Easy Junior Year?

[soccerpunk60]

I'm a rising junior, my GPA is kinda hurting ( around 3.4 right now ). I defintelly want/need to get a 4.0 this upcoming year. Do you think it'll look bad if I take easy science classes, such as some lower level bio classes i havent gotten around to taking yet, or do you think i need to take harder upper level classes to try and impress med schools by getting A's in those? I just know I got to raise my gpa, and taking easy sciences will do the trick but I hope it doesnt look bad that i'm not taking any upper level classes. Thanks

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[NonTradMed]

Lower level bio courses may not be 'easy' as they seem. What is your science GPA? Your 3.4 is borderline but not horrible. I suggest taking more science courses and doing well in them (duh), of course, upper level would be great, but I don't think taking a few lower level ones will hurt you if you do well in them. However, don't take 'bio for nonbio majors' or whatever else science courses not geared toward science majors----I think if adcoms know that is' 'baby bio', they may not look highly upon it.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

I would think that you should be taking upper level courses as a junior. Moreover, there is no guarantee that you will ace those lower division courses. Whatever you do, the most important thing is to do well this semester/year. Take it easy if you must, but tear those classes up. Oh yeah, ace the MCAT's while you are at it.

Good luck!

 

[dopaminesurge]

Take the easier classes.

Also, "rising junior" is a term I heard for the first time this summer. Is it an east coast thing?

 

[soccerpunk60]

haha i guess it is an east cost thing. i'm from univ of maryland, and it's pretty normal from ppl around here to say it ( i think? ).

my science is around the same...3.4 .. i've gotten A's in some "important" classes like orgo1 and orgo2, but b's in my bio classes. im just thinking if anything i'd have a better chance of getting a's in lower level than upper, that's all.

 

[Dr.TobiasFünke]

This is your last chance to show med schools what you're capable of... Do well in tougher courses first semester then take an easy load with the MCAT

 

[Compass]

Take the easier classes.

Also, "rising junior" is a term I heard for the first time this summer. Is it an east coast thing?

Of course. It's easier to say than I'm going to be a sophomore this September. Though sophomoron emphasizes it more.

 

[pratik7]

honestly....no adcom is gonna sit there and look at every course you have taken and rank them as easy/med/ or hard and judge you based on that. They are gonna look at your overall gpa, science gpa and any thing out of the ordinary...D and Fs maybe Cs. Taking a few easy science classes is a good way to boost your gpa esp if they are required for graduation.

 

[ParvatiP]

honestly....no adcom is gonna sit there and look at every course you have taken and rank them as easy/med/ or hard and judge you based on that. They are gonna look at your overall gpa, science gpa and any thing out of the ordinary...D and Fs maybe Cs. Taking a few easy science classes is a good way to boost your gpa esp if they are required for graduation.

Well not exactly, but they will know the LEVEL of the courses you took (1,2,3,4). If you have to take these easier courses anyway for your major, then it's ok, although I would recommend holding off until 2nd semester (if you're taking April/May MCAT) so you can also focus on MCAT studying.

 

[honeypot]

Be careful of taking too many lower-level classes just because you think it is "easy" as getting A's in them may not be as easy you think. That said, your science GPA is ok. Don't take too many science classes that are not required for your major if science is your weakness and instead focus on doing well on the MCAT

 

[pratik7]

Well not exactly, but they will know the LEVEL of the courses you took (1,2,3,4). If you have to take these easier courses anyway for your major, then it's ok, although I would recommend holding off until 2nd semester (if you're taking April/May MCAT) so you can also focus on MCAT studying.

The problem is that there is soo much variation from school to school and professor to professor that you cant assume that. I think we have all had really easy upper level classes and hard lower level classes.

I agree with the other posters that say wait until the MCAT study time to take the easy classes.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Don't be a hero if you are weak in the sciences and load yourself with 21 credits the winter before the MCAT...

I took Microbiology, Micro lab, Developmental Biology, Medical Anthropology, a writing intensive Honors College course, Medical Anthropology, Independent Research, and TAing.

Unless you are strong on the concepts of bio, chem, and physics it's a bad idea to go into the MCAT with very little time studying. (For me it was the difference between a 29 and a much higher score.) Let's hope that I do better than that in a week and a half.

 

[jackieMD2007]

Take the easier classes.

Also, "rising junior" is a term I heard for the first time this summer. Is it an east coast thing?

Yeah, I don't understand this whole "rising" phenomenon. Makes you guys sound like some kind of Poppin' Fresh dough.

Back in my day (99-03) we just said "Oh, I'm going to be a junior" or whatever. You kids!