Post-Bacc Course Selection Help!

[nontradpredentalhopeful]

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I was wondering if any experienced people would be able and willing to give me advice about this topic!

I didn't get into dental school this year, and I'm hoping that I can use this next semester (hopefully the last full-time semester of my post bacc) to take some courses that will show dental schools next year that I'm serious about doing well in a rigorous program. How does this sound?

Fundamentals of Anatomy (3 cr; 5 cr if I can get into the lab section but my registration time wasn't good enough to nab that)
Human Physiology (3 cr)
Infectious Diseases (3 cr: this basically amounts to pathophysiology)
either Neurobiology or Experimental Molecular Biology (both are 3 credits, I would think Neurobio would be more directly relevant. I cannot take both since the class times conflict somewhat.)

If I cannot get into the Anatomy lab, should I add another class? I don't think I can take much more than that, since that's a pretty stacked schedule and I am quite involved in research as well. The other problem is that the university where I'm doing this post-bacc is relatively small and does not offer too many biology classes per semester, so if I were to add something what should I add that isn't BCP? I could maybe go with Spanish I or something in the Other Sciences. I would be really interested in a gen ed physics class but that's not a high level physics class and I don't want schools to think I'm taking a fluff class.

 

[Blake1e]

Good course load of 12 cred of upper sciences, but I recommend more so you can increase your gpa more. Neurobio is better than the Experiments class. If you cant get into anatomy lab, keep the anatomy lecture class and add another sci course. If you cant take anymore BCP courses for whatever reason than take an "Other Science" course like geology or something. Dont worry about taking a fluff class, youre already taking and likely already have taken upper level sci courses, which will prove youre no slacker looking for the easy way. I say take some fluff (sci) courses, anything to pad up your gpa because remember at the end of the day your numbers are what most schools will look at first and consider the most when reviewing your application.

 

[J777]

Sounds like a solid set of classes.. Just make sure that you can indeed get a good GPA given the pretty heavy load

 

[nontradpredentalhopeful]

Good course load of 12 cred of upper sciences, but I recommend more so you can increase your gpa more. Neurobio is better than the Experiments class. If you cant get into anatomy lab, keep the anatomy lecture class and add another sci course. If you cant take anymore BCP courses for whatever reason than take an "Other Science" course like geology or something. Dont worry about taking a fluff class, youre already taking and likely already have taken upper level sci courses, which will prove youre no slacker looking for the easy way. I say take some fluff (sci) courses, anything to pad up your gpa because remember at the end of the day your numbers are what most schools will look at first and consider the most when reviewing your application.

Thanks! I got into the anatomy lab, thankfully, so I have 14 credits now. Is that sufficient?

Hmm yeah I guess you're right about the fluff being fine as long as the other classes are on the right level. At a certain point one cannot keep taking more and more hard science classes at the same time.

Sounds like a solid set of classes.. Just make sure that you can indeed get a good GPA given the pretty heavy load

Hey, yeah, I'm a little worried about it. I am considering switching Neurobio out for something potentially less intense but I'm not sure what that would be.

 

[Blake1e]

Thanks! I got into the anatomy lab, thankfully, so I have 14 credits now. Is that sufficient?

Hmm yeah I guess you're right about the fluff being fine as long as the other classes are on the right level. At a certain point one cannot keep taking more and more hard science classes at the same time.


Hey, yeah, I'm a little worried about it. I am considering switching Neurobio out for something potentially less intense but I'm not sure what that would be.

Nice on getting the lab.

Im taking 21 credits this coming semester of all BCP courses and 1 other science course (intro geology). Last semester I took 15 cred of only high level sci classes and got all As and that boosted my GPA good (by 0.1). Now Im taking 2 upper level and 4 fluff classes, imagine the GPA boost Ill have now if I get a 4.0 semester again. For your case you should only take more (fluff) classes if you really want to increase your GPA by a lot and if you know you can handle the course load and still get a high GPA.