What is the hardest course (undergraduate or otherwise) that you ever took?

[howbaddoyouwantit]

P Biochem, basically a combination of thermodynamics with biochem applications.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AlteredScale]

The hardest courses are the ones you barely study for and find out the final is one week earlier than you thought... >_<

 

[Lysinee]

Biology 1. That joint was so hard, and so many small details I had to study.

 

[Jacob Pesquera]

What Course? What made it so hard? Was it worth it?

I'm taking an anatomy course and it's very tedious, a lot of memorization, very intensive exams. I'm not complaining I'm just acknowledging that it's a challenge. I appreciate the course's difficulty and it really means something to me when I get positive results.

Anyone else?

My degree is in Aerospace Engineering and I did a minor in mathematics and the hardest courses I had hands down were: 1.) Engineering Analysis (which is basically applied Calculus 3 and applied Differential Equations and Partial Differential Equations for Engineers.) 2.) Abstract Algebra (which is basically a mathematical proof-based course which involves some advanced linear algebra material and the rest is just difficult abstract thinking algebra material that you have to PROVE.) 3.) Analysis 1 (which is a precursor to Real Analysis and Complex Analysis and this is basically a proof-based and theoretical solving course in the Calculus series I, II, and III and it's just basically just proving why Calculus problems are logically and rationally correct.)

 

[deleted688779]

Haven't taken all my major courses yet so my choice may change. For now it's definitely physics. There's just something about it that my mind simply has very a difficult time grasping. It's like an obnoxious combination of sometimes intuition BUT WAIT NO...SOMETIMES YOUR INTUITION IS WRONG. I attribute some of my dislike of physics towards my professors as well. Many of them were not really able/willing to explain WHY or HOW things worked...simply "that's just how it is".

With organic chemistry mechanisms I see or draw out the molecules and the flow of electrons, and there's a reason WHY the electrons go from one to the other or WHY electrons favor atom A over atom B, thus product A is formed over B. But with physics...none of my professors (or online resources) were able to explain to me HOW or WHY in a way that my mind can wrap around it. Ex: there's a force here, and a force here, which means there must be a force here...WHY? BECAUSE IT JUST IS. HOW? BECAUSE I SAID SO.

Edit 2.5 years later: graduated college, despite taking all my molecular biology course, my answer still holds.

 

[carpediem22]

My intro to writing course freshman year where I learned that 5 paragraph essays are not a thing in the real world

 

[tessellations]

most difficult: So far, orgo II. So. Many. Reactions. I managed to get an A, but it took a lot of work. I got a 78 on the first exam, and somehow managed to stage a comeback and got As on the rest of the exam. However, I do expect that my biochem sequence and biochem pchem will probably be harder.

most time consuming: orgo lab. A lab report a week + prelab write up. For only 2 credits...

most annoying: biochem cell and molec. I had two teachers who switched off (one lecture based/one application based prof). They were incredibly disorganized and were never clear about what was on the exams and the wording of the exams sucked. Spliceosome assembly and snRNPS will haunt my dreams forever because of this class. Plus, there was SO much group work, and even worse, they crammed a ton of it in during the last two weeks of the semester. I spent way too much time with those 4 people in a library cubicle that semester.

 

[MDurgs]

Film

 

[Gauss44]

What Course? What made it so hard? Was it worth it?

I'm taking an anatomy course and it's very tedious, a lot of memorization, very intensive exams. I'm not complaining I'm just acknowledging that it's a challenge. I appreciate the course's difficulty and it really means something to me when I get positive results.

Anyone else?

Aural Skills. The class involved sight singing. This was my first exposure to reading or playing music, and prior to this class, I didn't even know how music worked or that notes represented pitch and rhythm. I took it with music majors not knowing that they all already knew much more than I did. I had never worked so hard in my life, for a C grade. Luckily, it was only 1 credit - even though I spent about 2-5 hours a day studying for it.

 

[Benjoe11]

For sure physics. I'd take orgo 100 times over before I took physics again.

 

[Mad Jack]

So, having completed all of preclinical, I'm just going to say- the hardest course I've ever taken is, always and forever, gross anatomy. And I'm still terrible at it, moving forward to the boards.

 

[aldol16]

Quantum mechanics. Definitely the hardest and definitely the most time investment.

 

[jqueb29]

Would definitely either have to be Anatomy as an MS1 or Neuroscience/Neuroanatomy as an MS2.

 

[7331poas]

Algorithms by far in the CS dept.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Continuum mechanics. Barely understood it throughout the course. Somehow got an A. I don't even know how because I've gotten worse grades on easier classes.

A for effort maybe?

 

[Mad Jack]

Continuum mechanics. Barely understood it throughout the course. Somehow got an A. I don't even know how because I've gotten worse grades on easier classes.

A for effort maybe?

Your grade actually existed in several states at once, and you just happened to glance at it when it was an A.

 

[lNVlNClBLE]

A graduate-level course on molecular orbital theory

Yikes

 

[hotrodsduo]

Haven't taken all my major courses yet so my choice may change. For now it's definitely physics. There's just something about it that my mind simply has very a difficult time grasping. It's like an obnoxious combination of sometimes intuition BUT WAIT NO...SOMETIMES YOUR INTUITION IS WRONG. I attribute some of my dislike of physics towards my professors as well. Many of them were not really able/willing to explain WHY or HOW things worked...simply "that's just how it is".

With organic chemistry mechanisms I see or draw out the molecules and the flow of electrons, and there's a reason WHY the electrons go from one to the other or WHY electrons favor atom A over atom B, thus product A is formed over B. But with physics...none of my professors (or online resources) were able to explain to me HOW or WHY in a way that my mind can wrap around it. Ex: there's a force here, and a force here, which means there must be a force here...WHY? BECAUSE IT JUST IS. HOW? BECAUSE I SAID SO.

100% with this guy. Every. Single. Word. Is. Truth. I am finishing Orgo III with a strong A and Physics blows my mind daily.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

Mammalian Physiology Lab. It is harder than a med school course according to an M3 from UCSDSOM and alumni of UCSD. I spent my Saturdays and Sundays slaving away in a dank basement level lab crunching out lab reports and repeating dissections. I don't recall having a weekend off in that quarter.

 

[hotrodsduo]

Mammalian Physiology Lab. It is harder than a med school course according to an M3 from UCSDSOM and alumni of UCSD. I spent my Saturdays and Sundays slaving away in a dank basement level lab crunching out lab reports and repeating dissections. I don't recall having a weekend off in that quarter.

I am taking mammalian physiology at UCSD right now. I didn't know there was a lab! I'll steer clear. I am thoroughly enjoying the class though.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

I am taking mammalian physiology at UCSD right now. I didn't know there was a lab! I'll steer clear. I am thoroughly enjoying the class though.

Dr Armour teaches the course. He is a real rock star in the biology department and has what seems to be an entourage of premeds following him for letters of recommendations!

Are you taking mamm phys 1 or 2? Who's teaching it?

 

[hotrodsduo]

Dr Armour teaches the course. He is a real rock star in the biology department and has what seems to be an entourage of premeds following him for letters of recommendations!

Are you taking mamm phys 1 or 2? Who's teaching it?

1 with Dr. Bloodgood. The course name was changed this year to human physiology but after talking to Dr. Bloodgood she says she teaches the exact same course as she did under the name mamm phys.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

1 with Dr. Bloodgood. The course name was changed this year to human physiology but after talking to Dr. Bloodgood she says she teaches the exact same course as she did under the name mamm phys.

I've never had Bloodgood but that's an awesome name for a physiology prof

 

[Espressso]

Medical Microbiology. It was the closest thing to a med school class that you can get at the UG level and it was dense. Loved it.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Part of me knows I'll regret saying this once I start M1 in 2 months but as of now the record goes to a calc based neurobiology class I had to take for my major. No curve, no book, just you, a calculator and an extremely long winded question about action potentials.

Out of the pre-reqs though? I never found any of them hard, but all seemed so unfair (at least at my school). Something about taking a test knowing you know the material yet being screwed by gotcha questions just killed me inside. Like Oh! You answered in milimols and I wanted MEGAmols! Sucks, 0 points...

 

[Espressso]

Part of me knows I'll regret saying this once I start M1 in 2 months but as of now the record goes to a calc based neurobiology class I had to take for my major. No curve, no book, just you, a calculator and an extremely long winded question about action potentials.

Out of the pre-reqs though? I never found any of them hard, but all seemed so unfair (at least at my school). Something about taking a test knowing you know the material yet being screwed by gotcha questions just killed me inside. Like Oh! You answered in milimols and I wanted MEGAmols! Sucks, 0 points...

Ahh! My neurobiology course was the SAME way. I never took calc though, so it was definitely tricky for me.

 

[eteshoe]

The few classes that I remember from my traumatic haze of UG that were particularly tough:

- Quantum mechanics
- Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 2
- Advanced theoretical physical organic chemistry

- Bio 1 (cuz it was taught in the most boring way)

 

[Dr. Jan Itor]

Quantum mechanics. Definitely the hardest and definitely the most time investment.

Intermediate Quantum and Statistical Mechanics made me cry.

When I start to question my desire to switch from chem to medicine, I glance at my copy of Levine's Quantum Chemistry and all is right with the world.

 

[mistafab]

European History - 8th grade.

The struggle was real. I literally have no comprehension of history or geography. This was a beautifully crafted class that seemed specifically designed to set me to fail.

I spent three to four hours a day studying this class just to stay afloat. I was such a poor history and geography student that despite reading, making note cards, and reviewing notes, I managed to only get a "sufficient" grade (it is basically a pass).

Never in my life have I struggled so hard to succeed, only to pass by the smallest margin. Eight (30%) of my classmates had to remediate the course in the summer to graduate 8th grade.

 

[Lawpy]

Quantum mechanics. Definitely the hardest and definitely the most time investment.

The few classes that I remember from my traumatic haze of UG that were particularly tough:

- Quantum mechanics
- Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 2
- Advanced theoretical physical organic chemistry

- Bio 1 (cuz it was taught in the most boring way)

Intermediate Quantum and Statistical Mechanics made me cry.

When I start to question my desire to switch from chem to medicine, I glance at my copy of Levine's Quantum Chemistry and all is right with the world.

Have to go with quantum mechanics as well. It just edges out statistical mechanics in difficulty, but these courses certainly were difficult enough to make me want to stick with much easier courses as a GPA padder. The workload, difficulty and abstractness involved are insane.

Strangely enough, there's an academic discipline that applies quantum mechanics to finance... like... why?

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

Part of me knows I'll regret saying this once I start M1 in 2 months but as of now the record goes to a calc based neurobiology class I had to take for my major. No curve, no book, just you, a calculator and an extremely long winded question about action potentials.

Out of the pre-reqs though? I never found any of them hard, but all seemed so unfair (at least at my school). Something about taking a test knowing you know the material yet being screwed by gotcha questions just killed me inside. Like Oh! You answered in milimols and I wanted MEGAmols! Sucks, 0 points...

Wait that sounds pretty neat, do they make you integrate a voltage/time curve or sonething?

 

[aldol16]

When I start to question my desire to switch from chem to medicine, I glance at my copy of Levine's Quantum Chemistry and all is right with the world.

I really like McQuarrie's PChem textbook. It really explained everything really well - the topics were just kind of dry and inherently difficult. Haven't heard much about Levine's book.

Strangely enough, there's an academic discipline that applies quantum mechanics to finance... like... why?

If I could discover a wavefunction that characterizes the economy or any aspect of it, I would become a billionaire and have buildings named after me.

 

[eteshoe]

I really like McQuarrie's PChem textbook. It really explained everything really well - the topics were just kind of dry and inherently difficult. Haven't heard much about Levine's book.



If I could discover a wavefunction that characterizes the economy or any aspect of it, I would become a billionaire and have buildings named after me.

That and a Nobel Prize + getting a wavefxn named after you.

 

[aldol16]

That and a Nobel Prize + getting a wavefxn named after you.

Actually I think I would solve the time-dependent Schrodinger and keep it all to myself. Then I'd make billions each day. Definitely better than having buildings named after me. Maybe then I'd buy a medical school.

 

[Coltuna]

British Literature Senior of high school lol (But Seriously). Then Clinical Parasitology/Mycology. Sooooooooo much memorization and small details.

 

[ojy77511]

Upper division Philosophy and empiricism class. Destroyed me and made me feel ******ed.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Lawpy]

Upper division Philosophy and empiricism class. Destroyed me and made me feel ******ed.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

It's a common feeling. Fortunately, @Lucca has a sound theory

I have a theory that philosophy departments nationwide are funded by liquor companies.

 

[tessellations]

British Literature Senior of high school lol (But Seriously). Then Clinical Parasitology/Mycology. Sooooooooo much memorization and small details.

Brit lit during my senior year was KILLER. No matter how hard I tried in that class I couldn't break a B+. I've basically hated literature ever since and have avoided it as much as possible in college. I took a philosophy course for my arts and literature requirement for that very reason.

I don't mind writing, but for whatever reason I suck at writing about books. Which is sad, because I truly do love to read.

 

[coldcase331]

Pathogenic microbiology....so many details......


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app