Best Prep books to read before post-bacc Chem/Phys/Bio

[jdg2115]

I have some time to kill before starting my post-bacc and would like to get a head start on Chemistry and if I have time, Bio and Physics also.

Any recommendations for preparatory reading (i.e. chemistry for dummies (though I doubt this one is adequate)).

I am 6 years post my grad degree and don't have a science background, so I am looking for something that I can read before starting classes to ease the transition and also so I can develop a basic knowledge of each subject before tackling the classes.

Much appreciated.

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[JESSFALLING]

First and foremost, I would make sure that your math skills are solid through intermediate algebra*, basic geometry and trig**, and basic statistics***. (Having an idea of what a derivative is might be useful in understanding a few physics concepts, but it's not essential unless you're taking calc-based physics). You could also start learning some physics and chemistry, and fill in any math gaps as you go.

Resources: You can easily find tons of free, web-based study material and lectures for all of the above on the internet. Personally, I think that khanacademy.org site may be a good place to start. The site's creator, Sal^, has posted over 3000 videos which cover a wide range of topics. I would work through his physics, chemistry, and biology playlists along with a text book that has Q&As. Those playlists only cover a portion of what the college courses will cover, though, so make sure you have a real text (digital or hard copy) to keep you on track. I recommend getting the texts that your program will be using, so you can gain familiarity with them.

* Solving equations, quadratic formula, systems of equations, word problems, graphing lines and curves, parabolas, radicals, exponents, logs (mostly natural), exponential growth models, complex numbers, etc.

** SOH CAH TOA, law of sines, graphs of trig functions, common identities, 2D vectors, areas and volumes of common shapes (e.g. circles, spheres), angular relationships, etc. You could also tackle unit vector notation if you have time.

*** Standard deviation (know the theory, and how to plug #s into your calculator), T statistics, basic probability, and error analysis. I think hypothesis testing is optional, but recommended if you have extra time.

^ Sal is a ridiculously smart fellow that graduated from MIT and Harvard. Also, his wife is a doctor, which slightly benefits the biology and medical content.

 

[Remy LeBeau]

I have some time to kill before starting my post-bacc and would like to get a head start on Chemistry and if I have time, Bio and Physics also.

Any recommendations for preparatory reading (i.e. chemistry for dummies (though I doubt this one is adequate)).

I am 6 years post my grad degree and don't have a science background, so I am looking for something that I can read before starting classes to ease the transition and also so I can develop a basic knowledge of each subject before tackling the classes.

Much appreciated.

I would recommend giving that series a try. I flipped through The Complete Idiot's Guide series on biology and chemistry before starting my post-bacc last year, and it definitely helped. While they are not the most thorough books, it's a good way to get familiarized with the material. You can always go back and find something more advanced if need be.

I was able to check everything out of the public library, except for A&P, which I was able to get electronically from my school.

FWIW, I started my post-bacc last year, six years out from a non-science undergrad program.

 

[LaEsponja]

I'm headed back to school after a long break and plan on doing some pre-studying as well. My schedule will be jam packed and I need every every bit of a jump-start I can get! Good ideas, I will be following them as well. Going to hit the library and amazon today and see what I can scrounge up.

 

[Deadlifts]

First and foremost, I would make sure that your math skills are solid through intermediate algebra*, basic geometry and trig**, and basic statistics***. (Having an idea of what a derivative is might be useful in understanding a few physics concepts, but it's not essential unless you're taking calc-based physics). You could also start learning some physics and chemistry, and fill in any math gaps as you go.

Resources: You can easily find tons of free, web-based study material and lectures for all of the above on the internet. Personally, I think that khanacademy.org site may be a good place to start. The site's creator, Sal^, has posted over 3000 videos which cover a wide range of topics. I would work through his physics, chemistry, and biology playlists along with a text book that has Q&As. Those playlists only cover a portion of what the college courses will cover, though, so make sure you have a real text (digital or hard copy) to keep you on track. I recommend getting the texts that your program will be using, so you can gain familiarity with them.

I started my post-bacc half way through gen chem sequence about a year after finishing my non-science BA. I can't stress enough how awesome Khan Academy videos are for catch-up and review. I was able to refresh an entire term of information within a few hours of videos. There's some stuff that is a little weird (he didn't use ICE in acid/base video) but the videos definitely help get yourself ready. There's also a decent community on the website that will answer questions you have about the videos' concepts.

I also checked the chemistry department's website for the textbook the class uses and got a head start on the reading. Most university libraries will have a copy on reserve that you can xerox if you don't want to buy books just yet.

 

[jdg2115]

Thanks to all who responded. I will definitely brush up on my math sckills and take a look at the khanacademy website. I think it is very smart to start with the textbooks that will be used in the post bacc classes I plan to attend, though I may start with an even more basic overview with dummies or idiots (though I really hope I dont fall into either of those categories). Are there slightly more comprehensive books than these that anyone recommends? Or should I just get the damn textbook from the class and use khan to supplement the specific material?