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Should I take Physics or is it a bad idea?


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Hey guys!

I need to take 6 more credits in order to boost my science GPA. I've taken most prerequisites listed by PA programs and I've gone through most of the biology courses offered at my college. I'd like to take online courses to fulfill these last 6 credits so I can also work full time this year. 

My only choice is to sign up for biochemistry and pathophysiology offered at UNE, or to take two semesters worth of online physics at my local college. 

I know biochemistry is a prereq/optional prereq for most PA programs and I'm sure pathophysiology is a good option too, but UNE courses are expensive...Would it look weird if I went with the cheaper option and took physics even though it's not a requirement for most programs? I want to boost my science GPA and go with the cheaper option, but at the same time if taking physics makes me look bad or sets off red flags for admissions then I wouldn't want to do it...

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance and have a great 2020!

 

Edited by ptokki
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Hey guys!
I need to take 6 more credits in order to boost my science GPA. I've taken most prerequisites listed by PA programs and I've gone through most of the biology courses offered at my college. I'd like to take online courses to fulfill these last 6 credits so I can also work full time this year. 
My only choice is to sign up for biochemistry and pathophysiology offered at UNE, or to take two semesters worth of online physics at my local college. 
I know biochemistry is a prereq/optional prereq for most PA programs and I'm sure pathophysiology is a good option too, but UNE courses are expensive...Would it look weird if I went with the cheaper option and took physics even though it's not a requirement for most programs? I want to boost my science GPA and go with the cheaper option, but at the same time if taking physics makes me look bad or sets off red flags for admissions then I wouldn't want to do it...
What do you guys think? Thanks in advance and have a great 2020!
 


If you have met the requirements, no problem with either approach. Just do well!


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Ahh okay okay thank you so much! 

I have a less than stellar cumulative science GPA right now, do you think that would make any difference? I've retaken a lot of courses in the past few years, which is why I've met the prerequisites for PA programs and exhausted the biology courses at my school. I've received As in all of them, just need these last 6 credits to at least meet the minimum science GPA requirement at PA programs. If I can get away with taking physics and pay less that would be amazing. 

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Ahh okay okay thank you so much!  I have a less than stellar cumulative science GPA right now, do you think that would make any difference? I've retaken a lot of courses in the past few years, which is why I've met the prerequisites for PA programs and exhausted the biology courses at my school. I've received As in all of them, just need these last 6 credits to at least meet the minimum science GPA requirement at PA programs. If I can get away with taking physics and pay less that would be amazing. 

 

 

If you’ve retaken all the bio courses and gotten As, doing well in physics and saving some money aounds like a plan.

 

FYI, no prereq is as much like PA school as patho. In my area, it’s available inexpensively at night in community college.

 

 

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If you can excel in physics then go for it. Traditionally speaking, it is not necessarily an easy class (take trig based rather than calc based). You have already considered that many schools have a list of pre-requisites, and then causally add "and 12 credit hours of upper level biology classes", providing you a list of 300+ suitable classes that would fulfill this requirement. 

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  • 3 months later...
On 1/20/2020 at 4:42 PM, ptokki said:

Ahh okay okay thank you so much! 

I have a less than stellar cumulative science GPA right now, do you think that would make any difference? I've retaken a lot of courses in the past few years, which is why I've met the prerequisites for PA programs and exhausted the biology courses at my school. I've received As in all of them, just need these last 6 credits to at least meet the minimum science GPA requirement at PA programs. If I can get away with taking physics and pay less that would be amazing. 

 

If you need an online physics course, please let me know.  I created my physics courses to be different than the traditional physics courses.  I use the collaborative approach (open book, open notes, open internet, and you are encouraged to work with others).  I just require homework and labs.  I do not hassle students with tests and finals, which are rather artificial in the sense that a student just memorizes some examples from class and writes those down on an exam.  In my opinion, that is not true learning, just memorization.  Science education research supports the collaborative approach.  

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