Course Load Per Semester?

[BoxcarWilly]

I'm new to SDN and I've seen a few of the survey/polls out there.

Anyhow, I'll ask the question and people can reply.

How many hours are you guys taking per semester?

I've been hearing about people taking 18+ hours while taking Physics, Organic and Bios along with a few others at once.

Call me a wuss but I couldn't pull a 4.0 like that.

Thoughts?

So please be honest.

How many hour per semester are you guys taking? Thanks

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[almo88]

15-18 hours for me! It's difficult, but not impossible. Although having a 4.0 helps, a B every now and then isn't going to kill you. It's college, work hard - party harder!

 

[Jamers]

I'm new to SDN and I've seen a few of the survey/polls out there.

Anyhow, I'll ask the question and people can reply.

How many hours are you guys taking per semester?

I've been hearing about people taking 18+ hours while taking Physics, Organic and Bios along with a few others at once.

Call me a wuss but I couldn't pull a 4.0 like that.

Thoughts?

So please be honest.

How many hour per semester are you guys taking? Thanks

I finished with 151 credits in four years so like 19 credits a semester (3.93 GPA). It really depended on the semester though, I took 26 one semester and had a few other 20+ semesters. My first semester was the lowest with 15.

 

[clc8503]

Well, my school operates on the quarter system, but it still uses semester hours (not quarter hours). I have been taking 13 hours per quarter, which is equivalent to 19.5 semester hours, for the past year and a half. It's not recommened that students do this. The max at my school that a student can take is typically 12 semester hours per quarter, which is equivalent to an 18 hour semester. Every quarter I have to get a signature from my advisor, a signiture from my dean, and I also have to prove that I have above a 3.0 gpa for the school to approve it. It's really a pain, and despite the fact that for some reason, since i started being an (over)full-time student, I have performed the best that I have ever consistently performed in college. That being said, I still do not recommend doing this. The only reason why I have been doing it is so that I can bring up my gpa up as mush as possible before i graduate. I think that it would be smart to just take 15 hours per semester (10 hours per quarter) from the time that you are a freshman until you graduate. If you are consistent and you take your classes serious, you will have no problem graduating on time, while not stressing out too much each semester because you have too much to study for. Remember, you are getting a foundation for medical school during your undergrad years. Try to learn as much as possible and try not to stretch yourself too thin. That's just my two cents.

 

[BoxcarWilly]

I finished with 151 credits in four years so like 19 credits a semester (3.93 GPA). It really depended on the semester though, I took 26 one semester and had a few other 20+ semesters. My first semester was the lowest with 15.

26 hours...wow, your college let you do that?

 

[Seger]

I have taken 12 undergraduate science hours and 9 graduate business hours per semester for the last year (3.5 gpa). To me, a 4.0 means nothing if you only take 12 hours per semester. I think medical schools want to see that you have the ability to handle a high course load. A reasonable gpa with a higher course load shows intelligence, work ethic, and time management skills; while a 4.0 gpa with a low course load typically lacks evidence of the latter.

 

[builttorock]

I averaged about 15/semester, but took 22 my last semester plus 4 at a community college. I would have loved to take more but I was working full time and playing in a band.

The way I saw it: the more I could over-stretch myself, the more flexible I could be for medical school and beyond.

 

[GreenShirt]

I only did 12-15 hrs a semester, actually even 9 hrs one or two semesters. It never came up during interviews that my loads were too light. If you're one of the people who can take 20+ hrs of science courses a semester, it's something you can point out as a strength to the adcoms. However, doing well at 15 hrs/semester is sufficient.

 

[DrBowtie]

15-17.

 

[Jamers]

26 hours...wow, your college let you do that?

You had to sign off on it that if you started failing they would make you drop some courses but, yes, they let me do it.

 

[CommanderRiker]

Commander Riker here.

15 hours per semester for 5 years except for two of them when I studied for the M.C.A.T. No summer classes.

 

[Aggie07grl]

15-19 hours. I only had one 19 hour semester and its this one right now. I have taken 18 a few semesters. My first year was 15 and 15. I did it mostly out of the need to graduate on time. I came in with nothing as far as cc hours or dual credit or AP so I had to make that up somewhere. That many hours can get overwelming if you dont keep ontop of things but if you can manage your time well (something i have been forced to do) then you can make it through with a good-great gpa.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm averaging about 15-18 per semester. I will not go over that at my UG. No way, no how. Upper levels are worse, my worst being next semester: Analytical, Pchem, Biochem, and Microbio. Anyone wanna help me out?

 

[Natatiap]

When I was an undergrad I took 15-17 credit hours. Most semesters I stuck with 16 credits and the semester I studied for the MCAT I wanted a light load so I had 15.

 

[DiverDoc]

I have been doing 16hrs a semester for a while now. Although this semester was light, because I took a Kaplan course and studied for the MCAT. I also was able to drop a course because during my degree audit, they told me I didnt need it. Im in 13 right now, kinda low but its my lowest semester on my transcript and I dont figure itll matter too much because last semester 16hrs, I had a 3.8 ish So I think Ive "proven myself"