Do you really need general bio?

[dmd4u]

Hi guys!

I was just wondering what you guys thought. I will have my degree in human biology and have taken several upper level science classes, but my college did not offer a general biology class so I never took it. Do you think some of the schools will wave that requirment? I know some have alternatives like NOVA you can take microbiology instead of general bio... Anyway, how flexible do you think schools will be??

Science GPA 3.87
Total GPA 3.7
Human Biology Major

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[DrReo]

Hi guys!

I was just wondering what you guys thought. I will have my degree in human biology and have taken several upper level science classes, but my college did not offer a general biology class so I never took it. Do you think some of the schools will wave that requirment? I know some have alternatives like NOVA you can take microbiology instead of general bio... Anyway, how flexible do you think schools will be??

Science GPA 3.87
Total GPA 3.7
Human Biology Major

I think pretty much every school offers freshman bio I and II...

 

[allenmarchallo]

I think pretty much every school offers freshman bio I and II...

I agree....

DMD4u..... I don't know how you managed to get a degree in Human Bio, w/o taking @least Bio1...Even if you took micro, it still has a prereq. of Bio1...

You gotta have had it somewhere, b/c that's whats covered on the DAT...Have you even took it???

I can see where the interviewers can go with this, but if you took upper division classes, what are they?

In fall I'm taking Cell Bio, Genetics, & Ecology (all 400 level) and all required Bio1&2, + others, so I don't know what kind of program your school is running..

Some schools may title it different though.U may wanna check...At my former school; Jacksonville University they call:

Bio1= Principles of Biology

Bio2= Introduction to Ecology & Evolution


They are still 100-200 level bio. classes though...You must have taken something along those levels...
You may have taken it and never realized it, so take another look @ your transcript and let us know...Classes like Micro, zoology, etc reinforce concepts introduced in Bio1&2..

Your GPA is great though!! So, combine that with a great DAT score and the committee may not even notice, b/c obviously you learned the bio. material somewhere...

 

[lemoncurry]

you should have had to take at least one lower division biology class (e.g. cell biology) before you were able to take upper division courses.

 

[rewJW]

Not to hijack the OP's thread but ... I'm starting to worry too - I have only taken one "General Bio" course because my college combined Gen Bio I and Gen Bio II into a one semester 100-level course called Themes in Biology. Because it is essentially both Gen Bios rolled into one semester, and because my school did not offer "General Bio I/II," I think that it will be passable as two separate courses for most schools but after I take the DAT (t-minus 1 week!) I'm going to begin calling around to ensure that it'll be okay. Has anybody else faced something similar?

 

[doc3232]

Did you learn the basics of bio in any of those classes?
maybe something about cells and kingdoms?

 

[polarmolar]

Not to hijack the OP's thread but ... I'm starting to worry too - I have only taken one "General Bio" course because my college combined Gen Bio I and Gen Bio II into a one semester 100-level course called Themes in Biology. Because it is essentially both Gen Bios rolled into one semester, and because my school did not offer "General Bio I/II," I think that it will be passable as two separate courses for most schools but after I take the DAT (t-minus 1 week!) I'm going to begin calling around to ensure that it'll be okay. Has anybody else faced something similar?

I remember reading a thread about this...do a search.

 

[dmd4u]

I took cell biology, microbiology, histology, gross anatomy, Biochemistry, physiology, etc and will take neuroanatomy next semester. The thing is I am not doing it the traditional way, like most of you. I am going to a Chiropractic University and taking actual classes with students becoming chiropractors, except they are taking the classes for their DC and I am using them for my bachelors. It is an interesting experience in that all my classes are considered graduate level for them, but for me they are only for my bachelors. Kinda like if someone was gonna go to dental school only for the basic science courses, but not for courses in dentistry specifically. I know its weird, but they do not offer general bio. I took human biology as my general prereq for the other courses I have taken, but I know some schools do not take this... Do you think my situation will be an advantage or disadvantage for me? Just wanna get some insight

 

[schwing]

call the schools you are interested in, explain your situation and see what they say. that's the only real way to know.

 

[hoss19]

i know vcu, wvu and i think usc require gen bio I and II. you should call the admissions offices of the schools you are aplying to in order to be sure though.

 

[TheWiredNerv]

I will be surprised if they don't make you take General biology I and II or at least a 6/8 credit equivalent.

 

[wigglytooth]

i placed out of gen bio I with ap's, so i technically only took gen bio II. i got the lab requirement done by taking the lab section. i finished up my degree in bio and was fine. as long as you take at least one year of some type of biology with a lab component, i would say that you're fine.

 

[rdhdds1]

I agree....

DMD4u..... I don't know how you managed to get a degree in Human Bio, w/o taking @least Bio1...Even if you took micro, it still has a prereq. of Bio1...

FYI............I took A&P I/II and micro without having to have any gen bio classes and the dental schools are accepting that as the biology requirement.

But I agree that it seems apparently unconventional to receive a human bio degree without a general bio class.

 

[UCSF2012]

Few, if any, schools aren't willing to take upper level courses to fulfill a basic requirement. Many exceptionally smart students don't want to waste their time sitting in a lump lump 101 class. For example, there are lots of supergeeks at MIT who would be bored out of their mind in an entry physics class so they end up taking graduate physics. Professional schools will gladly accept upper level classes, because otherwise they'd prevent the absolute best minds from entering their school.