Does the "level" of the course matter to med schools?

The exact level/number of your course doesnt matter because all schools do it differently. A 200 bio course is not "inferior" to a 300 level bio course. As you said, you are going to end up taking them anyway. And dont get trapped in to thinking that the only hard courses are the 300/400 level courses. Thats not true at all. Youll take some intro courses that will kick your ass, and same with 200 level courses. You might also take a 300 level course that is pretty easy. For example I took a 300 level course freshman year and it wasnt very hard at all, adn I did better in it than some of my 100 level intro courses.

No matter major you choose, you are going to progress from intro to upper level courses. You have to in order to graduate and meet all the requirements. I think the think you heard may be referring to non-science majors. If you are a non science major, which is totally fine, then schools may like to see you have taken a few science courses outside of the general pre reqs. Maybe like an Anatomy course or a Physiology course.

Overalll though, i wouldnt' sweat it.

 

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They might be more advanced, but they might be easier. They just build on what you already know. The number is not really that relevant. My analytical chem class - chem 221 - was a lot harder than my biochem class - chem 501. It really depends on who's teaching it, what else you've had before it, etc. The chem majors in my biochem class had a much harder time than the bio majors. The DNA and protein segments were a joke for those of us who were almost done with a biology degree, but there were chem majors who were learning tons and tons of information for the first time. I counted once, but I think I was taught about the lac operon in six different classes in undergrad - intro bio, molecular bio, cell bio, microbio, devo bio, and biochem. Guess what? The last time around was pretty dang easy.

 

the only time taking advanced classes (300-500 range) will be looked at closely is if you had trouble in a premed req. I had some difficulty in my gen chem so I was advised to take some 400 level chem classes to prove I am actually proficient in chemistry (I ended up taking Biochem). If you have/had trouble in a certain area than taking more advanced classes can help dispel any uncertainty.

 

When Adcoms look at your transcript, they look for a lot of things.

Your grades, both total and for specific classes like pre-reqs.

The total number of courses that you took.

The course load in a given semester.

The level of the course.

All things matter, though some of these might not matter as much. Clearly GPA is super important, but any of the other things can make a difference, especially course load.

 

yes, they do.