<p>I know that taking a heavier course load in high school, while maintaining good grades, is looked upon favorably by college admission committees. Does the same hold true in college? For example, I know that the normal course load at Harvard is 4 courses, but would law school admission committees look A LOT more favorably on someone who took 5 or 6 courses per term, assuming all other things are equal (ie. same grades, same extracurriculars, etc. as someone with the normal 4 courses per term)?</p>
<p>I doubt it. Don't kill yourself. Straight up GPA and LSAT are the numbers that matter.</p>
<p>Not a factor. However, I am not sure where you get your normal 4 course load per semester for Harvard (or any other college on a semester schedule). Typical course load for a college on the semester schedule is generally 15 to 16 credit hours (you need to accumulate about that number per semester to assure graduation in 4 years) and how many courses that actually is varies. For example, for LAS courses, the vast majority of courses are each 3 credit hours per semester although some may be 2 hours, 1 (labs), or even 4 or 5 (some science or math courses often fall in that range). In other words, a typical load of 15 hours is 5 courses but can be 4 or 6. In engineering, a typical course load is 16 to 17 hours (if you want to graduate in 4 years) because the total number of hours needed is usually more than LAS majors. In other words, don't look at course load as having much to do with admisson to law school, but instead how it fits into how long you will to take to graduate college.</p>
<p>Most of the Ivies don't use credit hour systems. Four courses is a standard load at Harvard. (You need 32 course credits to graduate. Most people take 4 each semester.) </p>
<p>But, no, taking more than the standard 4 won't help much UNLESS you also are able to earn a master's within the four years--getting both degrees concurrently. That DOES help.</p>
<p>My alma mater uses the system Jonri mentioned: one course = one credit. Labs were half credit. Liberal arts needs 34 credits to graduate; engineering, 38. I had somewhere in the vicinity of 45 credits (in four years), and I don't think it helped me very much. The lower GPA that almost invariably results from the heavy course load is more a detriment than the boost from a tougher schedule.</p>
<p>Honestly, 5 courses in a semester is NOT that impressive. Maybe it's just my school (where a lot of people double-major and therefore take more courses), but I don't think anyone thinks, "Wow! She took five courses in one semester!"</p>
<p>Just my opinion from having gone through the law school application process, but I don't think they care how tough your schedule is.</p>