ok, critique my schedule

[HipChick]

After posting about what my premed advisor suggested, and "chatting" with you guys, I decided to do a hybrid of the two for scheduling. So what do you think? These class will literally be taken ALL OVER, ranging from two community colleges to two unis. Why? Because I swear nothing is offered when i can/need it. So... whatcha think?

Spring 2012
Orgo 1/lab at CC (no choice)

Summer 2012
Phys 2/lab at uni
genetics at uni

Fall 2012
chm 2 at unu
bio 2 at cc

Winter 2013
orgo 2 at uni
chm 2 lab at uni

spring 2013
orgo 2 lab at uni or cc
biochem at uni

yes? no? Also, would you consider taking bio 1 with orgo 1 in an 8 week summer session? or try to take it with orgo 2 winter 2013 (I have A bio 1, but not the right one, I was mis informed by a cc advisor).

I am aiming at take the MCAT 2013

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[hopeful22213]

When you say Winter 2013, is that an abbreviated session between the fall and spring or are you on trimesters/quarters? I only ask because trying to squeeze orgo 2 into a 4 or 6 week session would be an absolute nightmare.

I've also heard that most schools are very flexible on what meets the Bio requirement. Generally everyone takes Bio 1, but you could (I'm told) pretty easily take physiology, cell bio, molecular bio, etc. instead of Bio 2. I mention this because if scheduling and availability are major issues that could provide you with some more breathing room.

Some other point I'd make- and I'm also a person who has had to piece together coursework from a few different places: you may be under a little added pressure to succeed in these classes to avoid the appearance of looking for greener pastures. Make sure you come out of the gate very strong.

I was also advised that schools like to see a course sequence completed at the same school. If you take Chem 1 at school A and Chem 2 at school B, it is hard to know they overlapped properly. Much easier to assume you learned what you needed to by taking them at the same place.

Otherwise it looks to be a reasonable schedule (assuming that winter isn't just a short session.) Best of luck

 

[HipChick]

Thanks! No, it seems like the popular thing is to call the semester that starts in January- Winter(instead of spring. which I suppose is correct since in Michigan winter seems to be October til may, except this odd year).

So, orgo 1 would be an 8 weeker, while orgo 2 the full 16. They would excellent if my anatomy and physiology or any of my courses as such counted as bio. I'm nervous they won't because they were in the health science department, how ever it wasn't watered down and most premeds took anatomy also. We had cadaver lab too.

As for school A and school B with say chem, the original school I took it at is a cc and won't offer chem 2 (and rarely offers orgo) until winter. And the university I'm taking orgo 2 at is closed for orgo 1! It's such a cluster!!!

 

[dmf2682]

Are you sure you want to take organic before chem2? I know some places are OK with this.

Also, same question for taking genetics before bio 2.

 

[HipChick]

The course description for orgo just stated a min of chem 1. And from what I've been explained is that there are some basic content from Chem two, but orgo is completely on it's own. Same with genetics. The only prereq listed was bio 1. I could take bio 2 in the same 8 weeks session as orgo... but I didnt want to have to drink myself into happiness...

I wish I could flip it but between three community colleges and three universities, there is only one chem two offered in the spring... At 5-10pm.

Do you agree/disagree? Advice?

 

[PostHaste]

I took Orgo 1 before Chem 2 and it was pretty much OK. I don't remember thinking it was a really bad idea (like I did when I tried to take BioChem concurrent with Chem 2).

I think the point about trying to do sequenced courses at the same institution is a good one. Our Orgo 1&2 were taught by the same instructor, and the first class of Orgo 2 literally picked up where he left off in Orgo 1. No review, no easing into things. The people who had taken Orgo 1 somewhere else or a few semesters ago really had to scramble to catch up the first couple of weeks.

As far as squeezing in Bio 1, I would call/email a few schools to ask if the Bio 1 you have, plus Bio 2 and genetics, would cover your requirements. Did you have a lab with Bio 1, or does genetics have a lab with it? That's where I could see you getting stuck.

 

[HipChick]

I took Orgo 1 before Chem 2 and it was pretty much OK. I don't remember thinking it was a really bad idea (like I did when I tried to take BioChem concurrent with Chem 2).

I think the point about trying to do sequenced courses at the same institution is a good one. Our Orgo 1&2 were taught by the same instructor, and the first class of Orgo 2 literally picked up where he left off in Orgo 1. No review, no easing into things. The people who had taken Orgo 1 somewhere else or a few semesters ago really had to scramble to catch up the first couple of weeks.

As far as squeezing in Bio 1, I would call/email a few schools to ask if the Bio 1 you have, plus Bio 2 and genetics, would cover your requirements. Did you have a lab with Bio 1, or does genetics have a lab with it? That's where I could see you getting stuck.

I'd love to take the classes at the same university concurrently, but I swear they are never offering it like that! For instance, I've been trying to bust butt to find chm 2 and phys 2 during the spring semester so I can do orgo 1 in fall and 2 in winter... No luck amount three cc and three unis!

Yes, I had a lab with the bio course. And there's a built in lab with bio 2 and an option lab for genetics.

I'm just so frustrated and idk what to do.

 

[hopeful22213]

First off- relax. This is going to be a long process. Make sure you take the correct courses, of course, but you aren't doing yourself any favors by getting overly stressed at the outset.

To another poster's concern over taking orgo I before chem II: as long as you prepared well in chem 1 class it shouldn't be a major issue. Certain concepts like acidity/basicity, electronegativity and some of the finer points on orbitals will show up again and again, but that all should have been taught in Chem 1 anyways.

Now what I meant about taking the complete sequence at one school- they don't need to be right in a row, just ideally at the same school. So if you took orgo 1 over the summer, and orgo 2 during the spring, for example, that is still fine. It's not so much a problem of continuity from professor to professor as it is how different chemistry departments may divide the material.

But all of that said, as long as you excel in these classes and get strong grades it really shouldn't matter much. Adcoms won't throw your application in the trash just because you split a sequence between schools or have some pre-reqs completed at CC's. If anything, down the line you should be able to refer to your unorthodox schedule as a mark of your determination. I'm envisioning something like: my dream is to go to med school and so I sought out the necessary classes anywhere I could find them, even at great personal inconvenience etc. etc.

 

[gunito]

I took Orgo 1 before Chem 2 and it was pretty much OK. I don't remember thinking it was a really bad idea (like I did when I tried to take BioChem concurrent with Chem 2).

I think the point about trying to do sequenced courses at the same institution is a good one. Our Orgo 1&2 were taught by the same instructor, and the first class of Orgo 2 literally picked up where he left off in Orgo 1. No review, no easing into things. The people who had taken Orgo 1 somewhere else or a few semesters ago really had to scramble to catch up the first couple of weeks. And take them back to back, no yr long wait or you forget whats what. Ochem II is a bunch of reactions that youve seen over, and over.

As far as squeezing in Bio 1, I would call/email a few schools to ask if the Bio 1 you have, plus Bio 2 and genetics, would cover your requirements. Did you have a lab with Bio 1, or does genetics have a lab with it? That's where I could see you getting stuck.

Orgo I is the pre req of biochem. The chem in biochem isn't much and its simple enough to teach yourself. Ochem II SHOULD be taken before biochem IMO, itll help.

 

[HipChick]

Thanks everyone. I'm not really pressed for time, persay. Of I have to wait a year I'll wait. I just have a distaste for college hopping. I wish I could just quit my job to be honest, it would help, albeit it a little.

 

[Back 5]

Are you sure you want to take organic before chem2? I know some places are OK with this.

Also, same question for taking genetics before bio 2.

In my experiences (taking Bio 2 10+ years ago at uinversity and completing it this semester in postbacc) Bio 2 is a combo of zoology and botany. Bio one is your micro and genetics.

OP, make sure you have plenty of time to study with those courses. I just completed Chem 2 and Bio 2, night classes M-Th. I was pulling 15 hour days M-Th with 6 hours of studying at Starbucks Sat and Sun. There would be weeks where I had a Bio test on Monday and a Chem test on Tues, or a Chem test on Tues and a Bio lab practical on Wed...those weeks meant not much sleep

 

[dmf2682]

In my experiences (taking Bio 2 10+ years ago at uinversity and completing it this semester in postbacc) Bio 2 is a combo of zoology and botany. Bio one is your micro and genetics.

I would estimate it varies by school. Since the op says the only prerequisite is bio 1 it may be the case there. At my school it's not, which is why I suggested they look.