what is considered a rigorous course load for med schools

According to UVA (one of their counselors posts on tiktok - Janine Lalond, I think), there is no set standard for "most rigorous". They look at an applicant's profile to determine if the student has done all that he could. It's not dependent on max number of APs or any such cookie-cutter criteria.

Full Answer

How hard is the medical school curriculum?

How Hard Is the Medical School Curriculum? Experts say medical school classes require students to quickly absorb large amounts of information. The intensity of medical school courses may be shocking to new medical students. (Getty Images)

What classes do you take in medical school?

Young notes that medical school typically begins with health-related science classes in fields like biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, anatomy, histology, microbiology and genetics. It also includes lessons on how to interview and interact with patients, he says.

What is the goal of Medical School?

"The goal in medical school is to learn everything that is known until that year about the human body," he says. David Delnegro, a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, says that the intensity of medical school courses often shocks new medical students.

What is it like to be a medical student?

Upper-level medical students have the dual responsibility of performing coursework and simultaneously doing clinical work, Sousa says, and this period of medical school can be especially difficult.

What is considered a rigorous course load?

You can think of a rigorous course load as the one that represents the most challenging track available at your high school.

What is rigorous coursework?

Simply put, rigor is the academic or intellectual challenge of a class. The more difficult the class, the more rigorous it is. More often than not, academic rigor does not refer to a single class, but a number of them within a student's schedule.

Do med schools care about courseload?

Med schools don't really care about courseload as much as undergrads like to think (assuming you maintain full time status), only the GPA. Nor do they really care about course selection, major or other attempts to show you are taking "hard" courses.

Is a 3.75 GPA good for medical school?

Admissions experts advise aspiring medical school students to aim for a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

How is academic rigor measured?

Introductory Students Define Rigor Based on Effort/Workload This research took a sampling of introductory and advanced biology students and asked them to define academic rigor through the lens of the learner. Their definitions provide insight about what attributes of a course make it rigorous.

Does GPA or course rigor matter more?

Schools having a holistic approach to admissions consider course rigor and grades in specific classes more critical than the overall GPA (Grade Point Average). They want to see that students take the most rigorous course load that they can responsibly handle while staying mentally and emotionally healthy.

Is it easier for minorities to get into medical school?

They found that a black, or to a lesser degree, Hispanic applicant, had a far greater chance of being admitted to medical school than white or Asian applicants with the same college grades and scores for the medical college admissions test (MCAT) (see table).

What is the easiest medical school to get into?

The 20 Easiest Medical Schools to Get IntoUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center.Mercer University School of Medicine.East Carolina University.University of North Dakota School of Medicine.University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.The University of South Dakota.Augusta University.University of Oklahoma.More items...

Do minors look good in medical school?

A minor can be a nice addition to a medical school application, but it is unlikely to make or break an acceptance. Before committing to a minor, decide whether you have time in your schedule to complete the involved coursework.

Is a 3.9 GPA good for med school?

A GPA of 3.5 is the “average” for medical school so any GPA of 3.6 or above would be above average and hence, competitive.

Is 97th percentile good on MCAT?

Scoring in MCAT is done on a scale ranging between 472 and 528. A percentile rank for any examination is the rank the candidate has achieved with respect to the other test takers for the same session....MCAT Total Score to Percentile Rank- 2021-2022.Total ScorePercentile5189551996520975219853 more rows•Aug 12, 2021

Is a 3.84 GPA good for med school?

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported an average GPA for medical school of 3.60 across all applicants for the 2020-2021 application cycle. For the same year, applicants had an average science GPA of 3.49 and an average non-science GPA of 3.74.

What Does a Rigorous High School Course Load Look Like?

Chances are, you've heard the phrase "rigorous course load" before. You probably even know that this is something colleges really look for in applications for admission.

How to think about a rigorous curriculum?

Another way to think about a rigorous curriculum is to imagine your high school experience as an uphill climb. Most of the time you want to be farther up the mountain than where you were previously, hiking up steeper and steeper terrain and using everything you've learned to help you keep going.

What Does Rigorous or Challenging Mean?

First off, what does the vague word "rigor" actually mean? And why do colleges value seeing you challenge yourself?

What About Life Outside My Schoolwork?

One of the qualities colleges also look for in applicants is your time-management skills.

What does a college admissions office look at?

College admissions offices put a tremendous amount of effort into figuring out what your high school is like when they look at your transcript.

What should my transcript show?

Your transcripts should show how you've taken full advantage of the challenges available to you at your school—but always within reason, of course. This means that you should take progressively more difficult classes in each topic each year rather than jumping from intro class to intro class.

What to do if your school lacks advanced study options?

Whether your school lacks advanced study options or lacks subjects you find especially compelling, one option is to take classes outside your school. Ask yourself the following questions: