lighter course load a turnoff to adcoms?

[JohnDO]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys, here is my situation. This week is drop/add week and I still don't quite have my schedule situated.

So far I'm registered for Organic2 + Lab, Physics 2 + Lab, Genetics + Lab; 12 credit hours.

I normally take 15 hour semesters. I plan on taking the MCAT in April, and so I don't know how wise it is to throw another course (most likely upper level science) onto that load and then have the MCAT in april on top of all that.

What do you think? Will taking only 12 hours this semester be frowned upon by the adcoms?

 

[TTSD]

You jackass, that's not a light courseload. 😛

A light courseload may be considered a bunch of intro humanity courses. Or maybe one science course and two or three humanities.

 

[idq1i]

There is no way to tell. It's a case by case evaluation. If you do choose to take 12 credits, you better ace'em😉

 

[TTSD]

BTW, exactly what is genetics lab? We don't have a genetics lab. Do you play Dr. Moreau?

 

[ewing]

I'm guessing you do PCR. Maybe you plant plant peas a la Gregor Mendel? I don't think there's enough time to plant corn, a la McClintock.

 

[JohnDO]

Haha, thanks for the responses. I'm not exactly sure what genetics lab entails. I do see that my university had the brains to schedule one of the labs at the same time as the lecture itself (pure genius), and the other ones conflict with organic 2 (once again, genius).

As someone mentioned, its not exactly a 'light' load to me. Rather, I imagine it will be more difficult than last semester when I had 15 credits. However, 12 < 15 and I = paranoid about silly things.

thanks again for your responses 🙂

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by JohnDO
Haha, thanks for the responses. I'm not exactly sure what genetics lab entails. I do see that my university had the brains to schedule one of the labs at the same time as the lecture itself (pure genius), and the other ones conflict with organic 2 (once again, genius).

As someone mentioned, its not exactly a 'light' load to me. Rather, I imagine it will be more difficult than last semester when I had 15 credits. However, 12 < 15 and I = paranoid about silly things.

thanks again for your responses 🙂

Well sir, there is only ONE known cure (well, two by they go together) for paranoia. Get drunk and have mad sex. Thank you for your time.

 

[Marina9]

Originally posted by TTSD
You jackass, that's not a light courseload. 😛

A light courseload may be considered a bunch of intro humanity courses. Or maybe one science course and two or three humanities.

I resent that! 😛 Last semester, my only science course was physics. I happen to be very interested in the humanities, while pursuing the pre-med route at the same time. When are you ever going to have the chance to take such interesting courses after you graduate from college?

JohnDO, I think 12 credits looks like a light courseload, but when they look at the actual classes you are taking, they would be impressed. If you can handle 3 hardcore science courses at once and do well in them, I think they would look at you as a strong applicant. Especially if this 12 credit load is an exception and you are preparing to take the MCAT. Just speculating of course, because what do I know about how the adcoms think? Good luck this semester! 😎

 

[AlternateSome1]

They are turned off by light courseloads, but they are turned on by long walks on the beach. If you include that in your personal statement then they will love you.

~AS1~

 

[zepplinfan]

Wait, ur on Semesters right........not quarters. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 12 hours the minimum to be full time at most undergrads?......(mine was). In any case, I would consider that a pretty light load, regardless of the classes. You do have the MCAT's too I guess, so if you go ahead with this schedule, you should destroy those classes and hopefully the MCAT =).

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by zepplinfan
Wait, ur on Semesters right........not quarters. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 12 hours the minimum to be full time at most undergrads?......(mine was). In any case, I would consider that a pretty light load, regardless of the classes. You do have the MCAT's too I guess, so if you go ahead with this schedule, you should destroy those classes and hopefully the MCAT =).

For a quarter-student, yes.. 12 is the minimum but also average number of units students take. Last quarter I took only 13, but I was stuck in class and labs from basically 10am-5pm with a break here and there.

 

[zepplinfan]

Just FYI,

I was on semesters.........and 12 was the minimum and the average was around 16-17 (18 being max). But yah, labs are definitely a pain. Maybe the OP's school doesn't give them enough credit. Our classes with labs were usually 4 hours or we are given seperate hours for labs altogether (orgo labs). That would seem to be the case here as well, 3 classes and 12 hours gives 4 hours/class (including labs). It's still light, but the MCAT is definitely huge and you have to let yourself have some time with it (especially if OP is only taking P2 and Orgo2 now).

 

[NubianPrincess]

You get to drug flies and sex them after they fall asleep

 

[JohnDO]

They are turned off by light courseloads, but they are turned on by long walks on the beach. If you include that in your personal statement then they will love you.

Indeed, I've got the walks on the beach covered 😀


However, I went ahead and regsitered to take public health along with those courses, hopefully I won't regret that decision later in the semester.

zepplinfan, yea, the labs only count as one credit hour. Honestly I spent about as much time studying and preparing for organic lab as I did for organic1 lecture. Considering that 3+ hours a week are spent in the lab, its rediculous that I only get one credit hour for it.

Nonetheless, thanks for all your comments.

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by JohnDO
Indeed, I've got the walks on the beach covered 😀


zepplinfan, yea, the labs only count as one credit hour. Honestly I spent about as much time studying and preparing for organic lab as I did for organic1 lecture. Considering that 3+ hours a week are spent in the lab, its rediculous that I only get one credit hour for it.

Nonetheless, thanks for all your comments.

Heh, lucky you.. I got ZERO credit hours for lab.

 

[musiclink213]

in my school, intro bio has the lab included, and is counted in your average in the bio class, and that's 4 credits, the other science classes, the labs give seperate credit from the lecture. lecture is 3 credits, lab is 1, except for i biochem and calc-based physics, those lecture + lab= 5 credits.

to the OP, i don't think that's a light courseload, i'm on the semester system, and 12 is the minimum, but those are some hard classes. personally, i think anyone doing orgo and physics at the same time is a bit crazy, but that';s just me. but if you rock on the MCAT, you can always say you wanted to have some time to focus on the MCAT and do the best you could do. if you're really bothered with it, you can always take a fluff class, every school has them, the classes where you don' t have to do too much work, any assignment taks 5 mins, those kinds of classes.

 

[JohnHolmes]

Originally posted by JohnDO

What do you think? Will taking only 12 hours this semester be frowned upon by the adcoms?

You are taking the MCATs this semester. So, 12 credits is almost expected. No, they will not care. Nor will taking 15 hours "help you out" cause others will be taking 12. In fact, it will probably hurt your MCAT score. Let me put it this way: if taking 15 hours instead of 12 causes even a drop of 1 point in your MCAT score because of divided attention, it was a very very very poor decision.

The MCAT is THAT important. Remember, everyone applying to med school has 4.0s. Few people have 38+.

Coops

 

[exgatr]

Don't worry about taking only 12 credit hours; I did it all through college and it never came up in any of my interviews.

 

[hamhamfan]

Anyone take less than 12 credit hours? I had 9 credit hours for one semester, and I don't have a good excuse for it. Can anyone who has been interviewed help?

 

[JohnHolmes]

Originally posted by hamhamfan
Anyone take less than 12 credit hours? I had 9 credit hours for one semester, and I don't have a good excuse for it. Can anyone who has been interviewed help?

Pull a Clinton and adamantly claim it was "a momentary lapse in my resolutely sound judgment." Then, without any prompting, starting saying "it depends on what the definition of 'is' is." Finally end the tirade by shaking your finger and claiming "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."

They will be so impressed with your knowledge of American government and social constructions, they will admit you on the spot.

Coops

 

[americanangel]

Hey ya'll
so since we're talking about light semesters....does it really hurt ya or no?
I'm a freshman right now and I'm planning in majoring in biochemistry and minoring in biology or chemistry....not to sure (oringally i was thinking on having a minor in spanish but forgein language is really not my thing)
this spring semester i have a pretty light load...i have chem II, calc II, spanish II and an internship in the NICU. For the next few years I was thinking of just taking three science....See next year, I was plannning on taking, physics, organic chem and cell bio and then continuing the sequence with the second half of each and microbio...Then have p chem I and II and genetics and advance genetics and the other classes I need for my major the year after....So it would end up that I would have 3 sciences each with a lab for the next two years or so (thinking of graduating early bc all my graduation requirements are finsihed since I had transfer credits that I took during high school)
does this look alright for when I go to apply?

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by JohnDO
Hey guys, here is my situation. This week is drop/add week and I still don't quite have my schedule situated.

So far I'm registered for Organic2 + Lab, Physics 2 + Lab, Genetics + Lab; 12 credit hours.

I normally take 15 hour semesters. I plan on taking the MCAT in April, and so I don't know how wise it is to throw another course (most likely upper level science) onto that load and then have the MCAT in april on top of all that.

What do you think? Will taking only 12 hours this semester be frowned upon by the adcoms?

I was a sociology major. Nothing but light loads. I took "history of jazz", "sociology of food and eating", and "military science: theory of warfare". I did other stuff to make myself look less dumb. I'm in. Just do well kid, no matter what! But I did like the mad sex/drunk idea.