This section contains our answers to frequently asked questions regarding coursework. We will be updating this section often so check back to see additional answers. ADVANCED PLACEMENT CREDIT Students receiving AP credit for biology, chemistry and/or physics will be required by most health professions schools to show supplemental college level coursework in the subject areas in which AP credits are awarded. Generally, a year of biological science coursework with labs will be expected regardless of AP credits. First-year students with AP credit in one of the prerequisite sciences are urged to begin science coursework at Johns Hopkins in a different introductory level science rather than choosing an intermediate course in the area of the AP credit. A student's choice of major, as well as the strength of his/her background, will influence decisions regarding AP credit. Be sure to speak with a pre-professional advisor in the Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising or an advisor in either the Office of Academic Advising (Krieger School of Arts & Sciences) or the Office of Academic Affairs (Whiting School of Engineering) to determine whether your coursework is compliant with health professions schools requirements. The Offices of Pre-Professional Advising, Academic Advising, and Engineering Advising recommend that incoming students closely consider the Advanced Placement Guidelines. The recommendations differ depending upon whether students are pursuing a major in Arts & Sciences or Engineering. All students should note that, regardless of whether coursework is pursued in Arts & Sciences or Engineering, there are some modifications for students who anticipate applying to University of California medical schools (customarily, California residents). As a general rule, AP credit will not be accepted for completion of required courses at the University of California schools. **Download the Guide to Suggested Pre-Med Coursework for Students with AP Credits** University of California, Davis AP courses are not accepted to meet premedical course requirements; more advanced courses in the same area are needed. CLEP course credit, or credit obtained through long distance or computer on-line learning programs, is generally not allowed. However, such credits may be acceptable on a case-by-case basis only if supplemented by advanced work in same area and/or if competence is indicated by performance on the relevant section of the MCAT. Premedical courses taken by study abroad programs, or taken by recent immigrants, may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Only those courses accepted by the applicant’s home college towards satisfying major or degree programs will be considered. Part of the English requirement may be met by other courses which require writing, such as English Literature. Students or advisors are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office if they have specific questions regarding fulfillment of course requirements. University of California, Irvine UCI will accept AP credit if it is recorded on an official college or university transcript. The majority of premed coursework should be completed at a four-year institution. In some instances, on-line courses may be used to meet requirements if approved in advance by the Admissions Office. Students should contact the office via phone or email in order to obtain approval. A course description and syllabus will be required in order to ensure the academic rigor of the course. An individual review of the entire academic record and an evaluation of the specific circumstances will determine if courses taken through study abroad programs or taken abroad by recent immigrants will meet admissions requirements. Specific questions should be directed to the Admissions Office. University of California, Los Angeles The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is looking for well-rounded, liberally-educated students with strong scientific backgrounds. AP or CLEP credit for premedical requirements is not accepted. Long distance or computer learning programs or certificates are not acceptable.Courses taken in summer school or community colleges are acceptable. With regard to courses taken abroad by recent immigrants, the Committee looks at all work, but places greater emphasis on the MCAT if there is no US grade equivalent. It is preferred that the English requirement not be met by other reading and writing courses. Courses taken abroad will need supporting material and are handled on a case-by-case basis. University of California, San Diego Premedical requirements for the year of biology (which includes all biology except botany or biochemistry) and the year of organic chemistry must be met by taking college level courses in the US. AP credit will not fulfill these two requirements, nor will coursework taken by recent immigrants at foreign institutions. AP credit for biology or organic chemistry would only be accepted if supplemented by advanced work in the same area. Competence in these areas, demonstrated by high scores on the MCAT, could be acceptable on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Committee. The math, physics, and inorganic chemistry requirements may be met by AP courses in high school, by CLEP, or by courses taken in study-abroad programs as long as these courses are credited by the home institution. Depending on the amount of credit granted, additional coursework may be required to complete the one-year sequence. USCD has no specific English requirement. CLEP, AP, summer school courses at a four year institution, evening courses, and long distance or on-line learning programs merit the same weight as college and university coursework. UCSD considers undergraduate institutions by selectivity and the degree of difficulty of the curriculum at individual institutions for purposes of acceptance. University of California, San Francisco AP courses will not be considered for biology, or organic chemistry. CLEP, long distance or on-line learning programs will not be considered. Advanced work cannot substitute for the required one year of biology with lab (including Vertebrate Zoology). Courses taken abroad by recent immigrants, or by students in study abroad programs, will be accepted in fulfillment of premedical requirements if the applicant has completed one year at a US college or university before the application is submitted (see website for details). The English requirement may be met by other reading/writing courses ? even AP courses. If students have specific questions regarding fulfillment of requirements, they can send email messages to admissions@medsch.ucsf.edu. THE ENGLISH REQUIREMENT Medical School policy on AP credit differs, even among California schools. Some schools will accept AP towards satisfaction of some or all of their requirements; others will not. Generally, those who wish to offer AP credits in satisfaction of pre-med requirements should take additional work in that field to substantiate the credits and to prepare for the MCAT and medical school. For example, a student with an AP score which satisfies the reading and composition requirement usually will be well advised to take an upper division course with substantial reading and writing, e.g., an upper division English Literature class. Again, school policy differs, and all-inclusive answers are difficult. Coursework at Johns Hopkins is likely will be more rigorous than AP courses. Many students choose to take courses such as Expository Writing, Introduction to Fiction/Poetry, Great Books, and others. These courses definitely fulfill the English requirement. Please note that classes taken related to Communications or Business do not count towards the requirement. While it is not necessary to have finished your requirements (e.g., English) prior to applying, it would be nice to be able to show the schools that you have strong reading and writing skills as evidenced by your grades in English courses, a strong Verbal Reasoning score and a good Writing Sample score. Admissions people vary in their views with one more interested in Organic Chemistry and another interested in your Verbal Reasoning. It would be in your best interest to take the English/humanities courses for a letter grade. In the MSAR, some schools are vague about what they want to fulfill their pre-medical requirements. So a letter grade will serve you well. Courses in literature (translated into English) are acceptable to fulfill this requirement. GPA The rule of thumb regarding whether a course will count towards your BCPM is if at least 60% of the course covers one of the BCPM subjects, it will count. Courses in departments beyond Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math such as Neuroscience can often count towards the BCPM GPA as long as they fulfill the criteria above. Courses that are more biologically related in Neuroscience are coded Biology; ones that are more psychology related in Neuroscience are not considered science. Astronomy courses do not fall under the Physics Science GPA, nor do Planetary/Earth science classes. On your AMCAS application for medical school, you are required to enter all of the courses you have taken and to list what type of course they were. AMCAS will then automatically calculate your BCPM GPA. No, generally, you cannot take courses that will count towards your pre-med. requirements pass/fail. The exception is if you took courses towards your pre-med. requirements during your first semester freshman year. Those grades will always remain covered but those courses will still count towards your pre-med. requirements. REPEATING COURSES Generally speaking, it is rarely recommended that premedical and related coursework should be repeated. Although the grade in the repeated course will impact the students Hopkins GPA (by replacing the old grade), it will not impact to the same extent the calculation of the overall and math/science GPA by the application service, as the two grades will be averaged. Furthermore, any repeated grade below an "A" would not be looked upon favorably. Students who do not perform well in their early science courses, but still wish to pursue a medical degree, can take additional science courses to strengthen their academic records and become competitive candidates. An average grade in a prerequisite course can be redeemed partially by a good performance in another course which demonstrates competence within the same area. A single low grade is not going to keep you out of medical school but multiple ones may. At Hopkins, a student may repeat a course in which they have earned a grade of C+ or lower. Medical and other health professions schools, however, would not recommend that applicants retake courses in which they have performed average. As said above, students can take additional science courses to strengthen their academic records and become competitive candidates. If students earn a low, but passing, final grade in a course, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether or not it is best to retake the course. To continue immediately into the second half of a prerequisite sequence in question is not recommended. Students with a low, but passing, final grade in a course may consider retaking the initial course and continuing into the second half. You should consult about these decisions with your academic advisor, an advisor in the Office of Academic Advising, and/or and advisor in the Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising. | 
