Biology Course- Drop or Pass/Fail? bad idea?

[zoeblogrow]

Hey guys,

I am thinking of dropping a really hard biology class, but I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. I am a freshman, so if I drop this class, I will only have 3 credit units for the first semester. I might get like a C or B- or something (kills the gpa)

I eventually want to go to a medical school, so will they look at this in a negative way? I was thinking that later, I would just take an easier bio course. I'm also considering Pass/Fail, but this class is required for medical school admissions. Will they not accept pass/fail at all? How would it look if I simply took an easier bio course later? (if i drop this class, it won't show up at all on the transcript)


Thanks

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[xeulee]

I know a withdraw failing (wf) would look bad but I'm not sure how they would look at a withdraw. I wouldn't take it as a pass/fail class, especially since it is required and you have the option of getting letter grades.

 

[AlexMorph]

If it won't show up on the transcript, drop it if you know you will do horribly in the class.

 

[zoeblogrow]

hmm.. but would a first semester with only 3 credits look horrible to med schools? Will they wonder if I was lazy or stupid?

 

[Orbo]

hmm.. but would a first semester with only 3 credits look horrible to med schools? Will they wonder if I was lazy or stupid?

If that's all you got, 3 credit hours, then yeah I would say that's bad. If you're working full time, on the other hand, I wouldn't see a problem with it.

 

[jyw003]

3 credit hours as in one class that is 3 units?! Unless your doing a research paper (publication wise) or working full time...you shouldn't drop it. get as much help possible, get to know the professor, dont give up!

 

[zoeblogrow]

lol hahaha no.

thats not how the credits work here.

3 Classes.

Each class= 1 credit unit.
Big science classes w/ Lab component= 1.5 credit units.

i am currently doing 4.5 credit units (biology+3 other classes.) If I drop Bio, then I'll only have 3 classes.

average course load is about 4.5, I believe.

So will 3 credit units look bad? at my school, i think it's relatively low

 

[geneticclone]

lol hahaha no.

thats not how the credits work here.

3 Classes.

Each class= 1 credit unit.
Big science classes w/ Lab component= 1.5 credit units.

i am currently doing 4.5 credit units (biology+3 other classes.) If I drop Bio, then I'll only have 3 classes.

average course load is about 4.5, I believe.

So will 3 credit units look bad? at my school, i think it's relatively low

I guess it wouldnt look too bad. However, what school do you go to? This is the first time ive heard of a school that has 1 unit per class.

 

[jyw003]

hahah yea...you scared me there with the 3 units....i actually thought it was one class....i am curious of what school you go to too 😀

 

[zoeblogrow]

really? is it really that uncommon? ummm i don't think my school is at all obscure.

Does any premed (overall) even think about taking only 3 courses in a semester? Or is that really unusual for a premed student?

and genetic, by "wouldn't look too bad," are you saying that med schools won't care? Or that it'll hurt me a little bit?

 

[Orbo]

Unless you get an admissions committee member to respond, nobody "knows" for sure how a med school is going to look at it, if they even notice it at all.

Personally, I went balls out on classes for the first semester, got my ass handed to me on my first physics exam, got my act together and kept on trekking. It's not unusual for someone to take an easy load for their first semester of college, but it's easy to fall into the trap where you keep easy loads for many more semesters. That can get you 1-2 years behind really quick.

I wouldn't worry too much about dropping that class this semester. Just make sure that you train yourself to be academically competent (and if not, at the very least look like it hahah).

 

[premedmind]

How hard can intro bio possibly be? Get some index cards and start writing the text!