advice on doubling up with prerequisites

[popcorners]

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Hi! newbie here. Anyway, I have been figuring out my schedule for the fall and I was just wondering what did you guys think was a doable science combination for the same semester. Right now I'm leaning towards taking General Bio and non calc based Physics together.Is this overkill? Any advice on what I should avoid taking together?

Thanks in advance!🙂

 

[Doctor Strange]

I think it's the norm to "double up" on prereqs. It's usually bio/chem first year and orgo/physics second year for most people. Bio and physics together doesn't seem like it would be any harder than any of the other combinations.

 

[Dyze]

Hi there, i'm also in similar boat but this fall i will be taking Bio and chem together. although a friend of mine ( he is applying this cycle) took Math, chem, and physics together he said it worked out for him, sure a lot of math in both subject i would guess.

 

[Radon XP]

That doesn't seem like it will be too difficult. Good study habits go a long way.

 

[chenzt]

Figuring out the reputation of the professors for these classes would go a long way in helping you pick the right combinations.

 

[487806]

Hi! newbie here. Anyway, I have been figuring out my schedule for the fall and I was just wondering what did you guys think was a doable science combination for the same semester. Right now I'm leaning towards taking General Bio and non calc based Physics together.Is this overkill? Any advice on what I should avoid taking together?

Thanks in advance!🙂

That isn't even remotely overkill. You're fine.

 

[ready2go2]

Doubling up is fine. Tripling up is another story.

 

[iforget2]

I took bio, ochem, and physics with each of their labs last semester

Don't do that

 

[WillburCobb]

You're fine. Bio, gen chem, and physics are the easiest pre-reqs. Any combo of those is do-able.

 

[Radon XP]

I took bio, ochem, and physics with each of their labs last semester

Don't do that

If I may ask, how'd you do? I'm doing something similar.

I did not do any pre reqs freshman year so I had to triple up this past year by taking Biology, Gen chem, and physics and all the accompanying labs, every quarter. Life was much more difficult than it needed to be. I don't recommend taking more than two in any given quarter. Two is a good number because it's challenging enough to be stimulating, but it's not so difficult that you don't have time for EC's and a social life.

How'd you do, m8? Just curious. I'm doing something similar.

 

[487806]

If I may ask, how'd you do? I'm doing something similar.



How'd you do, m8? Just curious. I'm doing something similar.

Actually, I wouldn't recommend it (though it's definitely manageable otherwise). Prereqs happen to function as weed-out courses, so they are naturally much harder (difficult exams etc.). Tripling up the prereqs will triple the problems.

Bio, orgo and physics are definitely manageable, but they are hardly interrelated, so you'd have to be apt in all of them to do well. Not recommended for the average premed.

 

[Radon XP]

Actually, I wouldn't recommend it (though it's definitely manageable otherwise). Prereqs happen to function as weed-out courses, so they are naturally much harder (difficult exams etc.). Tripling up the prereqs will triple the problems.

Bio, orgo and physics are definitely manageable, but they are hardly interrelated, so you'd have to be apt in all of them to do well. Not recommended for the average premed.

Not with all three labs. But say you did all three of those (bio, gen chem, physics), with one lab (say, bio).

 

[487806]

Not with all three labs. But say you did all three of those (bio, gen chem, physics), with one lab (say, bio).

Yup, you'll definitely be in a much better situation, and have a good chance in doing well in all of them. The labs add the unnecessary difficulty, so minimizing that is key.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

I think it's the norm to "double up" on prereqs. It's usually bio/chem first year and orgo/physics second year for most people. Bio and physics together doesn't seem like it would be any harder than any of the other combinations.

Every pre-med I've ever known (save for a single bio/physics double major) took physics in their junior year. I'd say the norm is bio + gen chem freshman year, orgo second year, and physics third year.

Anyway, OP, bio and gen chem go together pretty well (at many schools gen chem is a pre-req or co-req for bio). Really, you don't even have a choice. If you put off taking bio, you can't start on any bio-related major until junior year (since it's the pre-req for almost every bio class beyond 100-level). If you put off taking gen chem, you won't be able to take orgo until junior year and biochem until senior year (don't forget that for your class biochem will now be another pre-req thanks to the MCAT, although honestly it may as well have been one already).

I would suggest bio and gen chem freshman year. If you're good at math, take physics alongside orgo sophomore year. If you're not great at math, take physics alongside biochem in junior year. I would definitely not suggest tripling up and taking only one lab. The labs are meant to complement the material in the class. If you take them later, they're going to be much harder than they normally would be since you'll have to go back and re-learn the material again. Also, you're going to need to load up on labs eventually anyway since there are too many lab-based pre-reqs to take only lab one every year. And once again, you don't even have a choice. At most colleges the labs for bio, gen chem, and physics are integrated into the class and can't be taken separately. The same is also sometimes true for orgo and biochem.

 

[Radon XP]

Every pre-med I've ever known (save for a single bio/physics double major) took physics in their junior year. I'd say the norm is bio + gen chem freshman year, orgo second year, and physics third year.

Anyway, OP, bio and gen chem go together pretty well (at many schools gen chem is a pre-req or co-req for bio). Really, you don't even have a choice. If you put off taking bio, you can't start on any bio-related major until junior year (since it's the pre-req for almost every bio class beyond 100-level). If you put off taking gen chem, you won't be able to take orgo until junior year and biochem until senior year (don't forget that for your class biochem will now be another pre-req thanks to the MCAT, although honestly it may as well have been one already).

I would suggest bio and gen chem freshman year. If you're good at math, take physics alongside orgo sophomore year. If you're not great at math, take physics alongside biochem in junior year. I would definitely not suggest tripling up and taking only one lab. The labs are meant to complement the material in the class. If you take them later, they're going to be much harder than they normally would be since you'll have to go back and re-learn the material again. Also, you're going to need to load up on labs eventually anyway since there are too many lab-based pre-reqs to take only lab one every year. And once again, you don't even have a choice. At most colleges the labs for bio, gen chem, and physics are integrated into the class and can't be taken separately. The same is also sometimes true for orgo and biochem.

But there are also all the additional biology upper-level credits that you have to/should take. Why would physics + O chem be any harder than physics + biochem?

On that note, did anyone take such an upper-level course while taking Orgo? How'd that go?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

But there are also all the additional biology upper-level credits that you have to/should take. Why would physics + O chem be any harder than physics + biochem?

On that note, did anyone take such an upper-level course while taking Orgo? How'd that go?

IMO orgo is much harder than biochem, although you'll hear differing opinions about that. Biochem is also only one semester as opposed to orgo's two semesters (there's usually a second semester biochem course as well, but it's typically intended only for people really interested in biochem and no med school requires it). So if you end up having trouble with physics and the added burden of another pre-req is really bogging you down, at least with biochem you only have to deal with that for one semester instead of the whole year.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Every pre-med I've ever known (save for a single bio/physics double major) took physics in their junior year. I'd say the norm is bio + gen chem freshman year, orgo second year, and physics third year.

Strange, because every premed I've ever known has done their prerequisites within the first two years in the bio and chem then orgo and physics fashion. Maybe it's because I go to a science school...

 

[Almost7Famous]

Strange, because every premed I've ever known has done their prerequisites within the first two years in the bio and chem then orgo and physics fashion. Maybe it's because I go to a science school...

Is it better to do the bio labs over the summer while working full time in a research lab instead of during the school year. My school offers 2 semester introductory bio labs as 2 credits each (4 credits total for the whole year)

Wrong quote.

 

[Juxxtaposition]

I did physics I and OChem I my second semester and it was really doable, but everyone is different.

 

[Radon XP]

The thing that makes scheduling a nightmare is lab...for any of the pre-reqs. I'm planning on taking physics lab senior year; do you guys think that will be problematic? I really can't fit it in before that.

 

[plumhill]

But there are also all the additional biology upper-level credits that you have to/should take. Why would physics + O chem be any harder than physics + biochem?

On that note, did anyone take such an upper-level course while taking Orgo? How'd that go?

I took a graduate-level immunology class and a graduate-level virology class while taking Orgo on top of a few 5000+ Philosophy classes. I think taking upper level science classes isn't a big deal with Ochem but the Philosophy classes I was taking at the same time had such a ridiculous amount of reading (usually about 200-300 pages/week, no joke, plus two 15-20 page papers, per class...) that it got in the way and I ended up dropping one. So I'd say that if the workload of your upper level course isn't the same as a part-time job, then go for it.

Physics + biochem is tough but manageable, especially if you already had some exposure to physics in high school.

 

[plumhill]

The thing that makes scheduling a nightmare is lab...for any of the pre-reqs. I'm planning on taking physics lab senior year; do you guys think that will be problematic? I really can't fit it in before that.

Probably not. I had to separate Ochem lab and lecture due to scheduling and I was a little rusty at first but after about a week or so it was fine. I think Physics would be easier to separate..

 

[amweatherly]

Take your random filler classes online and use ratemyprofessor to pick the easiest teachers for your classes. It's a game changer and is the reason I did well in undergrad

 

[Radon XP]

I took a graduate-level immunology class and a graduate-level virology class while taking Orgo on top of a few 5000+ Philosophy classes. I think taking upper level science classes isn't a big deal with Ochem but the Philosophy classes I was taking at the same time had such a ridiculous amount of reading (usually about 200-300 pages/week, no joke, plus two 15-20 page papers, per class...) that it got in the way and I ended up dropping one. So I'd say that if the workload of your upper level course isn't the same as a part-time job, then go for it.

Physics + biochem is tough but manageable, especially if you already had some exposure to physics in high school.

Thanks! I'm poli sci major/ bio minor so I will be taking some upper level bio with upper level poli sci in due time. I'm sure I will have tons of reading to do too...


I am curious about what you mean when you say it'll be "tough". I mean, of course schedules are tough, but what specifically makes it tough? Keeping up with due assignments? Homework? Tests? Reading?

Thanks for the help! 👍

 

[Radon XP]

My performance is relative. On SDN standards I did average, but on my standards I did okay. In Fall I got a 3.90, Winter I got a 3.51 (aced my midterms, got too cocky, bombed my finals), and Spring I got a 3.95.

In Spring quarter I did about 20-25 hrs of EC's + work and managed to do better than I've ever done. It's weird how that works out

Anyways, I think it's better to avoid taking three pre-reqs at a time if you can. I wasn't constantly studying, but in order to fit my EC's and job into my schedule I had to give up 90% of my social life. I only went out on Friday nights after I got a head start on the next week. Also, finals week is pretty brutal with three science classes. Why are you taking three at a time anyways?

Catch up. 👎

I'm not super worried about it since I'm not doing all three labs at once, and I took HL Chem and Bio in high school so I've been exposed to them. I was just curious what specifically makes a schedule "challenging".

 

[iforget2]

If I may ask, how'd you do? I'm doing something similar.

Ended up with a 3.6 that semester. I wasn't happy with it, but considering the huge amount of work I had to do just to get that I can't really complain. It's nice to get the tougher classes out of the way though. I'm hoping it can only get better from there

 

[mitchlucker]

I think a lot of this depends on the school you go to and your experience with subjects (APs in HS, difficult HS curriculum.)

I went to a huge, public school. My intro science classes had 400 people in them and were graded on a curve. I could've gotten away with taking 3 major sciences like that with labs and done fine.

A 'challenging' schedule in my eyes is a lot of classes. Just a lot of stuff to worry about. If you took Bio, Gen Chem and Physics in a semester and that's all you have to worry about in terms of classes (15 credits right there) I would find that very easy. Just have to worry about 3 things. 4 hrs/day studying at your own pace(if you don't want to go to class) and then labs.

 

[redpanda]

Hi! newbie here. Anyway, I have been figuring out my schedule for the fall and I was just wondering what did you guys think was a doable science combination for the same semester. Right now I'm leaning towards taking General Bio and non calc based Physics together.Is this overkill? Any advice on what I should avoid taking together?

Thanks in advance!🙂

Honestly, having any two of these prerequisites in the same semester with no other technical courses is considered the very light end of a 4 year engineering curriculum. You should be fine as long as you have reasonable study habits.

 

[Radon XP]

I had a scheduling question and I figure it's better to ask here than make a new thread.


Since the 2015 MCAT will have a section on behavior and social sciences, what classes do I need to take to do well? I am planning on taking both intro sociology and intro psych, but do I also need to take behaviorial biology? Because I honestly would have a hard time fitting that in.

 

[487806]

I had a scheduling question and I figure it's better to ask here than make a new thread.


Since the 2015 MCAT will have a section on behavior and social sciences, what classes do I need to take to do well? I am planning on taking both intro sociology and intro psych, but do I also need to take behaviorial biology? Because I honestly would have a hard time fitting that in.

Except for.schools that.explicitly.require this (check the.MSAR), behavioral biology isn't necessary.

 

[doc444ever]

Hi! newbie here. Anyway, I have been figuring out my schedule for the fall and I was just wondering what did you guys think was a doable science combination for the same semester. Right now I'm leaning towards taking General Bio and non calc based Physics together.Is this overkill? Any advice on what I should avoid taking together?

Thanks in advance!🙂

From someone who has taken organic chemistry and physics in the same terms, its possible. Biology isn't even that hard. It's the easiest prereq out there so with physics, it should def. not be a challenge. If it is, you should consider alternatives to medicine.

 

[plumhill]

Thanks! I'm poli sci major/ bio minor so I will be taking some upper level bio with upper level poli sci in due time. I'm sure I will have tons of reading to do too...


I am curious about what you mean when you say it'll be "tough". I mean, of course schedules are tough, but what specifically makes it tough? Keeping up with due assignments? Homework? Tests? Reading?

Thanks for the help! 👍

As in there's absolutely no room to slack off and you need to be disciplined the whole semester. Avoiding that mid-semester slump will be the difference between an A and a B. And especially if you'll have a lot of polisci reading to do, you'll have to take extra care to budget the reading in, especially if you've never taken an upper-level before. The difference in amount of reading and papers between a 3000-level and a 5000-level class is astonishing.

 

[Radon XP]

As in there's absolutely no room to slack off and you need to be disciplined the whole semester.

Did you have any particular study habits? What was your typical daily schedule like?

Avoiding that mid-semester slump will be the difference between an A and a B.

What do you mean by mid-semester slump?

And especially if you'll have a lot of polisci reading to do, you'll have to take extra care to budget the reading in, especially if you've never taken an upper-level before. The difference in amount of reading and papers between a 3000-level and a 5000-level class is astonishing.

At my school senior classes are 4000-level.

One of the things I'm interested in doing is a senior honors thesis. Have any experience on the matter?

Thanks!