<p>Hi. I am new to this thread and I have been stressing out over my grades from first semester. I took all honor classes (Chemistry, Intro to Genetics, and Vector Calculus) and ended up with a 3.1 GPA. Should I continue with the honor classes next semester or should I move down to regulars and raise my GPA, especially since I would be taking Chemistry, Genetics with the hardest teacher, and differential equations?
Thanks( I had used my sibling's username to post this question before, but no one answered so I made my own username)</p>
<p>It depends, what's more important to you. . a challenge or a high GPA?</p>
<p>It depends, what's more important to you. . a challenge or a high GPA?</p>
<p>The challenge is more important to me, but everyone on this forum has been saying that medical schools, especially the higher ranked ones, consider GPA more than the classes you had taken. Does this also apply to honor classes?</p>
<p>Okay. I can't speak much for medical school admissions..because I honestly, don't know..</p>
<p>But...I will say --re-reading your post and seeing that you take all honors classes-- that if I were you, I would cut back a bit. For the sake of you and your GPA. All honors classes is most likely stressful and that amount of stress, while challenging, isn't going to do you any good, as you saw for yourself this semester. [I'll speak for myself and say that I can't learn if all of my classes are around the same ridiculous level of difficulty..I need at least an equal amount of BS classes and challenging classes]</p>
<p>I'll also say that taking non-honors classes isn't automatically going to secure you a higher GPA. If you think it will because the non-honors classes will be that easy...and at the end of the day, the challenge is really what's important to you...go for the honors classes.</p>
<p>Oh and sorry about that weird double post lol..</p>
<p>Try to balance yourself out. Take some challenging honors courses but courses that don't seem necessary or rather, those courses that don't have to necessarily be an honors course (foreign language or english for example) may be regular courses. They can help "pad" your GPA. For med school, I've heard that GPA is a critical factor.</p>
<p>Ok. Thanks guys. So, if I moved to regulars for one or two classes, would it look bad (especially in the same subject)?</p>
<p>I don't see why it should..</p>
<p>I don't think so either. You could choose to keep your challenging or the courses for your major your honors courses. That would lighten up your load and hopefully raise your GPA.</p>
<p>From what I have read medical schools do not care about honors classes. </p>
<p>If you read through some of the threads on this forum you will see that the consensus is that your GPA is very important. Difficult majors, honors courses etc - none of these offset a low GPA.</p>
<p>Ok. Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>The thing to keep in mind is that sometimes, Honors courses are easier than their regular counterparts due to more generous curves, etc.</p>