How to stand out in a 500 person course? (For Recommendations)

[CuriosityKillsMe]

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I attend a state school where the students population is made of a large majority of pre-meds and so science courses have at least 100 students and caps at around 500. My question is how can I stand out in these classes besides doing well on tests to actually get a glowing recommendation? Office hours is a thing obviously, but I feel like asking questions that are very simple would be a waste of the professor's time. Any tips or recommendations?

 

[JustAPhD]

Office hours. Go with actual questions, show enthusiasm, and engage in conversation. Do well in class, try to participate, and you'll be fine.

 

[787593]

I attend a state school where the students population is made of a large majority of pre-meds and so science courses have at least 100 students and caps at around 500. My question is how can I stand out in these classes besides doing well on tests to actually get a glowing recommendation? Office hours is a thing obviously, but I feel like asking questions that are very simple would be a waste of the professor's time. Any tips or recommendations?

Sit in the front row!!! Everyone past the first 2 rows is essentially invisible to the professor...

 

[stickgirl390]

Is there a lab portion? That is always a good place to stand out if you happen to have the same instructor for lab and lecture. That's how I got 2 of my LORs.

 

[Lucca]

Wear a giant cheese hat to class every day

 

[sullen-burger]

Wear a giant cheese hat to class every day

I laughed so hard at this.


And you should know that this strategy works. At our school, we had a kid who wore a tricorn pirates hat everyday. Needless to say, everyone knew who Patrick was.

 

[Lucca]

I laughed so hard at this.


And you should know that this strategy works. At our school, we had a kid who wore a tricorn pirates hat everyday. Needless to say, everyone knew who Patrick was.

Same here with a dude who wore a lab coat to class every single day.

 

[Iz_FtB]

Stand up at the beginning and end of every class and yell "I'm unique" .

 

[Med Ed]

I attend a state school where the students population is made of a large majority of pre-meds and so science courses have at least 100 students and caps at around 500. My question is how can I stand out in these classes besides doing well on tests to actually get a glowing recommendation? Office hours is a thing obviously, but I feel like asking questions that are very simple would be a waste of the professor's time. Any tips or recommendations?

As noted above, sitting in the front, asking questions, and going to office hours are the only realistic strategies to "stand out" in a class of 500. The problem is that such letters, while common, are poorly incandescent. Here is the short version of what you will get (these all look about same):

This letter is in support of CuriosityKillsMe, who took my _ level undergraduate course. CKM earned a grade of _ in the class, scoring in the top _% of _ students. I remember CKM well, as he/she was always prompt, sat in the front, and asked probing and insightful questions on the material. CKM would also seek me out during office hours to further explore the subject more deeply, and I was always impressed with his/her level of inquisitiveness and engagement. In summary, I think CKM will make a fine medical doctor, and recommend him/her to your program.

 

[Eskibot]

I went from a school of at most 30 people to a class to a school where 300 people are in my bio/chem classes (Not as much as 500 i know). I emailed my professors with questions I had, went to their office hours for help, did well on their tests and ask question about what I got wrong on the tests. My professors got to know my face and my name by probably the 2nd month of school. I'm not just saying that because I think they know me, but they actually greet me by my name whenever they see me in the class buildings or when I show up at their door.

Talk your professors about your plans for the future and get to know them a little better, they might even know of people that can help you out.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I attend a state school where the students population is made of a large majority of pre-meds and so science courses have at least 100 students and caps at around 500. My question is how can I stand out in these classes besides doing well on tests to actually get a glowing recommendation? Office hours is a thing obviously, but I feel like asking questions that are very simple would be a waste of the professor's time. Any tips or recommendations?

Is every science course like that? I would try to find a professor who teaches an upper division course that has significantly fewer students. Honestly, you don't even have to take the course, although that would help. I got an LOR from a prof that taught a course with only 28 people in it. I asked if he'd be willing to work on a project with me and write a letter, and he was.

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

As noted above, sitting in the front, asking questions, and going to office hours are the only realistic strategies to "stand out" in a class of 500. The problem is that such letters, while common, are poorly incandescent. Here is the short version of what you will get (these all look about same):

This letter is in support of CuriosityKillsMe, who took my _ level undergraduate course. CKM earned a grade of _ in the class, scoring in the top _% of _ students. I remember CKM well, as he/she was always prompt, sat in the front, and asked probing and insightful questions on the material. CKM would also seek me out during office hours to further explore the subject more deeply, and I was always impressed with his/her level of inquisitiveness and engagement. In summary, I think CKM will make a fine medical doctor, and recommend him/her to your program.

This is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I calculated by graduation my GPA will be a 3.62 and I have economic and personal troubles to explain that. But that means everything else has to stellar for me to overcome that 3.62 and LORs are first on the list after MCAT. I have stellar LORs from non-BCPM (philosophy) and my research advisors but my BCPM LORs will probably be exactly as what Med Ed stated. How can I avoid that without actually doing research for those professors?

 

[Med Ed]

omfg Is there a template somewhere because this is exactly how some of my BCPM references read word for word -huge class sizes as well and professors didn't come to labs. So wait, is that bad or do adcoms automatically know you tried the class was just huge?

Letters like these are unavoidable, and I won't hold it against someone applying from undergrad who has one of these. If all your letters read like this, however, it is a problem.

Before I started reading tons and tons of LOR's I assumed, as perhaps most people do, that the strength of a letter was based on the adjectives used. Now I see that is not the case. A strong letter is one where the writer can lay out concrete examples of why the applicant is desirable. Those concrete examples come from the letter writer actually knowing the applicant, and to know someone takes time. More time than class and office hours.

No matter what size school you go to, students benefit from forming longitudinal relationships with people who can speak on their behalf. Even at a large school with huge classes, there should be opportunities to build such relationships, such as through research or long-term volunteering. Those are the letters that can get attention.

 

[Med Ed]

How can I avoid that without actually doing research for those professors?

If there was a way, everyone else would be doing it.

 

[Uncle_Dom]

This is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I calculated by graduation my GPA will be a 3.62 and I have economic and personal troubles to explain that. But that means everything else has to stellar for me to overcome that 3.62 and LORs are first on the list after MCAT. I have stellar LORs from non-BCPM (philosophy) and my research advisors but my BCPM LORs will probably be exactly as what Med Ed stated. How can I avoid that without actually doing research for those professors?

Do well in the class then try to preceptor the course for easy UpperDivision credit.

Personally managed to swing that plus get the preceptorship on an A scale as a science course. Easiest GPA boost and LOR I ever got.

Idk what your time commitments look like but it could be potentially really easy and beneficial



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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I calculated by graduation my GPA will be a 3.62 and I have economic and personal troubles to explain that. But that means everything else has to stellar for me to overcome that 3.62 and LORs are first on the list after MCAT. I have stellar LORs from non-BCPM (philosophy) and my research advisors but my BCPM LORs will probably be exactly as what Med Ed stated. How can I avoid that without actually doing research for those professors?

I got an offer to write an LOR from a professor I boxed with. Be personable. Find common ground and connect with them. You don't have to do research for everyone, but that is a pretty boilerplate way to get on a personal level with a science prof.

 

[Med Ed]

Do well in the class then try to preceptor the course for easy UpperDivision credit.

Yeah, those are a bit better, but such opportunities are not always present.