A few questions that I was hoping you great HES students could answer:
- I assume people take two classes per semester (ex. Bio I and Physics I in the Fall, and Bio II and Physics II in the Spring). So what does a typical schedule look like since most classes are night classes? Does each class meet twice per week? Are you in class Monday to Thursday from like 7 to 10PM? Do labs take place on weekends or weekdays?
- Are the prerequisite premed courses (Bio, Chem, Orgo, Physics) offered in the summer as well? If so, is it just one semester crammed into the summer or both semesters? For example, Bio I or Bio II over the summer. Are they at night too?
- Are all classes available every semester? For example, taking Bio I in the Spring then taking Bio II in the Fall?
- How easy is it to sign up for classes if you are not part of the Premedical Program? Is there usually space?
- How big is each class? I ask because I wonder how difficult it would be to get a LOR in a large class.
Thanks a bunch in advance!
Hey,
So I just finished two years at HES, and worked full time for all of it. This last year, I did orgo and physics, and this was my schedule:
Monday: Physics lab 6-9pm, every other week
Tuesday: Physics lecture, 6-9pm
Wednesday: Orgo section, 6-7pm; physics section 7-8
Thursday: Orgo lecture, 6-9pm
Friday: Orgo review lecture (optional, but not really), 5:30-7pm
Saturday: Orgo lab 9am-12 or 1 pm every other week.
The year before was pretty much the same, except bio is 1.5 hours 2x a week (Monday and Wednesday). Gen chem is Thursdays 6-9pm.
All classes have sections that meet for 1 hour a week outside of class, as well as a lab that is typically scheduled for 3 hours. There are multiple options for section and lab times, so you can chose when to do these to some degree (I did almost all my labs and sections on weeknights).
Pre-requisites can be taken over the summer, but they are HARD. It's both semesters crammed into seven weeks, so you'll be living and breathing whatever subject you take. These classes are NOT at night. Summer orgo, for example, is Monday Tuesday Wednesday 8:30-11 and Thursday Friday 8:30-10:45. You also have a required hour of section every day, 2 hours of required review on Friday, and labs are I think weekly. That being said, there are other less grueling classes you can take over the summer. I did summer biochem, and it was great. Tuesday Thursday 6:30-9:30 pm, and the few labs we had were scheduled during class time.
No, not all classes are available every semester. The first half of the course is only offered in the fall, and the second half is only offered in the spring.
Your status as an official member of the health careers program is pretty irrelevant to your ability to register for classes. I often waited until the last minute, and none of the classes I needed were ever full.
The classes are huge lecture style classes, but if you're gunning for a recommendation, there are SO many opportunities outside of class to get to know not only the professor, but the TFs and lab TFs, who will contribute to your recommendation should you ask for one. Take advantage of your professor's office hours, and really get to know your TFs.