Is Genetics a difficult class?

[pete415273]

So, I'm registering for the spring semester on Monday and was wondering what classes I should take. I'll be taking Oganic II, Physics II, Kaplan MCAT Prep and working very part time. I am considering adding Genetics, but my advisor suggested I not take it while studying for the MCAT. I am wondering what kind of time it requires. What kind of time requirements/difficulty can I expect? I realize different schools and profs have different requirements, but I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Quix]

There is *a lot* of information covered, and the people I know who have tried to do that on top of other difficult sciences courses said it was difficult with impossible exams. Again, it depends on who you have teaching it, but you will probably be overextending yourself.

 

[silkworm]

In my undergrad, the Genetic course was a subject of dread on par with organic chem.

 

[smuwillobrien]

I think it depends on which school you go to, and as well, on what type of learner you are. I thought Genetics was definately one of the easier Biology classes - if you do enough problems you can't help but know the material.

 

[albaniandoc]

So, I'm registering for the spring semester on Monday and was wondering what classes I should take. I'll be taking Oganic II, Physics II, Kaplan MCAT Prep and working very part time. I am considering adding Genetics, but my advisor suggested I not take it while studying for the MCAT. I am wondering what kind of time it requires. What kind of time requirements/difficulty can I expect? I realize different schools and profs have different requirements, but I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea.

Genetics is really one of the those classes on the same category as Biochem and Orgo. However, it all depends on what kind of student you are and how much time you have to invest in your reading. On the first exam I didn't do any of the practice problems or old tests and ended up with a C (73%). The class average was 61%. On the second test I studied more, did old exams and some practice problems and ended up with an A (96%). The class average was like 65%. If I do well enough on the next exam and the final I could still end up with an A.
So you will really get out of it, whatever you put in. If you think that you won't have time to read and do the problems, forget it.
Good luck

 

[Law2Doc]

I think it depends on which school you go to, and as well, on what type of learner you are. I thought Genetics was definately one of the easier Biology classes - if you do enough problems you can't help but know the material.

Agree with this. I actually wouldn't put this on the list of the particularly difficult classes. But I suspect there are people who had an easy time with some of the classes I found hard.

 

[remo]

At my school it was one of the hardest classes. With Ochem 2 and Physics 2 at the same time I would not take it if I were you.

 

[mdh4569]

Genetics is really one of the those classes on the same category as Biochem and Orgo. However, it all depends on what kind of student you are and how much time you have to invest in your reading. On the first exam I didn't do any of the practice problems or old tests and ended up with a C (73%). The class average was 61%. On the second test I studied more, did old exams and some practice problems and ended up with an A (96%). The class average was like 65%. If I do well enough on the next exam and the final I could still end up with an A.
So you will really get out of it, whatever you put in. If you think that you won't have time to read and do the problems, forget it.
Good luck

agree with this!

I got an A in the class, I always did practice problems and the old exams.
My prof was the dept chair and an MIT graduate, as well as an amazing teacher. The class was deffinetly a feared class in my school. It will take hard work and much sacrafice.

my advice : do what feels comfortable If you have time to spare let it go and take it another semester

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

I didn't think genetics was particularly hard, but if you looked at the averages (both for my class, and other genetics classes at my school on pickaprof.com) it was a killer. It was considered a weed out class at the school where I took it.

I think that the problem at my school is that genetics is the first upper-level biology course that people take (it is a prerequisite for ALL OTHER upper-division biology courses,) and they are not prepared for the larger quantity of information that is covered in upper-division vs. lower-division classes.

Read the material before lecture, work lots of problems, and review the stuff soon after lecture (and, of course, go to all the lectures) and you should be fine.

 

[Quix]

Bio 1 and the chemistries were our weed-outs. Hell, we called Organic 1 "Pre-Business". A third of the class was *gone* about halfway into the semester.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Bio 1 and the chemistries were our weed-outs. Hell, we called Organic 1 "Pre-Business". A third of the class was *gone* about halfway into the semester.

I think Ochem is a universal weed out. I enjoyed Ochem, but I don't think anyone coasts through that one. I had most of the Gen. Chem. and Lower Division Bio. stuff in High School (and somehow managed to remember a lot of it some 15 years later) so I didn't find Bio 1 or, especially Bio 2 (ecology, population genetics, and lots of other fluffy stuff like that) particularly challenging.

Maybe weed out was the wrong term for Genetics. "Wake Up Class" might be a better term for it. Also, a lot of upper division Biology classes have some overlap, Like Biochem, Genetics, and Cell Bio. Since I wa a non-degree seeking student, I took the courses out of order, so I had already had Biochem. and Cell Bio. before Genetics, so a lot of the material was review. If I had taken Genetics before the others, I probably would've thought it more challenging.

 

[45408]

Ask around at school. As you can see, its difficulty varies from school to school. It was a piece of cake at my school - but only with the professor I took it with. The other guy has a thick accent and poor lecture technique.

 

[MollyMalone]

At my school, the pre-med advisor specifically told people to take Genetics after sending in their apps if at all possible as it was a notorious GPA buster. I didn't find it half as difficult as its reputation suggested, though. YMMV.

(I agree with jota_jota, too -- I also had biochem and cell bio before genetics, which is possibly why I thought it was relatively straightforward.)

 

[Nikki2002]

i took 2 genetics courses in undergrad--one was a lower level so it was much easier. Taking genetics will help you on the mcat (ask anyone who took the mcat last august--the majority of the BS section was genetics) but you may be able to learn what you need to know on your own. also--i just took a 1st year med school class and we had a whole unit on genetics--if i hadn't taken genetics in undergrad i would have been royally screwed. i mean you have a heavy course load now--plus you are working--so it may not be the best idea. But you should take it before you graduate imo.

 

[Quix]

I actually had a lot of human physiology in my BS section this past August. Thankfully.

 

[MDstudent101]

As said above you can say it depends on the school and as well the person. Some ppl might find the same genetics class that you are taking inredibly hard but you may find it un-challengable. So you would have to take it to find out how you would do. Though I do not recomend for you to take Physics II, Orgo II, and Genetics all at the same time it can become a bit over-whelming. I mean you could do a upper level Human Anatomy and Phisiology course with a Lab or something than in the soummer pick up Genetics. Just my .02 centz!

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Hardest class at our school, but somehow i managed to get an A before the curve

 

[Empi]

Genetics is one of the hardest classes I ever loved.

The material is interesting and relevant.

The teacher was wonderful.

And I am very happy to have earned an A-.

I usually cry ove the -, but not that time.

 

[sawasdee]

taking orgo and physics (both those classes get tougher second semester and mcat prep should really be your major priority)- take genetics during your application year or pick it up during the summer.

 

[Faze2]

taking orgo and physics (both those classes get tougher second semester and mcat prep should really be your major priority)- take genetics during your application year or pick it up during the summer.

Wow, I am in the exact position of the OP. Taking Ochem II and Physics II this spring along with EK for the MCAT.

I would definatley put off genetics of I could, but isn't it one of the good extra classes to take for the MCAT?

 

[Law2Doc]

Hardest class at our school, but somehow i managed to get an A before the curve

You should acknowledge when you are reviving an old thread so folks don't bother responding to others who may no longer be on SDN.
Genetics is very logical -- if you learn the rules, it is easy -- very bright line right and wrong answers.

 

[collegefootball]

Agree with this. I actually wouldn't put this on the list of the particularly difficult classes. But I suspect there are people who had an easy time with some of the classes I found hard.

Most of the material tought in an undergraduate genetics course does not show how complex genetics really is. So you learn about some of the basics of translation, transcription, reading a gel, doing crossing for various traits, and so forth. What you don't get into in an undergraduate genetics course is the complexity of gene to gene interactions, epigenetics, loss of heterozygosity, chromosomal aberrations, mutations, copy number variation, genetic testing, clinical dysmorphology, and so forth.

 

[deleted36260]

Depends on the school.
At my school it is on par or worse than Organic for some people. It's the class that people change majors because of or take 3-4 times.

I loved it, but man did it take a lot of work.

 

[Olddodger]

Most of the material tought in an undergraduate genetics course does not show how complex genetics really is. So you learn about some of the basics of translation, transcription, reading a gel, doing crossing for various traits, and so forth. What you don't get into in an undergraduate genetics course is the complexity of gene to gene interactions, epigenetics, loss of heterozygosity, chromosomal aberrations, mutations, copy number variation, genetic testing, clinical dysmorphology, and so forth.

This is somewhat of a generalization, and course content can vary from school to school, and in fact, from section to section.

At my school, my undergrad genetics course covered much of the above and the population genetics, to my relief, was minimized, and we had a full 16 week concurrent lab. The class probably would have been better titled "Molecular Genetics". It was still a b!tch, though...

Oldie

 

[ChubbyChaser]

You should acknowledge when you are reviving an old thread so folks don't bother responding to others who may no longer be on SDN.
Genetics is very logical -- if you learn the rules, it is easy -- very bright line right and wrong answers.

sorry, didnt realize it at the time

 

[Empi]

I hated the population genetics element, give me the molecular stuff any day.

 

[Faze2]

So in your opinion, would taking Organic II, Physics II, Genetics, MCAT prep, and working (part time to sometimes full time) be too much? I'd like to take Genetics, but I do not want to overload myself. However, I hear Genetics is GOOD to have for the MCAT, but not necessary.

 

[queenbee]

um, yes. unless you are particularly very good at being studious during all of your free time, whatever is left of it.