Will an easy semester hurt my chances?

[Pulsar]

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Hi

I'm entering my sophomore year as a chemical engineering major at PSU main campus. I went the summer before my freshman year and took English and Photography (6 credits). I took 15 credits in the fall (chem 1, calc 1, microecon, two 1-credit seminars, and an archeology class). I took 17 credits in the spring (chem 2, calc 2, macroecon, physics E&M, and engineering design). I got AP credit for physics 1 and both chem labs. And I'm starting differential equations next week, during the second summer session.

So far I've got a 3.90

Since I'm pretty far ahead, I scheduled a relatively easy fall '09 semester. I'm only scheduled for 13 credits (calc 3, speech, molecular biology, and organic chem). Will a semester like this look back on my transcript? Should I try to find some other 3 credit course to make it a 16-credit semester? Or will they realize that normally I would have had to take calc 3 and diffeq both during the fall (which would make it a 17 credit semester), but took diffeq during the summer instead?

Thanks

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Hi

I'm entering my sophomore year as a chemical engineering major at PSU main campus. I went the summer before my freshman year and took English and Photography (6 credits). I took 15 credits in the fall (chem 1, calc 1, microecon, two 1-credit seminars, and an archeology class). I took 17 credits in the spring (chem 2, calc 2, macroecon, physics E&M, and engineering design). I got AP credit for physics 1 and both chem labs. And I'm starting differential equations next week, during the second summer session.

So far I've got a 3.90

Since I'm pretty far ahead, I scheduled a relatively easy fall '09 semester. I'm only scheduled for 13 credits (calc 3, speech, molecular biology, and organic chem). Will a semester like this look back on my transcript? Should I try to find some other 3 credit course to make it a 16-credit semester? Or will they realize that normally I would have had to take calc 3 and diffeq both during the fall (which would make it a 17 credit semester), but took diffeq during the summer instead?

Thanks

They don't have the time to look for 2-credit differences and won't notice or care. Use the extra time to shadow or research.

 

[CoolWhipp]

No.

 

[ReptarBar]

do they even see your schedule? dont they just see a big list of courses?

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

do they even see your schedule? dont they just see a big list of courses?

They definitely see which semester you took each course, and which courses you took in a given semester.

...but the OP is still taking 4 classes so...not a big deal IMHO

 

[Wheee]

calc 3, organic, and molecular doesn't sound like a super-slackoff semester to me anyway.

 

[Pulsar]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[FuturaDocta]

Great job with keeping up your stats.

I think having an easy semester is fine. They don't really even look at rigor, just GPA/MCAT/ECs/blah blah blah.

Don't sweat it.

Think about some things you can do with your free time (build up your resume).

 

[Dr Gerrard]

Now that the OPs question is answered, I have one.

What about an entire semester of pass/fail? I am studying abroad next spring, and all of the courses I am taking are not required, but go towards a business administration minor, which is not required. Thus, I have the option to take all of the classes pass/fail. If I do not take them p/f, then the grades would appear on my university's transcript, since this is a program through my school with instructors from my school.

Will this hurt? If it makes any difference, it is second semester junior year when I am studying abrod.

 

[acridknight]

They don't have the time to look for 2-credit differences and won't notice or care. Use the extra time to shadow or research.

👍

Now that the OPs question is answered, I have one.

What about an entire semester of pass/fail? I am studying abroad next spring, and all of the courses I am taking are not required, but go towards a business administration minor, which is not required. Thus, I have the option to take all of the classes pass/fail. If I do not take them p/f, then the grades would appear on my university's transcript, since this is a program through my school with instructors from my school.

Will this hurt? If it makes any difference, it is second semester junior year when I am studying abrod.

Hmm... as long as they're not too many classes (3-4), and you make it clear in your app that this was "study abroad", i think you could get away with it. Do tread lightly. Are you sure you don't need any of these courses? Humanities and social sciences (in addition to sciences) are also impt for competitiveness.

 

[jaxasp]

hey OP, I'm a PSU ChE as well, rising senior. Depending on which calc (3 or 4) you are taking, you have the prereqs to take an actual ChE class (210 or 220, again depending on which calc). Congrats on keeping up those grades, but I would suggest taking a ChE class this semester to see if its what you want to do. It's tremendously difficult in comparison to your other classes, and if you get through it you will be even more ahead of schedule (I took 210/220 freshman spring, graduating a year early). Just a suggestion though, PM me if you have more specific questions.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

👍


Hmm... as long as they're not too many classes (3-4), and you make it clear in your app that this was "study abroad", i think you could get away with it. Do tread lightly. Are you sure you don't need any of these courses? Humanities and social sciences (in addition to sciences) are also impt for competitiveness.

It is 5 classes.

Macroeconomics
Marketing
Management
Accounting
Finance

I already have social sciences that I am not taking Pass/Fail (microeconomics, sociology and AP credit for US history, ).

I am also a philosophy minor, so I have humanities down as well (in addition to a literature and technical writing class + AP credit for English)

What do you all think?

 

[acridknight]

Now that the OPs question is answered, I have one.

What about an entire semester of pass/fail? I am studying abroad next spring, and all of the courses I am taking are not required, but go towards a business administration minor, which is not required. Thus, I have the option to take all of the classes pass/fail. If I do not take them p/f, then the grades would appear on my university's transcript, since this is a program through my school with instructors from my school.

Will this hurt? If it makes any difference, it is second semester junior year when I am studying abrod.

It is 5 classes.

Macroeconomics
Marketing
Management
Accounting
Finance

I already have social sciences that I am not taking Pass/Fail (microeconomics, sociology and AP credit for US history, ).

I am also a philosophy minor, so I have humanities down as well (in addition to a literature and technical writing class + AP credit for English)

What do you all think?

Well, I'm hesitant to say that it'll be totally ok. The concern is that you'll be throwing away a Spring semester with p/f. You could be ok, but this area is gray for me.

If you're abroad, be sure to try to do some medical EC (it'd be great for you if you could get into a clinic or hospital to shadow, take vital signs, etc.... esp if it's in a country with a different healthcare system). This way, you can laud this exp in your PS, and therefore indirectly point to why you were doing p/f.

I haven't done anything p/f other than two research-for-pay placeholders placed on my transcript. Maybe other successfull applicants with p/f experience can provide more fruitful advice....

gl