Semester Loads

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Colonel Mitchel

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Do the admissions people see how many the credits/load of each semester? I am considering taking a lighter load next semester in order to keep up my GPA (it is a tad low right now ~ 3.15).
The main reason I am considering taking a lighter load is that I have to take this class (Genetics) that is taught by a teacher considered by many to be the school's hardest and many consider this to be the next to hardest biology class offered at the school, maybe the next to hardest class of the school (the hardest being another class by that same teacher). Many students who almost exclusively make A's struggle for a B in that class. Hence my question, will the admissions people know if I take a lighter load that semester for my GPA's sake? If so, would taking that lighter load be a bad idea?

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Do the admissions people see how many the credits/load of each semester? I am considering taking a lighter load next semester in order to keep up my GPA (it is a tad low right now ~ 3.15).
The main reason I am considering taking a lighter load is that I have to take this class (Genetics) that is taught by a teacher considered by many to be the school's hardest and many consider this to be the next to hardest biology class offered at the school, maybe the next to hardest class of the school (the hardest being another class by that same teacher). Many students who almost exclusively make A's struggle for a B in that class. Hence my question, will the admissions people know if I take a lighter load that semester for my GPA's sake? If so, would taking that lighter load be a bad idea?
i dont think it should..i have done the same for my metabolic biochemistry class, which i withdrew from the first time i took it. i got an A for the retake with the lighter load and i still got in to opto school =). i think its more important that you show them that you do it and improvement is always awesome! besides..if they ask u about it during ur interview, you'll have something to talk about: your mean genetics professor ;)
 
Can you define lighter load?

My last semester of undergrad was, relatively speaking, a cake walk. I took 13.5 credit hours and just a couple of those courses were upper division. I kicked my own butt up to that point, though.

As long as you don't get too carried away (drop below full time, take all easy classes besides genetics), I wouldn't think it's a huge issue.

But, that being said, admissions committees do look at your course load. But it's not so much a "is this person just trying to get a better GPA?" thing as it is "can this person handle difficult coursework?" thing. Just make it clear that you are still taking on very difficult coursework. If someone challenges you, I don't see it as a bad thing if you want to make it more possible to devote a lot of time to that particular course so that you are really able to conquer the material.
 
I've actually always been given the advice that course load does matter.

If you're asked "Why were your grades so low this semester?" and you respond "I was taking too many credit hours." the natural response is "Then how do you think you'll be able to keep your grades up when taking 18 or more credit hours in optometry school?"

But it's a trade-off...
Of course it will look better if you get good grade while taking a heavy course load. But if you gotta do it to get your GPA up, you gotta do it.
 
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