Taking Lower Div Science Classes As A Senior

[Double Bonded]

I'm a non-science major and I'm all set to take Biochem next semester (like at most schools an upper div class at my school). But I was wondering if it would look bad to take a lower division 3-4 unit science class that's an easy A. It would probably be some kind of Earth Science or Environmental Science class, but it's going to be lower division and titled "introduction to..."

I don't have a lot of upper division science classes b/c Biochem is a prereq for most, I'm a senior but I'm staying an extra semester and I'll take a few over the summer and in my gap year. Is it a bad idea to take lower division science classes?

I would appreciate replies from people who have matriculated to medical school, are applying to medical school (this cycle), or adcoms (cat, lizzy, etc).

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[coup de chance]

Be stingy with your time.

Think carefully about why you're taking whatever class.

If you're just taking some blow-off easy class to raise your GPA, it's fine to take if you really need it. But if you're already a senior, calculate how much you'll raise your GPA by taking it.

And also consider whether it'll count towards your graduation credit.

Bottom line is that don't waste your time.

Especially if you're (or gonna be) a super-senior.

Best to save some time to crank out some impressive credentials during your super-senior-dom... if you don't already have some pubs/research, go get that.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I don't think it'll matter. A lot of people take intro to astronomy or other classes like that for an easy A. However if you've taken like 10 for major biology classes and then take a bio class for non-majors ( easy GER/Core) it might make the adcoms wonder.

 

[Double Bonded]

Be stingy with your time.

Think carefully about why you're taking whatever class.

If you're just taking some blow-off easy class to raise your GPA, it's fine to take if you really need it. But if you're already a senior, calculate how much you'll raise your GPA by taking it.

And also consider whether it'll count towards your graduation credit.

Bottom line is that don't waste your time.

Especially if you're (or gonna be) a super-senior.

Best to save some time to crank out some impressive credentials during your super-senior-dom... if you don't already have some pubs/research, go get that.

I don't think it'll matter. A lot of people take intro to astronomy or other classes like that for an easy A. However if you've taken like 10 for major biology classes and then take a bio class for non-majors ( easy GER/Core) it might make the adcoms wonder.

thanks for the replies.

I was thinking that it would look bad b/c I'll be a super senior, w/ no research, and a non-science major...my GPA is between a 3.6-3.8 and I'll be taking 14 units next semester (i've been averaging between 14-16).

 

[CougarMD]

Have you taken the MCAT yet? I would say that the number one reason NOT to take one of those intro classes, and to take Biochem instead is because Biochem is a better use of your time if you haven't taken the MCAT yet.

If you have taken the MCAT, and you are full up on all of your major courses, and you just need units.....I don't see it being as bad of a thing. Especially since you are not a science major and it wouldn't clearly be "slumming".

But there are some schools that want some evidence that you can take upper division bio (the UCs come to mind) and so it might be a good idea to take Biochem (which is also a prereq for several schools, like U Chicago, and highly recommended at others) and then take at least one upper division Bio class.

Like coup de chance said....be stingy with your time🙂

 

[Catalystik]

I don't have a lot of upper division science classes b/c Biochem is a prereq for most, I'm a senior but I'm staying an extra semester and I'll take a few over the summer and in my gap year. Is it a bad idea to take lower division science classes?

Your cGPA is good enough that a bit of fluff won't be particularly regarded, IMO. I'm glad you plan to get in Biochem (and I hope you didn't mean to substitute something else for it). You will bless the decision many times over when you get to med school, where the pace is three times faster. If the thought is to take something in addition, Astrononomy, Microbiology, and Statistics are all BCPM easy As at many schools: two of them are useful and one of them is fun. Earth Science and Environmental Science would be interesting, too, and you'll never have a chance to take them again, but if they are 100-level courses, they'll look very odd on your transcript. If they are 200-level or higher, then go for it.

 

[Double Bonded]

Have you taken the MCAT yet? I would say that the number one reason NOT to take one of those intro classes, and to take Biochem instead is because Biochem is a better use of your time if you haven't taken the MCAT yet.

If you have taken the MCAT, and you are full up on all of your major courses, and you just need units.....I don't see it being as bad of a thing. Especially since you are not a science major and it wouldn't clearly be "slumming".

But there are some schools that want some evidence that you can take upper division bio (the UCs come to mind) and so it might be a good idea to take Biochem (which is also a prereq for several schools, like U Chicago, and highly recommended at others) and then take at least one upper division Bio class.

Like coup de chance said....be stingy with your time🙂

Thanks. No, I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I'm going to start studying in December and take it in the middle of January or February. But I was probably unclear in my original post....I'm planning on taking Biochem anyway with 2 psych classes, I was just wondering if the schedule would look too soft with a lower div environmental science or earth science class (in addition to the upper div psych classes which are known to be easy) to reach 14 units.

Your cGPA is good enough that a bit of fluff won't be particularly regarded, IMO. I'm glad you plan to get in Biochem (and I hope you didn't mean to substitute something else for it). You will bless the decision many times over when you get to med school, where the pace is three times faster. If the thought is to take something in addition, Astrononomy, Microbiology, and Statistics are all BCPM easy As at many schools: two of them are useful and one of them is fun. Earth Science and Environmental Science would be interesting, too, and you'll never have a chance to take them again, but if they are 100-level courses, they'll look very odd on your transcript. If they are 200-level or higher, then go for it.

Yeah, my adviser said that Biochem is essential for my application b/c i don't have any upper div (hardcore) science classes yet. I'm taking a gap year and I plan on taking anatomy and/or physiology in that time as well. But the earth/environmental science class won't be 100-level even...it'll be like EnviSci 10 or something. A lower division class with a lot of freshmen and sophomores. I'm not sure what adcoms will think about my "course rigor".

 

[Catalystik]

Your school's 10 series is probably equal to my school's 100 series, implying an exploratory class for someone who isn't sure of their major yet. One course without much rigor won't kill you since it would be followed with more serious coursework, but it seems a shame to waste your time when there is so much useful-to-the-future stuff you could take.

 

[myu7]

hey,
I applied this cycle & already have 1 acceptance. I would take the biochem--definitely. It's not that bad as long as you don't take it with a ton of other advanced sciences (physics, pchem...)
good luck

 

[Double Bonded]

hey,
I applied this cycle & already have 1 acceptance. I would take the biochem--definitely. It's not that bad as long as you don't take it with a ton of other advanced sciences (physics, pchem...)
good luck

i hear you. it seems like the most important component to biochem is time (maybe that's one of the reasons why it's so hard in med school). That's kind of why I want to take a easy, softball class like "Intro to Environmental Science" or something like that. I feel a bit insecure seeing all these sophomores/juniors who are biology majors taking Biochem with a couple other sciences and I'm worried that adcoms will see it that way too 😕.

 

[Double Bonded]

Your school's 10 series is probably equal to my school's 100 series, implying an exploratory class for someone who isn't sure of their major yet. One course without much rigor won't kill you since it would be followed with more serious coursework, but it seems a shame to waste your time when there is so much useful-to-the-future stuff you could take.

I see. But as a psych major, I doubt my course rigor is as adequate as science majors. I've taken between 3-4 psych and GE classes most semesters with 1-2 (mostly 1) with prereqs sprinkled in. So even though I will have more serious coursework later on, I'm getting the vibe that it doesn't look significantly worse to take an easy Environmental Science class in lieu of a upper division biology class (which i have the option of doing, but I'm not because I don't want to risk my grade in biochem..or my other classes)

 

[Catalystik]

So even though I will have more serious coursework later on, I'm getting the vibe that it doesn't look significantly worse to take an easy Environmental Science class in lieu of a upper division biology class

Not as long as you get in the serious stuff eventually.

 

[MossPoh]

My last year of science classes for my post-bacc and when I decided I wanted med school during my senior year, I took lots of lower division science classes and science classes for "non-science majors". I took astronomy, a non-science major physics class, a basic physiology course and I even took General Biology 1 during my application cycle. At the time I was premed in undergrad, my school didn't have a bio 1 and 2. It was kind of a hiearchy system where you all took a general biology and it unlocked 3 other classes where you'd take 2, thereby unlocking more, etc. I was accepted to a few schools WHILE taking biology 1. Nobody even mentioned it during my interviews (I did put that I was taking it). I was also taking a biochem course and microbio at the same time.

Surprisingly, I learned a lot of neat stuff in those basic low division courses.

 

[Double Bonded]

My last year of science classes for my post-bacc and when I decided I wanted med school during my senior year, I took lots of lower division science classes and science classes for "non-science majors". I took astronomy, a non-science major physics class, a basic physiology course and I even took General Biology 1 during my application cycle. At the time I was premed in undergrad, my school didn't have a bio 1 and 2. It was kind of a hiearchy system where you all took a general biology and it unlocked 3 other classes where you'd take 2, thereby unlocking more, etc. I was accepted to a few schools WHILE taking biology 1. Nobody even mentioned it during my interviews (I did put that I was taking it). I was also taking a biochem course and microbio at the same time.

Surprisingly, I learned a lot of neat stuff in those basic low division courses.

nice..what was your major