Is this a respectable courseload? 12/15 credit hours per semester

[JohnsonJohnson]

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Hello everyone.

I am applying to a few schools that considers your courseload as part of your academic evaluation/score.

I went to a special school where the max courseload/semester was 15 - and I took 12 credit hours on average. This is basically 80% courseload, so in a regular 18 credit hour system, about a 14 credit hours/semester.

My school requires 120 credit hours to graduate, so I finished in 5 years - 1 longer than minimum.

Is this a concern? Are schools that considers your course load as part of your evaluation going to notice this and raise a red flag??

Thank you!!


Also - at my school, all the courses are 3 credit hours with or without labs - as such the 12 credit hour load/semester normally contains 1-2, sometimes 3 laboratories.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Anyone? Bump.

 

[WhizoMD]

if you're rejected, courseload won't be the reason why.

It'd be like turning down Megan Fox because of her thumbs. (assuming you have a good application)

 

[TangoDown]

I would think as long as you did well in your courses, you should be fine. You took a full-time course load as it is.

Why don't you call the schools up and ask them?

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

I would think as long as you did well in your courses, you should be fine. You took a full-time course load as it is.

Why don't you call the schools up and ask them?

I did call - and the office secretary at all the schools never seen my school system so couldn't comment.

Furthermore - at my school, all courses with or without labs are 3 credit hours. So in my science-heavy major - the 12 credit hours also included like 1-2 courses with a lab component. each semester.

 

[TangoDown]

Well did you get the minimum course load for the various classes, like 8 units of O-Chem with a lab?

As long as you explain, they should look at it on a case-by-case basis. I would think that if you do well on the MCAT, they would understand that the courses adequately prepared you.

Was your college accredited?

 

[GopherMD]

Anyone? Bump.

That was a quick bump. Only 18 minutes!

And to answer your question, I don't think your course load will matter much.

 

[aspiring20]

if you're rejected, courseload won't be the reason why.

It'd be like turning down Megan Fox because of her thumbs. (assuming you have a good application)

haha, excellent analogy

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Well did you get the minimum course load for the various classes, like 8 units of O-Chem with a lab?

As long as you explain, they should look at it on a case-by-case basis. I would think that if you do well on the MCAT, they would understand that the courses adequately prepared you.

Was your college accredited?

Yes - it is a major university (don't want to disclose to remain anonymous here).

All courses with or without labs are 3 credit hours.

Organic chemistry with lab = 3 credit hour
Intro to anthropology = 3 credit hour.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

That was a quick bump. Only 18 minutes!

And to answer your question, I don't think your course load will matter much.

I understand for most universities - it doesn't matter. But there are a few, especially my home state - that does evaluate you based on course load.

 

[TangoDown]

Only advice I can give you if you're truly worried is to try to contact the schools again and move up the chain of command per say to find someone who can answer your question.

Otherwise, there's really nothing you can do but hope you get an interview. I'm guessing that you should be good to go but you'll have to see, dude.

 

[lobo.solo]

Just make sure you have the status of full-time student.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Just make sure you have the status of full-time student.

Yes at my university 9 credit hour/semester is considered full-time.

 

[yellowfish]

You are completely fine. Like others have said, courseload is one of the last things that admissions committees will worry about. Averaging 14 credit hours a semester in a regular system is barely below the average, nothing to be concerned about. Just make sure you're getting good grades, of course 🙂

 

[Aerus]

A full time student's a full time student's a full time student.

Course load matters, yes, but grades and extracurricular activities are so much more important. If you've gotten A's in all your courses and have outstanding EC's, THEN you may worry if your full time course load needs to be more or not.

 

[IslandStyle808]

A full time student's a full time student's a full time student.

Course load matters, yes, but grades and extracurricular activities are so much more important. If you've gotten A's in all your courses and have outstanding EC's, THEN you may worry if your full time course load needs to be more or not.

👍

Important post here take it to heart OP.