Physics course question

[williamChenry]

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My academic counselor at my school is kind of clueless, so I figured I'd ask here before going to another counselor.

THere are 3 physics courses in my school:

1) College Physics 1 & 2 (w/o Calculus)
2) General Physics 1& 2(w/ Calc)
3) University Physics 1,2, and 3 (three-semester course)

Any ideas on which satisfy the pre-req?

 

[bkpa2med]

#1

 

[Timbo0984]

For sure the first one. The last is for Physics majors, not premeds, and the middle, you can also take if you love calculus as it would also meet the requirment but why would you ever do that to yourself 😀

 

[OSUdoc08]

My academic counselor at my school is kind of clueless, so I figured I'd ask here before going to another counselor.

THere are 3 physics courses in my school:

1) College Physics 1 & 2 (w/o Calculus)
2) General Physics 1& 2(w/ Calc)
3) University Physics 1,2, and 3 (three-semester course)

Any ideas on which satisfy the pre-req?

1 or 2 will work for med school, but why take the harder course? It's not like you will ever use it anyway.

 

[williamChenry]

oh wow, so college physics WITHOUT calc. is acceptable as a premed requirement? ...i was almost positive it woulda been the General Physics with Calc.

 

[OSUdoc08]

oh wow, so college physics WITHOUT calc. is acceptable as a premed requirement? ...i was almost positive it woulda been the General Physics with Calc.

At my school, Physics without Calc was known as "Premed Physics"

Physics with Calc is for engineers, physics, or chemistry majors.

FYI: In medical school, the only premed course you really use is biology. There is absolutely no math above a middle school level, and very little physics.

 

[dr.z]

My school only offered physics with calc so I had to take that. If you don't have to, take the easier one.

 

[OwnageMobile]

geez, take the #2! Adcoms like difficult classes on your transcript! And c'mon, the class isn't all that tough, we barely touched on derivitives and integrals.
$.02

 

[OSUdoc08]

geez, take the #2! Adcoms like difficult classes on your transcript! And c'mon, the class isn't all that tough, we barely touched on derivitives and integrals.
$.02

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.

 

[OwnageMobile]

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.


Oh wait, yeah, I forgot-- I don't know anything- I've only spent 5 years in college and the last 2 studying this whole process of adminssions. Sorry!
🙄

 

[OwnageMobile]

If you are looking to be competitive, go #2. If you can't stand physics or math, don't go #2.

 

[OSUdoc08]

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.


Oh wait, yeah, I forgot-- I don't know anything- I've only spent 5 years in college and the last 2 studying this whole process of adminssions. Sorry!
🙄

You seem like you know alot about medical school. You're a premed, right?

 

[Sundarban1]

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.


Oh wait, yeah, I forgot-- I don't know anything- I've only spent 5 years in college and the last 2 studying this whole process of adminssions. Sorry!
🙄

Would YOU spent 5 years in college and 2 "studying" the process admissions?

Take non-calc based unless your're applying to a school that requires it (like Harvard). The end.

 

[Sundarban1]

👎

This is absolutely incorrect, and terrible advice.


Oh wait, yeah, I forgot-- I don't know anything- I've only spent 5 years in college and the last 2 studying this whole process of adminssions. Sorry!
🙄

Would YOU take advice from someone who spent 5 years in college and 2 "studying" the process admissions?

Take non-calc based unless you're applying to a school that requires it (like Harvard). The end.

 

[Raven Feather]

You'd be more competitive at a glance (which is what ad coms do initially, glance at GPA and MCAT) taking #1 and getting an A versus #2 and getting a B.

Take #1.

 

[OSUdoc08]

You'd be more competitive at a glance (which is what ad coms do initially, glance at GPA and MCAT) taking #1 and getting an A versus #2 and getting a B.

Take #1.

👍

 

[OwnageMobile]

Well, the last 2 of the 5... I guess I am a little balls to the wall. I'll say take #2 if you want to be competitve, and #1 if you don't think you can get an A in #2.

And OSUdoc08- you think getting into a school automatically gives you the right to think you know more about the process than someone who hasn't?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Well, the last 2 of the 5... I guess I am a little balls to the wall. I'll say take #2 if you want to be competitve, and #1 if you don't think you can get an A in #2.

And OSUdoc08- you think getting into a school automatically gives you the right to think you know more about the process than someone who hasn't?

Typically I wouldn't, until I saw your posts.

Then I knew otherwise.

 

[OwnageMobile]

Snap. Great come-back!

I wouldn't go around tooting your horn and pulling rank by saying you are in medical school though. You don't know who I am, how much I know, or what I have done. My advice was to those who wish to be competitive, which was my mistake of not realizing/mentioning it in the first post.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Snap. Great come-back!

I wouldn't go around tooting your horn and pulling rank by saying you are in medical school though. You don't know who I am, how much I know, or what I have done. My advice was to those who wish to be competitive, which was my mistake of not realizing/mentioning it in the first post.

Ah, but that's exactly my point.

Taking calculus-based physics does NOT make you a more competitive applicant.

Don't "toot your horn" about how much you may or may not know, but making such erroneous statements.

Taking a difficult class RELATED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, may make you more competitive.

There is no calculus in medical school.

 

[OwnageMobile]

You think an A in non calc is just as good as an A in calc based? I did engineering because there is less inflation and the classes are harder. This was seconded by my friends on med school adcoms and pre-med advisors. There is also the fact that (while there is no calc in med school) a harder physics course may get you a better score on your MCAT PS section. I believe it does make you a better applicant. Your third sentance: "Don't "toot your horn" about how much you may or may not know, but making such erroneous statements." ... I am not sure of what you are trying to say.

 

[jellibelli]

My academic counselor at my school is kind of clueless, so I figured I'd ask here before going to another counselor.

THere are 3 physics courses in my school:

1) College Physics 1 & 2 (w/o Calculus)
2) General Physics 1& 2(w/ Calc)
3) University Physics 1,2, and 3 (three-semester course)

Any ideas on which satisfy the pre-req?

It really doesn't matter which physics you take as long as you do well (lecture and lab). You want to get pass the first hurdle (mcats and gpa), and if you do well in physics, then that will benefit your GPA.

The physics with calculus is a bit easier if you're good with calculus. Instead of memorizing a bunch of formulas, you can easily derive them off the top of your head. If you're not good with calculus and you're really good with memorizing, then pick the physics without calculus.

😛

Btw, thanks for the info in PM.

 

[williamChenry]

I've never even taken calculus before so I doubt I'd be that good at it. I'm probably better off with #1 then.

 

[Raven Feather]

I've never even taken calculus before so I doubt I'd be that good at it. I'm probably better off with #1 then.

You are DEFINATELY better off then taking #1. Med schools req the non-calc based physics. Trust me, you won't be a topic of hot debate b/c you didn't take calc based physics, or calculus for that matter!

 

[Raven Feather]

Ah, but that's exactly my point.

Taking calculus-based physics does NOT make you a more competitive applicant.

Don't "toot your horn" about how much you may or may not know, but making such erroneous statements.

Taking a difficult class RELATED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, may make you more competitive.
There is no calculus in medical school.

I'm going to have to agree with that. It makes more sense to be in favor of an applicant who did not take calc-based physics but took biochem or Gross anatomy or something when compared to one who took just calc-based physics. (For example)

 

[OwnageMobile]

Sure, I agree as well. But wouldn't you rather an A in a physics 211 instead of an A in physics 114?

 

[Raven Feather]

Sure, I agree as well. But wouldn't you rather an A in a physics 211 instead of an A in physics 114?

Of course, if one knew for sure he or she could do that well. But in the OP's case, he already has a less than stellar academic past (read his other post) so I would take the non-calc based to not try to jeopardize anything especially in a physics course. Guess it shouldn't be an issue now, he just learned calc-based isn't required and hasn't taken calc anyway.

 

[williamChenry]

thanks everyone

 

[Dave_D]

I just want to chime in here. I'm thinking the 3rd physics course you list is probably the super hard one.(IE premeds take 1, engineers take 2, physicists take 3.) If it was anything like the one I took when I was young and stupid it could be insanely difficult and require 3 semesters to cover the material for the MCAT.(For those that care I took the hardest of 4 physics 1 at Boston U. Tests consisted of taking what they taught you and generating new equations. If I remember correctly a 20 was passing and 30's were C's.)

 

[OSUdoc08]

Sure, I agree as well. But wouldn't you rather an A in a physics 211 instead of an A in physics 114?

No. It isn't going to "enhance" your application.

 

[OwnageMobile]

Now you are making me laugh. Remember- as I said before, I know nothing compared to you mr. MS-II!!! You are the beholder of all knowledge. You are always right, and I, the lowly "pre-med" who knows nothing, should call you when I need advice.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Now you are making me laugh. Remember- as I said before, I know nothing compared to you mr. MS-II!!! You are the beholder of all knowledge. You are always right, and I, the lowly "pre-med" who knows nothing, should call you when I need advice.

Please don't. I get enough laughs watching my Seinfeld boxed set anyway.

 

[Sundarban1]

Now you are making me laugh. Remember- as I said before, I know nothing compared to you mr. MS-II!!! You are the beholder of all knowledge. You are always right, and I, the lowly "pre-med" who knows nothing, should call you when I need advice.

Dude, get over it. You're telling someone who is not applying to medical schools that require calc, to take calc based physics. Not to mention you don't need it for the MCAT. Stop giving Sh*tty advice.
👎

 

[Gmw1386]

At my school the Biomedical Science Major require calc based physics. This is basically the premed major, since basically everyone that is premed majors in this hear. I don't know what the med school prereq is exactly, but I thought I would let you know what the deal is here. My school doesn't offer non-calc based physics.

 

[OSUdoc08]

At my school the Biomedical Science Major require calc based physics. This is basically the premed major, since basically everyone that is premed majors in this hear. I don't know what the med school prereq is exactly, but I thought I would let you know what the deal is here. My school doesn't offer non-calc based physics.

According to the AAMC MSAR, Biomedical Science majors have a lower acceptance rate to medical schools than Biology, Chemistry, and Social Sciences majors combined.

I wouldn't base anything off of this major.

 

[mcat shmcat]

Spend the time volunteering that you would have been studying for calc-based physics. This will make you more competitive.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Spend the time volunteering that you would have been studying for calc-based physics. This will make you more competitive.

👍

 

[RUscrewed]

take the easiest course, unless you want to actually learn something. getting good grades is way more important that taking "challenging classes". this should be #1, but with different teachers, it may be #2.

My academic counselor at my school is kind of clueless, so I figured I'd ask here before going to another counselor.

THere are 3 physics courses in my school:

1) College Physics 1 & 2 (w/o Calculus)
2) General Physics 1& 2(w/ Calc)
3) University Physics 1,2, and 3 (three-semester course)

Any ideas on which satisfy the pre-req?