Semester/Yearly Course Loads

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slarveson

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  1. Pre-Medical
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Is it that big of a deal to show how tough your course load was/is? Im a non trad accounting degree graduate in 2006 and started the pre-med thing in 2007 Fall. In the past 3 years, i've only taken 61 credits of science classes and a trig class. At first, i knew i had to do exceptionally well in all my classes to make up for some bad grades early on in college that i got because i didn't have any direction or care. I just wanted to guarantee myself good grades and i didn't know how tough the classes would be seeing that i had never taken any science classes for the most part. I also have two W's from the first year for the same reasons. I dropped both of these classes (1 in fall 2007 and 1 in spring 2008) like a week after the last day to drop without a W and was in good standing in the class but just never believed in myself at the time that i would get all A's so didn't take any chances and dropped them. The next year in 2008-2009 I took 30 credits but one was a phlebotomy class for 4 credits that wasn't that hard. This past year was the worst with only 13 credits combined for both semesters (long story). I have a 3.9ish GPA on all of the classes taken since the pre-med endeavor but i worry that my courseload for 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 will have to be explained. I hardly work and live with the parents so i definitely could have taken more. However, i've volunteered in many different ECs etc. for a combined 500ish hours or so since fall 2007. I worry that although im getting the good grades that my courseload might have to be explained or something? Is this that big of a deal to the admission boards at med schools?

I should have been ready for the MCAT and applied this year but never studied for it until the first of summer and its not where i want it to be for the practice tests and i also still need to take Ochem2 so i decided that i better wait another year and so i'll do better on the MCAT and prove myself a little more with the courseloads etc. This next semester im taking ochem2, biochem, and micro biology. This should be a really tough semester and then in spring 2011, im thinking of going kind of light on the courseloads again so that i can study for the MCAT more.

What do you guys think about all of this that i've told you? Should i be worried or is it not that big of a deal? Should i take a tough semester for spring 2011 and sacrifice the MCAT a little?

Thanks, i've just been stressing about this for the past year or so because if you ask me, there is no reason why i shouldn't be where im at today a year ago (and with ochem2 under my belt) and would appreciate any responses.
 
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in a nutshell, the MCAT will make a bigger impression than a tough semester/quarter! DO NOT SACRAFICE THE MCAT FOR ANYTHING!!! FOCUS ALL YOUR TIME AND EFFORT ON THE MCAT, DOMINATE IT! and the rest follows after!
 
in a nutshell, the MCAT will make a bigger impression than a tough semester/quarter! DO NOT SACRAFICE THE MCAT FOR ANYTHING!!! FOCUS ALL YOUR TIME AND EFFORT ON THE MCAT, DOMINATE IT! and the rest follows after!

Agreed.
 
k thanks but based on what i've said about my courseloads not being that much except for the one year, is this that big of a deal or not?
 
k thanks but based on what i've said about my courseloads not being that much except for the one year, is this that big of a deal or not?

It's a smaller factor.

And not one worth trying to correct for right before you take the MCAT. If you've been taking nothing but science together, you should have your bases covered.

And if your GPA since you started pre-med courses shows a marked improvement, and your MCAT is strong, it won't be enough of a factor to hurt you.
 
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