Advice on Schedule: Doable?

[Chikarin]

Hello,

I need some advice here about courses schedule. I plan to apply next cycle, and because I changed my major (from business to bio) after Freshman year, I am left with all the hard sciences if I want to finish in 4 years (and matriculate right after if I am ever granted admission ). My GPA right now is good (4.0 everything). For the upcoming fall, this is the plan:

Ochem 1
Cell Bio
Ecology and Evolution
Bio of the Brain
English upper level

Is it doable? I work 15 hrs/week (ZERO stress internship), 10 hr research/ week. I would say I have a pretty good study habit. My #1 concern now is Ochem - from what I heard, it is SUPER difficult.

Thank you for any advice. My schedule is going to be like that for the next 2 years (all gen-ed done after Eng), so I'm preparing my mental state to face this :[

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[schmoob]

Do you need ecology?

 

[Chikarin]

Yes, I do. It's one of the required course. I'm not taking any extra class that I'm interested in, because I don't have time. My advisor said I have just enough room to graduate on time. Do you have any experience with Ochem?

 

[Samin23]

Ochem is not as bad as you may think. I actually found organic chemistry to be much more interesting (and slightly easier) than gen chem

 

[Mason91]

I'm concerned about your cell bio... people usually (At least when I was undergrad at my school) take it after they take Ochem 1. In my opinion, any upper-level science classes should be taken after Ochem 1 or otherwise, you might struggle with concepts. Some science courses DO require the basic understanding of Ochem concept. The schedule itself looks doable but it really depends on what lifestyle you live. Do you work? Do you have other responsibilities? Remember, things don't always work out the way we want to (although we hope) and that's fine. Matriculating right after you finish undergrad would be great but remember to prioritize maintaining high GPA over how fast you finish your undergrad. Utilize your summer classes and lighten the load if possible (although you want to keep it at around 12~15 to show that you can handle a tough load of science courses). I personally made a mistake of committing myself to finishing school in time over prioritizing GPA (while being negligent to the fact that I was working over 40 hours/week) and now I am taking post-bacc to raise my sGPA which defeated the purpose of graduating in time. But you can do anything if you put efforts into it. Good luck!

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

You've already taken some pre-reqs and gotten a 4.0 in them so that's solid. Could you move cell bio to another time? Otherwise your schedule isn't too bad. Heck, if you manage your time well it's still a very doable schedule. Just keep working hard

 

[Chikarin]

Thank you for all your input!! My adviser told me to take Cell Bio before other bios courses, so I think I will follow her advice. I appreciate you guys answering my question. I feel a lot more confident now.

 

[Polkadotfan]

Ochem wasn't bad for me.
I think you could look at pushing back the English.
Question is how many credits? Is the ecology a lab?

 

[Chikarin]

It's 16 credits (Ochem is 4), and there is no lab. This is my only semester with no lab, so that's why I decide to take English. Thank you! I keep hearing how much of a beast Ochem is.

 

[DKB15]

Orgo was EZ. Very overhyped class.

 

[DrLTD]

I agree with the other posters about Organic Chem. Way too many people look at me crazy when I say that Orgo was easier than Gen Chem IMO. I think people hype that class up as being tough because it's probably one of your first classes where you can't BS your way into a better grade. You actually have to know (and in some cases draw) the nomenclature, reactions, mechanisms, etc. Make flashcards, review them frequently, get an "A".

Good luck!

 

[Meeza]

O Chem 1 isn't bad, unless you get a terrible professor. You can also go in with approximately zero gen Chem background. I do, however, wish I had known about Chad's Videos for those courses, so maybe consider ordering them. I've heard Evolution at my school is supposedly incredibly hard, but I think that's just how demanding the prof is.

 

[Meeza]

Thank you for all your input!! My adviser told me to take Cell Bio before other bios courses, so I think I will follow her advice. I appreciate you guys answering my question. I feel a lot more confident now.

I would agree! I'm just now taking it at the end of my degree, lol, but it would have been a great class to have (especially for the DAT).

 

[Polkadotfan]

It's 16 credits (Ochem is 4), and there is no lab. This is my only semester with no lab, so that's why I decide to take English. Thank you! I keep hearing how much of a beast Ochem is.

If it's 16 then I think it's doable. But your OChem isn't a lab? That's odd. If it's not then I would double check the schools you want to go to. Some do require a lab and that's something you might have to look into.

 

[Chikarin]

If it's 16 then I think it's doable. But your OChem isn't a lab? That's odd. If it's not then I would double check the schools you want to go to. Some do require a lab and that's something you might have to look into.

Oops, there is an Ochem lab, but my upperclassmen + adviser told me to take it after Ochem 1 (it's a separate course) => I'll take it with Ochem 2 in the Spring. My school specifically clarify that if required, they will send a confirmation that its Ochem lab satisfies both lab requirements for Ochem 1 and 2.

Ohhhh, how I love SDNers!! You guys are so supportive. That makes me happy ^__^

 

[DrLTD]

Ohhhh, how I love SDNers!! You guys are so supportive. That makes me happy ^__^

Go make greatness happen!

 

[Polkadotfan]

Oops, there is an Ochem lab, but my upperclassmen + adviser told me to take it after Ochem 1 (it's a separate course) => I'll take it with Ochem 2 in the Spring. My school specifically clarify that if required, they will send a confirmation that its Ochem lab satisfies both lab requirements for Ochem 1 and 2.

Ohhhh, how I love SDNers!! You guys are so supportive. That makes me happy ^__^

Ohh no problem then you're golden! Go rock the semester and have some fun! (Get Ochem as a 2nd language if you find you want something extra. Kline was my BFF during Ochem 1)