Is being a TA worth it?

[seals44]

I am considering being a TA for Biology 1 next year. At my school, this is the class that they use to weed pre-meds out, so they force a curve resulting in 25% of the class failing, 25% not scoring above a C, etc. Basically, it is the class that takes some out of the track, and makes others neurotic. Despite this, it was honestly my favorite class so far, and I really like the professor. My communication skills could probably benefit from it too. So the question: is being a TA really worth it? How good does it look on your resume? Note: it will undoubtedly get me closer to the professor.

Just some more info: at my school, TAs are not paid, but receive academic credit. I would be required to go to all of the lectures (3 hours a week), 1 50-minute recitation every week, hold office hours (2 per week), and possibly a few miscellaneous things like writing exam questions.

I plan on taking Ochem 1 with lab and Physics 1 without lab during that semester.

Thoughts?

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[survivordo]

If you think you would enjoy it would add something meaningful to your application than do it. Sounds like it could help you get a decent LOR from the prof if you do a good job. Don't do it just to have another "check box" filled in on your app, you will end up being miserable and it will not be time well spent.

Survivor D.O.

 

[Aerus]

I am considering being a TA for Biology 1 next year. At my school, this is the class that they use to weed pre-meds out, so they force a curve resulting in 25% of the class failing, 25% not scoring above a C, etc. Basically, it is the class that takes some out of the track, and makes others neurotic. Despite this, it was honestly my favorite class so far, and I really like the professor. My communication skills could probably benefit from it too. So the question: is being a TA really worth it? How good does it look on your resume? Note: it will undoubtedly get me closer to the professor.

Just some more info: at my school, TAs are not paid, but receive academic credit. I would be required to go to all of the lectures (3 hours a week), 1 50-minute recitation every week, hold office hours (2 per week), and possibly a few miscellaneous things like writing exam questions.

I plan on taking Ochem 1 with lab and Physics 1 without lab during that semester.

Thoughts?

I haven't TA'd yet, but I'm planning to very soon.

I've heard nothing but good things from TAing. It's a great way to truly master the material since you'll be at each lecture and probably have to teach the material. This would be a good thing if you haven't taken the MCAT yet.

It's also a good way to get around that generic "this student got an A in my class, but that's all I can talk about them." LOR, since the professor will have much more to say about you.

 

[Ashley1989]

When you say "academic credit"
How many units is it, and is it on a grade scale or a "for credit" type of thing. I'm sure it would be a great experience, but I don't know.. At least 6 hours a week sitting in a class you've already taken amongst other things and not getting paid for it would make me think long and hard before committing. Do you need the money? Are you doing research? Will dedicating six hours a week harm your study time and grades?

 

[dsoz]

I TA'ed in college. I graded exams and had evening help/study sessions scheduled. I did it because it was a paid (work-study) position, but it did open doors to my professor and she then asked if I would be a lab assistant and work for her research projects.

Overall, I thought being a TA was one of my most significant events in college.

That being said, I am a non-traditional pre-med and have been teaching high school for a double digit number of years. When I filled out my AMCAS and AACOMAS I lumped the experience in will all my other college jobs (computer lab supervisor, student union night manager, greenhouse attendant, beaker washer, all the random jobs you do in college for a term just to make some extra cash).

In the grand scheme of things, it was not significant to my applications, even though it was significant to my college experience.

dsoz

 

[mimelim]

Preface: I was a Physics TA for 3 years in undergrad. I consider it to be one of my most significant ECs in undergrad and I published and accomplished a lot...

------------------------------------

TAing is simply another EC. You get what you put in. Being cheap labor, being paid in academic credits 🙂laugh🙂, is meaningless. You are grunt. You will get a B+ LOR instead of a B LOR from a professor you took a class with. At the same time, this is a purely academic endeavor and affords you an opportunity in a well recognized EC to excel and get recognized. You have better access to professors, PIs and the institution as a whole. Like any EC if you stand out or you take things a step further than others, you will get the recognition you deserve.

Things that I think benefited me greatly as a TA:
1) My office hours were by far the most popular of any Physics TA, it was not uncommon to have 25-30 students packing the room. Teaching is nothing more than communication. Communication is a skill. If you are better at it than others, people will notice.

2) Improve the system. Grading papers is useful grunt work. Figuring out more efficient methods of testing, grading, teaching etc. is how you get noticed. When you save a professor time because they no longer have to worry about some stupid computer based issue or organizational issue, they will love you. I found a way to make a 10 minute quiz take 12 minutes instead of 20 in terms of taking the quiz, distributing, collecting and starting lecture. It sounds so stupid, but 8 minutes of extra lecture a week adds up to an extra lecture over the course of a semester and more importantly less incomplete lectures.

3) Increased access to professors. Nobody I TAed for wrote a LOR for me. But, I would not have had 2 of my LOR if I didn't meet the writers doing something related to TAing.

A former Wash U faculty adcom told me a couple weeks ago that people don't understand ECs. 1) What you do does not matter, 2) Where you do it does not matter, 3) Being the best at what you are doing matters.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I TA'd for two semesters. I enjoyed it and had pretty good turn out for my review sessions. If you like teaching, are pretty good with communication skills, and know the material well, I say go for it. If you don't like teaching, or are prone to getting impatient or easily frustrated, or can't explain things in different ways then maybe not a good idea.

 

[SnoopyMD]

I have TA'd several laboratory courses now (Gen Chem I, Gen Chem II, Cell Biology, and Organic Chemistry II). I was paid in money instead of credit, but even aside from that, it has been one of my favorite parts of my undergraduate career. Working with freshman chemistry and biology students has its own special way of forcing you to recall material, and in turn this leads to a better mastery of the subjects that you're helping to teach.

Through my experience as a TA, I've learned that I will probably want to end up working at a teaching hospital. I enjoy hands-on teaching a lot, and I think maintaining a pedagogical aspect to my career would be great.

As posters above have said, this is also a great way to build better relationships with professors. I have gotten many LORs and favors out of the TA-ing process.

 

[DrEnderW]

I highly recommend it. I was a TA for the same class for 2 years, as well as a couple others. I've been asked about it extensively during all of my interviews and it seemed like the conversations were very favorable.

More importantly, it helps you master the material, motivate other science students following your career path, and builds teaching skills - a huge part of medicine. I also did it during Organic and Physics and it was manageable. You don't need to go overboard with preparation time - you'll be surprised how much material comes back when it's placed in front of you.

GL!

 

[yellowfish]

I am considering being a TA for Biology 1 next year. At my school, this is the class that they use to weed pre-meds out, so they force a curve resulting in 25% of the class failing, 25% not scoring above a C, etc. Basically, it is the class that takes some out of the track, and makes others neurotic. Despite this, it was honestly my favorite class so far, and I really like the professor. My communication skills could probably benefit from it too. So the question: is being a TA really worth it? How good does it look on your resume? Note: it will undoubtedly get me closer to the professor.

Just some more info: at my school, TAs are not paid, but receive academic credit. I would be required to go to all of the lectures (3 hours a week), 1 50-minute recitation every week, hold office hours (2 per week), and possibly a few miscellaneous things like writing exam questions.

I plan on taking Ochem 1 with lab and Physics 1 without lab during that semester.

Thoughts?

I think teaching is an experience that anyone serious about becoming a physician should have. Much of the healthcare path involves first learning, learning, learning and then later on for many, teaching, teaching, teaching. With respect to your question about how good it looks on the resume, TAing is a relatively generic extracurricular activity. It won't make you stand out, but medical schools certainly view it in a positive light. Additionally as you mentioned, it will allow you to get closer to your professor, a factor which pre-medical students often underestimate the importance of. I say go for it, unless you're in a significant time-bind with other commitments.

 

[goodkarma]

Loved my TA job! Intro to Bio II, 350+ student lecture, taught for credit. My prof let me teach during recitations too, which was pretty fun. I say go for it!

 

[SpaceyWacey]

How common do you think it is to see TA'ing on an application? Would you guys say that not ever being a TA is looked down upon? Or is it one of those things were if you had other significant or meaningful ECs it doesn't matter? Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but since we are on the subject of TA's

 

[yellowfish]

How common do you think it is to see TA'ing on an application? Would you guys say that not ever being a TA is looked down upon? Or is it one of those things were if you had other significant or meaningful ECs it doesn't matter? Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but since we are on the subject of TA's

It's relatively common. But nobody specifically looks for TAing on an application.

 

[VictorAlpha]

I am considering being a TA for Biology 1 next year. At my school, this is the class that they use to weed pre-meds out, so they force a curve resulting in 25% of the class failing, 25% not scoring above a C, etc. Basically, it is the class that takes some out of the track, and makes others neurotic. Despite this, it was honestly my favorite class so far, and I really like the professor. My communication skills could probably benefit from it too. So the question: is being a TA really worth it? How good does it look on your resume? Note: it will undoubtedly get me closer to the professor.

Just some more info: at my school, TAs are not paid, but receive academic credit. I would be required to go to all of the lectures (3 hours a week), 1 50-minute recitation every week, hold office hours (2 per week), and possibly a few miscellaneous things like writing exam questions.

I plan on taking Ochem 1 with lab and Physics 1 without lab during that semester.

Thoughts?

you said it doesn't pay but do they waive tuition. For me, it paid AND waived tuition so it was a no-brainer. those other classes you want to take shouldn't stop you either btw.