Value of Higher-level Electives

[Beau4832]

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Hello folks,

WAMC template below, for reference.
I am going through the predental track as a postbacc after working for a few years, and I am evaluating the real value added to take non-required advanced electives.
(BCP, OChem and 1 sem of Biochem is my basic must-take)

Every extra class is money and, perhaps more importantly, GPA risk (reference: my record in WAMC below)
I've been told by a new grad physician friend and an admission counselor so far that if it comes down to it, quantitative GPA > qualitative and as long as the program takes a lower level course I'm better off not taking the risk.

As you will see in my schools list, these electives are 100% going to be for my moonshot schools and demoing my academic strength.
I am sending off a storm of emails asking the schools as well and the responses so far have been "we really rather you have the higher level one BUT the lower one will be fine"

Really appreciate some opinions on whether stacking some high level bio electives would be worth the money, time, and GPA risk.
Thank y'all for the help.

Context:
The program I am at offers:

• General A&P only at the1000s level (no prereqs)
• A 2000s level Physiology class
• Cell Bio, Genetics at 2000 level
• Microbiology at both the 1000s and 3000 levels
  • 3000 micro requires 12 credits of prereqs

The schools I'm looking at:
Touro, NYU, SUNY Buffalo/Stony Brook, Rutgers, BU, Case Western (none of these have hard requirements for the classes I'm ruminating over)
Moonshots are the same OOS public schools as everybody else and taking a shot at the new up and coming 2025 schools as well, certainly.

WAMC template:
Date of submission: n/a
Overall GPA: Undergrad 3.3
Science GPA: Undergrad 2.9, Postbacc 4.0 so far
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: Undergrad <3, Postbac 4.0 so far
DAT score (include AA and all sections): tbd; let's assume I get at least the average 20?
State of Residence: NJ/NY

Undergrad Attended: omit
Major: Economics
Minor: English
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes

Shadowing Experience: 100+ gen dentist
Volunteering Experience: 75-100 hours clinical volunteering available this winter
Employment: 5 years in corporate - I can get personal rec letters from former Director and VPs from my former company if there is room.
Research: n/a
Other Extracurriculars: n/a
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No, would this be better than paid work?
Relevant Honors or Awards:
LOR type and strength:
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Poor undergrad sGPA

 

[Ryxndek]

In my experience in dental school, Anatomy and Physiology were most dense, but physiology was much harder. I would definitely take those classes if you can to familiarize yourself with the information, so it comes easier when you take it in dental school. Microbiology wouldn't be a bad option either, genetics, histology, and immunology would all be good as well.

I don't really think you need cell biology, we never really touched up on it that much in dental school. And if we did, it was all pretty surface level info

 

[Beau4832]

Edit: Meant to quote but did not go through
Thank you,
Cell Bio is a prereq for Microbio (3000 level) here so I would take it if a 1000 level basic microbio won't cut it. In that case, I'll have to take all 3.

• Negatives: Over $10 grand and 3 more rolls on possible GPA loss and may need to delay my application by a cycle, for classes not required by my core pool of target schools. Less time for DAT studying. The professors in these courses have a rep for low grades.
• Positives: I had a terrible undergrad sciGPA and if I nab 3 A's from upper level sciences they may go a long way to rectify the past.

I guess the question is, do y'all feel that I can get a worthwhile payoff for the cost and risk?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you are doing a DIY postbac and don't have access to academic advising, then you could save your money. That said, check with in-state dental schools' requirements or highly recommended courses. You can even ask the schools.

In the absence of syllabi, I default to the prehealth advice given on your university's website, or even directly from the office itself if you have access. In general I prefer DS applicants get these upper-levels:
* Anatomy and physiology: terminology to know "geography" and the language. You must understand the differences between dorsal, cranial, and frontal.
* Human physiology if it is an upper-level course: even if your focus is the oral cavity, most of your curricula will be systems-based and you must know how oral and systemic health connect.
* Histology: it's understanding physiology in multiple dimensions, and you get to visualize things in 3D... like you will do in dentistry. It reinforces cell bio and physio.
* Microbio: the oral cavity is crawling with bugs.
* Immuno: the oral cavity has its way of fighting the bugs. Understand inflammation because you'll be seeing it in action.

You can see about taking any of these classes as independent, online courses if that option saves you some money.

 

[Beau4832]

If you are doing a DIY postbac and don't have access to academic advising, then you could save your money. That said, check with in-state dental schools' requirements or highly recommended courses. You can even ask the schools.

In the absence of syllabi, I default to the prehealth advice given on your university's website, or even directly from the office itself if you have access. In general I prefer DS applicants get these upper-levels:
* Anatomy and physiology: terminology to know "geography" and the language. You must understand the differences between dorsal, cranial, and frontal.
* Human physiology if it is an upper-level course: even if your focus is the oral cavity, most of your curricula will be systems-based and you must know how oral and systemic health connect.
* Histology: it's understanding physiology in multiple dimensions, and you get to visualize things in 3D... like you will do in dentistry. It reinforces cell bio and physio.
* Microbio: the oral cavity is crawling with bugs.
* Immuno: the oral cavity has its way of fighting the bugs. Understand inflammation because you'll be seeing it in action.

You can see about taking any of these classes as independent, online courses if that option saves you some money.

Thank you so much for that insight. I am taking a structured postbacc with access to an advisor (with a committee letter) and my advisor advised me to take a set of 1000 level A&P classes and a 1000s level basic microbio

For all the schools I am looking at, these are recommended but not required. The schools I have asked have replied, as you'd expect, that they'll take the lower course for requirements, but strongly recommend the higher level course.
I've been told by two recent med/dental grads now that they think I'm better off just taking a lower level requirement, as long as it's accepted, rather than risk dropping numeric GPA trying to show off.
Is that opinion shared here?

(When schools say a course is "recommended," do most mean that very few applicants have a chance without at least some, or are they "window dressing" to your application chances?)
By the way, my understanding of the term upper level course is that it starts with a course number of 2 or more and has some prerequisites. Is that accurate for US schools?