Inflating sGPA with....

[PikaPikaPika]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So I was super gung ho about inflating my GPA next semester..but then after a bit of thought I realized there may be an issue.

I've taken both Gen Bio courses at this point, and I'm in dire need of easy classes to inflate my GPA. My school offers this course called "Introduction to the Science of Living Organisms" which is a lower div course. I am currently a junior planning classes for the spring.

I know generally it is looked down upon by the SDN community to be taking classes just for gpa inflation. But I'm just wondering whether adcoms look at transcripts closely enough to be able to condemn my choice of classes for next spring. I am taking 3 upper divs with this lower div course, which is 5 units and could push my gpa a little higher...

Thank you. I have searched the forums for answers and would like answers more specific to my situation.

 

[flatearth22]

In order of importance: GPA > Coursework > UG Institution.

Do what you have to do to get your GPA as high as you can.

 

[JESSFALLING]

Does your university offer a non-majors Astronomy course? That could be a good one to take.

 

[phltz]

Jesus, man. If you want an easy class, at least find one that will be interesting and teach you something new. I'm sure you can find an astronomy or geology course that's pitched at non-science majors and will be fun and not too hard.

 

[azerkail]

Does your university offer a non-majors Astronomy course? That could be a good one to take.

despite its name, aerospace engineering is one of the easiest classes i have taken. if you did good in physics, algebra or calculus based, you'll sleep through aerospace engineering. and it doesn't sound too lame either.

earth science (tectonics, geology, etc.) is good too.

 

[PikaPikaPika]

despite its name, aerospace engineering is one of the easiest classes i have taken. if you did good in physics, algebra or calculus based, you'll sleep through aerospace engineering. and it doesn't sound too lame either.

earth science (tectonics, geology, etc.) is good too.

I'm pretty sure aerospace and earth sciences are not counted in the sGPA. I'm sure they're easier classes, but my goal is to get my sGPA up and running if possible.

I'm thinking of taking the astronomy course when the good professor rolls around to teach it, which is next fall.

 

[lolcat]

I was also thinking about doing the same thing. But does every class that falls under the BIOL category considered to be part of sGPA / BCMP GPA by all med schools? For example, in there are some courses like Environmental Studies, Human Nutrition, Medical Terminology, General Ecology, etc...

 

[JESSFALLING]

I'm pretty sure aerospace and earth sciences are not counted in the sGPA.

They would count for D.O. sGPA, for sure, but likely not for M.D.

 

[UpwardTrend]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=552026

This thread offers advice for AMCAS "BCPM" courses as well as AACOMAS "sciGPA"

 

[tikanisynaru]

Would a Pathology (Pathophysiology) course count towards BCMP?

 

[kpcrew]

All you need to do is take a few months and just study all day for the MCAT. It's one of the most important tests you will take in your career as a physician and it's all that medical schools care about. Posted this so KnockedUp doesn't have to.

 

[sector9]

All you need to do is take a few months and just study all day for the MCAT. It's one of the most important tests you will take in your career as a physician and it's all that medical schools care about. Posted this so KnockedUp doesn't have to.

Sounds like an exact quote from knocked up to me

 

[centrigeugle]

Why don't you just get good grades in the normal prerequisite courses?

GPA padding is for losers.

 

[Barcu]

Does your university offer a non-majors Astronomy course? That could be a good one to take.

This. It's BPCM, and I thought it was incredibly interesting. I actually didn't take it to pad my gpa, I just had to get to the minimum credits. But it was great and very, very easy.

All you need to do is take a few months and just study all day for the MCAT. It's one of the most important tests you will take in your career as a physician and it's all that medical schools care about. Posted this so KnockedUp doesn't have to.

👍

 

[jowen88]

along the same lines as above, talk to seniors and find out what are good upper level bios to take...coming from someone with a 3.35 sgpa who's had luck this cycle, I took only advanced bio courses to get my grades up, but ones i knew would be relevant for the MCAT/med school and i knew weren't taught by a-hole profs. of course i didn't get straight A's, but getting a few A-'s or a B+ in upper level sciences that adcoms know are difficult (at least i think) is a lot more impressive than you acing PHYS 109 how things work or whatever you're deciding to take

edit: and don't get me wrong, having the numerically high science gpa is important, but you'd be really surprised how many schools actually look at TRANSCRIPTS and not just your science gpa itself. in every interview i've had so far they've remarked my upward trend in spite of the difficulty of classes, something i think has made up for my numerically subpar sGPA

 

[ToldYouSo]

I'd say do whatever you can to get your sGPA as high as possible, even if that means taking easy classes. Admissions is just one big game and a 3.6 bio major is going to look better than a 3.3 engineering major even though the latter probably took some much harder classes.

 

[gettheleadout]

I know generally it is looked down upon by the SDN community to be taking classes just for gpa inflation.

Why don't you just get good grades in the normal prerequisite courses?

GPA padding is for losers.

OP knows SDN well.

I recall LizzyM mentioning once that if she noticed an applicant taking many lower division courses in the later years, she would view it negatively. Combined with three upper division courses, I'm not sure how an intro level class would be perceived. I definitely intend to take a lower division (non-science) course during my junior year.

 

[kansaskid]

You could also ask around and see which upper division bio courses are easier. No classes at my undergrad were really "easy" but the ones that were associated with environmental science tended to have more subjective grading so I took one of those that interested me and ended up doing really well. That also looks better on your transcript than taking lower ones and you'd learn something fun, too!

 

[IMSingular]

Once I taught a physics course for not for scientist and engineers. There was one difference between pre-meds and others. Pre-meds, after a mid-term, would generally come ask "how can I get A" and rarely how to solve a problem or to clarify a concept. Others generally came in to ask how to solve a problem or clarify a concept.😛

 

[PikaPikaPika]

They would count for D.O. sGPA, for sure, but likely not for M.D.

My bad, I was thinking MD. I guess theoretically I could plan to raise the sGPA if I only apply to DO schools, but at the same time I want to be able to apply to MD and DO with the same stats...

 

[PikaPikaPika]

Agh! I'm still having troubles deciding what to do with this problem.

My friend's trying to convince me to drop it. My other friend says to not, citing it's for the best for my numerical sGPA. I'm just in the middle, tempted to drop because I feel bad for taking such a stupid course, but not because it's 5 units of potential A.

I've looked for other easy courses to replace it with but they're either full or don't fit my schedule...sigh.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I'm going to be taking Astronomy, known as an "easy" class, because I'm interested in it. In fact, I wanted to be an Astronomer when I was in middle school. If the adcoms verbally state in in a negative way, I can go off on how interested I was and still am about the subject.

 

[PikaPikaPika]

Yes but this issue is with an Intro to Bio Class. I wouldn't be asking if this was an issue with an Astro class since I know a lower div in that department wouldn't be questioned.

 

[PikaPikaPika]

there are a bunch of freshman seminars, but they're all pass/no pass which wouldn't help with sGPA.

I agree with you on the obvious part though...

 

[NickNaylor]

You're not fooling anyone.

 

[PikaPikaPika]

Yeah, I've decided on not taking it. This class just keeps on bugging me because of how obvious it is and that's why I keep on coming back to SDN. I guess I do get to keep some of my academic pride?

Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

[zma21]

I'm a bio major, and anatomy/physiology I and II are not included in my major, as well as medical terminology. That's 11 pure science hours that are medically related and interesting. Also pretty easy A's.

If they're getting to the point where they're picking apart which courses you got an A in (except if those are your only A's etc) you're in a very competitive situation anyway.

 

[DocGodfather]

What about Marine Biology or Physiology? I'm thinking about taking these courses after I take the MCAT next summer.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Physio is better to take before MCAT.