Definition of a full semester for adcoms

[ateria]

I'm not exactly sure what dental schools mean when they say full semesters.. In my university from our first year we are always advised to not take over 10-12 credits. I have done 12 for the past two years with the exception of two semesters when I took 10. I am now starting my 3rd and 4th year courses and unfortunately for me they are almost all 4 credits, so with labs and lectures scheduling is a pain and I have 2/4 semesters with just 11 credits.

I only recently decided to apply to dental school. Will admissions committees judge my application and comment on it when it has nothing to de with me and my choices. At least for the next two years, its purely due to scheduling that I cannot take more classes to show them my ability to do more at one time. I have only taken 13 as a maximum ever.

Furthermore, will they have a negative image of my academic capabilities if i was to take the following course load?

Organic chem-1 (repeat class)-4
Advanced metabolism and cell function- 3
Biochemistry lab-(writing intensive)-4

Total: 11

I have no issue with taking another class and having no real life but there are so few courses offered in the summer semester. (My university has a trimester system, the summer is the same as the fall or the spring)

I am currently maintaining a bcpGPA of 3.4 and a oGPA of 3.0 and a sGPA of 3.1

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[fayevalentine]

I hate to say this but you're going to need to boost that GPA if you're not taking a full course load. Do you have a good reason for taking less classes? Do you work or anything?

 

[ateria]

I hate to say this but you're going to need to boost that GPA if you're not taking a full course load. Do you have a good reason for taking less classes? Do you work or anything?

I do work. I teach at a local high school, but like i said it's because of scheduling issues due to course availability... I have too many labs clashing. Im a chem major so i have a lot of labs all the time. I have had a good upward streak. I have maintained a 3.6 for the past two semesters.

 

[fayevalentine]

I do work. I teach at a local high school, but like i said it's because of scheduling issues due to course availability... I have too many labs clashing. Im a chem major so i have a lot of labs all the time. I have had a good upward streak. I have maintained a 3.6 for the past two semesters.

Sorry, I missed the part about scheduling. To be honest, I don't think adcoms care if it's your choice or the school's schedule, but you should be okay because you are working. I highly doubt most people work full time and take 18 credit hours. Hopefully others will chime in though, because I really don't know for sure .
Good gob with the upward trend. Schools are definitely going to look at that.