How many courses do people normally take?

<p>three, four, five? id like to double major so i want to find out how many classes i can take</p>

<p>If you want to double major you want to take more classes but you need to be cognizant of pre-requisites so that you are on track to complete your requirements in a timely manner. Some classes have add on seminar classes to give an extra hour... so you really want to ask "how many hours are resonable to schedule" that might depend on your department and the classes you choose.</p>

<p>Most people take 4 classes. If you don't work and are taking easy classes, it's very doable to take 5. If you need more classes it might be better to take them over the summer(I took three classes last summer).</p>

<p>woah, isn't that too many? will i be able to make it if i take around 3 or maybe 4 per quarter?</p>

<p>I think the number of classes might depend on your major & how intensive it is. I've usally taken 3 classes/quarter.. rarely done 4. My classes are usually 4-5 units each with labs & such. bleh.</p>

<p>for double majors i think you should take at least 5 a quarter</p>

<p>from what my sister advises to me and my desire to graduate in 4 and not 4.5 years, 5 classes should do it.</p>

<p>oh ok, i'm not double majoring. i think i should stick with 3 classes or i'll die! what's a good gpa to get into med school?</p>

<p>3.8+ and a high MCAT score.</p>

<p>Although gpa and mcats are obviously important for med school admissions, you also need many things added on to that to demonstrate that you are a "complete" human being rather than just a bookworm. Consistent community service along with lots of exposure to the medical profession along with good stress coping strategies such as sports provides for the best applicants. Since being a physician encompasses the need to communicate with your patients, anything that can enhance this aspect of your personality and application will also help you be a more successful applicant.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Consistent community service along with lots of exposure to the medical profession along with good stress coping strategies such as sports provides for the best applicants.

[/quote]

I am agree with community service, but sports? Lol, saying "hey I did 2 years of ultimate freesbe and 3 years of co-ed IM soccer" will not increase nor decrease chances of getting into good graduate school</p>

<p>I'd listen to quirkymom. she served as a UCD Med School admissions officer for many years</p>

<p>Correction: various faculty admissions committees for med school applicants rather than the UCD admissions officer (that would be Ed Dagang).</p>

<p>The point with sports wasn't that athletes had a competitive advantage. If you read my comment more carefully...the reference to sports was just an example of activities that you find enjoyable that help to reduce your stress levels. Sports was used as an example because conditioned athletes know the best way to burn off some stress is to go work out for an hour. The example could have equally been something like playing an instrument. Med school and the profession of medicine are both very stressful endeavors and if you don't find some healthy ways to reduce the stress, your long term health will be affected, possibly leading to physician burnout. One of the reasons that med school admissions committees like to see applicants with lots of exposure to the medical profession is so that you get plenty of time to see this first hand before you start the long journey through med school and beyond. </p>

<p>As a plug FOR the high level athlete, many olympic athletes go on to be stellar physicians, with Eric Heiden being the premier example for someone at UCD (orthopedic surgeon at UCDMC) and according to a prior med student working in my lab-one of the nicest attending faculty around. He has been a long term buddie of Lance Armstrong and every year the sports medicine docs organize a cross country bike ride for willing participants to raise money for their department. Emulating his dedication to health and fitness can only benefit you in the long run.</p>

<p>i honestly want to do sports in college such as xcountry and track but i feel a little intimidated to join. i bet everyone on the team is super super good as in comparison to me! i wasn't that great in hs teams so what do you think quirkymom? will people be hating on the slower runners?</p>

<p>Blueprints:</p>

<p>I would start with emailing the track/cross country coach(es) and ask them about the possibility of trying out as a walk-on. I don't know if you know the history of the coaches for the sports that you are interested but one of them was an olympic coach at one point so the resources would be awesome. I have always heard that Deanne Vochatzer is a great coach and her husband coaches the men's track and field. Cross country has a different coach but I think most kids do both sports (at least the one person from Davis that we know on the team). Davis has won the Sear's cup for many years (occasional break, not every year) and they really encourage kids to participate in all levels of sports. Some sports only take a limited number of students but if you are female you still might have an even better chance as a walk-on because of the need to keep the number of females participating in varsity sports so that their number of male participants can stay as high as it is.</p>

<p>From what we have heard some of the coaches of female athletes have scholarships to burn (but I don't know if this holds for either track or X-country). However, I suspect that anyone making the team as a walk-on for freshman year won't be eligible for varsity scholarships until at least their sophomore year but you can always ask the coaches when you email them. I highly suggest filling out the recruiting document for track and field which can be found on the Varsity athletics web site (one of the few sports with one) and also email both coaches. From my daughter's experience, coaches are very good about returning emails and keeping athletes in the loop. If they indicate that participation is feasible, you will need to go through the NCAA certification process which is mandatory for any athlete participating at the Division I (and Div II) level of college sports. You have to go through the Clearinghouse first and have to send transcripts, etc to NCAA (along with paying a fee). According to one of the team captains that we talked to at admitted student day, the coaches are very helpful with walk-ons to aid them in getting their NCAA certifications of eligibility. This is also one area that the number of AP credits comes into play and sometimes works to the athlete's disadvantage because too many AP credits alters the your number of years of NCAA eligibility. </p>

<p>Another thing to consider is that UCD has so many varsity sports, you might consider trying out as a walk-on for other teams if you think something else might suit you. You never know what might work out. Division I athletes have a lot of resources available to them to make sure they are progressing in their academics. Another thing about UC Davis and their athletic programs (and one reason they are usually on top with the Sears Cup) is that the athletes have a reputation for being scholars first and athletes second and this has always been a matter of pride for UCD. The UCD football team is usually so successful because the kids are smart and athletic (translation: wiry and agile rather than hunks of beef) and their lack of size is compensated by these factors. I hope this helps....</p>