<p>I would say that usually it is less about taking the absolute hardest classes and more about taking the right classes. Also, if you are thinking of medical school your GPA is going to be important so that is something to consider. Your first semester is going to be challenging and it is a big change. Because of that, maybe tone your schedule down a bit so you can get a feel for how college is and how much work all of these classes are. Then, in the future, you can move it up a bit if you feel like you are ready for more. Just be sure you take the classes you need to be prepared for medical school and for that lovely MCAT (I say that as I prepare for my GRE). If you take the more challenging courses you are looking at, however, try to stay at 15 or fewer hours! I am not sure if that helps much or not but from what I have seen it is more about taking the right courses. I don't think Engineering Calculus III is going to help you any more than Science Calculus III other than it may lower your GPA and it may have you know more about Calc. Anyways, I know that doesn't help much, but hopefully it will help you a little. If you have more questions please post them and I will try again.</p>
<p>Thanks irish. One thing that the medical schools are saying is that alot of them don't accept AP credit for classes such as biology which is understandable. However, the med schools also say that they frown down upon using AP credits to be exempt from english classes? Now, at ND, if you use any AP credit, you just move up a level. This would be ok right?</p>
<p>I honestly think that would be fine, that is a little crazy! What will matter is how well prepared you are and hence how well you do on the MCAT and I don't think skipping out of a freshman writing course will hurt that at all. I can't say for sure as I haven't been pre-med for a long time but I think you should be fine moving up in English.</p>
<p>Thanks irish</p>
<p>I took the AP English lit exam, and so if I get a four or higher then I will receive credit. Does this mean that I will then have substitute a higher level English for FYC? Or does this mean that I just won't have an English class freshman year?</p>
<p>You may be able to get away with not taking English as a freshman if you really wanted to but what will most likely happen is you will just take a course like World Literature I to take care of your college English requirements. Chances are you still will take English but you will just finish your requirements faster. Honestly, my advice is get your requirements (especially college requirements which you may not enjoy) out of the way early so that later you will have more flexibility with your major, second major, or just giving you the opportunity to take classes you will enjoy. The worst thing that happens time and again is when students take worthless or wasteful (granted, I would not count trying out a major and deciding it is not for you wasteful) classes early on and then as a senior they have to take their Fine Arts requirements, or things like that, instead of a class that they really want and would help them, you know? I just have found that the earlier you get your requirements over the better because of the flexibility.</p>
<p>Ok, thanks for the help!</p>