GPA vs. Courseload

[busupshot83]

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Being able to handle the load of dental school is important. In YOUR opinion, what do you think is more important in gaining admissions: GPA or course load?

For instance, does it look better to have a 4.0, with 12 credits taken each semester (given that you take summer classes)? Or 3.0 with 18 credits taken each semester?

 

[trypmo]

I'd have to say that if I were on an admissions committee, I'd look more favorably on the applicant who knew his/her limits and didn't go overboard on the courseload. I think it's at least partly a question of whether a person wants to take a few classes and really try to understand them or just wants to get a lot of classes on the ol' transcript. Also, the more courses, the less time for all that non-academic stuff they like to see on your CV.

So many people I know are taking an extra year in college in order to take all the things they'd like to; I think it can be more admirable to stick it out for a longer time in college and try to absorb more from every course you're offered. Also, I think staying longer is becoming a much more common thing to do, if you can manage it financially (but hey, that's what are loans are for, right? 😀 ).

On the one hand, they'll want you to be able to handle the large course load in dent school, but on the other hand, if you take too much at once, they might wonder whether you've been able to get enough from the courses to really be able to excel in dent school. I dunno. Just a thought.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by trypmo
On the one hand, they'll want you to be able to handle the large course load in dent school, but on the other hand, if you take too much at once, they might wonder whether you've been able to get enough from the courses to really be able to excel in dent school.

Your point is valid, but if an applicant can't convince the admissions folks that they were able to adequately absorb material from a rigorous schedule, they're going to face tremendous difficulty persuading them that he's a good candidate for admission. Part of the time management necessary to pursue post-grad studies is taking the additional time to assimilate new material rapidly. The old line is that med/dent/whatever school is like sipping from a firehose, and it's right. There's no way to remediate or substitute something so fundamental to advanced studies.

 

[Zurich5]

Hey busup,

I voted for GPA. Most of the interviews I went to were closed file, and all the interviewers had in front of them was my gpa. No one ever said anything about my course load being insufficient.

 

[blankguy]

Originally posted by busupshot83
Being able to handle the load of dental school is important. In YOUR opinion, what do you think is more important in gaining admissions: GPA or course load?

For instance, does it look better to have a 4.0, with 12 credits taken each semester (given that you take summer classes)? Or 3.0 with 18 credits taken each semester?

I am under the impression that they'd like to see a 40. Rather than somebody with loaded schedule with a 3.0.

 

[busupshot83]

Thanks everyone for responding to my thread. Please continue the discussion.

 

[johndental]

Well I think GPA is relative of course.

An engineering major juggles a tough load of highly technical coursework that clearly can affect overall gpa.

It was brought up in my interviews at two schools.

They have access to upward trends also.

If they didnt I would have never have gotten in.

Someone with a 4.0 with a light load is suspect to many admissions committees. It looks nice for the schools stats but they know once you start school those who took tougher loads are probably going to be better off especially in the basic sciences.

This has already played out in regards to undergrad engineering majors. I am doing quite well so far even with a lower gpa.

 

[busupshot83]

Originally posted by johndental
Well I think GPA is relative of course.

An engineering major juggles a tough load of highly technical coursework that clearly can affect overall gpa.

It was brought up in my interviews at two schools.

They have access to upward trends also.

If they didnt I would have never have gotten in.

Someone with a 4.0 with a light load is suspect to many admissions committees. It looks nice for the schools stats but they know once you start school those who took tougher loads are probably going to be better off especially in the basic sciences.

This has already played out in regards to undergrad engineering majors. I am doing quite well so far even with a lower gpa.

This question goes out to CURRENT dental students:

Is there a correlation between undergraduate courseloads and success in dental school?