7 minutes in heaven?

[CaMD]

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I asked this question at the bottom of the UCI secondary thread and no one looked, so I apologize for repeating myself.

I took 2 semesters of intro physics, each with the lab component included. One was at my home institution and I was given 3 hours, the other at a summer program and I got 4 hours.

UCI's secondary specifically wants it spelled out that I have 8 credits of physics, butI don' t, I only have 7. But I DID do what I thought I needed to: take 2 sems + labs. Are they going to throw my application out over this? Is there a spot somewhere I can attach a note explaining this?

What to do, what to do?

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

y don't you call them?

 

[CaMD]

y don't you call them?

Cause calling is painful and asking on SDN is fun! (Isn't that the truth about a lot of the posts around here. 🙂 )

Plus I've noticed in life that sometimes the answers that administrators tell you aren't always the same as what you find out really happens. I could totally imagine calling and asking and them saying "sorry, no way, we have an 8 credit policy," but hearing 3 stories on SDN about how when they applied it worked out just fine.

 

[BaylorHappy]

I think most medical schools require 8 units, you should check with every school you apply to.

 

[calstudent]

Hmmm. I would definitely call UCI adcom. or email them for sure. Don't take a chance.
However, (and I am just starting the process with you), my feeling is that you should be o.k. Maybe type up a note and send that in with your secondary explaining the situation, and maybe even offer to take another physics class if UCI accepts you.

I would be shocked if the sole reason you are rejected would be missing 1 unit in a physics class. And, if that is the reason, you probably wouldn't want to go there anyway.

I'm sure you'll be okay.

Now, for those 2 essays.... 😳

 

[HawkeyeBFP]

Yes, definitely call and ask them. It's important to find out quickly because they will almost certainly not throw your application out, but you'll need to know in case you do need to make up the credit.

When I was applying, one of the schools had a couple of pretty unusual pre-reqs (biochemistry and cell biology). I duly undertook those two courses during my glide year, but I realized when I got the secondary that the cell bio course had to include a lab (even though I would have technically had enough semester hours).

Unfortunately my school doesn't happen to offer cell bio with a lab, and they wouldn't budge, so I wound up withdrawing that application. That said, it was a really long shot that I would have gone there anyway (it would have involved a long move) so it's not really a big deal, but it's something I should have made sure to research beforehand.

 

[uclabruin2003]

i dont think 7 units will cut it. my opinion. i thought everyone graduated with around 10-12 semester units in physics?....well at least people from ucla did.

 

[Caesars0331]

See if they have some sort of "1 credit hour" directed study that you could sit in on.......

 

[cher25]

Sign up for a lab only at a local school. Every med school I've ever researched requires 8 units. You don't want to be overlooked on a technicality.

 

[CaMD]

Okay, thank you everyone for your responses. 🙂

I will call UCI and several other schools bright and early Monday morning. The more I think about it the more I am confused by why I only got 3 credits for that class and what all the other pre-meds do...

 

[angstrom55]

the 8 units usually mean one year of physics and 1-2 labs i believe. If you took two semesters of physics and two labs....i believe that would cover it. I'm not sure why there's a credits discrepency with your courses. If you call the UCI med admissions office, they should be able to answer your questions. They're very nice people. 😀