For research schedule: calc or stat? (long post--read for elaboration)

[Dandine]

I know it's a long shot to ask this, but I wanted to try seeing if anyone has been in a similar situation. I'm a bit divided right now.

I've currently been involved in a research lab and intend to stay on for the fall and spring. I would really like to be able to take a statistic course so I can better understand the analyses in the results of papers I've been reading. However, I really want to take calculus as well since I had some experience in high school and liked the thinking behind it.

In terms of my courses, the timeline is not too much of an issue, so I could technically do both stats and two semesters of calculus if I wanted to.However, there are two main concerns I have. One is that waiting until later to take stats might set me back in my research progress (not that I have much experience at the moment...). The other is when exactly to take calc--I'm not sure if having summer between calc 1 and calc 2 would be too much of a gap. Plus I'm also taking physics, so maybe taking calc would line up better with it...just a thought.

Just for reference, here are my other intended courses for fall and spring of this school year. Both semesters would also involve research.

Fall: Physics 2, Human Physiology, Neuro Course (major)
Spring: Biochemistry, Neuro Course (major), Lit Course (gen ed), Physics 2 lab

Long story short, does anyone have any suggestions based on what I have lined up?

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[Radon XP]

I'd go ahead and do stats. Having a summer gap between Cal 1 and Cal 2 shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[SN12357]

I know it's a long shot to ask this, but I wanted to try seeing if anyone has been in a similar situation. I'm a bit divided right now.

I've currently been involved in a research lab and intend to stay on for the fall and spring. I would really like to be able to take a statistic course so I can better understand the analyses in the results of papers I've been reading. However, I really want to take calculus as well since I had some experience in high school and liked the thinking behind it.

In terms of my courses, the timeline is not too much of an issue, so I could technically do both stats and two semesters of calculus if I wanted to.However, there are two main concerns I have. One is that waiting until later to take stats might set me back in my research progress (not that I have much experience at the moment...). The other is when exactly to take calc--I'm not sure if having summer between calc 1 and calc 2 would be too much of a gap. Plus I'm also taking physics, so maybe taking calc would line up better with it...just a thought.

Just for reference, here are my other intended courses for fall and spring of this school year. Both semesters would also involve research.

Fall: Physics 2, Human Physiology, Neuro Course (major)
Spring: Biochemistry, Neuro Course (major), Lit Course (gen ed), Physics 2 lab

Long story short, does anyone have any suggestions based on what I have lined up?

Calculus is beautiful and statistics is ugly, but statistics is soooooo much more useful.

My advice is to take statistics as early as possible and learn it well, nothing will help you more with research.

 

[Radon XP]

Also, around these parts, Cal 2 is known as a GPA killer. If you don't have to take it, don't.

 

[Dandine]

Just wanted to say thank you for the feedback! At this point, I'm probably going to lean towards statistics. Also, could anyone explain why makes calc 2 so difficult. I had friends who took it who said that it was an extension of integration, so I didn't initially think that it would be that horrible. Could someone perhaps elaborate on the subject?

 

[SN12357]

Just wanted to say thank you for the feedback! At this point, I'm probably going to lean towards statistics. Also, could anyone explain why makes calc 2 so difficult. I had friends who took it who said that it was an extension of integration, so I didn't initially think that it would be that horrible. Could someone perhaps elaborate on the subject?

It's not necessarily the subject, it's the fact that in many places it's taught horribly (think: disengaged graduate student with poor english skills).

Talk to other people at YOUR school to find out whether it's actually going to be difficult.

It's pretty meaningless to say [X subject] is a GPA killer outside of school-specific information.