Prereq "8 credits w/ lab," can I do just one lab and both lectures?

[Bellette]

Yeah, yeah, I get it that this is probably too literal. I'm looking over the pre-requisites for my top choices. So many of them stipulate that for Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, and Organic Chem, you must complete "8 credits with lab." At my school, Physics I & II and Organic I & II are five credits each semester (3 credits lecture, 2 credits lab), and technically, it is possible to take precisely 8 credits by taking the two semesters of lectures and one semester of lab. . . I'm obsessed with O-Chem, so it's not that I don't want to take the second lab--but I'm looking at a hellacious senior year (18 credits this Fall, plus work-study, volunteering, studying for MCAT, etc.): saving two credit hours would be useful breathing room.

You can tell me it's stupid to consider (welcome advice, really), but did anyone live by the letter and not the spirit of this requirement, and not find it regrettable?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mauberley]

Yeah, yeah, I get it that this is probably too literal. I'm looking over the pre-requisites for my top choices. So many of them stipulate that for Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, and Organic Chem, you must complete "8 credits with lab." At my school, Physics I & II and Organic I & II are five credits each semester (3 credits lecture, 2 credits lab), and technically, it is possible to take precisely 8 credits by taking the two semesters of lectures and one semester of lab. . . I'm obsessed with O-Chem, so it's not that I don't want to take the second lab--but I'm looking at a hellacious senior year (18 credits this Fall, all 300/400-levels, plus work-study, volunteering, studying for MCAT, etc.): saving two credit hours would be useful breathing room.

You can tell me it's stupid to consider (welcome advice, really), but did anyone live by the letter and not the spirit of this requirement, and not find it regrettable?

It's ultimately up to the individual schools to decide if you've met their requirements, of course, but I think you'll be fine. I only had one semester of lab for physics and one for gen chem and was fine. In the case of gen chem, I technically only had 7.5 credits, but this was reviewed and deemed sufficient at one of the schools I was accepted at.

 

[Espadaleader]

Sorry. Your school credit inflates. Most schools do 3 credit lecture/1 credit lab. Even if you have 5 credit lectures they expect you to take the entire sequence.