally that some adcom won't look down on students that never take heavy course loads or has a warm fuzzy spot for applicants averaging 18+ a semester. So while what we discussed earlier is more often going to be the case, stuff like this can vary depending on who's looking at your application.

 

[circulus vitios]

Uh...

Premeds answering premeds: the blind leading the blind.

 

[gettheleadout]

Premeds answering premeds: the blind leading the blind.

Which is why it's nice to have residents like SitraAchra and TheProwler around in addition to LizzyM, Cat, and the countless med students here.

 

[eli20]

The chance that someone will look is minimal. The chance that someone will look and care is microscopic.

 

[LizzyM]

The chance that someone will look is minimal. The chance that someone will look and care is microscopic.

I've started reviewing apps and already went 👎 on someone who took a very light load freshman year thanks to AP credits. A 4.0 isn't impressive when the load is super-light. (By light I mean 5 credits.)

 

[Stumpyman]

My freshman year, including summer, I had about 48 credits at the end, however my very first semester I only did 14 credits (just to start off on a light load). I hope that's not a big problem.

 

[gettheleadout]

The chance that someone will look is minimal. The chance that someone will look and care is microscopic.

Like I said, it's nice to have people in positions of authority giving advice here. (See below)

I've started reviewing apps and already went 👎 on someone who took a very light load freshman year thanks to AP credits. A 4.0 isn't impressive when the load is super-light.

My freshman year, including summer, I had about 48 credits at the end, however my very first semester I only did 14 credits (just to start off on a light load). I hope that's not a big problem.

I wouldn't even consider 14 credit-hours a "light load." 15 is a full load, so I'd be surprised if someone looked at 14 and said, "Ah, they couldn't handle the extra hour."

 

[circulus vitios]

I've started reviewing apps and already went 👎 on someone who took a very light load freshman year thanks to AP credits. A 4.0 isn't impressive when the load is super-light.

Were they commuting or working at the time?

 

[45408]

I did it twice (13 credits) - once after a crushing 21 credit semester, and I needed to restore my sanity, and the second time in my last semester of college.

 

[miui]

13 credits isn't a heavy credit load, that is around the number of credits required to be considered a full-time student, I think it's usually 12, so it's actually pretty common for majority of students to be taking at least that amount regardless of their major.