What do you guys feel about premeds who take classes to challenge themselves at the potential expense of a good grade vs those who take classes for the easy A?
You really don't think Adcoms are going to notice if you have B's in Ochem, Gen Chem, etc. yet A's in ecology??If getting into medical school is your #1 goal in life take the easy class 100/100 times.
Some people find issue with this, I do not.
I'm actually curious about this myself.You really don't think Adcoms are going to notice if you have B's in Ochem, Gen Chem, etc. yet A's in ecology??
All of those classes are part of your sGPA. I have friends who literally have straight-B's in most prereqs, yet fluffed the hell out of their sGPA with ecology and "research" classes so they landed around a 3.5. Are you telling me this won't be noticed?I honestly don't think they have time to notice your individual courses outside of science GPA. Since AMCAS says to list courses exactly as transcript its hard to tell which class is which
If not in the initial look at your AMCAS, I can almost guarantee an interviewer who is going to conduct an open file interview would notice the descrepancies and ask about them during in interview.I honestly don't think they have time to notice your individual courses outside of science GPA. Since AMCAS says to list courses exactly as transcript its hard to tell which class is which
You really don't think Adcoms are going to notice if you have B's in Ochem, Gen Chem, etc. yet A's in ecology??
People might actually like ecology. Nothing the adcoms can say about that. At the end of the day if you can get an A in ecology, the benefit far outweighs whatever moral superiority some BMEs think they have.I'm actually curious about this myself.
Well there are the pre-reqs that everyone has to take, y'know....While a good GPA is paramount, if you have no classes that show you have at least challenged yourself a little, I feel that would lead to some adcoms questioning your class choice.
I was more asking if they would be like "oh, his sGPA doesn't reflect his ability. He hasn't gotten A's in any 'real' science classes."People might actually like ecology. Nothing the adcoms can say about that. At the end of the day if you can get an A in ecology, the benefit far outweights whatever moral superiority some BMEs think they have.
Well there are the pre-reqs that everyone has to take, y'know....
Well anecdotally I haven't gotten any A's in "real" science classes. sGPA purely the result of GPA padding and AMCAS games. No one has mentioned it at all. Sure I'm strong in other areas but my pre req-gpa is 2.9. sGPA 3.5. I'll take a .6 boost at any cost.I was more asking if they would be like "oh, his sGPA doesn't reflect his ability. He hasn't gotten A's in any 'real' science classes."
One guy I'm thinking of in particular earned B's in all of the pre-reqs with one exception in first semester gen chem I believe. Yet, he has taken over a dozen ecology classes and 40 "research" units of A's, so he has above a 3.5.
Well, to be fair, you are a rockstar in just about every other area. But yeah, you would think that Harvard would pay a little closer attentionWell anecdotally I haven't gotten any A's in "real" science classes. sGPA purely the result of GPA padding and AMCAS games. No one has mentioned it at all. Sure I'm strong in other areas but my pre req-gpa is 2.9. sGPA 3.5. I'll take a .6 boost at any cost.
No offense, you are clearly a brilliant guy, but I have a hard time believing that Adcoms like @gyngyn and @mimelim are so easily fooled...Well anecdotally I haven't gotten any A's in "real" science classes. sGPA purely the result of GPA padding and AMCAS games. No one has mentioned it at all. Sure I'm strong in other areas but my pre req-gpa is 2.9. sGPA 3.5. I'll take a .6 boost at any cost.
Well, to be fair, you are a rockstar in just about every other area. But yeah, you would think that Harvard would pay a little closer attention
The point I'm trying to make is that getting an A in ecology isn't...bad. Considering adcoms don't even care what you major in, I highly doubt a few "easier" science electives would be like "OMG what a cheater."
Chill man, you're fineI have a 3.7 science gpa and 3.8 overall. My easy semester has upper level so no 100 level courses so how can they know?
Absolutely. I was specifyically referring to large-scale, blatant grade padding via research and other "easy" courses. And I'm not criticizing you, I'm just trying to understand how context is interpreted by admissions commitees.The point I'm trying to make is that getting an A in ecology isn't...bad. Considering adcoms don't even care what you major in, I highly doubt a few "easier" science electives would be like "OMG what a cheater."
Apparently there is no context most of the time. They just want to see 3.7+ and 31+ and every thing else is on the periphery.Absolutely. I was specifyically referring to large-scale, blatant grade padding via research and other "easy" courses. And I'm not criticizing you, I'm just trying to understand how context is interpreted by admissions commitees.
What do you guys feel about premeds who take classes to challenge themselves at the potential expense of a good grade vs those who take classes for the easy A?
I was more asking if they would be like "oh, his sGPA doesn't reflect his ability. He hasn't gotten A's in any 'real' science classes."
One guy I'm thinking of in particular earned B's in all of the pre-reqs with one exception in first semester gen chem I believe. Yet, he has taken over a dozen ecology classes and 40 "research" units of A's, so he has above a 3.5.
One guy I'm thinking of in particular earned B's in all of the pre-reqs with one exception in first semester gen chem I believe. Yet, he has taken over a dozen ecology classes and 40 "research" units of A's, so he has above a 3.5.
Wait, I totally glossed over that. Your schools gives you A/B/C/D grades for credited research??? WTFFFFF40 research credits???? Well yeah that's a pretty extreme example
Wait, I totally glossed over that. Your schools gives you A/B/C/D grades for credited research??? WTFFFFF
40 quarter units. Dude, it's par for the course at the UCs believe me lol. Actually, a lot of the time we are required to take research for credit for red tape reasons.40 research credits???? Well yeah that's a pretty extreme example
For many schools there are a lot of upper level courses that sound difficult and are on medically related topics that simply just aren't that difficult to get As often due to the professor just not wanting to make things as cutthroat be it something like an upper level neuro synaptic plasticity course, developmental bio, vertebrae morphology, an upper level biology of aging and cognition course etc. We always hear of how upward trends are key for those who don't have great gpas. Well for those people often what caused the poor grades were their first two years when they took their pre reqs. So yes I do think upper level science courses can redeem mediocre pre req grades particularly with this shift towards competency based admissions. I know gonnif has talked about how ochem isn't looked at nearly the be all end all and given the same weight it was 10-20 years ago as an example. But the example you cited, yeah that might be blatant lol
Most of my friends took 5 units a quarter for at least a year. 95% of the time it is an automatic A (at my school at least.)Wait, I totally glossed over that. Your schools gives you A/B/C/D grades for credited research??? WTFFFFF
40 quarter units. Dude, it's par for the course at the UCs believe me lol. Actually, a lot of the time we are required to take research for credit for red tape reasons.
Most of my friends took 5 units a quarter for at least a year. 95% of the time it is an automatic A at my school at least.
If I were at your schools there'd be a new campus research savant in town.Easy A for me.
BS in psych is a pretty difficult major at my schoolI would hope, but apparently a 3.98 in chemical engineering is the same as a 3.98 in psychology....
There are caps in the sense that after so many units you have to give presentations, write review articles, submit your work for publication, etc.Interesting. I know my and many other schools have limits on how many research credits you can take. Oh well more food for thought next time we have one of our weekly grade inflation/deflation threads at specific schools!
lmao I get A's in Ochem, but a B in ecologyYou really don't think Adcoms are going to notice if you have B's in Ochem, Gen Chem, etc. yet A's in ecology??
Nah, WUSTL is too sadistic for that.@efle Doesn't WUSTL do the "automatic A for research thing" too?
You sir get a gold star.I'd rather pork a polar bear in a phone booth than do that again.
Research for credits is pass/fail only@efle Doesn't WUSTL do the "automatic A for research thing" too?
MCAT is the great equalizer.
Research for credits is pass/fail only
I essentially take the same stance as MD-2020 that this ridiculous premed game makes it completely valid to chase easy grades, even if you have a high GPA after prereqs and it's just to free up more time. Though I think I number among the people most disgusted that this is the case. It's ****ed up that choosing to surround yourself with very academically strong peers, exploring classes outside your comfort zone, or taking very time intensive upper levels (neurophysiology lab stands out in my memory) can really put you at a disadvantage
Me.What's the verdict for someone who did excellent on the MCAT and took easy classes along the way purely for the sake of GPA padding?
Me.
Like...literally.
High GPA>rigor 9 out of 10 times. Adcoms would rather have an art history major with a 3.8 than an engineering major with a 3.4, so long as both took the prereqs.You really don't think Adcoms are going to notice if you have B's in Ochem, Gen Chem, etc. yet A's in ecology??
Research for credits is pass/fail only
I essentially take the same stance as MD-2020 that this ridiculous premed game makes it completely valid to chase easy grades, even if you have a high GPA after prereqs and it's just to free up more time. Though I think I number among the people most disgusted that this is the case. It's ****ed up that choosing to surround yourself with very academically strong peers, exploring classes outside your comfort zone, or taking very time intensive upper levels (neurophysiology lab stands out in my memory) can really put you at a disadvantage
High GPA>rigor 9 out of 10 times. Adcoms would rather have an art history major with a 3.8 than an engineering major with a 3.4, so long as both took the prereqs.