If you had a choice, what would you pick?

[1010btf]

Hey guys, I really need your help with something:

a.) Although my GPA ivery good(3.9+), I have been taking light course loads(13, 14, 9(summer), 16, 15) I am in my sophmore year. Also, I have taken only 2 science classes per term.

I am really depressed about this. Through my 2 years, I have always had too much free time, and now I think I am giving ADCOMS the wrong impression of me. I am thinking of "going all out" for the remaining semesters that I have(Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter) before I apply, and by that I mean, like 2 semeters with 17 credits, and 1 semester with 18 credits, and 3 science classes each.

But I also want to ensure my other stuff is good.

I have been accepted to a position in research at a med school this summer, and i am also thinking of doing research at my undegrad as well, at the same time. I figured it would be extremly awesome to have this much research work completed, and it would definitly impress the ADCOMS.

What do you think is more important or better... Take 8 credit summer semester, with a pair research positions, or just go all out and take a 16 credit summer semester, with 1 research job

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[chinook]

u dnt wanna get bad grades by taking more credits
16 credits isn't necessarily a light load
if u kept taking 12 throughout it would be light

make sure you dont end up takin tooo many hard classes and then doin poorly in them

I think you should be fine if you kept doing 15/16
and started volunteering/research/other EC's

 

[lrkoehle]

Hey guys, I really need your help with something:

a.) Although my GPA ivery good(3.9+), I have been taking light course loads(13, 14, 9(summer), 16, 15) I am in my sophmore year. Also, I have taken only 2 science classes per term.

I am really depressed about this. Through my 2 years, I have always had too much free time, and now I think I am giving ADCOMS the wrong impression of me. I am thinking of "going all out" for the remaining semesters that I have(Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter) before I apply, and by that I mean, like 2 semeters with 17 credits, and 1 semester with 18 credits, and 3 science classes each.

But I also want to ensure my other stuff is good.

I have been accepted to a position in research at a med school this summer, and i am also thinking of doing research at my undegrad as well, at the same time. I figured it would be extremly awesome to have this much research work completed, and it would definitly impress the ADCOMS.

What do you think is more important or better... Take 8 credit summer semester, with a pair research positions, or just go all out and take a 16 credit summer semester, with 1 research job

Focus on extracurriculars, your courseload seems fine. If your GPA drops because you took on too much, that would be worse. Are you really considering 8 summer credits and 2 research positions? How? I say one research postion and summer school if you need it. Don't try to impress medical schools and end up getting burnt out.

 

[rockaction]

When are you taking the MCAT? It is wise to take a light semester when you are preparing for it, so factor that into account

 

[bkz]

^you a Mogwai fan? Or is that totally unrelated?

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

to the OP..."courseload and trying to impress the adcom" with how many units u take is pretty LAME.

the adcom will only look at ur FINAL cGPA and sGPA. they will not have time to nit-pick if you took 14 or 18 units.

FOCUS more on the MCAT. i took 12-15 units throughout my college years and received mulitiple acceptances with a little lower GPA than urs. focus on MCAT, MCAT, MCAT, MCAT, MCAT, MCAT, MCAT, MCAT. and NOT courseload

 

[rockaction]

^you a Mogwai fan? Or is that totally unrelated?

totally a mogwai fan. i love it when i can sign up at a place with "rockaction" as my name

 

[ar2388]

i vote against the 16 credit summer!!!! you wont get any sort of summer break whatsoever.

 

[NeuroChaos]

I see what you are doing wrong:

You are trying to impress adcoms. Don't do that. You will fall flat and they will see right through u. Be genuine. Yes it is an established fact that we premeds are the sharpest people around but adcoms were pre meds too (at least some of them) so they are 10x sharper!

 

[FrickenhugeMD]

since when is 16 credits a "light load"?????

that being said, an average med school load is ~25 credits, so anything less than this will have ADcoms thinking you are weak.

 

[Dissected]

Don't stress about not taking a heavy load, capitalize on your EC's and out-of-classroom activities over the summer. Chilaaaaax bro, its summer!