Taking less classes so I can study for the MCAT?

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pow123

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Ok, so I am thinking about taking 3 classes this semester which would total to 12 credits. The minimum at my school to be considered a full time student is 12 credits. I want to take less classes so I can really put in extra effort for MCAT studying. I am taking it in early April and started studying a few days ago following a 3 month schedule. To make up taking 3 classes, I will have to take a winter intersession course next winter which is no problem for me. My question, do medical schools care or even have access to what courses you took when and what your course load was for every semester? Will they see that my regular course load per semester was 15-17 credits and all of a sudden I only took 12? If it is a big deal then I may consider taking 15 credits this semester while managing my time well to study for the MCAT.
 
They won't care and if the interviewer was concerned, they'd ask and you could explain it anyway.

I actually suggest taking less credit hours while you study for the MCAT. Just make sure you really dedicate your time to learning the material. Set up an MCAT study plan and stick to it!
 
MedMinded said:
They won't care and if the interviewer was concerned, they'd ask and you could explain it anyway.

I actually suggest taking less credit hours while you study for the MCAT. Just make sure you really dedicate your time to learning the material. Set up an MCAT study plan and stick to it!
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Most people take an entire summer off with no classes to study for it. What you're doing is perfectly fine and I doubt any one would bring up the drop in credit hours. Good luck!
 
I have taken 12 credits since I got into college except for 1 quarter so your probably better off than me haha. Except this quarter I am taking 16 and hopefully starting to study for the MCAT :/
 
pow123 said:
Ok, so I am thinking about taking 3 classes this semester which would total to 12 credits. The minimum at my school to be considered a full time student is 12 credits. I want to take less classes so I can really put in extra effort for MCAT studying. I am taking it in early April and started studying a few days ago following a 3 month schedule. To make up taking 3 classes, I will have to take a winter intersession course next winter which is no problem for me. My question, do medical schools care or even have access to what courses you took when and what your course load was for every semester? Will they see that my regular course load per semester was 15-17 credits and all of a sudden I only took 12? If it is a big deal then I may consider taking 15 credits this semester while managing my time well to study for the MCAT.
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Totally fine. Like stated above, if they ask about it, that is a more than adequate explanation. Just make sure three months is enough time to bulk up on verbal! And try your best to maintain ECs and what not, although a three month gap in activities is probably also not a big deal. Adcoms know how important the MCAT is, and it is also something applications are screened upon!
 
emilym said:
I am doing the same thing! Except I am taking only organic 1 and studying for the MCAT.
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Are you going to try and self teach Orgo 2 to yourself for the MCAT? I've heard Orgo 2 is not as important as Orgo 1 for MCAT questions, but nonetheless, important. I'm curious... I will be teaching myself Physics 2 for my MCAT... got all other prereqs in.


OP, wise decision with the course load.
 
Thoroughbred_Med said:
Are you going to try and self teach Orgo 2 to yourself for the MCAT? I've heard Orgo 2 is not as important as Orgo 1 for MCAT questions, but nonetheless, important. I'm curious... I will be teaching myself Physics 2 for my MCAT... got all other prereqs in.


OP, wise decision with the course load.
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That is exactly what I am going to do. Initially I was going to do that with physics 2, but I figured I would be able to learn organic 2 easier than physics 2. Not sure if that will be the case, but I am hoping that it will be 🙄
As far as the materials, are you going to use review books or a textbook and do it the old fashioned way? I am using The Berkeley Review, EK 1001 and MANY extra practice problems 🙂
 
I just wanted to bump this thread because I am considering doing the same thing, but with slight complications.

I'm probably gonna do 12 hours AFTER not having done anything productive during the summer. I spent the summer studying for the MCAT but I still feel I am not ready. Will it hurt me that I didn't do anything "productive" that summer and still decided to take 12 hours in the Fall?

Also, I have a previous 12 hour semester from 3 semesters ago. Will that affect me in having another potential 12 hour semester?
 
TexasSurgeon said:
I just wanted to bump this thread because I am considering doing the same thing, but with slight complications.

I'm probably gonna do 12 hours AFTER not having done anything productive during the summer. I spent the summer studying for the MCAT but I still feel I am not ready. Will it hurt me that I didn't do anything "productive" that summer and still decided to take 12 hours in the Fall?

Also, I have a previous 12 hour semester from 3 semesters ago. Will that affect me in having another potential 12 hour semester?
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You're fine.
 
TexasSurgeon said:
:biglove::biglove: really?!?! They won't be like "Why did you spend all summer + a semester studying and only take 12 hours??!??!
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1. More credits doesn't mean your schedule is suddenly "harder". Personally, I think that view is nonsense since a 12-credit schedule on strictly humanities or physics for example can be living hell lol.

2. Assuming you're already well established in your ECs, longevity shouldn't be a problem, meaning that you can state you were continuing your ECs over the summer and semester even with reduced involvement

Seriously lol. The MCAT is a big deal since it practically decides your career. Do what you need to do to ensure maximal success. If that means less courseload and less activities to minimize distractions (which I actually strongly recommend), then do that.
 
TexasSurgeon said:
I just wanted to bump this thread because I am considering doing the same thing, but with slight complications.

I'm probably gonna do 12 hours AFTER not having done anything productive during the summer. I spent the summer studying for the MCAT but I still feel I am not ready. Will it hurt me that I didn't do anything "productive" that summer and still decided to take 12 hours in the Fall?

Also, I have a previous 12 hour semester from 3 semesters ago. Will that affect me in having another potential 12 hour semester?
Click to expand...

What do you mean you didn't do anything this summer? Only started the biggest MCAT support thread of all time. 😛

In all seriousness: there will be some schools that will view a whole summer dedicated to only MCAT studying in a negative light, but it's nothing that will make or break an application. Unless the 12 credit semester thing is a regular habit, it's likely not to even be noticed.
 
That's what I did, it is the smart thing to do.
 
That's my plan and I'm saving the easiest classes to fill those 12 required credit hours.
 
Lawper said:
1. More credits doesn't mean your schedule is suddenly "harder". Personally, I think that view is nonsense since a 12-credit schedule on strictly humanities or physics for example can be living hell lol.

2. Assuming you're already well established in your ECs, longevity shouldn't be a problem, meaning that you can state you were continuing your ECs over the summer and semester even with reduced involvement

Seriously lol. The MCAT is a big deal since it practically decides your career. Do what you need to do to ensure maximal success. If that means less courseload and less activities to minimize distractions (which I actually strongly recommend), then do that.
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Yeah okay sounds good. I wasn't doing all my ECs during summer (stopped research) but still involved in leadership and etc.

Aerus said:
What do you mean you didn't do anything this summer? Only started the biggest MCAT support thread of all time. 😛

In all seriousness: there will be some schools that will view a whole summer dedicated to only MCAT studying in a negative light, but it's nothing that will make or break an application. Unless the 12 credit semester thing is a regular habit, it's likely not to even be noticed.
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LOL
😱😱😱 since I'm a texas resident, BCM is my top choice although at this point any med school would be nice to get into. It's just that BCM is the dream. I really hope they don't look at it like that. I think I've got some really good ECs that add a lot to the app so hopefully that helps a lot
 
ConfusedChemist said:
Reading these threads makes me incredibly jealous of Americans....
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That we have one of the best medical educations in the world without the super cutt-throat competitiveness of Canada? 😛
 
Aerus said:
That we have one of the best medical educations in the world without the super cutt-throat competitiveness of Canada? 😛
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Haha
Basically. There's a higher success rate at Harvard than there is at some of the random Canadian schools
Getting into any med school here takes a 3.9+GPA (on average) of a full courseload every term. And they hate 'filler' courses
 
ConfusedChemist said:
Haha
Basically. There's a higher success rate at Harvard than there is at some of the random Canadian schools
Getting into any med school here takes a 3.9+GPA (on average) of a full courseload every term. And they hate 'filler' courses
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Why is it so rough like that?
 
TexasSurgeon said:
Why is it so rough like that?
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in a word, medicare.
All our schools are public, so while they are cheap to attend the government heavily restricts the number of seats, last year one of the schools I'm applying to has >4000 applications for the 100 seats. The number of seats isn't allowed to increase, even though we have a shortage of physicians in Canada. It's a really poor system, literally and figurativly
 
ConfusedChemist said:
in a word, medicare.
All our schools are public, so while they are cheap to attend the government heavily restricts the number of seats, last year one of the schools I'm applying to has >4000 applications for the 100 seats. The number of seats isn't allowed to increase, even though we have a shortage of physicians in Canada. It's a really poor system, literally and figurativly
Click to expand...
So it's like how the number of residencies in America is less than the number of graduating medical students...damn that's rough man.
 
ConfusedChemist said:
in a word, medicare.
All our schools are public, so while they are cheap to attend the government heavily restricts the number of seats, last year one of the schools I'm applying to has >4000 applications for the 100 seats. The number of seats isn't allowed to increase, even though we have a shortage of physicians in Canada. It's a really poor system, literally and figurativly
Click to expand...

Not as bad as Mayo lol. Like 5000+ applications for 50 seats! Or Pritzker with >4000 applications for ~80 seats!
 
TexasSurgeon said:
So it's like how the number of residencies in America is less than the number of graduating medical students...damn that's rough man.[/QUOTE
tell me about it...
the upside is that here if you manage to get yourself one of those lovely acceptances, you're basically set 🙂
Click to expand...
 
Lawper said:
Idk... Boston, Drexel, Jefferson, GWU, Georgetown get like 10K apps for ~150 seats? But yeah, they're few and rare, but still spooky that some US schools are mimicking the Canadian system
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maybe....if you're lucky they'll start copying our tuition rates 😛
 
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