does taking easy intro science courses look bad as a senior?

[cerulean]

I have room to take an elective next semester and would like to take a bio class. Other than that class, I'd be taking 4 other fairly time intensive science/engin classes.

The prof for the Bio 101 class (more of a humanities science class) is supposed to be quite good and and the subject matter seems interesting, but would taking it as a senior look bad on applications since it seems fairly obvious that it's not too challenging of a class? Even worse, it's supposed to be a class for non-science majors (technically, I'm engin and not science...but still). Do you think taking it would reflect badly or not really matter? I think the rest of my courseload would show that I could handle rigorous coursework.

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[RDood]

Are you applying for 2007 application cycle? I'm sure we're allowed to take interesting courses senior year...

 

[DrBowtie]

Why not take a fun class? Intro to Bio would be

 

[Hurricane95]

I'm surprised you're still allowed to register for a class like that. My school does not let science majors who have already taken the premed biology classes (biology 150 and 160) to register for the non-science major biology 101. I don't think it looks bad though, I mean you are taking 4 other hard classes along with it. My senior spring semester I took my last few senior engineering courses along with classical guitar I, for fun. So I say go for it if you want.

 

[MinnyGophers]

Intro bio was definitely NOT interesting... and that's coming from someone who used to love biology.

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

I go to UCSB and yes I will be taking the "geography of surfing class."

I actually hear that it's pretty hard.

I also think that medical schools could care less as long as you have your pre-reqs done and you show genunine interest in what you are doing. At least I hope so.

 

[LizzyM]

I also think that medical schools could care less as long as you have your pre-reqs done and you show genunine interest in what you are doing. At least I hope so.

If you apply after graduation (for the first time or as a re-applicant) the adcom will see, and might care, what you took. Your electives should show "intellectual curiousity" and depth and breadth of education. Seeing someone who has already taken all the pre-med requirements take bio 101 does seem a little fishy.

 

[63768]

If you apply after graduation (for the first time or as a re-applicant) the adcom will see, and might care, what you took. Your electives should show "intellectual curiousity" and depth and breadth of education. Seeing someone who has already taken all the pre-med requirements take bio 101 does seem a little fishy.

fishy in what way? do adcoms make judgments on what could be easy A classes? just curious.

haha i took 21 hrs my final semester because they were the classes i'd always wanted to take but couldn't, and somehow ended with a 3.8.

 

[LizzyM]

fishy in what way? do adcoms make judgments on what could be easy A classes? just curious.

haha i took 21 hrs my final semester because they were the classes i'd always wanted to take but couldn't, and somehow ended with a 3.8.

When a guy who has already had a year of biology takes bio 101 (a course that's geared toward the needs of humanities majors who need to take something to meet a distribution requirement in the natural sciences) it makes him look like someone who is trying to coast or get an easy A to protect his gpa. It doesn't look like someone who is intellectually curious (unlike an academic glutton who takes 21 hrs ) or who is looking for challenging courses in new areas (breadth) or advanced courese to build on prior work (depth).

 

[deleted102545]

I'm taking a low level anatomy class even though I've taken advanced anatomy because of a requirement. It sucks to have to sit in that class but what can you do?

 

[solitude]

The pre-med advisor at Duke sent this e-mail last spring about what is essentially the same topic. It is pretty explicit.


TO: Duke students planning to apply to medical, dental, veterinary
schools or other health professions programs

In the last week, I attended meetings that featured presentations to
advisors by deans or directors of admissions from 4 medical schools in
two states. At each meeting a question arose about pre-health students
taking science courses that are designed for non-science majors. In ALL
cases, the deans/directors of admissions made it clear that they
strongly discourage the taking of such courses by students who will
apply to medical school. They explained that they see the taking of
such courses as a thinly veiled way to enhance a student's GPA and that
is not looked upon favorably. They emphasized that pre-health students,
whether they are science majors or non-science majors should take the
science courses that are intended for science majors

Further, they assured advisors that in evaluating an applicant, they
look not only at the GPA but at the strength of the curriculum, i.e.,
they review the entire transcript. They stated that they do not think
science courses for non-majors prepare students for medical school in
the same way that a course meant for science majors does. The message
was quite clear. I have heard the message before from admissions
deans/directors, but it was brought home to me having heard it repeated
recently. Since you are now in the process of registering for fall, I
thought I should make you aware of their position.

How do they know what courses are designed for non-science majors? In
many cases it is the course number and/or the course name. In the case
of Duke courses, health professions schools will assume that, other than
introductory courses such as CHEM 21/22 or BIO 25/26, courses with
numbers <100 are for non science majors. For example, CHEM 83 and BIO
46. Likewise, courses that are titled "Something and Society" are easily
identified as courses for non-science majors. I know that some of the
courses that fall into this category at Duke have a reputation of being
well taught and interesting courses. I know that they appeal to Duke
students for reasons other than those presumed by the health professions
schools. And I know that some students take the courses to fulfill the
Trinity STS requirement. However, the fact remains that health
professions schools look unfavorably upon applicants to health
professions schools taking science courses for non-science majors. As
Director of the Health Professions Advising Center, I feel it is my
responsibility to make you aware of that fact.

Best wishes,
Dean Singer

 

[63768]

When a guy who has already had a year of biology takes bio 101 (a course that's geared toward the needs of humanities majors who need to take something to meet a distribution requirement in the natural sciences) it makes him look like someone who is trying to coast or get an easy A to protect his gpa.

ahhh i forgot about the intro to bio part of the course. haha. yea that would be really fishy. haha yes, i am an academic glutton. i also had something to prove.

to the OP, i'm sure the prof that teaches that intro to bio course also teaches other upper level bio classes. maybe you could take one of those?

 

[cerulean]

If you apply after graduation (for the first time or as a re-applicant) the adcom will see, and might care, what you took. Your electives should show "intellectual curiousity" and depth and breadth of education. Seeing someone who has already taken all the pre-med requirements take bio 101 does seem a little fishy.

I am applying after graduation which is why I'm concerned about how taking an intro bio class would look on an application. However, I feel like most of my past electives have shown intellectual curiosity/depth/breadth (i.e. taking upper-level humanities classes without the pre-reqs as an underclassman and getting A's in them).

This upcoming semester is hard to schedule for electives since I have an engin senior design class and an upper level bio lab (which blocks out huge chunks of my schedule during the week). I admit that I was hoping to take a bio class partially in order to help boost my BCPM GPA (vs. taking a humanities class), but the majority of the bio classes that fit in my schedule happen to be 100-level 'science and society' type classes. There's one or two other ones, but they have 4 hour labs attached to them and I'm feeling a bit a cautious about taking on another lab (esp for a non-required class) when I already have 10+ hours of lab/week for my other classes. Plus, I found the idea of a 'science and society' type class appealing since it seemed to mix humanities with science (and I typically like to take humanities classes to balance out the technical nature of my engin and pre-med classes).

I think I also had the faint hope that since I've taken classes like differential equations and multivariable calculus (fairly difficult, uninteresting, and atypical of most pre-meds) that factor in my BCPM GPA, that perhaps it would permissible to take a less rigorous, more interesting science class to balance out those math courses. Sadly, I guess it doesn't work that way.

In the absence of any better ideas, I guess I can just try to hack it with a more rigorous bio class (ugh, 14 hrs of course-related lab per week) and if it doesn't work out, I can drop the 5th class (though taking less than the max # of credits will make me feel like I'm not getting the most out of my tuition and then I'll wish that I had just taken some humanities class for my elective in the first place).

 

[deleted102545]

Geez, I hope those adcoms don't see my taking these anatomy courses as padding my GPA. I already had a 3.944 going into them and will come out with a 3.946 if I make an A (and I will). I'll have to make that up by taking endocrinology or virology next semester...I wanted to relax!!

 

[LizzyM]

Geez, I hope those adcoms don't see my taking these anatomy courses as padding my GPA. I already had a 3.944 going into them and will come out with a 3.946 if I make an A (and I will). I'll have to make that up by taking endocrinology or virology next semester...I wanted to relax!!

It's protecting, not padding, if you walk in with an almost A average & you take an easy (for you) A. Won't hurt too much unless someone is really looking for a reason to burn you.

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

It doesn't really make sense when someone who has a major in something like Psychology and take all these classes without any fear of retribution.

If the class is remedial, then I can see why an adcom would look down on it, but if the course somehow related to science AND society in a different light than normally presented, it seems like it would exactly fit the type of class med schools want you to take.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

I'm taking a chemistry class geared toward non-science majors because I have to fulfill that GE requirement. I hope adcomms don't rain a poop storm down on me because of it.