Auditing a class before taking the class

[PreMedStudent92]

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There is a class that I really want to take with a specific professor but he's not teaching it until a later semester. This class is known to be a very hard class and the professor only writes recommendations for students that get A's.

If I audit this class with a different professor, then take the actual class for credit, will it look bad on my transcript?

For everyone's information, on the transcript, it says "audit" instead of a letter grade.

-Note- I can technically just sit in lecture and learn, but I won't be able to participate in discussion or quizzes or tests. Nor I don't think I would be motivated to go unless I am actually enrolled as audit.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

There is a class that I really want to take with a specific professor but he's not teaching it until a later semester. This class is known to be a very hard class and the professor only writes recommendations for students that get A's.

If I audit this class with a different professor, then take the actual class for credit, will it look bad on my transcript?

For everyone's information, on the transcript, it says "audit" instead of a letter grade.

-Note- I can technically just sit in lecture and learn, but I won't be able to participate in discussion or quizzes or tests. Nor I don't think I would be motivated to go unless I am actually enrolled as audit.

Why not just wait? This seems like a huge waste of time.

 

[CodeBlu]

No need to do that. You'd be wasting your time.

Also, this guy doesn't sound like someone I'd want writing me a letter. "Only writes letters for students that get A's?"

Sounds like someone who keeps a generic letter on file, changes a few things. Then mails it off.

Not your strongest letter at all.

 

[Planes2Doc]

No need to do that. You'd be wasting your time.

Also, this guy doesn't sound like someone I'd want writing me a letter. "Only writes letters for students that get A's?"

Sounds like someone who keeps a generic letter on file, changes a few things. Then mails it off.

Not your strongest letter at all.

I think this is probably the case. One of my strongest LORs were from a professor where I didn't get a solid A. I didn't get an A for a very good reason (I know it sounds weird, crazy story), and this is actually why I think my letter was pretty strong.

 

[Law2Doc]

There is a class that I really want to take with a specific professor but he's not teaching it until a later semester. This class is known to be a very hard class and the professor only writes recommendations for students that get A's.

If I audit this class with a different professor, then take the actual class for credit, will it look bad on my transcript?

For everyone's information, on the transcript, it says "audit" instead of a letter grade.

-Note- I can technically just sit in lecture and learn, but I won't be able to participate in discussion or quizzes or tests. Nor I don't think I would be motivated to go unless I am actually enrolled as audit.

I wouldnt want the double lusting on my transcript because it taints whatever grade you get -- either you do well and they say, so what he took it twice. Or you do poorly and they say, geez this guy couldn't even pick it up the second time through. If you had the time and inclination, I would however just attend on the down low without registering, buy the book and do the assignments, even if they weren't graded and even if you couldn't sit in for quizzes or discussion. That way you give yourself a better chance of doing well when you take it for real. FWIW, if you don't have the motivation for self study (and all of us have to fight this internal battle to some degree) the med school path is going to be rough indeed.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I wouldnt want the double lusting on my transcript because it taints whatever grade you get -- either you do well and they say, so what he took it twice. Or you do poorly and they say, geez this guy couldn't even pick it up the second time through. If you had the time and inclination, I would however just attend on the down low without registering, buy the book and do the assignments, even if they weren't graded and even if you couldn't sit in for quizzes or discussion. That way you give yourself a better chance of doing well when you take it for real. FWIW, if you don't have the motivation for self study (and all of us have to fight this internal battle to some degree) the med school path is going to be rough indeed.

Yup I agree with this. If you go to a huge school, you can easily get away with doing this on the down low. I knew of people who did this with Orgo. Good luck though if you are at a liberal arts school.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Yup I agree with this. If you go to a huge school, you can easily get away with doing this on the down low. I knew of people who did this with Orgo. Good luck though if you are at a liberal arts school.

You can now find entire courses like bio and organic on iTunes u and YouTube for free, complete with PowerPoint slides. UC Berkley has courses online that are far better quality than the ones i took as an undergrad. Makes you question the value of a degree when it can all be gotten for free. If you really feel the need, you could pre-study without the classroom. This is how I reviewed organic and gen chem, as I took them in 2003/2004.

 

[Planes2Doc]

You can now find entire courses like bio and organic on iTunes u and YouTube for free, complete with PowerPoint slides. UC Berkley has courses online that are far better quality than the ones i took as an undergrad. Makes you question the value of a degree when it can all be gotten for free. If you really feel the need, you could pre-study without the classroom. This is how I reviewed organic and gen chem, as I took them in 2003/2004.

Oh good point! You'd also be amazed at how much you can learn through something like Khan Academy by starting at square one.