Is it really tough taking physics and chemistry plus both labs at the same time?

[alexfoleyc]

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This fall I will be taking chem and physics with both labs. I was wondering how bad will that be. Plus, I'll be taking a 300 level statistics class and two core classes. I am not a science major; so this is my first time taking two science classes at once.

Anyone want to share their experience? Advice? Tips and tricks? lol...

 

[premedsoccergod]

just suck it up. i did physics, chem, calc and writing in one quarter. but then again didn't get A's

 

[alexfoleyc]

just suck it up. i did physics, chem, calc and writing in one quarter. but then again didn't get A's

How many hours did you spend per week? And I am a little slow at science classes. I have to generally read a chapter 2 or 3 times before I get the concept.

 

[Pills Of Soap]

physics labs are not hard. they do not the require the same amount of time and commitment as chem labs. as least my school...

 

[absolute8]

This fall I will be taking chem and physics with both labs. I was wondering how bad will that be. Plus, I'll be taking a 300 level statistics class and two core classes. I am not a science major; so this is my first time taking two science classes at once.

Anyone want to share their experience? Advice? Tips and tricks? lol...

this sounds all around crazy- only do this if you don't care about your grades (i.e. GPA), otherwise I don't get why you are putting so many of these classes together at once when you are not a science major.

 

[camo]

I think that is manageable.. Is it Gen chem I? If so then you will be fine. First semester Gen chem is not that bad. I am taking physics this semester with Biochem and Vert Phys...

Advice: make studying your number one priority. With that being said have fun ever once in a while. And try not to get behind in your science courses. You probably already know that but just a thought. Good luck.

 

[P0tat0dude]

I would look to see if your school has any tutoring services. At my university, both the chemistry and physics departments have help rooms that offer free walk-in tutoring 5 days a week for all students (I actually work in the chem one).

Otherwise, the best advice I can offer you is to do as many extra practice problems in your textbooks to help yourself understand difficult concepts.

The labs in general chem and physics are a joke and the material shouldn't be hard at all. They will be very tedious and at times frustrating, but not hard.

 

[alexfoleyc]

this sounds all around crazy- only do this if you don't care about your grades (i.e. GPA), otherwise I don't get why you are putting so many of these classes together at once when you are not a science major.

Oh man, now you're scaring me. How many hours do you think I should spend outside class?

 

[aylaanne]

If you can't handle physics and chemistry, both with lab, in one semester, how do you think you're going to handle med school? Even if in your UG you're not a science major, medical school is 90% science, at least. It's certainly not any easier. I'm taking Physics, Bio, and Chemistry in the fall. I expect to excel in all of them. I may also take Calculus, just to mix it up.

 

[alexfoleyc]

I would look to see if your school has any tutoring services. At my university, both the chemistry and physics departments have help rooms that offer free walk-in tutoring 5 days a week for all students (I actually work in the chem one).

Otherwise, the best advice I can offer you is to do as many extra practice problems in your textbooks to help yourself understand difficult concepts.

The labs in general chem and physics are a joke and the material shouldn't be hard at all. They will be very tedious and at times frustrating, but not hard.

Thanks potatodude!! thats exactly what my senior friends told me.

 

[alexfoleyc]

If you can't handle physics and chemistry, both with lab, in one semester, how do you think you're going to handle med school? Even if in your UG you're not a science major, medical school is 90% science, at least. It's certainly not any easier. I'm taking Physics, Bio, and Chemistry in the fall. I expect to excel in all of them. I may also take Calculus, just to mix it up.

You're right my friend. I think this year is going to be a good test for me whether medicine is for me or not.

 

[alexfoleyc]

Anyone else have any advice?

 

[mike911]

you will be fine...I always took physics and chem together with labs plus 2 other bio classes... jsut do your work and get an A

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Anyone else have any advice?

yo I'm taking orgo, physics I and stats spring semester and I'm not worried at all.....just be focused on understanding concepts and set a block of time to review for each class.....don't freak out before you actually take the classes

 

[crasiman]

You're right my friend. I think this year is going to be a good test for me whether medicine is for me or not.

While that may be true, don't let 1 year turn you away if you find yourself struggling at all.

I think you'll be fine. Physics labs are generally easy, and prepare you very well for exams. Chemistry labs are also not very hard in terms of content, but may be very time consuming. Follow the advice that you ought to do as many practice problems as possible.

If you find that you have to read chapters 2-3 times before you absorb anything, and that it's taking too long to do that, you can also consider trying out different ways to study. After my first chem class I only used the textbooks as reference to supplement lecture material. Your school may have a department or learning center that can provide you with tips on studying. If you haven't heard of active learning, I'd suggest you search these forums and the internet for articles about it. You may already be doing it - if you're not, then making sure you actively study will definitely help.

 

[vinniekan]

not really

 

[rockaction]

Two science classes is not hard. That's like 6 credit hours of science. Med school is over 20 credit hours of science. Suck it up!

 

[chardonnay]

lol i did physics, dev bio, and organic chem (all with labs) in the same semester.

it was killer, but just keep on top of the material as you'll be fine as with any courses you take... and honestly, an extra 3-6 hours of lab (depending how many you take) isn't that much in the course of a week. drop some tv shows and don't go out that one night you would normally... it's not that big of a deal.

 

[ilovebiology]

Ya I think you could do it if you manage your time wisely...I had OChem I (w/lab), Cell Bio (w/lab), Calculus II, and 2 gen ed's all the while getting a 3.4 that semester so it is possible just very demanding. Good luck!

 

[Omni]

Take it like a man. I took Differential Equations, Orgo II w/ lab, Physics II w/ lab, Mammalian Physiology w/ lab, and a History class, all in one semester. 20 credits. I spend a good 10 hours per week just in labs. Just got one B+. It isn't easy, but if you can allot your time the right way, you'll be fine.
(And oh, I did all that while volunteering 12 hours per week at a first aid squad)

 

[redlight]

make sure you stay on top of your work. prioritize information you covered in class and support that by doing all the related problems and readings. you shouldn't be reading a chapter 2-3 times imo. take good notes in class, take notes on your book, then reread those notes until it all cements and you can do practice problems/hw w/o the book or notes. i personally did not read for gen chem and physics. i took notes in class, read lecture slides online but mostly did a ton of problems. i only really read for bio and organic.

one thing that really helped was doing the problems twice. i did weekly hw on time and made sure i could do them correctly and understood why my answers were right/wrong as soon as they were graded. when review time came for exams, i did new practice problems but i made sure i did all the hw problems again w/o any book or notes. i knew to spend more time reviewing concepts from problems that took me a while to solve the second time around.

 

[Seraph 84]

It can be very time consuming if you are required to do post lab analysis. Our gen chem labs were about 4 hours/week, but we always had enough time to finish the analysis during lab time. Physics labs were a different story; labs were meant for taking data while the analysis was to be done outside of lab time. Our physics labs were only 2 hours though, so it evens out.

Two labs is ok, but try not to take more than two, or you'll go nuts.

 

[Narmerguy]

It can be done without too much hassle. Many people at my school do it (I wouldn't say the majority though). I've done it every semester so far but that's probably because my major centers on biophysics/biochem.

 

[Toadesque]

i'm taking o-chem+physics+labs next semester. looking forward to it

 

[wanderer]

i'm taking o-chem+physics+labs next semester. looking forward to it

I did that with no problem. It's not as hard as some people say, though not everyone can handle it.

 

[redlight]

.

 

[redlight]

I did that with no problem. It's not as hard as some people say, though not everyone can handle it.

i did that combo as well. its difficulty depends on how hard you are willing to work and how tough your professors are. it helps if you are on top of your work. see below

OP: to iterate the importance of staying on top of your work:

i have 2 friends at my uni who had 3.8-3.9s freshman year and then took chem and physics plus labs the next semester and BOTH had gpa's LESS than 2.8 that semester. they were nonscience majors as well but i dont know if that's relevant...tread carefully.

 

[CluelessAsian]

Just this spring sem, I took Calc 2, Gen Chem 2, Physio, and writing.. It was pretty easy.. I got 4.0..

last year, I also took, Calc 1, Gen Chem 1, Gen Bio, International Film, Psyc career, Psyc of death, psyc of learning.. It was very intense.. I had to take it at two different schools because of time conflict.. I will never do it again.. But I got all A's.. 4.0

Just put your mind into it and you can do it..

 

[Mashizhao]

It is do-able if you are able to sacrifice everything else in life and all you do is study. The labs are going to be easy since you just have to show up and spend 10 min on a pre lab or something, but the finals and midterms will be tough.

I took bio +lab, physics+lab, and o-chem all in one term and I had to be excruciatingly focused to get my 4.0. I remember studying for my toughest class something like three weeks in advance for the final. Whatever you do just don't start smoking. Dancing is okay though.

 

[CluelessAsian]

Whatever you do just don't start smoking. Dancing is okay though.

LOL that's so random and funny!

 

[el aye]

I didn't have any trouble taking Gen Chem + Lab, Physics + Lab, Calc2, and Bio Lab my first semester. It's definitely doable.

 

[Toadesque]

Last semester I took Gen Chem II, Genetics, Psych and that was pretty easy actually. Got all A's and I really only studied the day before each exam. Gen Chem II was pretty difficult, I had to study a few days in advance.

No way am I going to do that next semester though. Need to start off properly with O-Chem and make sure I start out with an A.

 

[caniac]

if you have to, you have to...but that sucks, man

Sophomore fall I took orgo, Mol. bio, genetics, and a humanity (we have a 4 course maximum)--with lab, I had 28 hours of class a week (28 hours of in-class time, again we went by courses). Add in extracurriculars, and it just about killed me.

if possible, put all your labs in 1 day--that way you'll have 1 killer day, but you'll free up your time overall. I had class from 10am-11pm, but the rest of the week it was more like from 10-1 or 2 (varsity practice was from 3-7, so I had to do just mornings). Get tutors right off the bat--even if you think you know it, it won't hurt. Gen Chem is pretty easy if you're taking calc. Physics I isn't that bad either, again if you're good w/ math. Good Luck with it! You'll do fine if you manage your time!

 

[zayka]

It's not that bad at all. I did my physics and chem and bio together (as everyone at my school). 5 courses, 3 with lab. Travel 2h each day to school. Good sleep, ECs, sports, but no weekends, A/A+. So, def not a problem - if I can do it, so can you. If you have to travel farther (e.g., 4h) then it might be pretty bad because it may cut into your sleep (had to do it one semester).

I wouldn't recommend a tutor - maybe a keen friend who you can discuss stuff with instead. Cheaper and more efficient.

Don't get behind on your work and do it as assigned.

However, I would recommend talking to someone who goes to your institution because I think curricula, lab difficulty, and competitiveness within some schools vary.

At my school, physics labs are hard. They require a lot of write-up, a lot of calculations, and there are no instructions (i.e., here's a toy, play with it, get data, do some calcs, and derive a formula). In one lab, I had to set up an apparatus to show capillary action and it was very difficult - did not do that well on that lab, but worked really hard for the others and my grade was unaffected.

Chem labs at my school are okay, the only thing is you have to do it right and fast. Time is tight, and if you are one of the last people to finish, they deduct a lot of marks for lab (it's kind of like a race... *eyeroll*).

 

[absolute8]

if you have to, you have to...but that sucks, man

Sophomore fall I took orgo, Mol. bio, genetics, and a humanity (we have a 4 course maximum)--with lab, I had 28 hours of class a week (28 hours of in-class time, again we went by courses). Add in extracurriculars, and it just about killed me.

if possible, put all your labs in 1 day--that way you'll have 1 killer day, but you'll free up your time overall. I had class from 10am-11pm, but the rest of the week it was more like from 10-1 or 2 (varsity practice was from 3-7, so I had to do just mornings). Get tutors right off the bat--even if you think you know it, it won't hurt. Gen Chem is pretty easy if you're taking calc. Physics I isn't that bad either, again if you're good w/ math. Good Luck with it! You'll do fine if you manage your time!

I think that this is really good advice! If you really need to do it just try and be smart about how you plan it out.

 

[alexfoleyc]

It is do-able if you are able to sacrifice everything else in life and all you do is study. The labs are going to be easy since you just have to show up and spend 10 min on a pre lab or something, but the finals and midterms will be tough.

I took bio +lab, physics+lab, and o-chem all in one term and I had to be excruciatingly focused to get my 4.0. I remember studying for my toughest class something like three weeks in advance for the final. Whatever you do just don't start smoking. Dancing is okay though.

 

[vickpick]

im a science major, so this is what looked like a typical semester for me till now,

Math, Spanish, Bio + Lab, Chem + Lab.

From now on, I'll have Physics + Lab replacing the Spanish.

My chemistry would be organic 2. And my Bio would be Cell Bio for next semester. I'll also be adding an elective. making it an 18 hr effort. We'll see what happens, I dont work, and will volunteer for only abt 6-10 hrs a weeks, so I think it'll be doable.

 

[dr seuss]

Physics and chemistry together is a lot easier than ochem with upper division science classes. A lot of the people I know have taken cchem with two other classes like biochem, microbiology, genetics, physiology, or cell biology. After taking those classes I would love to go back to gen chem or physics.