Should I take 3 courses per semester with one course in the summer?

[Neil45]

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Do dental schools usually frown upon applicants who do this? I am thinking of taking first year Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus and then take Physics in the summer. Or should I take all four courses per semester? What I am thinking is that since I am new to university, I should just stick with three courses per semester for first year of university, and then upgrade it to 4 courses per semester in my subsequent years of the Bachelor of Science program. I think taking 4 challenging courses will be too much for me in the first year. I want to take it easy. Besides, it would look a lot better on my transcript to have 3 courses and have better grades than to have 4 courses and not have good grades, right?

 

[Ething]

There is no problem with that.

 

[Neil45]

Wow, really? That took the stress off my mind. Thanks. 🙂

 

[Neil45]

What I thought was that Dental schools generally favour students who have taken full course load (usually 5 courses per semester) as opposed to students like me who have taken only three courses per semester with one course in the summer.

 

[bionerd]

What I thought was that Dental schools generally favour students who have taken full course load (usually 5 courses per semester) as opposed to students like me who have taken only three courses per semester with one course in the summer.

sorry to break the bad news but, given all other things being equal, dental schools prefer students who took a harder courseload than students who took it easy...Read on the websites...

 

[toothfairy85]

Dental schools typically prefer students who take full course loads with tough science courses together. It's what you're going to be doing in dental school. Adcoms can't be sure that a student who didn't take a full course load will be ready for dental school when you are taking 7+ classes at once. I've heard from some dental students that your first year at most schools is something like 54 hours, which is something none of us have done. I have taken 6 classes each the past 3 semesters and 3 classes this past summer to help me prepare for first 2 years of dental school.

 

[Ething]

I was talking about in terms of the amount of science/math courses taken per semester. Yeah.....I think it would be better if you took more than 3 courses a semester. Add in there a couple of non-sciences maybe and that is fine. They do want to see full course loads but not necessarily 6 or 7 sciences in one semester. What about all those people in dental school who are non science majors? You think they take 7 sciences a semester? No way.

 

[Ething]

Dental schools typically prefer students who take full course loads with tough science courses together. It's what you're going to be doing in dental school. Adcoms can't be sure that a student who didn't take a full course load will be ready for dental school when you are taking 7+ classes at once. I've heard from some dental students that your first year at most schools is something like 54 hours, which is something none of us have done. I have taken 6 classes each the past 3 semesters and 3 classes this past summer to help me prepare for first 2 years of dental school.

What about taking bio, chem, calc, and physics all in the same semester? How many people do you know who did that? (Bio and chem ive heard of but not with physics too......Im sure some people do it but not many).

 

[rchuloholla]

What about taking bio, chem, calc, and physics all in the same semester? How many people do you know who did that? (Bio and chem ive heard of but not with physics too......Im sure some people do it but not many).

in my school it's part of the set cirriculum to take bio, chem, calc and physics all in the same semester freshman year

 

[toothfairy85]

I took genetics, calculus, physiology, organic II, organic II lab, and a core curriculum course in one semester.

I took physics I, physics I lab, biochem, biochem lab, physiology lab, and an upper division elective in one semester.

I guess it just depends on what you think you can handle along with work, shadowing, extra curriculars, etc.

 

[keibee82]

I took physics, lab, chem, lab, bio, lab, psychology, philosophy all during the summer.

 

[cocokeala]

yea i've been taking at LEAST 18 units a semester with at LEAST 2 science courses and many summer courses. you dont need to do all that since im trying to graduate in 3 years but remember that dent schools like to see the FABULOUS five or wahtever. i forget waht they are: biochem histology microbio physio something else??

 

[Neil45]

Wow. At least 18 units? Kudos to you for handling such a heavy courseload. I am thinking of dropping first year Physics and take Sociology as an elective. So, I would be taking Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Sociology. I think that seems better.

 

[pmantz]

Physical Chem, Linear Algebra, Organismal Physiology, Biochemistry Lab, Spanish II, finishing up some summer research my wife works full time and I have three kids.

 

[_veo_]

you should add maybe one or 2 non-science classes that you will need to graduate.. like sociology or psy or something like that. Since it is your first semester, I think you shouldn't add that many science classes all together. You will have other semesters to do that... I took just 3 classes with just 2 labs my first semester and then 5 in my next semester.. Then I was doing 16/18 hours per semester plus research, but I didn't start doing that until my second semester of my second year.. It is better to start off with the right foot imo

 

[mynameistino]

im taking genetics, cell biology, organic chemistry lecture, physics lecture/lab/discussion

 

[americanpierg]

LOL these people are spewing bullshyt on you. sure dental schools will PREFER to see 18-20 credits a semester, and SOME no life kids who live on sdn will do that, graduating with 150 out of the required 120 credits, but the majority of kids go with an AVERAGE of 15 a semester. its better to go with 12 credits a semester with 6 credits during the summer and get a 3.8 than to take 20 credits a semester and get a 3.2. its along the same line as getting a 3.8 from ohio state than getting a 3.2 from harvard. take as many classes as you think you can do well in, as long as ur full time and 4.0ing ur classes, ur set

 

[Maroon]

LOL these people are spewing bullshyt on you. sure dental schools will PREFER to see 18-20 credits a semester, and SOME no life kids who live on sdn will do that, graduating with 150 out of the required 120 credits, but the majority of kids go with an AVERAGE of 15 a semester. its better to go with 12 credits a semester with 6 credits during the summer and get a 3.8 than to take 20 credits a semester and get a 3.2. its along the same line as getting a 3.8 from ohio state than getting a 3.2 from harvard. take as many classes as you think you can do well in, as long as ur full time and 4.0ing ur classes, ur set

The average is 15-18 credits. I'd say if you're unsure about how you think you can handle the curriculum, take around this many credit hours. Do you have to take a minor? What about regular graduation requirements aside from major requirements?

I think taking at least 12 credits is a good idea but again, don't stress yourself out and then do poorly in your classes because you wanted it to look good on your application. What looks good are A's. Aim for that, but up the bar a little bit for yourself.

 

[artmed12]

LOL these people are spewing bullshyt on you. sure dental schools will PREFER to see 18-20 credits a semester, and SOME no life kids who live on sdn will do that, graduating with 150 out of the required 120 credits, but the majority of kids go with an AVERAGE of 15 a semester. its better to go with 12 credits a semester with 6 credits during the summer and get a 3.8 than to take 20 credits a semester and get a 3.2. its along the same line as getting a 3.8 from ohio state than getting a 3.2 from harvard. take as many classes as you think you can do well in, as long as ur full time and 4.0ing ur classes, ur set

+1, dont let everyone here taking 534980928348 science courses/semester freak you out. You want to establish a strong GPA from the beginning. I think you are on the right track with 3 science courses and a non science elective for the first semester. Do well in those classes and see what you are capable of. Physics is not on the DAT, which means you can take that as late as senior year unless it is a prereq for something. best of luck, peace out

 

[colt]

If I'm not mistaken, some schools don't even allow you to take over 14 credit hours per semester (you need permission to take more).

 

[toothfairy85]

I think it's no more than 14 quarter credits and 20 semester credits.