No. of Courses in First Post Bacc Semester

[aceegreene]

Hi everyone,

I will soon be moving to the USA (have a Green Card) and have been planning on starting a DIY post bacc in Spring 2021. The school I plan to go to has a course sequence which only offers intro science courses in the Fall. Consequently, I thought I'd take some of the non-science pre-reqs during spring and start the science ones in the fall.

Due to scheduling conflicts, however, I can take a max of 2 or 3 live courses next semester. Considering that I will be moving there in Dec, I won't have a job or volunteering opportunities immediately to fill up my time.

I am worried that this will look bad in med school applications down the road, that I didn't have a full course load or any other commitments and I looked for an easy way out to get good grades during the semester. With that in mind, should I even take courses next semester or not?

An alternate option is to take two courses which are offered online (go at your own pace) alongside two live, real-time courses. The latter two will also be online due to covid, however, the former two are offered online regardless. I am worrying that the ones which are online due to covid will be fine because it's a pandemic. But will taking courses that are offered only as online courses be looked down upon?

I am someone who's 30 with an international bachelor's, so worrying more about these nitty gritty things as I feel I already have a mountain to climb.

Your advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[jhmmd]

Hi everyone,

I will soon be moving to the USA (have a Green Card) and have been planning on starting a DIY post bacc in Spring 2021. The school I plan to go to has a course sequence which only offers intro science courses in the Fall. Consequently, I thought I'd take some of the non-science pre-reqs during spring and start the science ones in the fall.

Due to scheduling conflicts, however, I can take a max of 2 or 3 live courses next semester. Considering that I will be moving there in Dec, I won't have a job or volunteering opportunities immediately to fill up my time.

I am worried that this will look bad in med school applications down the road, that I didn't have a full course load or any other commitments and I looked for an easy way out to get good grades during the semester. With that in mind, should I even take courses next semester or not?

An alternate option is to take two courses which are offered online (go at your own pace) alongside two live, real-time courses. The latter two will also be online due to covid, however, the former two are offered online regardless. I am worrying that the ones which are online due to covid will be fine because it's a pandemic. But will taking courses that are offered only as online courses be looked down upon?

I am someone who's 30 with an international bachelor's, so worrying more about these nitty gritty things as I feel I already have a mountain to climb.

Your advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

No matter how you slice it, online courses are not regarded as highly as courses that are taken in-person--cuz everyone knows that the exams aren't proctored in an ideal way. I'd go for the in-person opportunity, and take your time with this process--it is a journey, not a destination.

 

[candbgirl]

I’d take the 3 in person classes and find some volunteering opportunities. This should fill in your time.

 

[aceegreene]

No matter how you slice it, online courses are not regarded as highly as courses that are taken in-person--cuz everyone knows that the exams aren't proctored in an ideal way. I'd go for the in-person opportunity, and take your time with this process--it is a journey, not a destination.

Thank you for your response! Ideally I would have liked to take in-person courses myself. But with covid, who knows even fall 2021 may not be in-person. Do you think I should wait it out until in-person courses become available?

I’d take the 3 in person classes and find some volunteering opportunities. This should fill in your time.

Thanks for your response! Unfortunately even the 'in-person' courses are online next semester due to covid. You think taking them would be fine?

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you for your response! Ideally I would have liked to take in-person courses myself. But with covid, who knows even fall 2021 may not be in-person. Do you think I should wait it out until in-person courses become available?



Thanks for your response! Unfortunately even the 'in-person' courses are online next semester due to covid. You think taking them would be fine?

Yes but I’d hold off on any science courses until you can do them in person. Take Gen Ed or something. This will be a good time to establish some volunteering or paid clinical employment . Good luck.

 

[aceegreene]

Yes but I’d hold off on any science courses until you can do them in person. Take Gen Ed or something. This will be a good time to establish some volunteering or paid clinical employment . Good luck.

Got it, thanks!