Do Med Schools Frown Upon Summer Courses?

[nm8948]

I was recently told by a couple of different people that med schools do not like to see that an applicant has taken core classes over the summer (like organic,physics,calc etc). This makes sense since summer courses are generally easier, but I was wondering if this is true? Also, I've heard people say that honors courses do not make a difference, nor does a second/double major? Thanks for your input

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[armybound]

no, they don't.

they frown upon taking hard courses at a community college instead of the main college as a way of avoiding having to take difficult courses at a difficult school

 

[chman]

I was recently told by a couple of different people that med schools do not like to see that an applicant has taken core classes over the summer (like organic,physics,calc etc). This makes sense since summer courses are generally easier, but I was wondering if this is true? Also, I've heard people say that honors courses do not make a difference, nor does a second/double major? Thanks for your input

I have never heard that. Also, IMO, summer courses are not any easier. It is the same material in a shorter amount of time.

 

[jm192]

I have never heard that. Also, IMO, summer courses are not any easier. It is the same material in a shorter amount of time.

They aren't necessarily easier. But if you just take one, you don't have 4 other courses with assignments and tests to study for, and 2-3 labs to sit through.

This would be a good one on which to hear from LizzyM.

I personally don't think it's a going to kill you-type factor. If you have a good GPA/MCAT/EC's, they're not going to turn you down for taking Organic Chemistry over the summer.

If you're on a level playing field with another applicant, they would lean towards the person that took the hard classes with other classes.

I know a handful of people that did both Organic Chemistries over the summer. Just about all of them have been accepted somewhere.

 

[LizzyM]

no, they don't.

they frown upon taking hard courses at a community college instead of the main college as a way of avoiding having to take difficult courses at a difficult school

Correct.

They may frown on light loads (12-14 credits/semester) during the year and then going through the summer.

Classes during the summer at the expense of research or other "experiences" is detrimental to your application.

 

[keyinhand]

Oh I had never heard this before. I am planning on taking bio and trig during the summer. I don't see why summer classes would be frowned on if your grades during the summer term are consistent with your grades during the fall and spring terms.

 

[Food]

Nothing wrong with taking courses during the summer. Just make sure you're packing in a reasonable number of credits during spring/fall, including research credit. You can also still have time for volunteering and stuff during the summer.

 

[Brown8472]

Rest in peace with that one.

 

[garyinthehouse]

Classes during the summer at the expense of research or other "experiences" is detrimental to your application.

I did 3 years of bio research, but not during the summer times. During the summer I took bio classes and some foreign language classes too. Is this going to be a problem?

Thanks!

 

[Brown8472]

I did 3 years of bio research, but not during the summer times. During the summer I took bio classes and some foreign language classes too. Is this going to be a problem?

Thanks!

What is done is done and there is nothing you can do about it. It is all about building a complete/thorough profile of yourself, so I would not worry about.

RIP.
​

 

[caveat87]

I really don't think taking honors courses makes that big of a difference in the admissions process, but if your school has a honors program that opens up research opportunities or other academic pursuits it may be worthwhile to partake in these activities.

 

[garyinthehouse]

What is done is done and there is nothing you can do about it. It is all about building a complete/thorough profile of yourself, so I would not worry about.

RIP.
​

thanks brown

 

[LetsGo352]

I guess I'm screwed then? I have nearly a 4.0 but have been taking 12-14 credits during the fall/spring semesters and having been using the summers to take 1 core class + lab. However, I have been doing research constantly for 3.5 years.

 

[randombetch]

I guess I'm screwed then? I have nearly a 4.0 but have been taking 12-14 credits during the fall/spring semesters and having been using the summers to take 1 core class + lab. However, I have been doing research constantly for 3.5 years.

Wow, 12-14 credits per semester? Most people at my school do 20~ credits/semester. I've personally been doing 20 and am currently enrolled in 24 credits for next semester, which I'm not planning on changing.

 

[LetsGo352]

Wow, 12-14 credits per semester? Most people at my school do 20~ credits/semester. I've personally been doing 20 and am currently enrolled in 24 credits for next semester, which I'm not planning on changing.

The thing is, I came into college with tons of AP/IB credits so I never found the need to take extra classes...

 

[RogueUnicorn]

in fairness, some schools put lecture classes down as 4 credits, when it's just as much time as a 3 credit class at a different school.. it's somewhat (but not entirely) arbitrary. 20 credits can be 5 classes at one school or 6 with two labs at another

 

[libraryismyhome]

Not if you are taking Orgo 1, Orgo2 and Orgo lab all together correct?

 

[chman]

Not if you are taking Orgo 1, Orgo2 and Orgo lab all together correct?

How can you take orgo 1 and 2 at the same time?

 

[Xinlitik]

Correct.

They may frown on light loads (12-14 credits/semester) during the year and then going through the summer.

Classes during the summer at the expense of research or other "experiences" is detrimental to your application.

Do you know if they take into account funny university unit practices?

For instance, my school has been deflating lab grades for AGES, and is only just now starting to correct them. (I think the # of units you could take per quarter was more stringent years ago, or something...) For instance, Gen Chem lab took about as long as a 3 unit lecture classes, yet was worth ONE unit. O chem lab took about 5 units of time and was worth 3 units. As a result, I had ~14-15 units for most of these quarters (should've been 16).

I dont know how ubiquitous such unit schemes are...

 

[Food]

Do you know if they take into account funny university unit practices?

For instance, my school has been deflating lab grades for AGES, and is only just now starting to correct them. (I think the # of units you could take per quarter was more stringent years ago, or something...) For instance, Gen Chem lab took about as long as a 3 unit lecture classes, yet was worth ONE unit. O chem lab took about 5 units of time and was worth 3 units. As a result, I had ~14-15 units for most of these quarters (should've been 16).

I dont know how ubiquitous such unit schemes are...

Yeah, that's not unusual. At my undergrad school, a 3 hour lab was worth 1 credit, a 5-6 hour one was worth 2 credits. Gen Chem 1/2, Bio 1/2, and Physics 1/2 labs were each worth 1 credit. I don't think that you really have an excuse with those, I'm pretty sure most schools count introductory science labs as 1 credit, or have their grades included with the lecture portion to total out at 4 credits.

 

[flip26]

no, they don't.

they frown upon taking hard courses at a community college instead of the main college as a way of avoiding having to take difficult courses at a difficult school

This is correct and all you need to know about this topic.

Don't listen to the misinformed idiots around you...

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Well, they can start frowning because I love summer courses.

 

[nm8948]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Basically what I have gotten from this, is that it is not bad to take summer courses as long as you have a decent courseload and are not just taking one course over the summer (or at a community college). On a similar note, what if you chose to take prep-courses at a community college that a regular university does not offer? Like a watered down organic - just to get you familiar with it? Does that HAVE to be included on your transcript or can you just take it for the sake of taking it and not include it (at the other school)? Thanks again!

 

[flip26]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Basically what I have gotten from this, is that it is not bad to take summer courses as long as you have a decent courseload and are not just taking one course over the summer (or at a community college). On a similar note, what if you chose to take prep-courses at a community college that a regular university does not offer? Like a watered down organic - just to get you familiar with it? Does that HAVE to be included on your transcript or can you just take it for the sake of taking it and not include it (at the other school)? Thanks again!

Bad idea.

And all courses must be listed on your app. No exceptions.

 

[Alcibiades]

I have a question about those condensed gen chem sequences schools like Harvard and Northwestern offer, where you basically sit in class for 3+ hrs a day with lab, and finish the requirement for gen chem within 7 weeks. How well do these classes actually prepare you for the MCAT? Is it physically possible to retain all that knowledge, or do they assume you to have a solid chemistry background beforehand?

 

[bigman225]

I was recently told by a couple of different people that med schools do not like to see that an applicant has taken core classes over the summer (like organic,physics,calc etc). This makes sense since summer courses are generally easier, but I was wondering if this is true? Also, I've heard people say that honors courses do not make a difference, nor does a second/double major? Thanks for your input

med schools do not care unless you give them reason to suspect you did not absorb the information (eg, sub-10 PS score after taking entire physics sequence over the summer)

if someone takes physics over the summer and receives a 14 on the physical sciences section of the MCAT, that could actually work in the applicant's favor

in a similar vein, the honors college student who scores a 25 on the MCAT is never going to out compete a non-HC student with a 35, or someone with far superior extracurricular activities. things are interpreted in the context of your entire application, and intangibles like the interview are weighed far more heavily than whether or not you took calculus based physics. trust me.

course selection is of really low importance in the grand scheme of things IMO. of course you don't want to take the pre-reqs at a CC though.

 

[TFS]

.

 

[nm8948]

I was not conisdering taking any core classes at a cc, I never would. I was more intent on whether all classes taken at other schools needed to be included. Although it may seem odd, I've never taken Trig b/c it was an absolute joke at my highschool and my college doesn't offer any Trig courses but a local cc does. Thanks again for everyones input!

 

[snorlax]

Well, they can start frowning because I love summer courses.

Same. Let them frown

 

[roseglass6370]

How can you take orgo 1 and 2 at the same time?

This made me laugh. I think they meant taking orgo 1 + lab, then orgo 2 + lab, both over the course of one summer. It's what I'm doing this summer.