Order of classes at HES?

[Pony46]

Is there good reason behind the difference in the order of classes at HES??
Would it matter if I took Bio and Chem(first year)and then Orgo and Phys.( second)???
I wanted previously to do it this way so as I could take a math class over the summer to prepair for physics...to busy this summer with already planned things--

All the research that I had done on other postbacs informed me that the order above was the typical order so that is what I thought HES would have ( kicking myself for missing the obvious.... )

any response would be appreciated

I read through the HES thread about math in physics how some think that you need a preperatory class and others not, and also the horrible chem teacher this fall but it did not give me the clarity that I was looking for...
(I have taken algebra and stats recently-algebra was simple and Stats was fun but good deal of work) Anyhoo i have written enough

best

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[Sundarban1]

Is there good reason behind the difference in the order of classes at HES??
Would it matter if I took Bio and Chem(first year)and then Orgo and Phys.( second)???
I wanted previously to do it this way so as I could take a math class over the summer to prepair for physics...to busy this summer with already planned things--

All the research that I had done on other postbacs informed me that the order above was the typical order so that is what I thought HES would have ( kicking myself for missing the obvious.... )

any response would be appreciated

I read through the HES thread about math in physics how some think that you need a preperatory class and others not, and also the horrible chem teacher this fall but it did not give me the clarity that I was looking for...
(I have taken algebra and stats recently-algebra was simple and Stats was fun but good deal of work) Anyhoo i have written enough

best

Yes the order does matter. The advisors will tell you to take chemistry before biology because the bio here is taught with a good working knowledge of basic chemistry. The chemistry professors are great here and you will be well prepared for bio next year.

You are not going to need a whole math course to review for physics if you've taken algebra and stats already. Simply buy the Shaums math review for math and science majors and use that to study from over the summer. That's what I did last summer before I took physics and I did fine. Besides, you want to take the classes in the same order they will be presented on the MCAT sections (chem/physics, ochem/bio).

 

[spo01]

I've asked this question to a bunch of people recently, and out of the past 7, 6 said to take chem with bio and organic with physics. The reason for this was because physics tends to be easier and bio is a lot of memorization, so taking the latter with organic would be an overkill of memorization.
The last person I asked agreed with what Sundarban1 said.

 

[Sundarban1]

I've asked this question to a bunch of people recently, and out of the past 7, 6 said to take chem with bio and organic with physics. The reason for this was because physics tends to be easier and bio is a lot of memorization, so taking the latter with organic would be an overkill of memorization.
The last person I asked agreed with what Sundarban1 said.

I'd agree with that if you were taking classes anywhere but here at HES. From personal experience I can tell you that physics is not any easier than biology, and the bio is not taught by memorization, so you will not be simply repeating what was said in lecture on exams. The bio delves very heavily in molecular biology and genetics, especially first semster. A solid understanding of first year chemistry is assumed, so if you are weak in chemistry you will not do well in bio here, I promise you.

If you go to any of the HES information sessions Dr. Fixsen (the head of the program AND the biology professor) will tell you that you should definitely take chemistry before biology, for the reasons I just went through.