Freshman year schedule

[TTigers70]

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Hello, I'm new to the forum although have been lurking for a while. The new Aspire forum would've been helpful, didn't want to enter this forum as a high school senior. However, I am looking for some advise now that I'll be entering Rutgers University in the fall. Right now, I am signed up for Biology (with lab), Calculus, Chemistry I (only one semester of lab required so I'm opting to hold it off for second semester), and a required Expository Writing course. That is equal to 15 credits which normally wouldn't be to bad. However, I really want to start off my college career with a 4.0 which has led me to rethink my schedule. Now, I'm thinking of pushing Chem I to second semester and replacing it with a less-intensive course that will fulfill a general graduation requirement (art history or microecon.) as well as adding a 1 credit FIG (first-year interest group) pertaining to the medical field. Although this new schedule would still be 15 credits, I think I would be more comfortable with this. I would then finish out Chemistry I/II and lab over 2nd semester and summer. The biggest thing keeping me on the fence is: what do med schools think about applicants taking major pre-reqs during summer sessions? I've heard it both ways; some say its fine while others view summer sessions as abbreviated classes -- regardless how accelerated. Just out of curiousity, it appears the same situation is present with what to do with AP scores in pre-req subjects, what are thoughts on this as well? I've already asked friends and family but hasn't been very helpful. Also, I won't have access to Professional Advising from RU until the fall but I don't want to wait that long and then have to change my schedule. Thank you in advance.

 

[UVAbme2009]

Nobody cares if you take pre-reqs over the summer. Some will be harder, some will be easier. I was told by a pre-med advisor that schools would frown upon it. I wish I would have never been told that. My orgo lab B's would probably be A's.

 

[TTigers70]

Thanks for your quick response. Do you think I'll miss out on important topics if I took Chem II over the summer? I tried finding a syllabus but it all seems pretty generic and copy-paste from Chem II during a normal semester. Don't want to put myself at a disadvantage with Orgo or whenever Chem II topics come up in the future.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

wow you are me 3 years ago.

im a senior at RUTGERS (GO KNIGHTS)...and that was my exact schedule (as it is MOST pre-med's schedule) freshmen year.

word of advice: if you want 4.0, drop one of the sciences. Calc and Expos are time consumers, and if you want A's in bio and chem, you will be WORKING YOUR a** off the whole semester. i learned the hard way. second semester i ended up just taking Chem 2 , and then taking Bio 2 over the summer. schools dont look down upon it as much as ppl say, just make sure you get A's, which getting an A in bio over the summer in the NB campus is dam near impossible (once again, i know). Bio 1 and 2 in the newark campus, however, is cake, and try to take both during the summer in newark. theres a lot of little catches that i wish i could go back and tell myself, like you can't take bio 1 in nb and bio 2 in newark, so i was forced to take the ultra hard bio 2 in nb over the summer. theres alot of advice im willing to give, as you are me 3 years ago...feel free to PM me.

good luck. hope to see you at the football games.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

also, you will hear from numerous ppl, gen bio, gen chem, and orgo at Rutgers is MUCH harder than other schools. this is true; i have many friends at other schools and i've seen their exams. they say it is to weed out all the pre-meds, and they are VERY correct when they say this. i know countless pre-meds who are now doing other areas. just do your best. hang in there. AND USE THE HPO. they are the most helpful tool you can utilize. even at times they may seem mean, they will be your biggest help in getting into medical school.

 

[RySerr21]

also, you will hear from numerous ppl, gen bio, gen chem, and orgo at Rutgers is MUCH harder than other schools. this is true; i have many friends at other schools and i've seen their exams. they say it is to weed out all the pre-meds, and they are VERY correct when they say this. i know countless pre-meds who are now doing other areas. just do your best. hang in there. AND USE THE HPO. they are the most helpful tool you can utilize. even at times they may seem mean, they will be your biggest help in getting into medical school.

HAHA. everyone says/thinks this, which is pretty funny. Even at my school its hard to imagine tests that are any harder than the ones that we were given. oooooh pre meds.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

HAHA. everyone says/thinks this, which is pretty funny. Even at my school its hard to imagine tests that are any harder than the ones that we were given. oooooh pre meds.

lol i can believe that.

but i dont want to name any schools for fear that might start a flame war, but my friend who goes to a not too distant university who i KNOW is on the same page as me intelligence wise (we studied together ALL the time in HS) only needed to study the night before Orgo Exams to score high A's, while ppl at Rutgers need to study weeks before (exaggeration) our exam to score a high B. again, im not tooting my own horn, I've seen their exams, and it's a basic test of orgo. the exams we have are INCREDIBLY harder, and even ppl from other schools i've shown have agreed.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

lol i can believe that.

but i dont want to name any schools for fear that might start a flame war, but my friend who goes to a not too distant university who i KNOW is on the same page as me intelligence wise (we studied together ALL the time in HS) only needed to study the night before Orgo Exams to score high A's, while ppl at Rutgers need to study weeks before (exaggeration) our exam to score a high B. again, im not tooting my own horn, I've seen their exams, and it's a basic test of orgo. the exams we have are INCREDIBLY harder, and even ppl from other schools i've shown have agreed.

ill say it for you...ALABAMA!!!

 

[RySerr21]

lol i can believe that.

but i dont want to name any schools for fear that might start a flame war, but my friend who goes to a not too distant university who i KNOW is on the same page as me intelligence wise (we studied together ALL the time in HS) only needed to study the night before Orgo Exams to score high A's, while ppl at Rutgers need to study weeks before (exaggeration) our exam to score a high B. again, im not tooting my own horn, I've seen their exams, and it's a basic test of orgo. the exams we have are INCREDIBLY harder, and even ppl from other schools i've shown have agreed.

oh i totally agree not every ochem class will be the same across different schools. I have seen tests from other schools and I have the seen the same thing you describe....they were a joke in comparison. At the same time, there are probably students from some school who will look at my test and say the same exact thing (and i studied my ass off for those two semesters). I guess its all relative. As far as I am concerned, my ochem tests were the hardest in the country. I guess no one can really prove me wrong 😉

 

[hopefuldoc87]

ill say it for you...ALABAMA!!!

you got me!

oh i totally agree not every ochem class will be the same across different schools. I have seen tests from other schools and I have the seen the same thing you describe....they were a joke in comparison. At the same time, there are probably students from some school who will look at my test and say the same exact thing (and i studied my ass off for those two semesters). I guess its all relative. As far as I am concerned, my ochem tests were the hardest in the country. I guess no one can really prove me wrong 😉

yeaa you're right. but i guess you take the good with the bad (the upper levels at my school are sort of easier in my opinion, but maybe it's because the general courses are so intensive, that they prepare us better for the upper levels). thats what i like to think anyways 🙄

 

[SarsMO]

As far as AP scores used for pre-reqs, here's the scoop: Some med schools allow you to use those scores as credit for pre-reqs (most of the time this requires that your undergraduate institution accepted the credit), some med schools do not accept AP credit in lieu of the college pre-reqs even if your undergrad institution did. I did not know some schools don't accept the scores until I was applying! I definitely narrows the schools you can apply to, but really good schools still let you - like WashU. In the end I don't regret not taking the courses in college - I got in exactly where I wanted. If you're worried about it, talk to your advisor in the fall.

 

[shiftingmirage]

When I took chem I (my school is on the quarter system) it was all a review of high school chem, and I didn't take AP or anything fancy.

Like others said, schools do not care when you take the class, but I took summer physics, and don't remember a darn thing. So chem over the summer might become a problem for the MCAT.

Athought a 4.0 looks nice, schools would rather you start off with a 3.3 and gradually increase to a 3.8+, then start with a 4.0 and decrease as you add science classes to your schedule.

 

[NickNaylor]

Unless you take a course at another university, I don't think you have any basis for judgement for saying that your course is somehow "harder" than at a different university. I'm sure that not all courses across schools are the same difficulty, but I can't stand people that try to imply they are at a disadvantage at their school because their courses are somehow more difficult. I certainly hope you guys aren't trying to imply that.

With that said, take what you feel comfortable with. My freshman year I took calculus I/II, gen. biology I/II, gen. chemistry I/II, gen. biology lab I/II, and a couple other courses and managed to get a 3.9 in the fall and 4.0 in the spring. It's not that difficult. You just have to have your priorities in the right order.

 

[NickNaylor]

When I took chem I (my school is on the quarter system) it was all a review of high school chem, and I didn't take AP or anything fancy.

Like others said, schools do not care when you take the class, but I took summer physics, and don't remember a darn thing. So chem over the summer might become a problem for the MCAT.

Athought a 4.0 looks nice, schools would rather you start off with a 3.3 and gradually increase to a 3.8+, then start with a 4.0 and decrease as you add science classes to your schedule.

Certainly true. Don't overwork yourself.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

Unless you take a course at another university, I don't think you have any basis for judgement for saying that your course is somehow "harder" than at a different university. I'm sure that not all courses across schools are the same difficulty, but I can't stand people that try to imply they are at a disadvantage at their school because their courses are somehow more difficult. I certainly hope you guys aren't trying to imply that.

With that said, take what you feel comfortable with. My freshman year I took calculus I/II, gen. biology I/II, gen. chemistry I/II, gen. biology lab I/II, and a couple other courses and managed to get a 3.9 in the fall and 4.0 in the spring. It's not that difficult. You just have to have your priorities in the right order.

well we compared each others exams for numerous different courses, and yes, it was agreed the material covered and the difficulty of my exams were much more rigorous than their exams.

but im not implying it was a disadvantage. actually quite the opposite, i think it better prepared me for the MCAT, and it made the upper levels easier if anything.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

again, all relative though...so you can't prove anything.

 

[Bacchus]

You need two semesters of genchem lab. Your original post makes it seem like you're only taking one semester. And by need, I mean, medical schools ask for genchem 1/2 with lab both times.

 

[Bacchus]

Rutgers may be harder, but you're friend won't mind when he or she is pulling awesome grades.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

You need two semesters of genchem lab. Your original post makes it seem like you're only taking one semester. And by need, I mean, medical schools ask for genchem 1/2 with lab both times.

funny that you say that...this past friday, i asked my pre-health office about that same exact problem (cuz GWU requires 2 credit hours of gen chem lab; my school only requires 1 hour to fulfill all the science requirements, even for chem majors).

they sent me a pre-typed letter to include with my secondaries for schools that require this. it basically said the 1 semester lab fulfills all requirements of the university and for even chem majors. it apparently has been working, cuz my committee has been doing this for 20+ years.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

Rutgers may be harder, but you're friend won't mind when he or she is pulling awesome grades.

haha thats my only complaint 😀

 

[tex05]

You need two semesters of genchem lab. Your original post makes it seem like you're only taking one semester. And by need, I mean, medical schools ask for genchem 1/2 with lab both times.

Med schools want 2 credit hours of lab. This can be 2 one-hour labs or 1 two-hour lab.

 

[Bacchus]

Med schools want 2 credit hours of lab. This can be 2 one-hour labs or 1 two-hour lab.

Correct, but I am familiar with the 1 semester hour lab so I speak on that note.

 

[gopher22]

Summer session classes are viewed no differently in content. The key difference is that usually students take a summer class by itself, so an 'A' has less meaning to the adcoms.

As far as moving classes, there's nothing wrong with making your first semester a transitional one.

Finally, for the sake of your education, don't plan your undergraduate career entirely around medical school. Take it for what it is.