Question about "Under-Loading"

[alwaysdreambig]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey guys!

So basically I'm trying to figure out what to do with my fall semester schedule. I'm a junior currently working 15 hours a week in a lab and volunteering between 5 to 10 hours per week at a hospital in the local city. I am at a top 30 university where it is normal to take 5 classes (3 credits each for a total of 15 credit hours) per semester.

Freshman Fall I took 16 credits, 15 in the spring, 19 sophomore fall, and 21 sophomore spring (the equivalent of a "double overload"). My GPA right now stands at a low 3.7 (science is slightly higher).

My question is whether or not you guys think taking 12 credit hours this semester to accomodate the increase in time in my lab will be a poor choice for med school admissions? I would be taking 4 classes (a required course for my school's honors program, Biochemistry I, Intro to Physio, and Immunology). I'm well on track to graduate and finish my major, but I'm just concerned that I will weaken my app by taking fewer classes than the average student at my school.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[xroc]

Hey guys!

So basically I'm trying to figure out what to do with my fall semester schedule. I'm a junior currently working 15 hours a week in a lab and volunteering between 5 to 10 hours per week at a hospital in the local city. I am at a top 30 university where it is normal to take 5 classes (3 credits each for a total of 15 credit hours) per semester.

Freshman Fall I took 16 credits, 15 in the spring, 19 sophomore fall, and 21 sophomore spring (the equivalent of a "double overload"). My GPA right now stands at a low 3.7 (science is slightly higher).

My question is whether or not you guys think taking 12 credit hours this semester to accomodate the increase in time in my lab will be a poor choice for med school admissions? I would be taking 4 classes (a required course for my school's honors program, Biochemistry I, Intro to Physio, and Immunology). I'm well on track to graduate and finish my major, but I'm just concerned that I will weaken my app by taking fewer classes than the average student at my school.

Any advice is appreciated!

I highly doubt that it will have any effect on your chances.

 

[TxResident]

I don't feel that it would have an impact. If you're that paranoid, you should look into getting credit for that research.

Edit: I'd only take 12, you're taking Immuno 🙂.

 

[Osteoth]

Low GPA is a much bigger red flag than a lower courseload, considering that different universities have different "average" courseloads (ex, mine average is 16, 4 4 unit courses/quarter)