Class Sequence and Challenging Class Load - does it look good?

[PittMedicine]

If you took 22 credits before entering college, but they were all college credits (none AP!) and the grade show on the transcript, would this be looked upon highly (some of these credits were Gen. Chem 1 with lab, Gen. Bio. 1 with lab and Gen bio. 2, Calc 1, Computer Science Classes)?

Also, if you took upper biology elective as a first semester freshman (cell bio and genetics), would this be looked at highly?

What about Organic Chem. 1 and lab for a second semester freshman?

Thanks. Any input is appreciated.

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[dreamcrusher]

If you took 22 credits before entering college, but they were all college credits (none AP!) and the grade show, would this be looked upon highly (if some of these credits was Gen. Chem 1 with lab, Gen. Bio. 1 with lab and Gen bio. 2, Calc 1, Computer Science Classes)?

No one will be impressed.....



BTW, you should be taking English 101 instead of upper level bio. Your post has the worst grammar I have ever read.

 

[DrBowtie]

Nowadays everyone comes in with lots of college credit.

 

[tulane06]

I have seen so many complaints about minor grammatical errors on these boards, I think the future gunners are showing themselves

 

[solitude]

The short answer is no, adcoms only look at your overall GPA and not the rigor of your schedule.

The long answer is that yes, the more credits you have the better. However, those pre-matriculation credits could actually hurt you, depending on what grades you received. Basically if they were good grades then you are in good shape because they will end up counting towards your GPA. If they are bad grades, they still count, sucks for you.

Many people on SDN claim that the actual courses that you take do not matter. I for one have heard numerous pre-med advisors and adcom members say that graduate-level courses and course overloads are looked upon highly favorably. However, the caveat is that the applicant with such courses and overloads still needs to maintain a very high GPA in relation to those students with less rigorous courseloads. With that in mind, your advanced credits will help you to be able to take these classes, and therefore bolster your application. Not to mention that you will get more from college than just spending two years in your introductory courses.

I had a ton of AP and college credit coming in, and it has really helped me out in terms of getting to take courses I have wanted. Because of this advanced credit and course overloads, after this year (my soph year) I have 7 courses combined remaining for my double-major and curriculum requirements. This will be nice because I can either graduate early or just stick around and take a bunch of grad-level courses that interest me. I also already have a solidified GPA because of all of the college courses that I took before I came to college.

So the gist of this long-winded response is yes, advanced credits are good (kind of obvious I guess).

 

[45408]

yeah, I'll echo the sentiment that nobody will be impressed - it's been done before, and will be done again (but even bigger and better). Not that you shouldn't do it though.

 

[erin682]

You'd be better of taking an average load and bootsing you GPA than overloading and hurting your GPA. A high GPA is more important than course load.

 

[Anastasis]

Yeah, like everyone else said, it's been done before. But it's still good in this sense: you'll have alot more upper levels out of the way before you take the MCAT!

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Maybe a better way of putting it is that for two applicants with identical GPAs, the applicant with the more rigorous class load may be looked upon more favorably.

 

[erin682]

Maybe a better way of putting it is that for two applicants with identical GPAs, the applicant with the more rigorous class load may be looked upon more favorably.

Maybe so but an applicant with an average class load that has time to really participate in EC's looks better than an applicant that spends all their time studying due to an overloaded schedule.

 

[USArmyDoc]

No one will be impressed.....



BTW, you should be taking English 101 instead of upper level bio. Your post has the worst grammar I have ever read.

You are cool! Feel better now that you insulted someone? Anyway, I did something similiar and it did hurt my GPA but I think the adcoms will realize that it was my senior year of high school. I am not worried.

 

[ti89]

Don't you have a 7 on verbal. No way around that.

 

[solitude]

Maybe so but an applicant with an average class load that has time to really participate in EC's looks better than an applicant that spends all their time studying due to an overloaded schedule.

I don't understand why people talk about doing well while overloaded and participating in EC's as if they are mutually exclusive. Most people are just too lazy to concede their partying time in order to become a more well-rounded person by doing both.

 

[dreamcrusher]

I don't understand why people talk about doing well while overloaded and participating in EC's as if they are mutually exclusive. Most people are just too lazy to concede their partying time in order to become a more well-rounded person by doing both.

Exactly. No one gives a **** how many credits you are taking or what level of classes you are in.

You are cool! Feel better now that you insulted someone? Anyway, I did something similiar and it did hurt my GPA but I think the adcoms will realize that it was my senior year of high school. I am not worried.

It wasn't an insult. It was positive criticism. There is no way you should be in med school if you write on a 2nd grade level.