Question Regarding science-LOR from Psych prof and More

[adam5aby]

Alright,

So after sifting the piles of threads on this forum about psych LOR's (and talking with friends who have already applied) Ive come to the conclusion that psych professors may count towards a science LOR as long as the class title is science-related (e.g. cognitive neuroscience). Any disagreements?

1. The real question- for anyone who obtained science-LORs from psych professors, what is the protocol for clearing this up with medical school (must you inform them via phone? attach a 2nd explanatory letter? etc.)?

2.Ive read that psych stats counts as part of the "1 year of math" requirement most schools have, BUT that it doesnt go under the BCMP....is there any official word on this(cite sources?)?

3.If you graduate and realize (for whatever reason) that you still need to fulfill a requirement for a med school (or want to take another class), can you take this course at another 4-year university (or community college?) and, if someone has done already this, what's the protocol for this as well (e.g. informing the med school, etc)?


thank you guys so much woo woo!

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[riverwoman1040]

I used a letter from a Psychobiology professor and didn't have any problems. I just called each of the schools that required a letter from a science professor and got a verbal ok.

 

[Critical Mass]

1. I see no problem with it from the standpoint of the schools. If they require a committee letter instead of specific LOR's or want LOR's from natural science profs, just ask 'em about it.

2. The science GPA boundary is set by the prefix of the class. If it is offered by a psych department, it's probably not going to count toward your science GPA. Sorry, no source, just SDN conjecture. As for specific school requirements, you'd have to ask them individually. They may want to see your syllabus or something, but that would come down the road after you've been accepted.

3. Yeah, you can take them wherever you want. I don't know that you have to tell them because they will need transcripts from ALL higher ed institutions you've attended after you've been admitted to verify pre-req's. So if you go to another school to finish, you'll send them that transcript too.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

2. The science GPA boundary is set by the prefix of the class.

False. Course content determines AMCAS category.

I had letters from two engineering faculty (BMD_ENG prefix) as my "science" reqs in addition to an english prof for my non science and the standard PI + physician letters. Not one of them was a BIO CHEM PHYS or MATH prefix prof, nor did I send any additional information to the schools.

Additionally, I was able to count a lot of my less quantitative BME/EE courses towards my Science GPA without anyone blinking an eye (AMCAS was verified very quickly).

 

[adam5aby]

real quick.

biochem lab, i know its pretty much no required for most places, right?

but do you think it would be "look better" if i took it over some other (perhaps easier) course

 

[Critical Mass]

False. Course content determines AMCAS category.

I agree, but how are they going to know what the content of a class was? They'd have to call the school and ask for a syllabus or textbook, and I don't think that they have time to do that. Plus you'd probably have to give them permission to do so.

I'm no expert on AMCAS, but I'd think that they'd be likely to exclude a statistics class with a psychology prefix from BCMP. Engineering is a different story.

biochem lab--wrong thread. There's one or two out there about this. I think that Florida requires it. Dunno about others.

 

[GoonieDoc]

I counted my Psych Stats class as BCPM and was verified by AMCAS with the class counting as part of my science GPA.

 

[adam5aby]

I counted my Psych Stats class as BCPM and was verified by AMCAS with the class counting as part of my science GPA.

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