course load query

[Vaseline]

---

Members don't see this ad.

i know this has been addressed before, and i have searched old forms, just want some fresh insight on the issue. how important of a factor is course load?

is 13 credits okay? two tough science courses plus two GE courses.

 

[Irish Football]

I have seen some schools state explicitly that they like to see you challenge yourself.

 

[bigdogrob4284]

It may be a factor, but relative to each other...

Grades >>>>>>>>>>>> Course load.

If you can't handle too many credits, take less, but be sure to get A's.

 

[Hemorrage]

i know this has been addressed before, and i have searched old forms, just want some fresh insight on the issue. how important of a factor is course load?

is 13 credits okay? two tough science courses plus two GE courses.

13 is NOT ok. I was rejected from a program specifically for the fact that i had 12 credits one semester and they found that suspicious. Make sure you have 16, thats the standard

 

[WhizoMD]

It may be a factor, but relative to each other...

Grades >>>>>>>>>>>> Course load.

If you can't handle too many credits, take less, but be sure to get A's.

This.

13 is NOT ok. I was rejected from a program specifically for the fact that i had 12 credits one semester and they found that suspicious. Make sure you have 16, thats the standard

Not This.

If a school likes your application, they're not going to reject you just because you had a few 13 credit semesters. I had one 16 credit semester throughout my whole undergrad career (the rest were 13/14 or 6-11 in the summer) and I did just fine.

 

[Vaseline]

awesome, anyone else?

 

[popopopop]

13 credits is great. A's are what matters. Besides, some people have families and the necessary evil of a full-time job. We aren't all privileged to focus 100% in school and forget about the bills.

 

[Hemorrage]

This.



Not This.

If a school likes your application, they're not going to reject you just because you had a few 13 credit semesters. I had one 16 credit semester throughout my whole undergrad career (the rest were 13/14 or 6-11 in the summer) and I did just fine.

I'm sorry but i don't agree. Yes your supposed to get good grades, meaning A- to A's but at the same time, ive been told by multiple faculty members at the medical school i'm interested in (top 30 school) that they really prefer students who challenged themselves in undergrad. Additionally, i've ASKED the question about taking 12 credits per semester or in other words less than the usual 15-16 and i got the same answer from all of them. You really should only take at most 1 semester of 12-13 credits in your undergraduate education. Just find some stupid filler class and get it to 16 to cover your bases. If taking 16 credits really means that you can't achieve A's then you you really should re-evaluate your priorities

 

[popopopop]

I'm sorry but i don't agree. Yes your supposed to get good grades, meaning A- to A's but at the same time, ive been told by multiple faculty members at the medical school i'm interested in (top 30 school) that they really prefer students who challenged themselves in undergrad. Additionally, i've ASKED the question about taking 12 credits per semester or in other words less than the usual 15-16 and i got the same answer from all of them. You really should only take at most 1 semester of 12-13 credits in your undergraduate education. Just find some stupid filler class and get it to 16 to cover your bases. If taking 16 credits really means that you can't achieve A's then you you really should re-evaluate your priorities

You're arguing for the sake of arguing. You already stated how important A's are. So it comes down to the individual school, but in the grand scheme of things, A's>course load. Your last few bits of advice can be summarized in my earlier post.