Upper level science labs

[abbilation]

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Does it look negative on your application if you decide not to take the labs with your upper level science classes? I am a spanish major to begin with and it is a pain to schedule anything like work and other classes around them. I would just hate to decide not to take the lab and then realize later that because I am not a science major it looks like I am taking the easy way out... but honestly for a class only worth 1 credit hour at my school they require a huge time commitment.

 

[7starmantis]

Does it look negative on your application if you decide not to take the labs with your upper level science classes? I am a spanish major to begin with and it is a pain to schedule anything like work and other classes around them. I would just hate to decide not to take the lab and then realize later that because I am not a science major it looks like I am taking the easy way out... but honestly for a class only worth 1 credit hour at my school they require a huge time commitment.

Um, yes it would look bad. The pre-reqs at most schools require the lab anyway. Organic lab was a killer (simply because of the length) at 5 hours but its required at every school I know of (which isn't that many).

 

[whimsical]

Well - as long as you took the labs with your prereqs, I don't see why it should be a problem.

 

[riverjib]

I agree. If they're not required, there's no reason you should feel compelled to take them unless you want to. You'll never have to do PCR or western blots in med school!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

i dont think it'll look bad..
but.. the labs do help sometimes...
i know in chem 1 i really didnt need my lab because i honestly got so bored in it..
i hate doing mundane and stupid things like labs..

 

[7starmantis]

Seriously? I would love to hear one of our adcoms comment on it. I would think taking an upper level science course and forgoing the lab would look terrible.

What do I know though.

 

[abbilation]

...yea see I wasn't sure. Most schools require 14-ish hours of biology meaning only the freshman level includes a lab. I don't feel like labs are a total waste but I really dislike the huge time commitment... and I would only be forgoing labs for classes that don't specifically require them not like ochem and physics.

 

[whimsical]

Seriously? I would love to hear one of our adcoms comment on it. I would think taking an upper level science course and forgoing the lab would look terrible.

What do I know though.

Well - the thing is that at my undergrad, not every upper level science class even has a lab. How can they penalize me for not taking a lab class that wasn't offered? The adcoms have no way of knowing whether or not there was a lab available.

Maybe take an upper level lab class or two, but don't kill yourself if it's going to make your schedule a mess.

 

[jm192]

Seriously? I would love to hear one of our adcoms comment on it. I would think taking an upper level science course and forgoing the lab would look terrible.

What do I know though.

I don't think they'll look negatively upon this

One of my 300 level Bio Classes has a lab, with I think 18 spots. There were near 70 people in the lecture.

I also had Biochem which is level 400, 70ish people in lecture. 24, or 26 lab spots, don't remember exactly.

Also, I didn't take either optional lab. I was able to fit in my english lit class required for graduation.

As the OP stated, maybe they conflict with another class. Or perhaps that knocks you out of a few hours that you could have spent working.