Advices for taking time off?

[dr_keki]

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Hi everyone,

I am thinking of taking a year off or so. Meanwhile, I plan to do research during that year off. Problem is I want to raise my science gpa. Anyhow, I plan to take graduate classes while working full time. However, I get the impression on this thread that adcoms don't look highly on grad grades. Should I take more undergraduate classes at a nearby state school or should I take grad classes to boast my science gpa? Another thing, would the classes I take after undergrad be counted in the AMCAS gpa? I would appreciate any advices you can give. Thanks a bunch!
🙁

 

[PimplePopperMD]

You didn't really explain the situation very well. Which courses are you referring to? Are you comparing a community college undergrad courses to Dartmouth grad courses?

I took graduate level courses, and I was able to put it into AMCAS (years ago; you can check to see if it still applies). A graduate level course in physiology is certainly better than an undergrad course in ecology in my book.

Bottom line: I don't see anything wrong with graduate work. Just make sure it's relevent and can help your application.

good luck!

 

[mpp]

Graduate courses will be computed in a separate GPA on the AMCAS application and will not affect your overall undergraduate GPA or BCPM (Science) GPA. If you want to raise your AMCAS science GPA you must take undergraduate classess.

 

[m2006]

While it is true, that graduate grades are recorded separately on the AMCAS app, it is not the case that your undergrad Science GPA will increase by taking undergrad classes. Once you've received your BA/BS, any further undergrad level classes count as post-bacc courses and are figured into the GPA in a section entitled PB GPA. My "undergrad" section was simply a weighted average of my first year, sophomore, junior, and senior grades...

I'd take what you're interested in with some regard to which ones have the best school name behind them.

 

[dr_keki]

I'm getting all mix responses here. I'm so confused now. Anyone else have an opinion about this?

 

[mpp]

Unless they have changed it since last year I believe m2006 is mistaken. The cumulative undergraduate GPAs reported (including BCPM GPA, All Other GPA, and Total GPA) were computed using freshman, sophmore, junior, senior, and postbaccalaureate GPA.

The GPA chart for the 2002 entering class looks something like this:

ACADEMIC STATUS
High School
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Postbaccalaureate
CUMULATIVE UNDERGRADUATE
Graduate

The Cumulative Undergraduate GPA contains the Postbaccalaureate courses.

 

[omores]

Originally posted by m2006
Once you've received your BA/BS, any further undergrad level classes count as post-bacc courses and are figured into the GPA in a section entitled PB GPA.

Really? All my post-bacc courses were factored into my regular GPA. But I applied two summers ago. Has AMCAS changed its policy, or is the situation variable?

At any rate, Dr. K, graduate level courses will not raise your science GPA, since they're reported separately. But although they won't elevate your numbers, they may have some "impress the adcom" value. Do keep in mind, however, that graduate level grades have the reputation (deserved or not) of being inflated more than undergraduate grades. You might be better off with some upper-level undergraduate courses -- unless your transcript is already full of them.