applying without various pre-requisites

[theonlytycrane]

hi SDN

Will applying without various pre-requisites hurt an application? I'm a post-bac and have completed most of the pre-reqs that I need, though some schools require more pre-reqs than others. Specifically, I haven't taken organic lab 2, biochem 2, or biochem lab.

If I am able to receive an acceptance to a school that has a strict requirement that I haven't fulfilled I plan to complete the course(s) by matriculation. But will not having the pre-req make a difference in my application?

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[Ad2b]

You have to have them complete by matriculation, not application. If there is a discrepancy between what they require and what you currently have + what you are planning to take, you'll have to explain that.

For instance, I will not have bio 2 + lab because it doesn't exist for non-majors. However, I have applied with evolutionary biology and field research + I will have genetics, cell bio and human genetics as well.

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

As long as it's only a couple of courses, you should be fine. Schools do want to see the bulk of your science grades, though. And keep in mind that you probably want to take those courses in preparation for the MCAT.

 

[SOMBound13]

, I will not have bio 2 + lab because it doesn't exist for non-majors.

Don't med schools expect Bio for majors? Or is that not necessary if you take higher level bio classes (which I though required Bio for majors as prereqs)?

Just wondering.

 

[SnowyMoon]

Don't med schools expect Bio for majors? Or is that not necessary if you take higher level bio classes (which I though required Bio for majors as prereqs)?

Just wondering.

+1
95% certain that schools will not take science courses for non-majors or remedial "Science Survey" courses. I had to take a Chem/Phys 108 course to take Chem 1 because somehow I snuck out of HS without chemistry, and was told by a med school admissions assistant it would not count. (I didn't expect it to, though.)

I'm sure that if you did well in upperlevel science courses, most may consider it, but there are some schools that require BOTH upper level credits and basic Bio 1&2 for majors.

 

[Ad2b]

+1
95% certain that schools will not take science courses for non-majors or remedial "Science Survey" courses.

Factually incorrect.

There is the biology for non-BIOLOGY majors and there is a survey course. The 2 semester sequence at my very well established and respected, land granting university required CALC for it's biology course for majors. Make sure you understand that.

My general biology course was not a survey course and is required of all other science majors, including biochem, physiology, physics, chemistry, ... In that course, the class average was 70% as it was chemistry, math, and quantitatively heavy. It also required the lab.

The survey course is for history folks, etc. The survey course is taught without a lab. It's class average is about 85%.

 

[SOMBound13]

Factually incorrect.

There is the biology for non-BIOLOGY majors and there is a survey course. The 2 semester sequence at my very well established and respected, land granting university required CALC for it's biology course for majors. Make sure you understand that.

My general biology course was not a survey course and is required of all other science majors, including biochem, physiology, physics, chemistry, ... In that course, the class average was 70% as it was chemistry, math, and quantitatively heavy. It also required the lab.

The survey course is for history folks, etc. The survey course is taught without a lab. It's class average is about 85%.

When I wrote "for majors," I didn't mean necessarily for bio majors. At my undergrad, bio for majors is for STEM majors, and the other bio courses are for nursing majors and non-majors (meaning non-STEM).

I didn't know that med schools would accept those Bio classes for nursing majors or nonSTEMmajors. I thought that med schools required the STEM-required bio classes that are often called some variant of Principals of Biology.

 

[cantankerous]

I thought you only have to take one semester of biochem for most schools (those that do require biochem, of course)

 

[SnowyMoon]

Factually incorrect.

There is the biology for non-BIOLOGY majors and there is a survey course. The 2 semester sequence at my very well established and respected, land granting university required CALC for it's biology course for majors. Make sure you understand that.

My general biology course was not a survey course and is required of all other science majors, including biochem, physiology, physics, chemistry, ... In that course, the class average was 70% as it was chemistry, math, and quantitatively heavy. It also required the lab.

The survey course is for history folks, etc. The survey course is taught without a lab. It's class average is about 85%.

This will be different by schools, then. My school and the neighboring colleges all have Chem & Bio 1 & 2 for majors (which is what we are told counts for med admissions) and separate Survey courses which are required if you did not take/pass HS Bio or score well enough in science on SAT/ACT. The survey courses do not count for admissions according to the admissions department at my local med school. (They do count for GE credit for nonmajors, though.)

It's not a three tiered system of biology for most of us where I am, like you suggest. There's Bio 1 (normal, weedout) and there's Bio survey (lower level).

Not quite sure where I'm factually incorrect; maybe we are both a bit too presumptuous of how other schools do things, but as far as I know my reply is still true. Sorry you chose a (well established, so respected, and utterly better than everyone else's) school that has calc as a requirement for basic biology!