Inquiry on courses Forum

[fut1l]

I was wondering ..

Do adcomms take apart your ug transcript and look at different courses taken?

my adviser told me they look at the courses you took in a way to examine whether or not you pushed/challenged yourself academically?

Also , I took a lot of grad courses in undergrad. Does that look good? how do they respond to something like that?


I took a 1 credit course in tennis and was wondering if it would look bad on the transcript? Also , i took a sociology course called "sport sociology" which sounds simplistic. Im worried about how these two will look. All my other courses are very challenging.

PS ( I know HIGH GPA and LSAT is all that matters , but these issues do concern me)


thanks.

[cinephile]

I really don't think it matters much. I mean, it's one thing if you majored in an easy program, but it certainly can't hurt you to have a class here or there in sports -- I think it shows that you're well rounded and have a life outside of academics. As for taking grad level courses, considering that a number of applicants already have a graduate degree, I don't think it'll make much impact.

[fut1l]

Hmm .. interesting take on the matter , thanks


Any other opinions?

[TLSanders]

Not usually, but maybe. I know that's not an especially helpful answer, but the truth is that when the committee (or just the first reviewer) is on the fence about an applicant, there are a lot of factors that may or may not be considered more closely. It's very unlikely that the kind of information you're talking about would be considered on a first pass, but it could come into play if you're borderline...as could pretty much any other bit of information available.

[rinkrat19]

I took various 1-credit activity classes pretty much every term in UG, including ballroom dancing, horseback riding, rowing, and cardio kickboxing, and they're not hurting my cycle. It's not like you took tennis to replace calculus--it's an elective!

They'll probably look at your major and maaaaaybe factor in its difficulty a little (engineering > underwater basket weaving, for example), but I seriously doubt they're going to see one silly social studies elective and ding you for that. Every school requires stupid filler classes.

[fut1l]

Well my school does require filler classes. But they are intro math , and science , and music/art classes... im just afraid the name of the course such as the SOC course can throw them off.

and yea you are right , i am taking it as an elective because nothing is available to take. Most other classes i have for that current semester are writing intensive and grad courses.