Should I go to school in the summer?

[Bianca422]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was thinking about taking classes only because I want to be able to take the MCAT in April and if I take classes in the summer I'll be able to do that. How many of you guys are doing summer school and is this a good decision?

 

[thomallama]

I was thinking about taking classes only because I want to be able to take the MCAT in April and if I take classes in the summer I'll be able to do that. How many of you guys are doing summer school and is this a good decision?

The only problem I've ever heard with summer classes is that they go over the same amount of material faster than normal, so you don't absorb it as well. It will be up to you to make sure you fully understand the material.

That being said, I've taken classes in every summer semester of my time as an undergrad. If it weren't for those, I wouldn't have been able to graduate "on time."

 

[deleted357625]

ive done it every year so far, and even took winter/maymesters if offered.
Learn all the info covered in a semester in a few weeks. Can be tough depending on the course. Easy/faster way to finish credits tho

 

[plumhill]

Depends on what classes you're doing over the summer. Not all adcoms will appreciate you taking pre-reqs over the summer, since they can't tell if you'd have been able to handle that class as part of a full-time courseload. Also I would not take o-chem over the summer.

 

[Bianca422]

Depends on what classes you're doing over the summer. Not all adcoms will appreciate you taking pre-reqs over the summer, since they can't tell if you'd have been able to handle that class as part of a full-time courseload. Also I would not take o-chem over the summer.

Why wouldn't you take o-chem over the summer?

 

[plumhill]

well, summer classes are condensed anyways, and o-chem is NOT something you want to try and rush through. it's hard enough during a full semester. Plus like I said in my previous post, you don't want to try and take too many pre-reqs individually over the summer. adcoms need to know that you can handle those courses as part of a full-time courseload.

 

[Bianca422]

well, summer classes are condensed anyways, and o-chem is NOT something you want to try and rush through. it's hard enough during a full semester. Plus like I said in my previous post, you don't want to try and take too many pre-reqs individually over the summer. adcoms need to know that you can handle those courses as part of a full-time courseload.

Oh okay do you think it would be okay to start o-chem in the summer and finish it up in the fall semester?

 

[theseeker4]

Oh okay do you think it would be okay to start o-chem in the summer and finish it up in the fall semester?

You will be fine taking your pre-reqs in whatever term they fit your schedule. Taking a few pre-reqs during summer semesters will not look bad to medical schools at all, as long as you have a full course load during regular semesters. O chem I in the summer and II in the fall will be fine, as long as you can devote the time to adequately study for it. As said above, the same material is crammed into a shorter period of time, so you need to make sure you stay on top of it and learn everything. Don't worry about how it look to medical schools though, in general they care about what classes you took and what grades you got, not what semester you took them.

 

[varsityblue]

Yup, I'm taking Physics I, Biochemistry I, and some major pre-reqs this summer. As other people on SDN have said, adcoms won't care if you take a few prereqs over the summer so long as you keep up your EC activities. 🙂