Research Credits

[rajp98]

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Is it necessary to get credit for research by taking the research class offered? Do most people take the credit class when they are doing research, and is it favored by admissions?

 

[rajp98]

1) No...2) some do, some dont, and 3) no difference whether credit or other method

Then whats the point in getting credit?

 

[Glandzburg]

Then whats the point in getting credit?

The only point in getting credit is that those credits count towards the overall credits you need for your major or to graduate. It could also give you a small GPA boost.

Research is research; medical schools don't care if you are doing it for credit or not.

 

[ZedsDed]

It could also give you a small GPA boost.

It can be quite large if you are maxing out every quarter/semester.

 

[rajp98]

Dont you also have to consider excess credit hours bs also?

 

[ZedsDed]

Dont you also have to consider excess credit hours bs also?

Not sure what you mean

 

[mimelim]

1) No...2) some do, some dont, and 3) no difference whether credit or other method

It can be quite large if you are maxing out every quarter/semester.

I have seen incredulity from faculty adcoms about the number of research credits that people have taken. Granted, only twice and only in two extreme cases. But, both times the applicant's GPA was ball parked at a committee meeting without the research credits by someone who didn't want to admit the applicant as evidence of "trying to pull the wool over your eyes". Again, extreme, rare cases, but I would avoid making it exceedingly obvious that it is being used as a GPA crutch. If you already have a 3.7+, nobody will give two ****s. But, a significant dip without them can irk people.

 

[ZedsDed]

I have seen incredulity from faculty adcoms about the number of research credits that people have taken. Granted, only twice and only in two extreme cases. But, both times the applicant's GPA was ball parked at a committee meeting without the research credits by someone who didn't want to admit the applicant as evidence of "trying to pull the wool over your eyes". Again, extreme, rare cases, but I would avoid making it exceedingly obvious that it is being used as a GPA crutch. If you already have a 3.7+, nobody will give two ****s. But, a significant dip without them can irk people.

Just out of curiosity, what was the GPA drop?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Not sure why I didnt quote your post but @ZedsDed here's a juicy n=1 experience for you.

I actually had a friend who just called his state school a month ago after getting rejected post-II to ask for feedback. First thing they told him was "You had over 30 research credits in your sGPA." I think the real number he told me was 37 credits. Often schools even if they choose to give feedback wont make it anywhere near this specific or revealing: the fact it was the first thing out of their mouth and they were willing to share such a juicy detail about something that played into the decision shows you how big a deal it was they thought. And this was someone with a 3.65-3.7ish sGPA also, not somebody with loads of B's and C's in actual science classes on their transcript. I think they told me their sGPA even without the research was in the 3.5ish range.

It's all a ball park estimation really, nobody is going to go through and recalculate your sGPA even if they get notice extreme padding. All of this is super remote anyway in terms of probability of happening. I think a big thing with him was he had 3.5 years worth of big credit but didnt have that much to show for it. People are probably less likely to have issue with something like this if you take all this credit and produce alot. Im just speculating on that though, they didnt say that part over the phone.

Btw I dont think this alone caused the rejection or anything like that. But it definitely mattered. My best guess is they saw other parts in his app that made them think the same things they thought when they saw that sGPA padding which werent favorable.

 

[rajp98]

Does it look bad if you take a 0 credit research course option? Just to have it listed on the transcript? Or should you go with atleast 1 credit

 

[Goro]

It doesn't matter.

Does it look bad if you take a 0 credit research course option? Just to have it listed on the transcript? Or should you go with atleast 1 credit

 

[Glandzburg]

Does it look bad if you take a 0 credit research course option? Just to have it listed on the transcript? Or should you go with atleast 1 credit

What is the benefit of not taking the credits that are offered?

 

[rajp98]

What is the benefit of not taking the credits that are offered?

having too many credits can increase your tuiton due to the excess credit hour charge.

 

[Glandzburg]

having too many credits can increase your tuiton due to the excess credit hour charge.

Makes sense. As was mentioned above, med schools don't if you are earning credit or not (unless you are earning too many research credits). They just like to see that you have some research experience.

 

[GrapesofRath]

What is the benefit of not taking the credits that are offered?

For me my school wouldnt allow people who were taking research credit to get any pay from their PI/other sources

 

[Glandzburg]

1) if it would make you over semester credit max
2) not having to worry about a grade in case you get a PI who is tough
3) maybe getting paid as work study, off a grant, etc
4) having an informal setup

All legitimate pitfalls. I was more or less pressing Op for his/her specific reasoning, as it was previously unclear.

EDIT: I understand that you are listing these reasons for the purpose of helping others who may read this thread. Very helpful indeed.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Doesn't matter. At my school, research credits are usually done for programs that require them to graduate with honors. Beyond that, little point as you are PAYING for essentially nothing.