<p>Hi! I'm sort of caught between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. I've never really gotten any bad grades in college, but I think my GPA is definitely on the edge of not being competitive enough for these professional programs... I'm planning on taking a gap year after I graduate college in order to get some medical experience before applying. I have a year left in undergrad to bring up my GPA to a point at which I would feel a little more confident going into the process. </p>
<p>My question is... how do admissions people view the specific classes that you take? If I am applying to a medical professional school (MD, DO, PA, etc.), I'm not sure what they consider more important - high GPA or what kind of classes you take in a certain department. </p>
<p>For example, my school is sort of small so if you major in biology, there really is only one general tract instead of specific tracts that are geared toward professions such as health, ecological, etc. I have room in my schedule to take another biology course as an elective, and I'm not sure what to do. I am looking at the possible selections which include a combination of upper level human, animal, and ecological based courses. </p>
<p>I would be interested in some of the more health oriented courses... however I know for a fact that the professors who teach them are very, very difficult... as in spending hours on their course work just to (hopefully) pull out a B or B+. I also know that there is an ecology based class that is taught by a professor who is hard, but fair... and I'm confident I could get a solid A in that course. I've had past classes with him. </p>
<p>So... I don't know what to do. All the possibilities are upper level biology classes - still not a cakewalk, regardless of the class. However, does it really look that much better to take a human-based course over an ecological one? Especially if the difference is a B or an A? I am not that picky... I like the content of everything about the same... I'm just concerned about admissions.</p>
<p>I <em>know</em> people are going to say don't worry about the grade, etc. etc. etc. But if I need a little help with GPA... I'm not sure what to do. </p>
<p>So far I have taken human phys, anatomy, genetics, advanced genetics, toxicology, cell bio, microbiology as courses more or less related to humans... I'm also about to take human histology, which is another one. And I still need to take physics I and II...</p>
<p>I guess if the choice was between animal physiology or some disease class vs. dendrology/botany/aquatic biology, all upper level bio courses... pretty sure I'd get a B in the first and an A in the second based on what I know about how the professors teach. What do you recommend? Does it matter much if I choose an upper level biology class that is ecology based but still do well in it? </p>
<p>I understand that in the long run, the human based courses might help a little more, ... but I need to be able to <em>get in</em> a program before I can even worry about that lol. </p>
<p>Thank you for any advice... really need it! I'll also be taking physics II at the same time, if that helps... maybe better to back off a little on the rigor so I can focus on both science courses and do very well in them?</p>