<p>Hi, I have to register for classes soon and I had a few questions about course load. This year I took 1 term of gen chem w/ lab, one term of bio, and one term of calc as far as premed recs go. Right now I am looking at taking Physics I and Orgo I as well as at least another class, probably econ. I was wondering if it would be detrimental to only take three classes and if I should just take a fourth class. Would the course load look too light for med schools? (Keeping in mind that the med school I am looking to go to is Columbia, if I continue to pursue medicine) Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks</p>
<p>well obviously for the higher tier med schools, you need to pack as much of a heavy schedule as possible, and achieve the highest grades in each...that = a true scholar and successful student. Now, it is just a matter of whether or not you can handle the courseload yourself. And then you'd prolly say yes, but ask do they really pay attention to your courseload? Thats where the important part comes, take classes, get As in them, the colleges care MUCH MUCH MUCH more about your grades than they do your courseload. Just keep a "normal" courseload and achieve high grades, rather than taking a heavier courseload and getting mediocre grades.</p>
<p>I am not so much worried about the grades as I am not having time to do anything outside of homework and studying
Would something like Physics I w/ Lab, Orgo I w/ Lab, and Macro be light? Would adding another class make it a normal course load? I am sorry, but as I am freshman and do not no much about how the med school admissions game works I don't know what is considered a "normal" courseload</p>
<p>I would say to finish your basic med school requirements by the end of your sophomore year.</p>
<p>I took my 1 year of intro bio, chem, and math my freshman year.</p>
<p>I'm currently finishing up my 1 year of intro physics and orgo (also did orgo lab first sem). </p>
<p>This way I'm done with requirements by my sophomore year.</p>
<p>Of course there are specialized requirements for different med schools (some want biochem, some want humanities, some want statistics, etc.) but if you finish the basic requirements by the end of your sophomore year, you'll be prepared to take the MCAT your junior year.</p>
<p>Well, the way my school splits the sciences makes it impossible to complete the premed recs by the end of sophomore year.
The year of Gen chem is split so that the first term is an overview and the secon term is meant to be taken after chem and orgo. Also the 2nd term of chem is set up to be taken after orgo.
The earliest I woul be able to finish it is JR year :(</p>
<p>I still want to know how that courseload looks and whether or not I should add a 4th class (Calc 2?)</p>
<p>no i say its too heavy, ochem and ....what was that? physics? yeah physics lol, in the same year is pretty chill, but if your doing other classes to work towards your major like macro , i'd chill, just add another weird course in there..no big rush. Now, calc 2 if you dont mind working your ass off, then sure go for it, but otherweise you'd be doing nothing BUT work.</p>
<p>You want to take a normal course load. It will look bad if you take an obviously easy semester by doing less than a normal load. At some places on trimester systems 3 courses is the normal load. If so, then 3 courses is fine. If the normal load is 4, or at some places, 5, then you need to take the normal load. Your premed advisor should be able to help with this. If you have not met with a premed advisor, do so before you sign up for courses. There are many details that vary by college and your advisor should be helping you pick your courses. For example, at some places where normal=5, it is common for people to drop to 4 when the 4 will be particularly challenging. Your advisor will know whether this is typical at your school, and how med schools view applicants from your school who do this.</p>
<p>If you must take Physics and Organic Chemistry at the same time, along with 2 or 3 other courses, then for GPA's sake make your other courses easy. Which courses would be "easy" depends on the offereings at your college, the particular instructors, and your talents and aptitudes. However, no medical school is going to know that a given course at your college is easy, so any other courses will do. Again, check with your advisor.</p>
<p>Your goals are to get the best possible grades in your required courses, and show the medical schools that you can do this while taking a normal load. It is nice for you and for admissions if you can also do some extracurriculars, but everyone expects your main EC to be "studying" if you are premed.</p>
<p>By the way, you do not need to finish your premed requirements in sophomore year. Lot's of people finish them in junior year. For many bio science majors, finishing them in sophomore year is just part of the normal progression in thier fields. But for physical science majors, and non science majors, the requirements for their degrees can make it difficult to get all the premed courses done it two years. Med schools know this, and it is not a problem at all.</p>
<p>but finishing it early make you more prepared for MCAT right? since you take MCAT in your junior year, so would it be better to finish all the premed req by sophomore year?</p>
<p>If you finish your pre-med reqs by the end of soph. year you can, and should take the august MCAT. You will have everything fresh in your mind then. If you really wanted to you could apply to med schools during your Jr. year, since everything would be done for pre-med.</p>
<p>wow, but doesnt it have to be done during your graduating year? something like that, a big requirement to med school is undergrad degree haha.</p>
<p>Nope for some med schools you can apply once you have your requirements fulfilled. If your into med school you have little use for an undergrad degree. If you really wanted to finish it I guess you could, but why if your in med school.</p>
<p>For the typical applicant, you take the MCAT the april of your junior year and start your application process right then. Med school application process is very long involving multiple applications, interviews, etc. It's going to extend into your senior year. This means that even though you start applying your junior year for med school, you are still going to attend your undergrad institution and get your degree your senior year.</p>
<p>yeah, but if I were to take the MCATs in August, (i'm really interested in this accceleration now hehe), and then applying for Medical schools, I would be done with the whole process and hopefully accepted by the end of my junior year right? now, i really dont understand this, because why doesnt everyone do this theN? I mean the med schools don say anything? They are getting only a half gpa for 2 lousy years filled with introductory courses and sometimes not even a declared major!! I mean its much easier to push yourself to the threshold limit and achieve the 4.0, but the stamina is what sets apart the true scholars, they can push themselves for a long period of time and achieve that 4.0 or with a good upward trend and such that med schools look at it. please clarify haha</p>