Freshman scheduling help desperately needed

[TheInstitute]

Hey so my classes start in a day. i can still make changes to my schedule. So for right now, I am doing Intro Psychology, Medicine in America (Sociology), Honors Calc I, and some form of General Chemistry with lab. I love math, so honors calc I should be a fun class for me. I have a problem with chemistry, however. I have only taken one year of chemistry in high school and, it was not at the AP level. That being said, I qualified for the honors chemistry section and have been debating whether to do regular chem or honors. This is where I am at a crossroads. I really love science, especially the physical sciences. I also want to get into medical school. By taking the honors course, I risk not getting an A but also will learn more. In the regular course, I will, not to be cocky, most likely get an A, but I feel like as I wont learn as much. Being an epistemologist is very important to me, and I feel so ambivalent about this chem course decision. Do you guys think I should double on honors chem and honors calc or should I just stick with honors calc?

Thanks so much

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[TheInstitute]

Hey so my classes start in a day. i can still make changes to my schedule. So for right now, I am doing Intro Psychology, Medicine in America (Sociology), Honors Calc I, and some form of General Chemistry with lab. I love math, so honors calc I should be a fun class for me. I have a problem with chemistry, however. I have only taken one year of chemistry in high school and, it was not at the AP level. That being said, I qualified for the honors chemistry section and have been debating whether to do regular chem or honors. This is where I am at a crossroads. I really love science, especially the physical sciences. I also want to get into medical school. By taking the honors course, I risk not getting an A but also will learn more. In the regular course, I will, not to be cocky, most likely get an A, but I feel like as I wont learn as much. Being an epistemologist is very important to me, and I feel so ambivalent about this chem course decision. Do you guys think I should double on honors chem and honors calc or should I just stick with honors calc?

Thanks so much

I am also willing to work my ass off for both classes. However, getting at least a 3.9+ is absolutely imperative to future plans. No one likes to work so rigorously and end up getting punished with an A-/B+ for challenging themselves.

 

[Wolfpack93]

You'll be happy you took honors chem when the MCAT comes around. Should make any gen chem question look like a joke

 

[TheInstitute]

You'll be happy you took honors chem when the MCAT comes around. Should make any gen chem question look like a joke

do you think it would be possible to get an A in the course w/o ap chem background? approximately 65 percent in honors get an A in the course

 

[Wolfpack93]

do you think it would be possible to get an A in the course w/o ap chem background? approximately 65 percent in honors get an A in the course

Sure its possible. I'm not positive because I did take AP chem in high school, so I can't speak from experience. But I'm sure it'll be more beneficial than regular gen chem.

 

[kingdomheart]

I think you can handle honors chemistry. How'd you do in high school chemistry?

 

[TheInstitute]

I think you can handle honors chemistry. How'd you do in high school chemistry?

I got an A in regular chemistry w/o much effort at all. I also was not as motivated as i am right now back then

 

[NotYou20]

approximately 65 percent in honors get an A in the course

Well that pretty much wraps this up doesn't it

 

[leonardoson]

I hadn't taken chemistry in my entire life and received A- then A in gen chem 1 and 2. It showed when I started gen chem 1 but then I worked my ass off and nailed the final and acs. It's all about work ethic, and if you are good at math calc 1 is a joke. Derivatives are easy

Edit: Oh and I'm a non-trad and took 4 years off, you will do fine.

 

[TheInstitute]

Well that pretty much wraps this up doesn't it

what

 

[TheInstitute]

what

yeah 65 percent of smart students lol. the better question is how many people actually work super hard.

 

[Wolfpack93]

Probably best to take the honors course to learn the material better since you'll need it in the future. If you end up getting a B or A- it's not gonna keep you out of any med school as long as the rest of your classes are fine.

 

[Wolfpack93]

Also you said you're good at math, and gen chem is probably about 75% math so that should be helpful.

 

[NotYou20]

yeah 65 percent of smart students lol. the better question is how many people actually work super hard.

They don't fall neatly into smart kids in honors and non smart in regular classes bruv. Assuming you are smart, you demonstrate this pretty well.
They're freshman. Unless you go to a school full of weirdos tons of people won't work super hard. They'll be having fun.

 

[leonardoson]

Also you said you're good at math, and gen chem is probably about 75% math so that should be helpful.

Easy algebra as well... nothing mathematically should trip you up

 

[TheInstitute]

Probably best to take the honors course to learn the material better since you'll need it in the future. If you end up getting a B or A- it's not gonna keep you out of any med school as long as the rest of your classes are fine.

I need to get a 3.8 this semester in order to apply for a special research program

 

[TheInstitute]

Also you said you're good at math, and gen chem is probably about 75% math so that should be helpful.

Honors Gen Chemhttp://gradedistribution.registrar.indiana.edu/detail.php?&term[]=4158&dept=CHEM&c=desc&go=i&r=gradedist&ctrm=4158&ccls=2989
Regular Gen Chem: http://gradedistribution.registrar....M&c=desc&go=i&r=gradedist&ctrm=4158&ccls=2913

 

[itsogre]

if you need an A to get the GPA required for research, take non-honors class.

 

[DingoPingo]

What's the risk you don't get an A in honors? If it's higher than 50%, consider taking normal chemistry. Like gonnif said, A in chem is better than a B in honors. Just depends on how confident you are. If you take honors, plan to make some changes so that you can ensure your grade.

 

[TheInstitute]

What's the risk you don't get an A in honors? If it's higher than 50%, consider taking normal chemistry. Like gonnif said, A in chem is better than a B in honors. Just depends on how confident you are. If you take honors, plan to make some changes so that you can ensure your grade.

I mean i just really don't know at all. i went tot the first lecture today and it seems more like a physics class than a gen chem course. I will decide by wednesday.

 

[Doctor-S]

Agree with @gonnif.

You can earn an "A" grade in non-honors chemistry, without risking a potentially lower grade (of less than an "A") in an honors chemistry class.

In general, the first year of college can be stressful for many incoming students because the undergraduate workload is often time-consuming, challenging, and you're surrounded by a swarming pool of ambitious pre-med students who are also competing for stellar grades in the same classes in which you may be enrolled (think "bell curve" competition). Although this may not be the case for you, it happens to many first-year students, who expected to earn stellar grades in their first year of college ... but then did not perform as well as originally expected, for whatever reason.

After you ace your chemistry class, you can continue to show evidence of your merits - as an aspiring physician - by working in labs and enrolling in upper-division (BCMP) classes. You will have plenty of time to shine in college and you will have plenty of time to prepare for the MCAT (because you won't be sitting for the MCAT until several years *after* you have completed your UG chem pre-reqs - so you're going to be reviewing BCMP later on anyway when you prepare for the MCAT).

Thank you.

 

[Lavendar]

I wouldn't risk it. Just because GPA is so important, even more so for you because you need a 3.8 this semester.

 

[TheInstitute]

Agree with @gonnif.

You can earn an "A" grade in non-honors chemistry, without risking a potentially lower grade (of less than an "A") in an honors chemistry class.

In general, the first year of college can be stressful for many incoming students because the undergraduate workload is often time-consuming, challenging, and you're surrounded by a swarming pool of ambitious pre-med students who are also competing for stellar grades in the same classes in which you may be enrolled (think "bell curve" competition). Although this may not be the case for you, it happens to many first-year students, who expected to earn stellar grades in their first year of college ... but then did not perform as well as originally expected, for whatever reason.

After you ace your chemistry class, you can continue to show evidence of your merits - as an aspiring physician - by working in labs and enrolling in upper-division (BCMP) classes. You will have plenty of time to shine in college and you will have plenty of time to prepare for the MCAT (because you won't be sitting for the MCAT until several years *after* you have completed your UG chem pre-reqs - so you're going to be reviewing BCMP later on anyway when you prepare for the MCAT).

Thank you.

What about dropping honors calc I and just going honors in chemistry? Is that more feasible?

 

[Doctor-S]

What about dropping honors calc I and just going honors in chemistry? Is that more feasible?

If you're super confident that you will earn a final letter grade of "A" in an honors BCMP class (e.g., honors calculus or honors chemistry), that's great. On the other hand, if you're not super confident, you can enroll in the non-honors classes and earn "A" grades in those classes (and gain a solid foundation in those pre-reqs at the same time). As @gonnif stated: "[m]edical school notice you for succeeding (as in regular chem and getting an A). They do not give you credit for trying (as in honors calc and getting a B)."

Thank you.