Gpa confusion?

[drabberbadge]

Hi
I need to take science classes to boost my science gpa
I am planning on taking more lower div to help boost it or any science I can find that I can assure an A in however my advisor says
"however you want to make sure it isn’t a course lower than what you’ve already completed nor an equivalent course you’ve already taken"

I understand that he wants me to take upper divs only
But do med schools care if it's upper or lower as long as the gpa is up?

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[AquiVoy13]

I don't think it's necessarily as strict as your advisor makes it seem, but my understanding is that medical schools want to see that you challenged yourself to some extent. Only taking lower level classes would definitely NOT be proving that you can handle more challenging material. If med schools aren't sure whether you can handle more rigorous science coursework, how can they be sure you could handle medical school classes?

Again, it's not as strict as your advisor said. If you see another lower level class that you think is interesting, sure take it. But also take an upper division class or two because 1. it will probably be cool, and 2. you'll be able to demonstrate that you can handle more difficult science material. Two upper level classes that I thought were interesting were anatomy and immunology.

But yes, GPA is what matters most. You won't catch a break if you take a super challenging class.. but get a bad grade. It's a fine balance, but I would recommend you challenge yourself and take a higher level class you think is really interesting.

 

[Jojokarade]

I knew a former student who was on an admissions committee. She told me that there is always at least one person who knows your file forward and backwards. If you start taking multiple lower level science courses, they will notice and it will be really bad if they think you are trying to boost your GPA . You have to have upper level classes to prove you can successfuly handle difficult material.

 

[drabberbadge]

I knew a former student who was on an admissions committee. She told me that there is always at least one person who knows your file forward and backwards. If you start taking multiple lower level science courses, they will notice and it will be really bad if they think you are trying to boost your GPA . You have to have upper level classes to prove you can successfuly handle difficult material.

Hm ok
I'm planning on a couple UD (mobio and biochem) and a few lower div to boost my gpa at another institution

 

[knv2u]

I'm a premed like you, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but here are my thoughts:

1. You should definitely have some upper division science work to demonstrate that you are capable of handling a rigorous science course load in medical school.

2. Some lower division classes are fine to help balance out your schedule and moderately increase your GPA, but don't make it obvious that you are trying to inflate your GPA.

3. There is a tradeoff between #1/#2. Plan carefully.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

But do med schools care if it's upper or lower as long as the gpa is up?

First in the process to get an interview is whether your gpa is beyond their cut-off. Then, many members of the adcomm will look at your specific transcript. Yes, they do care. If it's clear that you didn't do well in the basic pre-med requirements, it might be a red flag. Certainly your interviewer, if you get that far, will ask about your course selection.