Is this considered too "light" a schedule?

[Jfz]

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General Physics 2 + Lab
General Biology 2 + Lab
General Chemistry 2 + Lab
Intro Anthropology

At my school they don't consider the lab portions separate credit hours, they just count for 20% of the overall grade in the corresponding course, even though I have to go for 3 hour sessions every week.

The reason I consider this 'light' is because I am technically allowed to take another course, so I'm only taking 4/5 possible courses, only 12 credit hours.

EDIT: I've decided it was crazy for me to take a fifth, but I don't see why I'm getting flack for taking 3 science courses at once- my major is biology, next few years I'm gonna be in O-Chem, Biochem, etc so doing these in the first year seems the most logical because it will only get more difficult.

 

[minicow]

im not sure but i think when you fill out the application it will adjust the 3 hour classes to 4 hours

so it would really be 15 hours....

....i think

 

[ThaliaNox]

At my school that would be a challenging schedule, but I went to a school where most classes were 4 credits, not 3 and general chemistry and physics are 5 credits each so that would be 18 credits, not 12! Can't you find some puny graduation requirement you can take to up your hours? I'm guessing you're a first or second year, so there must be english or something you can take which will be little to no effort.

 

[artx2008]

No, it is not light.

 

[sylvanthus]

With those courses I would absolutely not consider adding something else just to up the credit load. if anything, add volunteering or shadowing. Do well in those courses, even if it isnt as many credits as you think you should take. That would be much better than adding another course and doing poorly.

 

[Tatastrophy]

why must you take all those at the same time.
ive never had to take more than 1 lab science at a time.
i think you need to rethink your choices to have a more balanced load.

 

[magicmage88]

No, it is not light.

i agree... its not just about the amount of credits u have per semester.. its the course load that's important.. u have a science-heavy schedule, so i think it'd be best if u just keep it at that.

 

[mangomadness]

no. esp since we all know that those "1 credit hr" labs really require a lot of work compared to the credit given. goodluck!

 

[Jfz]

why must you take all those at the same time.
ive never had to take more than 1 lab science at a time.
i think you need to rethink your choices to have a more balanced load.

I did the first semester versions of them this semester...they were all easy lol, I'm sure I can handle it (oh yeah and I was taking a fifth course at night as well so this is a step down)

 

[cubssox2000]

Bio 2 + Chem 2 + Physics 2 = light? Not in this universe.

Also, AMCAS will not turn those into 4 credit hour courses. They will use whatever your school transcript says.

 

[artx2008]

I did the first semester versions of them this semester...they were all easy lol, I'm sure I can handle it (oh yeah and I was taking a fifth course at night as well so this is a step down)

First, the second semester of physics and general chemistry is more difficult. Second, it is might be easy to get an A in your school, but you really need to master the concepts presented in these courses in order to do well on the MCAT.

 

[Soba]

General Physics 2 + Lab
General Biology 2 + Lab
General Chemistry 2 + Lab
Intro Anthropology

At my school they don't consider the lab portions separate credit hours, they just count for 20% of the overall grade in the corresponding course, even though I have to go for 3 hour sessions every week.

The reason I consider this 'light' is because I am technically allowed to take another course, so I'm only taking 4/5 possible courses, only 12 credit hours.

Looks like a 'light' course... if you are a bioengineering major or something along those lines.

Is it your first time with such combination of classes? Give it a try as it is. If a semester later you felt it was too light/heavy, you can adjust.

 

[Moonglow]

If you want to add another course, make sure that it's class only (no studying) like Modern Dance or Photography - any Fine Arts course that would fulfill core requirements for your major would do.

 

[IDoIt4Love]

General Physics 2 + Lab
General Biology 2 + Lab
General Chemistry 2 + Lab
Intro Anthropology

At my school they don't consider the lab portions separate credit hours, they just count for 20% of the overall grade in the corresponding course, even though I have to go for 3 hour sessions every week.

The reason I consider this 'light' is because I am technically allowed to take another course, so I'm only taking 4/5 possible courses, only 12 credit hours.

light?! at my school this would sound like GPA suicide! 3 pre-req lab sciences in one semester...*shudder*

 

[Quester]

light?! at my school this would sound like GPA suicide! 3 pre-req lab sciences in one semester...*shudder*

yah...so true. i did that last year in both semesters and my gpa was horrid and "un-mentionable"

 

[JJMrK]

Sounds like a pretty tough schedule.

 

[FloatOn]

Every school is different, but if I had that schedule at my school, I would only take 2 out of those 3 science classes and take another humanities/gen ed course instead.

 

[Jfz]

.

 

[apumic]

OP, it depends who you are. Your load looks moderate to me. I probably wouldn't add anything to it. At most schools those are 4-5-credit science courses, so 15-18 units. OTOH, if you've done 3 lab sciences before and found it easy, you might be able to maanage a minor 5th class. It really depends on who you are....

 

[Isoprop]

Looks good if not on the heavy side.

 

[Jfz]

OP, it depends who you are. Your load looks moderate to me. I probably wouldn't add anything to it. At most schools those are 4-5-credit science courses, so 15-18 units. OTOH, if you've done 3 lab sciences before and found it easy, you might be able to maanage a minor 5th class. It really depends on who you are....

I've decided it was crazy for me to think of taking a fifth

Also,

Will adcoms consider prereqs like Gen Bio 1 more important than other BCPM courses like advanced level biology courses?

 

[Isoprop]

Yes because if you don't take Gen Bio, they automatically reject you.

 

[Jfz]

Yes because if you don't take Gen Bio, they automatically reject you.

Well I mean as in, the grade. Do they look specifically at the science prerequisite grades or just the BCPM GPA as a whole? I'm a bio major so yeah, I probably only got a B in physics which I'm hoping will be brushed aside.

 

[Isoprop]

They probably take a closer look at prereq classes plus a few recommended classes if you've taken them (Genetics, Biochem, stats, etc.). But if your overall BCPM GPA is still high, then B's in your prereqs won't hurt you.

It's such a small deal that I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[thepoopologist]

Don't worry about light/heavy. If you can get/get close to a 4.0 then it's all good.

 

[thepoopologist]

I've decided it was crazy for me to think of taking a fifth

Also,

Will adcoms consider prereqs like Gen Bio 1 more important than other BCPM courses like advanced level biology courses?

I think the answer is: it depends. But on your end all you can do is aim for the A, accept whatever grade you get, and move on to the next semester.

 

[apumic]

Yes because if you don't take Gen Bio, they automatically reject you.

lol, umm... not true. It's "1 year of bio" not "1 year of gen bio." Granted, you probably won't fair great on the MCAT if you just jump into cell fall of freshmen year and then take genetics in spring and call it quits on bio, but technically that would fulfill the course req't.

 

[Isoprop]

I did not know this. I assumed 1 year of Biology meant 1 year of the course "Biology"

 

[Jfz]

lol, umm... not true. It's "1 year of bio" not "1 year of gen bio." Granted, you probably won't fair great on the MCAT if you just jump into cell fall of freshmen year and then take genetics in spring and call it quits on bio, but technically that would fulfill the course req't.

😵

I just assumed in America you guys all called first year bio Gen Bio 1 and 2

My school calls it something fancy.

"Biology 1: Principles and Themes" is the first semester class, its the one intended for science majors so i am SURE it will fulfill the requirement.

 

[el aye]

why must you take all those at the same time.
ive never had to take more than 1 lab science at a time.
i think you need to rethink your choices to have a more balanced load.

I did physics/chem/bio lab both semesters my freshman year. I'm kind of glad I got bio lab out of the way (I was using AP credit for bio and taking chem/physics lecture). It's very doable.

 

[sm640739]

Every school is different, but if I had that schedule at my school, I would only take 2 out of those 3 science classes and take another humanities/gen ed course instead.

Agree with this. Or keep this schedule and do some volunteering or shadowing. Although course load will impress, so will your ability to juggle extracurriculars at the same time..