Is not taking math a mistake?

[):(]

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I uh really hate math with all my passions of disgust. I nearly threw up on my last final and I probably will once I see my ****ty ass grade. I get 3.3-4.0's in all my classes (usually 4.0), except for math. Last quarter I got a 2.6 and this quarter I don't know what; it's not good though. Should I continue on for one more quarter so I can apply to every medical school, or say **** it and move on? My first choice schools are UW and NYU (Washington state resident and Husky), I know UW does not require math and I haven't checked NYU (I will after I send this post off). I don't care which medical school I get into, as long as it is American or Canadian. DO or MD, doesn't matter. I am still a freshman and I don't want math to ruin my GPA for the next three to four years.

 

[Depakote]

I don't have a MSAR in front of me, but if I recall correctly... You'll be severly limited if you don't have at least one semester of Math.

Your best bet would to at least take Calc I. That opens up most of the field.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

it sounds like you've already taken math. if you have and you hate it, stop.
if its just going to pull down your gpa, then what can you do? if you've failed it (d, e,) thought you may have to take it again to get a passing grade, or that won't look good. i know you have to take some math to graduate college, and more for certain degrees. but there is no point in making yourself miserable. i was taking upper level calc at the same time as my biochem labs and just didn't have time for the homework and i ended up dropping, because it was making me hate math and go crazy! and if you're hating the class, then theres something wrong. and if you don't need it. so be it.

 

[):(]

I took precalculus and calculus this year. I am considering moving on into Calculus 125 which is the second quarter calculus here.

 

[jebus]

If you decide to take more math, you don't have to take engineer's calculus. Take an easier calculus class. A few schools require statistics, so you may want to think about that. Also, look into evening classes. They tend to be a lot easier than the day classes. I took calc at the UW (go dawgs!) in the evening because I hate calculus, I hadn't taken a math class since high school (you end up forgetting a lot of stuff after 4 years away from calc), and I'm not very good at it. I still got ~3.5 in my math classes (I think it was the 160 series at the UW but I may be wrong).
Of course, I did skirt the whole issue of whether or not you should take more math...

 

[):(]

UW only offers the 124, 125, 126 series, then an honors series. They do have a life sciences based math course (I would have to wait until next year to take), however I heard it was just as hard. UW is not offering any evening math classes during Spring and Summer quarter.

 

[jebus]

UW is not offering any evening math classes during Spring and Summer quarter.

Wait until they do. You've got 3+ years to take math. There's no hurry.

 

[Flopotomist]

Step One: Get an MSAR

Step Two: sign up for statistics.

 

[Depakote]

Step One: Get an MSAR

Step Two: sign up for statistics.

Oh Floppy, you're so smart.

Seriously, take stat. Easy class. Counts toward you BCPM GPA. Counts as math. Schools like it too.

 

[FDoRoML]

Yeah, take Stats... it's really simple as far as "math" goes. If you can do Biostats, that's even more fun-- you will then have insight into how ridiculous some of the clinical studies are. It's amazing how you can find a correlation pretty much ANYWHERE if you work the stats right (like, you could say that there is some significant correlation between people who have a Hardy Boys lunchbox hooking up later in life with those that had a Nancy Drew lunchbox). Makes you a little nervous about new treatments, huh? 😀

Seriously, stats is good and the best one to take as a pre-med is biostats (business stats is dry and boring, so just take basic stats if you only have a choice between business and standard). It looks good to AdComs because it's relevant to the field.

 

[tacrum43]

Most schools do require a year of math, which does NOT have to be calculus (a few require a year of calculus, but most don't), just college level math. Flopotomist made an excellent point about taking statistics, as most schools will count this towards your math requirement.

 

[LucidSplash]

I second stats. I took a freshman level stats class as a senior (I was considering doing a postbacc in nutrition or going PA and some programs wanted stats). I did my homework while drinking with one of my friends who also took the class. (So sad that is one of my few acts of rebellion or my "wild" college days). I got an A.

 

[nmnrraven]

I uh really hate math with all my passions of disgust. I nearly threw up on my last final and I probably will once I see my ****ty ass grade. I get 3.3-4.0's in all my classes (usually 4.0), except for math. Last quarter I got a 2.6 and this quarter I don't know what; it's not good though. Should I continue on for one more quarter so I can apply to every medical school, or say **** it and move on? My first choice schools are UW and NYU (Washington state resident and Husky), I know UW does not require math and I haven't checked NYU (I will after I send this post off). I don't care which medical school I get into, as long as it is American or Canadian. DO or MD, doesn't matter. I am still a freshman and I don't want math to ruin my GPA for the next three to four years.

Finish the calc series and then never take it again if it hurts you that bad. But my advice is to take it. Med Schools are for elite students. If you don't take the most difficult curriculum available, I would think they would consider your application less strong. It sucks, but suffer through it and you'll eventually be glad you did. Study, go to tutoring sessions, get as much of a leg-up on your classmates as possible. Try to secure high Bs in the rest of the calc series and you'll be fine.

 

[Depakote]

Yeah, take Stats... it's really simple as far as "math" goes. If you can do Biostats, that's even more fun-- you will then have insight into how ridiculous some of the clinical studies are. It's amazing how you can find a correlation pretty much ANYWHERE if you work the stats right (like, you could say that there is some significant correlation between people who have a Hardy Boys lunchbox hooking up later in life with those that had a Nancy Drew lunchbox). Makes you a little nervous about new treatments, huh? 😀

Seriously, stats is good and the best one to take as a pre-med is biostats (business stats is dry and boring, so just take basic stats if you only have a choice between business and standard). It looks good to AdComs because it's relevant to the field.

I knew that Hardy Boys lunchbox was workin' for me.

AWW RIGHT.

 

[NonTradMed]

Finish the calc series and then never take it again if it hurts you that bad. But my advice is to take it. Med Schools are for elite students. If you don't take the most difficult curriculum available, I would think they would consider your application less strong. It sucks, but suffer through it and you'll eventually be glad you did. Study, go to tutoring sessions, get as much of a leg-up on your classmates as possible. Try to secure high Bs in the rest of the calc series and you'll be fine.

Good advice.

Suck it up. If you want a career in the sciences, not just medicine, college is required (it was at my school for certain upper level science courses).

I suggest take calc and get extra help and stay on top. It's doable, but you may need to go the extra mile. As the above poster said, med school is for top students and I think some schools will see taking an 'easier' math course as a cop-out. And of course, some schools require calc so don't limit yourself.

 

[):(]

I think I will continue on. I didn't say this before, I was actually considering switching majors. Neurobiology to psychology. Neurobiology requires calc. 125 and psychology doesn't...

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

When you get into an interview and they ask you about switching majors dont tell them it was because you wanted to skip calc!

 

[Jedix123]

If you hate math, do the smart thing and take stat.

Personally, I loved Calc II b/c the professor taught me so much more than just math.

 

[):(]

If you hate math, do the smart thing and take stat.

Personally, I loved Calc II b/c the professor taught me so much more than just math.

I would and have to take stats as it is part of my major, however calculus 2 is part of my major requirements too.

 

[):(]

I just got my grade in from my professor's website. I got a 3.0. Yes that is bad, but it doesn't kill me and if I improve next quarter it will show an upward trend in math for me.