Is it OK to take a low courseload before MCAT?

[vectorman]

Hi guys,
I am thinking of taking only three courses (one 5 credit hour introductory human evolution course, biochemistry for 4 credits, and a four hundred level anthropology course about culture shock--so a total of 12 credits) during the spring 2007 semester with research (independent). During the past years I consistantly took 18 credits. GPA 4.0 so far.

I would really appreciate any comments/advice...Thanks!

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[instigata]

bro thats how many units i take EVERY quarter lol you should be perfectly fine

 

[joanofarc0907]

I usually take 16 credits each semester, last semester (for the april mcat) i took 15 (however one was TAing for organic chemistry, so it was really 14 credits of work.) Schools want to see you can handle the course load and studying. I'd say maybe take a bit more than the minimum 12, but 18 is NOT something you want to do

 

[ClemsonRunner]

I don't see why it wouldn't be OK to do. It is what I am doing in the spring due to the MCAT and I have consistenyl taken 18-21 hour courseloads...I figure we are due for ONE "easy" semester

 

[MedStudentWanna]

This is a pre-med myth. Yes they want to see you take a full courseload, but that doesn't mean overwhelming yourself each and every semester with crazy classes. Taking 12 credit hours during your MCAT semester is fine. I've even known two people who took only 8 credit hours during MCAT semester and both got into med school. I know three people who took 12-15 credit hours throughout college (never more) and all three made it in as well. Don't listen to all the hype. Take what you can handle. Having a 4.0 with 12 credits is a lot better than having a 3.5 with 18 credits. Likewise, having a 33 MCAT with 12 credits is much better than a 27 MCAT with 15 + credits.

 

[45408]

NO, IT'S NOT OKAY, and by NO, I mean YES.

Consider the MCAT a 4-credit class and the adcoms will probably feel the same. MedStudentWanna is exactly right - a 33 with 12 credits is much better than a 27 with 15 credits.

 

[ilovehedgehogs]

yes, OP, definately do that.

The first time i took the mcat, I just didnt have the time to devote to it. I too usually took 18 credits, so I did...got a 4.0 that semester, but a 26 on the MCAT. retook this year with only 15 relatively easy credits, got a 33. It is like having another 4 credit class...I put in about 8 hours a day for 2-2.5 months, and you just cant do that with 18 credits.

 

[Merissa87]

I had the same question... This coming spring I had hopes of taking Organic II, Calculus II and Physics I along with a Genetics Lab. I will also be taking the Kaplan MCAT course which is 3 hours, 3x a week. Its alot but I have to take the classes or I wont graduate on time. I don't want to wait until summer to take Organic II b/c I dont want to forget what I learned this semester. Is this too much to take while taking a MCAT prep course and taking the MCAT??

 

[Lanced]

I'd like to second that this is a pre-med myth.

I took NO classes the quarter before the MCAT, and at my first interview, while discussing that semester, my interviewer said "great, looks like you were doing some cool things". I was working in clinical research 10-15 hours/week and volunteering 3-4 but thats really not a ton of hours.

I HIGHLY recommend taking a very light load before the MCAT. I think it really helped me stress/performance wise, compared to some of my friends, to take no classes.

Good luck!

 

[kevster2001]

although it's doubly impressive if you have a heavy courseload AND did well on the mcats

 

[MedStudentWanna]

although it's doubly impressive if you have a heavy courseload AND did well on the mcats

And it's doubly bad if you have a heavy courseload with C's AND did poorly on the MCAT's. It's not worth the risk, IMO.

 

[A Tree]

If you are an ambitious person it will show through in many ways on your application.

 

[geno2568]

i took 12 credits on the books, but since 3 were "owed" credits for summer work, i really only took 9. However, 8 of those were bcpm (physics, biochem and a class on mycology).

In retrospect, i didnt need as much time for the mcats as i thought.
So if i had to do it all over again, i would add a bullshi- uh, i mean a humanities course.

 

[Crazy4F1]

i did 12 credits during the spring semester of the mcat - genetics, physics and a history class (i picked up the minor that same semester). just get good grades and do well on the mcat and i'm sure it'll be fine. i think it may have come up in my first interview and my interviewer even said it was a very smart choice to make