For those in the Diploma program, though I doubt time would allow it, is anyone doing any club sport? Like join the rowing team, frisbee, etc? I like getting involved so was just wondering if anyone was in the clubs.
How do you find the time?
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For those in the Diploma program, though I doubt time would allow it, is anyone doing any club sport? Like join the rowing team, frisbee, etc? I like getting involved so was just wondering if anyone was in the clubs.
I have a question that will probably be best answered by me awkwardly asking my TA, but I figured I'd ask it here in case anyone else has any insight, first.
In the physics syllabus it says that, if you get a 0 on both midterms, the final counts for 70%, essentially, but the way it's written makes it unclear whether or not you're actually allowed to just not take either midterm (as opposed to showing up and somehow scoring a 0?). Does anyone know if this means that it's possible to skip both midterms and try to go all-out on the final? I just started a new job in January that has been consuming all of my time - every Tuesday (today was one of them) when I try to leave on time for class, an experiment runs over, a machine breaks and I have to call the company for 2hrs, etc, and the end result is that, while I've turned in my labs and homeworks and am getting fine grades there, my preparation for these exams has been minimal. I missed the first midterm because I was out of town for a funeral, and I'm now floundering with trying to prepare for the 2nd midterm next Tuesday. Would it be nuts for me to skip that one too and try to play some kind of long-game where I catch up in time for the final? I got a 94 on last semester's final, so I feel like this should be doable, but I'm wondering if it's allowed.
I'm assuming no one else is pondering such an absurd idea and my best best will be to talk to my TA and get the obligatory eye-roll, but I figured I'd post here on the off-chance that someone else has considered this scheme.
I have a question that will probably be best answered by me awkwardly asking my TA, but I figured I'd ask it here in case anyone else has any insight, first.
In the physics syllabus it says that, if you get a 0 on both midterms, the final counts for 70%, essentially, but the way it's written makes it unclear whether or not you're actually allowed to just not take either midterm (as opposed to showing up and somehow scoring a 0?). Does anyone know if this means that it's possible to skip both midterms and try to go all-out on the final? I just started a new job in January that has been consuming all of my time - every Tuesday (today was one of them) when I try to leave on time for class, an experiment runs over, a machine breaks and I have to call the company for 2hrs, etc, and the end result is that, while I've turned in my labs and homeworks and am getting fine grades there, my preparation for these exams has been minimal. I missed the first midterm because I was out of town for a funeral, and I'm now floundering with trying to prepare for the 2nd midterm next Tuesday. Would it be nuts for me to skip that one too and try to play some kind of long-game where I catch up in time for the final? I got a 94 on last semester's final, so I feel like this should be doable, but I'm wondering if it's allowed.
I'm assuming no one else is pondering such an absurd idea and my best best will be to talk to my TA and get the obligatory eye-roll, but I figured I'd post here on the off-chance that someone else has considered this scheme.
Good luck to everyone in chem e-1a. The practice exams weren't that bad. Definitely not as hard as the practice exams for the first test.
One concept I'm gonna be on the lookout for that I haven't seen recently is when you reverse a reaction you take the reciprocal of the constant and also when you multiply a reaction by a number you take the constant to the power of the number you multiplied by. Haven't seen that in a long time so I'm gonna be on the lookout for that.
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Just wondering if anyone knows of alternative options for health/vision/dental insurance for HCP students who are too old to be on their parents insurance and won't have insurance through a job.
Great score on last semester's final. I would would to Professor Rueckner face-to-face and tell him your situation.
Just wondering if anyone knows of alternative options for health/vision/dental insurance for HCP students who are too old to be on their parents insurance and won't have insurance through a job.
Good luck to everyone in chem e-1a. The practice exams weren't that bad. Definitely not as hard as the practice exams for the first test.
One concept I'm gonna be on the lookout for that I haven't seen recently is when you reverse a reaction you take the reciprocal of the constant and also when you multiply a reaction by a number you take the constant to the power of the number you multiplied by. Haven't seen that in a long time so I'm gonna be on the lookout for that.
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Thoughts on chemistry?
Meh.. Hard to tell.
I was feeling good for the first 4.5 pages (it was a bit heavy on conceptual stuff, but pretty straight forward), but then that question about finding K at the bottom of page 5 completely tripped me up. How do you solve one equation with two unknowns? I know we had a question like that on the homework too, and I did figure it out at the time after pages and pages of random algebra, but I completely blanked on it tonight and thought there had to be a much simpler way to do it if the question was only worth 4 points... So annoying.
Page six titration graph was hit or miss... Either it was pretty easy or I just got it completely wrong haha.
What did you think?
Meh.. Hard to tell.
I was feeling good for the first 4.5 pages (it was a bit heavy on conceptual stuff, but pretty straight forward), but then that question about finding K at the bottom of page 5 completely tripped me up. How do you solve one equation with two unknowns? I know we had a question like that on the homework too, and I did figure it out at the time after pages and pages of random algebra, but I completely blanked on it tonight and thought there had to be a much simpler way to do it if the question was only worth 4 points... So annoying.
Page six titration graph was hit or miss... Either it was pretty easy or I just got it completely wrong haha.
What did you think?
I stared at this question for about a half hour. It was 4 points, so it had to something simple...Couldn't get it. Very frustrating. I knew it would come to me in the car on the way home and it did. If you have Kb for the base reacting with water to form the acid (the reverse of the the acid reacting with OH to form water) , then the K for the deprotonation of the acid should be 1/k right? So basic. No pun intended. Arrgh.
I stared at this question for about a half hour. It was 4 points, so it had to something simple...Couldn't get it. Very frustrating. I knew it would come to me in the car on the way home and it did. If you have Kb for the base reacting with water to form the acid (the reverse of the the acid reacting with OH to form water) , then the K for the deprotonation of the acid should be 1/k right? So basic. No pun intended. Arrgh.
The answer key is up.
Yeah, I was not thinking that way at all...
I got 2 of the buffer questions wrong (damnit) and the K question, but other than that I'm looking good.
Yeah I thought the buffer questions were just questions you could look at and immediately determine if they were or weren't but I ended up making 4 rice tables, one for each just to be sure.
I also COMPLETELY missed the K question. Pretty sure I'm gonna get 4 points taken off for that problem but I also answered the following two questions correctly based on an incorrect k value. Hopefully we'll get full credit for those.
I thought the test was more difficult than previous exams. I was really prepared but that one K problem just left me in the dust.
So hopefully one of the current students might be able to answer this - how does the financial aid process work? I know that the HCP students aren't typically students but I'm guessing the federal loan process is the same? Also, has anyone here been awarded one of the scholarships?
You fill out the FAFSA online, and fill out a financial aid enrollment plan that you can download from extension school financial aid office website, and then email or slow mail it to them. Then you wait.
This is my first attempt at getting a scholarship, but I don't know anyone who has gotten one, so I figure I'll probably have to take out a private loan for the summer and pay out of pocket during the year.
Good luck to everyone in physics.
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Random question for all of you who have already taken (or are currently in) gen chem and/or physics...
I am planning to take gen chem either through Harvard Summer School or at HES in the fall, and I would also like to take physics in the fall, but my math is VERY rusty... My last math class was calc I, but I took it in 1993, and at the time found it to be pretty challenging. I now remember almost nothing. A long time ago (in high school) I was very good at math and did well on my SAT as well as on the math achievement tests.
Does anyone have any advice on how much math prep is necessary for chem and physics at HES? I'm particularly concerned about the summer, as I know it's a fast-paced course. It's my understanding that I don't need calculus - just algebra - but that I should be very comfortable with algebra.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
I'd avoid a car like the plague. Lucky for me my girlfriend has one I can borrow when I need to make a target or costco run, but I'm all for biking and public transportation.
I think the first thing you need to figure out is how you're going to get around. Once that's settled, then you can start narrowing down neighborhoods. If she's at MGH and you're going to be at Harvard, something on the red line will be best. The green line T out in Fenway/Kenmore can be slow.
If I had to rattle off 5 suggestions of places to look that I think you might like, they would be: Somerville (the squares - davis, inman, etc), Back Bay, Fenway/Kenmore, Beacon Hill and North End. Allston/Brighton is undergraduate heaven and Brookline means a loonngg green line T commute.
I think we will most likely avoid a car too.
Yes I like all those places you mentioned, as much as you can like them without seeing them, that is! Do you or anyone else have good apartment complexes to recommend in any of these areas?
Thanks for the reply Johnnyscans! Basically, chem is mostly algebra based, while physics is more trig... Bizarrely, my high school just had math I, math II (with different levels, like standard, honors, AP), etc., so I don't entirely know what each discipline really encompasses...I'll start this with a caveat. I'm pretty good at math. 760/800 on my math SAT, 720 or something on the math SAT II.
Chem is all basic algebra and dimensional analysis (converting from one unit to another). You will need to use your quadratic equation at some point, so bonus points to you if you're comfortable with that.
Physics is another animal all together. You need a very solid understanding of Trig in order to succeed in this course. Newtonian physics deals a lot with right triangles, so understanding how to manipulate sin, cosine and tangent is extremely important.
That said, hard work in both of these classes will set you up for success. I've scored mid 90s on all exams in both of them. They're manageable and dedication to the material will pay off.
Hope this helps. . .
I'm in the process of apartment hunting as well. If I find anything good in my search I'll let you know.
Thanks for the reply Johnnyscans! Basically, chem is mostly algebra based, while physics is more trig... Bizarrely, my high school just had math I, math II (with different levels, like standard, honors, AP), etc., so I don't entirely know what each discipline really encompasses...
Would you think that if I was solid 20 years ago (math SAT 740 on the OLD version), then it would all come back to me quickly enough, or would I be better off taking a pre-calc course to review?
Has anyone else had a big gap between taking math classes and starting chem or physics?
Thanks again!
Thanks for the reply Johnnyscans! Basically, chem is mostly algebra based, while physics is more trig... Bizarrely, my high school just had math I, math II (with different levels, like standard, honors, AP), etc., so I don't entirely know what each discipline really encompasses...
Would you think that if I was solid 20 years ago (math SAT 740 on the OLD version), then it would all come back to me quickly enough, or would I be better off taking a pre-calc course to review?
Has anyone else had a big gap between taking math classes and starting chem or physics?
Thanks again!
Find me something less then 500$ for the summer! common......
Johnny, How was the manageability of the 3 classes you had this spring? Did you find that you were push off other material to study for another class? How do finals look for you?
Has anyone else had a big gap between taking math classes and starting chem or physics?
You fill out the FAFSA online, and fill out a financial aid enrollment plan that you can download from extension school financial aid office website, and then email or slow mail it to them. Then you wait.
This is my first attempt at getting a scholarship, but I don't know anyone who has gotten one, so I figure I'll probably have to take out a private loan for the summer and pay out of pocket during the year.
Off topic, unlike johnnyscans, I am completely freaking out about tomorrow's exam. Wah.
Are you talking about the health careers scholarship, where they give you a free class? Apparently I got that scholarship this semester, because I got a check in the mail for the cost of physics class, and when I checked my balance it had "Health Careers Scholarship" listed in there, so that was unexpected and nice. I guess they must do it by-semester, because here are my grades thus far:
spring 2011: Bio2: A-, Calc: A
summer 2011: GenChem: B+
fall 2011: Physics1: A, Bio1: A, Intro To Academic Writing: A
So my grades aren't straight A's or anything, but last semester was a good one, so I think that must be how they figure out who gets it?
AND I'm about to get an F- in Physics2. Excellent.
Elaborate on chem in the summer, I'm still trying to decide between summer chem or summer bio. Would you do it again or would you stick to the normal year? Is it really as bad as some people make it out it be? Why do you think you didn't get a A-, or A+? Lack of effort, too much material, not enough time, or too busy with other things like job? Is it like a full time jobs where you're putting in almost 40 hours a week to the class?
The key, as far as I know, to recommendations is balance. First, you want at least one non-science professor and 2-3 science professors. The other letters will come from work advisors, lab PIs, physicians you have shadowed extensively with, etc. As post-baccs we have (hopefully) lead successful careers in other fields. This comes with strong LORs that help to set us apart from other applicants. Use this to your advantage. Do not be afraid (once you have a few solid academic LORs) to reach out for professional letters. Your grades will do much of the talking in terms of convincing adcoms that you can handle medical school. Letters from past supervisors who can go into detail about your dedication, professionalism, maturity, etc. are money in the bank, and, if read, can definitely make a difference.I read this piece of advice on a Facebook site and wanted to run it by you to see how you feel about it.
"A few years ago, one of our students (well call him Jeff) found himself in need of letters of recommendation. Jeff took the basic pre-medical advice he knew and went around to his science class faculty to try to make connections. He tried his orgo and his physics II professor. But these faculty were busy, teaching classes of hundreds of students. They wouldnt be able to provide true mentorship for Jeff and definitely nothing more than a generic rec letter.
We discussed Jeffs undergraduate experience to try to figure something out. It turned out that one of his favorite courses was an anthropology course taken as a sophomore. Jeff had a great relationship with his GSI (graduate student instructor) and aced the class. Traditional pre-med advice suggests that you find professors to write your letters of recommendation, but we recommended that Jeff reach out to his GSI. He received an excellent letter which was signed off by the professor of the anthropology course. Now in his 2nd year of med school, were sure that Jeff doesnt regret his decision to use a GSI to write his recommendation."
It immediately reminded me that orgo and physics profs at HES might be similarly busy, so if the above advice makes sense?
Here's another post from the same Facebook source
"Most pre-meds make the mistake of going to one of their freshman/sophomore lecturers for rec letters and attempt to build good rapport. At the end of organic chemistry lecture, just count how many people come down to ask questions and try to introduce themselves to the instructor. Now, this may not be a terrible idea, it just likely has little benefit. Orgo (and other pre-med instructors) teach hundreds of students per semester, run their own lab, and have multiple other obligations. They rarely have time to form a meaningful relationship with a premed; unless they really take you under their wing, youre not likely to get a good letter in the long run."
There are two issues here
- whether using a GSI makes sense at all
- using non-Science profs from our former universities who knew us well because Science profs at HES are likely to teach very large classes.
What do you think?
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