question about course load/dropping a class

[dashrx1019]

Hi everyone, I'm a post-bacc student in my 2nd and (hopefully) last year. I was a Gov. major in undergrad and doing a career changer post-bacc program.
I'm looking for advice about my schedule, I'm a little worried it's going to be too much and I'm thinking about dropping a class, but my advisor wants me to be taking 3 courses per semester..

I'm signed up for Orgo I, Physics I + lab and one upper division Bio course. I'm also a teaching assistant for a general bio course, I work 40 hours a week, volunteer at a clinic 6 hours a week and do non-clinical volunteering at an organization for youth with developmental disabilities 4 hours a week. I'm financially independent and need to work full time. The clinical volunteering is through a program and I made a commitment to them, so I can't possibly drop these things from my schedule.

I'm considering dropping Bio, so I will only be taking Orgo I and Physics I/Physics Lab, but my advisor told me not to do this, saying it looks bad for med school if you only take 2 courses.

My BCPM GPA is a 3.6, so I really can't afford to not get A's or A- in these classes.

Any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated, thanks. P.S I've cross-posted this from the non-trad forum, hope that's ok (I only got 1 response there)

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[Emerald84]

It sounds like everything you are doing outside of school is very, very,very full time. The people I knew who worked full time did 2 science classes max. Most people don't do organic chemistry with physics. It is really tough. They are both incredibly time consuming and you really used different parts of your brain.
I would recommend EITHER Organic chem or Physics, whatever works best with your sequence, or maybe even organic chemistry. O-chem is different from most classes in undergrad in terms of it's time commitment. Also, med schools understand that you are working full time, so cut yourself some slack and do a little less volunteer stuff and study more. Your GPA and MCAT will thank you. Pick up more volunteer stuff between semesters. Say NO!!


Here is what I would do. Arrange your work schedule so you get at least 3 dedicated days to study. Just take the OCHEM, focus on that and do well. If you think you can hack up bio then ok. If it is developmental or genetics I would recommend waiting. Your only priority is to do well in your classes and pay your bills. Your competition will be people who got As and Bs in Ochem and bio. Drop the volunteer stuff, or cut it down to 2 hrs a week. Take out more loans if it means you can work less. Totally worth it.

 

[lobo.solo]

I would drop one class or cut back in working. I personally would cut my hrs at work.

 

[MDforMee]

Hi everyone, I'm a post-bacc student in my 2nd and (hopefully) last year. I was a Gov. major in undergrad and doing a career changer post-bacc program.
I'm looking for advice about my schedule, I'm a little worried it's going to be too much and I'm thinking about dropping a class, but my advisor wants me to be taking 3 courses per semester..

I'm signed up for Orgo I, Physics I + lab and one upper division Bio course. I'm also a teaching assistant for a general bio course, I work 40 hours a week, volunteer at a clinic 6 hours a week and do non-clinical volunteering at an organization for youth with developmental disabilities 4 hours a week. I'm financially independent and need to work full time. The clinical volunteering is through a program and I made a commitment to them, so I can't possibly drop these things from my schedule.

I'm considering dropping Bio, so I will only be taking Orgo I and Physics I/Physics Lab, but my advisor told me not to do this, saying it looks bad for med school if you only take 2 courses.

My BCPM GPA is a 3.6, so I really can't afford to not get A's or A- in these classes.

Any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated, thanks. P.S I've cross-posted this from the non-trad forum, hope that's ok (I only got 1 response there)

This post doesn't sound right, to me.

40 hours working
10 hours volunteering
7 hours per week basic functions (eating, showering, etc)
8 hours in class per week, not counting labs, for two classes only

By the time you add these figures up, that's around 65 hours of activities during a 5 day week. By the time you add commute times, and organizational what have you, let's call it 70.

This is for 2 classes, with no lab time.

I'm calling BS.

 

[Ashley1989]

I think you need to make a decision and ASAP. What is more important, school or tons of ECs? Your schedule sounds impossible, and you're basically saying right now that your ECs come before school and are willing to drop a class before one of your commitments. Come on. Give yourself the best chance possible. Even dropping the bio class and taking physics and ochem + labs + working 40 hours a week + volunteering 10 hours a week + TAing + commute times is putting yourself at a high risk for tanking your dreams. Sorry to be so blunt.

If I were you I would work and drop your ECs or take out a loan and not work full time. I realize we make commitments but really, you need to decide which path is ultimately going to get you the farthest.

 

[dashrx1019]

Not BS at all. I'm definitely not the first non-trad to work full time while doing this either, I even met one guy who was working at his job ~50 hours a week to support himself while doing post-bacc work. I'm completely financially independent and I've had to work full time to be able to do this (I'm not eligible for financial aid as a non matriculating student and have avoided taking out any more loans as I already have a significant amount of debt from undergrad). Although my job hours are very flexible, I often end up working odd hours, but I'm a full time employee with a regular 40 hour work week. With volunteering and 2 classes, it's 58 hours a week of work, but it isn't that crazy, consider residents who work 80 hours a week..

 

[Ashley1989]

Not BS at all. I'm definitely not the first non-trad to work full time while doing this either, I even met one guy who was working at his job ~50 hours a week to support himself while doing post-bacc work. I'm completely financially independent and I've had to work full time to be able to do this (I'm not eligible for financial aid as a non matriculating student and have avoided taking out any more loans as I already have a significant amount of debt from undergrad). Although my job hours are very flexible, I often end up working odd hours, but I'm a full time employee with a regular 40 hour work week. With volunteering and 2 classes, it's 58 hours a week of work, but it isn't that crazy, consider residents who work 80 hours a week..

Yes, but residents have not only built up to that point and have gone through medical school, they're already in the game.

Only you know your limits and props to you for juggling everything but I still personally think you're setting yourself up for some big problems whether it's compromising your grades, sleep, sanity, or health. Just weigh all your options and give yourself the best fighting chance.

 

[dashrx1019]

I think you need to make a decision and ASAP. What is more important, school or tons of ECs? Your schedule sounds impossible, and you're basically saying right now that your ECs come before school and are willing to drop a class before one of your commitments. Come on. Give yourself the best chance possible. Even dropping the bio class and taking physics and ochem + labs + working 40 hours a week + volunteering 10 hours a week + TAing + commute times is putting yourself at a high risk for tanking your dreams. Sorry to be so blunt.

If I were you I would work and choose one volunteering position, and if my grades slip I would get rid of that too. I realize we make commitments but really, you need to decide which path is ultimately going to get you the farthest.

Thanks for the honesty, this is very helpful. I am definitely leaning towards dropping the volunteering, at least cutting it down to about 3 hours a week instead of what I'm doing right now (which was manageable during the summer but as everyone has said will most likely cause my grades to drop if I keep it up this semester).

I am worried about taking orgo and physics together, but I have to do it if I want to try to apply in 2013. If I space it out, I'll end up taking 3 years to complete my post-bacc work total (since this is my 2nd year) and I won't be able to apply until 2014. Unless I decided to take physics or orgo in the summer, but I've been warned against that.

Does working 40 hours a week, volunteering ~3 hours a week and taking orgo and physics seem reasonable?

 

[MDforMee]

Not BS at all. I'm definitely not the first non-trad to work full time while doing this either, I even met one guy who was working at his job ~50 hours a week to support himself while doing post-bacc work. I'm completely financially independent and I've had to work full time to be able to do this (I'm not eligible for financial aid as a non matriculating student and have avoided taking out any more loans as I already have a significant amount of debt from undergrad). Although my job hours are very flexible, I often end up working odd hours, but I'm a full time employee with a regular 40 hour work week. With volunteering and 2 classes, it's 58 hours a week of work, but it isn't that crazy, consider residents who work 80 hours a week..

You don't have any experience with the big girl science classes like organic 1 and physics 1, but you've already planned out a schedule that'll almost certainly have you scraping by with B's, at best.

You're not speaking from an informed position, my friend. I suggest that you research the types of time commitments these courses take before plunging in.

You're going to be in for a rude awakening when you start getting C's.

I knew a lot of people who worked less than you and got C's.

I, personally, don't take more than 2 sciences at a time, since I have commitments of around 30 hours outside of class per week, and that's a stretch as it is. I don't go to an easy school, either, and I'm in the bigger teenage girl classes, now, like upper division chemistry.

 

[Ashley1989]

Thanks for the honesty, this is very helpful. I am definitely leaning towards dropping the volunteering, at least cutting it down to about 3 hours a week instead of what I'm doing right now (which was manageable during the summer but as everyone has said will most likely cause my grades to drop if I keep it up this semester).

I am worried about taking orgo and physics together, but I have to do it if I want to try to apply in 2013. If I space it out, I'll end up taking 3 years to complete my post-bacc work total (since this is my 2nd year) and I won't be able to apply until 2014. Unless I decided to take physics or orgo in the summer, but I've been warned against that.

Does working 40 hours a week, volunteering ~3 hours a week and taking orgo and physics seem reasonable?

I edited it after you quoted me although I still agree with what you quoted me as saying. I haven't yet taken physics and Organic (I'm starting this year though) but if you have any questions on it you can always do that trick where you double the number of credit hours and that's how many hours you should study a week (at minimum for those classes I think). If you can manage that into your schedule then you have a place to start. You can always try keeping one volunteering position for a few hours a week but let your coordinator know the situation so if you have to stop mid quarter they will have been forewarned.

I have a similar tendency to overload myself with work or ECs, but you need to always keep your eye on the prize and don't let anything jeopardize that.

 

[dashrx1019]

You don't have any experience with the big girl science classes like organic 1 and physics 1, but you've already planned out a schedule that'll almost certainly have you scraping by with B's, at best.

You're not speaking from an informed position, my friend. I suggest that you research the types of time commitments these courses take before plunging in.

You're going to be in for a rude awakening when you start getting C's.

I knew a lot of people who worked less than you and got C's.

I, personally, don't take more than 2 sciences at a time, since I have commitments of around 30 hours outside of class per week, and that's a stretch as it is. I don't go to an easy school, either, and I'm in the bigger teenage girl classes, now, like upper division chemistry.

Yeah, this is what I've been worrying about, I really have no idea what to expect with orgo and physics. Since I was a gov major in undergrad I took no science courses. My 1st year in post-bacc I took gen chem and bio and their respective labs (1st semester was 8 credits, 2nd semester was 6 credits, then took another 6 credits in the summer) and my GPA from that is a 3.6, not the greatest, so I definitely can't afford to mess up my grades. My advisor has been giving me grief about not taking more courses each semester, despite my schedule being very very full otherwise. But I also only volunteered at a clinic 4 hours a week my 1st year doing post-bacc and was told by my advisor that's not enough. So I told myself I'd try to take on all of this stuff.. but now I'm seeing that is probably a terrible idea

 

[Ashley1989]

Yeah, this is what I've been worrying about, I really have no idea what to expect with orgo and physics. Since I was a gov major in undergrad I took no science courses. My 1st year in post-bacc I took gen chem and bio and their respective labs (1st semester was 8 credits, 2nd semester was 6 credits, then took another 6 credits in the summer) and my GPA from that is a 3.6, not the greatest, so I definitely can't afford to mess up my grades. My advisor has been giving me grief about not taking more courses each semester, despite my schedule being very very full otherwise. But I also only volunteered at a clinic 4 hours a week my 1st year doing post-bacc and was told by my advisor that's not enough. So I told myself I'd try to take on all of this stuff.. but now I'm seeing that is probably a terrible idea

Just because we say this doesn't mean you are wrong or have a terrible idea. You know what you can handle, but quite frankly I personally would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to trying to get into medical school.

 

[MDforMee]

Yeah, this is what I've been worrying about, I really have no idea what to expect with orgo and physics. Since I was a gov major in undergrad I took no science courses. My 1st year in post-bacc I took gen chem and bio and their respective labs (1st semester was 8 credits, 2nd semester was 6 credits, then took another 6 credits in the summer) and my GPA from that is a 3.6, not the greatest, so I definitely can't afford to mess up my grades. My advisor has been giving me grief about not taking more courses each semester, despite my schedule being very very full otherwise. But I also only volunteered at a clinic 4 hours a week my 1st year doing post-bacc and was told by my advisor that's not enough. So I told myself I'd try to take on all of this stuff.. but now I'm seeing that is probably a terrible idea

I wouldn't tell you what I did unless I had personal experience.

Advisers are usually not the best people to talk to about things like this.

I hope that helps.

 

[Adrenaline21]

You don't have any experience with the big girl science classes like organic 1 and physics 1, but you've already planned out a schedule that'll almost certainly have you scraping by with B's, at best.

You're not speaking from an informed position, my friend. I suggest that you research the types of time commitments these courses take before plunging in.

You're going to be in for a rude awakening when you start getting C's.

I knew a lot of people who worked less than you and got C's.

I, personally, don't take more than 2 sciences at a time, since I have commitments of around 30 hours outside of class per week, and that's a stretch as it is. I don't go to an easy school, either, and I'm in the bigger teenage girl classes, now, like upper division chemistry.

Not if the work ethic/time management is there.(I can't speak from experience of ochem or physics) but the schedule set up for engineering majors involves 3-4 hard science and math classes.

 

[MDforMee]

Not if the work ethic/time management is there.(I can't speak from experience of ochem or physics) but the schedule set up for engineering majors involves 3-4 hard science and math classes.

This post is why SDN can be a source of misinformation.

Adrenaline comes in with no firsthand experience, draws a comparison to a different group of people who are not working 40 hour weeks, and then presumes to declare authoritatively that one's ability to succeed isn't based on real factors such as time, but on work ethic and time management.

Do others a favor and keep your opinions to yourself unless you know what you're talking about, and can help other people to make better, more informed decisions.

 

[Ashley1989]

This post is why SDN can be a source of misinformation.

Adrenaline comes in with no firsthand experience, draws a comparison to a different group of people who are not working 40 hour weeks, and then presumes to declare authoritatively that one's ability to succeed isn't based on real factors such as time, but on work ethic and time management.

Do others a favor and keep your opinions to yourself unless you know what you're talking about, and can help other people to make better, more informed decisions.

I agree with your points but sheesh take the claws back in just a little bit will you? There's no need to use Adrenaline as a scratching post, although I also disagree with what they're saying as well.

 

[Adrenaline21]

This post is why SDN can be a source of misinformation.

Adrenaline comes in with no firsthand experience, draws a comparison to a different group of people who are not working 40 hour weeks, and then presumes to declare authoritatively that one's ability to succeed isn't based on real factors such as time, but on work ethic and time management.

Do others a favor and keep your opinions to yourself unless you know what you're talking about, and can help other people to make better, more informed decisions.

Because obviously work ethic and time management are not real factors. I am not trying to sit here and argue with you all I said was its possible.

If he sets school first, and prepares for late nights, and trying to study whenever he can, of course its possible.(No I won't draw another speculation for comparison on other people because you seem to have a problem with that as evidence to support my claim)

Studying while volunteering, or while working saves lost time. I am just throwing out suggestions, not necessarily misinformed, how can you say that, all I said was that I have yet to take Ochem or Physics. Furthermore, how do you know those engineering majors weren't occupied with co-ops, volunteering, etc? It obviously gives him some examples showing its possible, its the same as saying that I went through that, its a forum on the internet, take advice with a grain of salt, because I could be full of it, and so could everyone else.

True, I don't have first hand experience in those courses, but I bet they'd be somewhat comparable to taking 20 credits over the summer with a job, volunteering, and hobbies, just more time consuming, provided I find them harder than other courses. Its all about him, if he finds ochem easier than his peers obviously it won't be the normal behemoth of a course. It also depends on the professor. There are more factors involved in the whole debate, not only time.

During the summer I took 20 credits:
Chem III+lab
Calculus II
Engineering Dynamics
Engineering Fluids

On top of that, I had 20 hours of work, and 10 hours of volunteering a week. And I made time to go kayaking and lift weights.

 

[Ashley1989]

Because obviously work ethic and time management are not real factors. I am not trying to sit here and argue with you all I said was its possible.

If he sets school first, and prepares for late nights, and trying to study whenever he can, of course its possible.(No I won't draw another speculation for comparison on other people because you seem to have a problem with that as evidence to support my claim)

Studying while volunteering, or while working saves lost time. I am just throwing out suggestions, not necessarily misinformed, how can you say that, all I said was that I have yet to take Ochem or Physics. Furthermore, how do you know those engineering majors weren't occupied with co-ops, volunteering, etc? It obviously gives him some examples showing its possible, its the same as saying that I went through that, its a forum on the internet, take advice with a grain of salt, because I could be full of it, and so could everyone else.

True, I don't have first hand experience in those courses, but I bet they'd be somewhat comparable to taking 20 credits over the summer with a job, volunteering, and hobbies, just more time consuming, provided I find them harder than other courses. Its all about him, if he finds ochem easier than his peers obviously it won't be the normal behemoth of a course. It also depends on the professor. There are more factors involved in the whole debate, not only time.

During the summer I took 20 credits:
Chem III+lab
Calculus II
Engineering Dynamics
Engineering Fluids

On top of that, I had 20 hours of work, and 10 hours of volunteering a week. And I made time to go kayaking and lift weights.

I don't personally know of any jobs or volunteer opportunities that allow someone to study during their shift unless they're in EMS. If I get caught sitting down while volunteering at the hospital there's hell to pay. Just last week I was standing there unsure of what to do and I was shredded so bad and for so long by a nurse it took every ounce of self control to not cry although i kind of started to when she said she obviously has to take my hand and lead me around since i cant do it myself. She actually did too for awhile and it was humiliating.

If they catch us studying.... Oh Lord have mercy.

 

[MDforMee]

I agree with your points but sheesh take the claws back in just a little bit will you? There's no need to use Adrenaline as a scratching post, although I also disagree with what they're saying as well.

Knowing what it takes to succeed, and doing what it takes to succeed are two different things; and, the world isn't fair, or polite.

 

[Adrenaline21]

I don't personally know of any jobs or volunteer opportunities that allow someone to study during their shift unless they're in EMS. If I get caught sitting down while volunteering at the hospital there's hell to pay. Just last week I was standing there unsure of what to do and I was shredded so bad and for so long by a nurse it took every ounce of self control to not cry although i kind of started to when she said she obviously has to take my hand and lead me around since i cant do it myself. She actually did too for awhile and it was humiliating.

If they catch us studying.... Oh Lord have mercy.

I understand its all relative.

My volunteer position at the hospital allows me to do studying during downtime. Its a great gig.

My work doesn't though.

 

[Ashley1989]

Knowing what it takes to succeed, and doing what it takes to succeed are two different things; and, the world isn't fair, or polite.

Of course, but we can make it a bit better of a place by being nicer and politer to each other, right?

It's okay, you can think I'm annoying.

 

[MDforMee]

Of course, but we can make it a bit better of a place by being nicer and politer to each other, right?

It's okay, you can think I'm annoying.

I agree that we should be polite, and courteous to everyone.

But, I hope that you see the difference between what you're saying here, and how you're treated by nurses at the hospital you're volunteering in, and how that relates to what I said, before, about the world not being polite, or fair.

 

[Ashley1989]

I agree that we should be polite, and courteous to everyone.

But, I hope that you see the difference between what you're saying here, and how you're treated by nurses at the hospital you're volunteering in, and how that relates to what I said, before, about the world not being polite, or fair.

Please, elaborate. I'm not sure I'm drawing exactly the relations you're trying to make.

 

[MDforMee]

Please, elaborate. I'm not sure I'm drawing exactly the relations you're trying to make.

No relations at all. It is what it is.

In a nutshell, there's a difference between ideals, and reality.

In this case, you have certain ideals about politeness, and the reality you deal with at the hospital is much different.

Why is this the case?

 

[Ashley1989]

No relations at all. It is what it is.

In a nutshell, there's a difference between ideals, and reality.

In this case, you have certain ideals about politeness, and the reality you deal with at the hospital is much different.

Why is this the case?

Oh, I see what you're saying. Well, to also put something really complex into a nutshell I know that the world doesn't abide by my ideals but that doesn't mean that I can't input into the world what I hope to receive from it. My whole life I've been nice to people and 99% of the time it's reciprocated, even by strangers. In the case of the nurse, when I started to tear up two other nurses (one being the charge nurse) came up and told her to back off and be nice to me because I was sweet and respectful, i just didnt include that part because i didnt want to be long winded.

I've discovered that when I am kind to everyone, even people i dislike, my little bubble turns into a really beautiful place, albeit a mean person here or there but they always shut up eventually. And people usually are drawn to you because when you're happy it projects into others and helps them be happy as well.

Hope my answer was satisfactory.

 

[MDforMee]

Oh, I see what you're saying. Well, to also put something really complex into a nutshell I know that the world doesn't abide by my ideals but that doesn't mean that I can't input into the world what I hope to receive from it. My whole life I've been nice to people and 99% of the time it's reciprocated, even by strangers. In the case of the nurse, when I started to tear up two other nurses (one being the charge nurse) came up and told her to back off and be nice to me because I was sweet and respectful, i just didnt include that part because i didnt want to be long winded.

I've discovered that when I am kind to everyone, even people i dislike, my little bubble turns into a really beautiful place, albeit a mean person here or there but they always shut up eventually. And people usually are drawn to you because when you're happy it projects into others and helps them be happy as well.

Hope my answer was satisfactory.

You choose to see what you want.

 

[Ashley1989]

You choose to see what you want.

I think it's more like you receive what you put in. Someone who is kind can be happy because being kind usually evokes a warm feeling inside in a reactive sense, whereas people who are typically mean to others have to have that unpleasantness start somewhere, and it originates from inside. I think how you treat people is a reflection of you internally whereas choosing what you see doesn't have any kind of intrapersonal reflection, just the keen ability to have a complete lack of a grip on reality.

But it's okay to disagree.

 

[MDforMee]

I think it's more like you receive what you put in. Someone who is kind can be happy because being kind usually evokes a warm feeling inside in a reactive sense, whereas people who are typically mean to others have to have that unpleasantness start somewhere, and it originates from inside. I think how you treat people is a reflection of you internally whereas choosing what you see doesn't have any kind of intrapersonal reflection, just the keen ability to have a complete lack of a grip on reality.

But it's okay to disagree.

The little piggy that built her house out of straw was eaten by the wolf.

 

[Ashley1989]

The little piggy that built her house out of straw was eaten by the wolf.

And the little piggy that built their house in a bomb shelter and blasted anyone who came too close lived a miserable life.

We can keep making random baseless analogies all day long, although if you compare mine to yours I think mine is more applicable. I'm still trying to figure out what you meant by the straw.

 

[dashrx1019]

Just because we say this doesn't mean you are wrong or have a terrible idea. You know what you can handle, but quite frankly I personally would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to trying to get into medical school.

Yeah, I would rather be safe than sorry. I can't afford to not do well in orgo and physics, so I'm not going to chance it. Even if my advisor doesn't agree. Hopefully med schools will be understanding and see that even though I only took 2 courses a semester, I was working full time