cognitive neuroscience amcas classification

[polyploidy516]

Hey all,

I would really appreciate your clarification on a class; specifically, as I took a cognitive neuroscience class several semesters ago, I would really like to know if this class is classified as a Bio class (BCPM) or All other. The class was about 30% bio and 70% psych and was offered by the psych department with the prof being a prof of psychology.

I plan on putting it as an all other class rather than BCPM as a result. Am I being dishonest/disingenous?

Your experiences with AMCAS regarding this class and other psych classes that could be either BCPM or All other would be really appreciated.

Thanks again!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[vanillabear55]

Hey all,

I would really appreciate your clarification on a class; specifically, as I took a cognitive neuroscience class several semesters ago, I would really like to know if this class is classified as a Bio class (BCPM) or All other. The class was about 30% bio and 70% psych and was offered by the psych department with the prof being a prof of psychology.

I plan on putting it as an all other class rather than BCPM as a result. Am I being dishonest/disingenous?

Your experiences with AMCAS regarding this class and other psych classes that could be either BCPM or All other would be really appreciated.

Thanks again!

If it would benefit my sGPA I would, personally, classify it as a BCPM course.
My behavioral neuroscience class was about 60-70% biology and 30-40% psychology, and my professor had a degree in neuroscience so maybe my situation is somewhat different.

If you factor it into your sGPA does it help? If so how much?

 

[sector9]

Hey all,

I would really appreciate your clarification on a class; specifically, as I took a cognitive neuroscience class several semesters ago, I would really like to know if this class is classified as a Bio class (BCPM) or All other. The class was about 30% bio and 70% psych and was offered by the psych department with the prof being a prof of psychology.

I plan on putting it as an all other class rather than BCPM as a result. Am I being dishonest/disingenous?

Your experiences with AMCAS regarding this class and other psych classes that could be either BCPM or All other would be really appreciated.

Thanks again!

The best classification for a class taught in the psych department where the material was 70% psych would be "Behavioral and Social Science" which will be used in your All Other GPA. It is certainly not dishonest to categorize a class correctly.
AMCAS coursework classifications https://services.aamc.org/AMCAS2_2012/WebApp/Help/WebHelp/Course_Work_Course_Classification.htm

 

[polyploidy516]

I appreciate the comments.

vanillabear55: I actually did not perform well in the class (received a B--primarily because I thought the class was more science than psych based...). My prof coincindentally has a phd in cognitive neuroscience and is solely in the psych department in my school---my school has both a psych and neural science department.. That is why I want to classify the class as AO. would this be fine?

sector9: I will classify the class as AO in that case; do you know if i should send anything to AMCAS about this classification (the syllabus, etc)---the syllabus shows that only 30% was bio (neuroanatomy, etc) with the remaining 70 % on perception/cognition experiments that provided insight on what parts of the brain were active.

all insights and clarifications would be greatly appreciated. thank you once again...

 

[sector9]

I appreciate the comments.

vanillabear55: I actually did not perform well in the class (received a B--primarily because I thought the class was more science than psych based...). My prof coincindentally has a phd in cognitive neuroscience and is solely in the psych department in my school---my school has both a psych and neural science department.. That is why I want to classify the class as AO. would this be fine?

sector9: I will classify the class as AO in that case; do you know if i should send anything to AMCAS about this classification (the syllabus, etc)---the syllabus shows that only 30% was bio (neuroanatomy, etc) with the remaining 70 % on perception/cognition experiments that provided insight on what parts of the brain were active.

all insights and clarifications would be greatly appreciated. thank you once again...

Since it's in the psych department, I highly doubt that they will question it at all. Psychology is clearly listed on AMCAS's classification list as "BESS".

On the initial submission of your application, AMCAS doesn't require nor do they even accept any justification for your course classification. They merely ask that you do your best. After your app is verified, you have the opportunity to check it and see what they changed, if anything. At that point, if they happen to switch the class to "Bio" (which I highly doubt that they will do), then you can submit an Academic Change request withing 10 days. It's a form you fill out. At that point you can argue your case.

 

[phonyreal98]

Hey all,

I would really appreciate your clarification on a class; specifically, as I took a cognitive neuroscience class several semesters ago, I would really like to know if this class is classified as a Bio class (BCPM) or All other. The class was about 30% bio and 70% psych and was offered by the psych department with the prof being a prof of psychology.

I plan on putting it as an all other class rather than BCPM as a result. Am I being dishonest/disingenous?

Your experiences with AMCAS regarding this class and other psych classes that could be either BCPM or All other would be really appreciated.

Thanks again!

Put it where it will help your sGPA most.

 

[polyploidy516]

i appreciate your clarification. I will definitely list it as AO and, if they by chance reclassify, i will definitely dispute/send syllabus.


your advice and help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.!

 

[BiopsychStudent]

The worse they can do is say no and list it as something else, you won't be penalized if I'm not mistaken.

Given that description it might be harder to spin it as science when biology is explicity only one third of what you'll be learning in addition to cognitive science and social science - if they ask for a syllabus. If the class was explicitly neuroscience and in the vain of "let's talk about brain lesions and rat sex" it would be another matter.

 

[vanillabear55]

I appreciate the comments.

vanillabear55: I actually did not perform well in the class (received a B--primarily because I thought the class was more science than psych based...). My prof coincindentally has a phd in cognitive neuroscience and is solely in the psych department in my school---my school has both a psych and neural science department.. That is why I want to classify the class as AO. would this be fine?.

yeah, definitely by all means categorize it as non-BCPM haha- seems like exactly what it was anyway

and now that I think about it/looked at my old syllabus....my course definitely was less biology intensive than I imagined haha I probably won't count it either then