<p>Will they understand that if I went to a less rigorous university, I would've gotten a much higher GPA?
Also, I'm a freshman in college now and most premed students take the easiest math/physics classes that's designed for premeds (and they get As). However, I took the harder math/physics courses that's designed for physics majors and engineers (and earned Bs). Will med schools know that from looking at my transcript? If so, will they consider it?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The rigorous vs. lesser school GPA has been debated endlessly here.</p>
<p>The consensus is that you’ll get a little bit of gimme–maybe a 0.1 if you’re at a school known for grade deflation. But if you’re talking at 3.0 at “Rigorous U” --then no.</p>
<p>As for math & physics for engineering & physics majors vs. non-calc math & physics for bio majors…I doubt you’ll get any slack there. Two reasons-- 1) med schools don’t care if you took the easier or harder course so long as you mastered the material that’s tested on the MCAT; 2) some of your fellow applicants took the harder courses and still got As. (And actually there’s a third–at some schools–like D2’s, everyone takes the same physics and calc classes–physics, engineering, chemistry and bio majors are all lumped in together.)</p>
<p>On a personal note–D1 was a math & physics double BS grad (with a slight detour thru econ and architectural engineering on the way). She got very little consideration for her tough majors when she applied this cycle.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman in college now and most premed students take the easiest math/physics classes that’s designed for premeds (and they get As).</p>
<p>??? </p>
<p>Which ones are those? I didn’t know that those were ok to take for pre-med majors. I thought the easier classes were for nursing and non-majors. </p>
<p>I find it hard to believe that many of the pre-med students are taking the easier math/science classes. I looked at the req’ts for bio and chem majors (typically pre-med students) at my kids’ school, and they have to take the real Calculus and real Bio and real Chem/OChem, but they can take Physics without Calc…don’t know if that’s “easy” or not.</p>
<p>Omegaz…are you at UW-madison? What is your major?</p>
<p>^^I suspect he’s talking about taking non-calc based physics vs. the calc-bases physics that engineering and physics majors take.</p>
<p>Also, at some schools, calc 1 & 2 are stretched out so that it takes 3 semesters to cover the material usually covered in just 2.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Example: at UC Berkeley, they offer various levels of [url=<a href=“http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Chemistry&p_dept_cd=CHEM]Chemistry[/url”>http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Chemistry&p_dept_cd=CHEM]Chemistry[/url</a>], [url=<a href=“http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Physics&p_dept_cd=PHYSICS]Physics[/url”>http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Physics&p_dept_cd=PHYSICS]Physics[/url</a>], and [url=<a href=“http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Mathematics&p_dept_cd=MATH]Math[/url”>http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_list_crse_req?p_dept_name=Mathematics&p_dept_cd=MATH]Math[/url</a>] courses.</p>
<p>Chemistry majors take Chemistry 4A/4B/112A/112B; most pre-meds take Chemistry 1A/3A/3B (and associated labs).</p>
<p>Physics majors take Physics 7A/7B/7C (or the honors versions); most pre-meds take Physics 8A/8B.</p>
<p>Math majors take Math 1A/1B/53/54 (or the honors versions); many pre-meds take Math 16A/16B.</p>
<p>To OP:
(1) No, because it’s probably not true. Sure, it might be a little higher but “MUCH” higher is giving yourself way too much leeway.</p>
<p>(2) No. How would they? There’s no way to tell this sort of thing based on a transcript.</p>
<p>My kids’ school doesn’t give pre-med students that choice except for Physics with Calc. </p>
<p>So, pre-med students have to take the “real” science and math classes that the majors for those classes take and engineers take. Again, the only “choice” is Physics with Cal or not.</p>
<p>Courses Hours
BSC 114:115 or honors BSC 118 4
BSC 116:117 or honors BSC 120 4
Gen Chem CH 101 or honors CH 117 4
Gen Chem CH 102 or honors CH 118 4
Ochem CH 231 3
Ochem II CH 232 3
Ochem lab CH 237 2
PH 101, PH 105, or honors PH 125 4
PH 102, PH 106, or honors PH 126 4
Cal I…MATH 125 or honors MATH 145 4</p>
<p>Maybe by not letting pre-meds take the easier classes, it forces the weeding process more strongly. ???</p>
<p>Duke had three tracks for physics: for “bio majors,” for engineering majors, and for physics majors. I took the one for physics majors, which was “more” work (in particular, much more extensive lab time) but less competitive and had a more generous curve at the end. Biology physics covered very similar material but had less work and a tougher curve, while engineering physics was in between.</p>
<p>When all of your school’s physics tracks are fine for premedical purposes, premeds will have a choice. When some of them are offered for nurses or computer technologists or something like that, then the school will obviously have to restrict your choices.</p>
<p>*When some of them are offered for nurses or computer technologists or something like that, then the school will obviously have to restrict your choices. *</p>
<p>Right…pre-meds can’t take the science courses offered for nursing majors, food science, or other majors.</p>
<p>Partner in my practice is on admissions board for our state med school. Partner says they know of several schools ( all in this general area) that they simply don’t respect very much. Students from those schools better have truly exceptional scores and grades. Almost everyone admitted to med school has terrific grades and wonderful resumes, but, apparently, all schools and GPAs are not created equal – at least not at our state school.</p>
<p>D’s undergrad has very many tracks in both physics and chemistry and maybe other classes. There is no reason to take harder classes, unless they are required by your major/minor. Well, D. has lowered her GPA (just a bit, from 4.0 to 3.98) by taking singing classes for her Music minor. They were not hard, but singing with music majors did not work in D’s favor, although has helped her to develop a nice voice. Yes, everything counts, including her paper making class (not easy at all, one of the most time consuming as all art classes, and thanks to D’s very hard work it was an “A”, much harder “A” than in D’s GenChem class). Do not take hard classes unless they are required or you have a great interest in subject.</p>
<p>*but, apparently, all schools and GPAs are not created equal – at least not at our state school. *</p>
<p>Can you say what state this is? Are you talking about a flagship? I know that you’re from the Midwest, so I’m thinking that you’re talking about some regional/directional low tier state school. </p>
<p>I can understand what you’re saying up to a point. My H is a hiring engineer and he will NOT hire grads from a certain college because the grads literally can’t even do basic calculus or other basic engineering stuff. The mid-range scores for this school are ridiculously low…well below the 50th percentile range for test scores. </p>
<p>So, if one of these students applied to our state’s med schools, I’m sure that the AdComs would know that this school is largely made up of low-stats students and therefore their 3.8 or whatever is rather meaningless. And unless the student presents with a good MCAT along with that 3.8 GPA, the student’s strengths won’t be taken seriously.</p>
<p>*D’s undergrad has very many tracks in both physics and chemistry and maybe other classes. . *</p>
<p>I think it’s true that many schools have various “tracks” for physics/chem/bio/math/eng’g/etc majors. My kids’ school does so as well. However, no matter which track you’re in for - say chemistry - you still have to take the “real” chem and ochem…and the “real” bio and “real” calculus. The only choice is Physics with Calc or not. </p>
<p>And, if you’re pre-med, you also have to take the “real sciences/calc” with physics w/calc being the only choice.</p>
<p>"And, if you’re pre-med, …with physics w/calc being the only choice. "</p>
<p>-This is incorrect in regard to physics.
D. took non-calc physics. Math is her easy subject, but she is not interested in taking more math than she needed. The same with physics - she understands concepts, knows how to use math with them, but does not care about subject. She has never had anything below A in either. However, she prefers Chem (working as SI), Bio and neuroscience classes have beien her favorites. D. likes to take classes in her area of interests (not always the easiest, Bio classes are definitely much harder than math at least for her, but she likes Bio more than math). Most pre-meds at her UG were taking non-calc physics. D. and her pre-med friends have been accepted to Med. Schools. Nobody ever mentioned anything about non-calc physics during interviews or at any point during application process. D. is graduating from non-flagship state school and in a process of choosing her Med. School, having very good choices.</p>