Planning Undergraduate Courses... What to prioritize

[EquusObsessed]

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I have had several people tell me that this course plan for my Junior year is impossible to do without losing my mind. Unfortunately that's almost making me want to pursue it more to prove them wrong (I also had people telling me a 4.0 freshman year was impossible, and I think a 3.97 is close enough to be smug about it.) However... these are definitely difficult classes. So please talk me out of doing this to myself. My main issue is my school is small and some classes are only offered certain semesters. So I need to take all of these classes in the same semester (ie biochem offered only fall semester). I'm trying to decide which of the classes I have listed I can drop- because if I don't take it this semester I run the very probable risk of not being able to take it later as it may conflict with the other courses I will need to take senior year. For fall Biochem definitely has to stay, and I would really like to keep Animal Behavior. So I guess it comes down to Mammalian Anatomy or Immuno to drop. Thoughts? 2nd semester I honestly don't think there's much I can do. I have managed to handle gen bio, organic chem, and physics all together in this current year, and am currently scraping by mid-80s but I have had a combination of terrible personal problems (horse tried to die on me in the middle of midterms, I came down with a 102 degree fever the week of the next round of projects/exams, etc) and developing really bad study habits (a lack of them). I could, if I actually studied more than a day or two before exams, probably pull high 90s in everything except physics, which never makes sense no matter what.

Fall Semester:
Biochemisty 1 3cr
Immunology 3cr
Immuno lab 1cr
Mammalian Anatomy 3cr
MA lab 1cr
Animal Behavior 3cr
AB lab 1cr
And to fill in the last of the credits for the semester, one of my gen ed classes, probably a religion class or english literature class or something.

Spring Semester:
Biochem II 3cr
Biochem lab 1cr
Biochem seminar 1cr (a pointless three hour one credit class for biochem majors)
Microbiology 3cr
Microbio Lab 1cr
Vertebrate Physiology 3cr
VP lab 1cr
Some fun easy english class just to fill that last credit spot, I'm thinking creative writing, and an art class (there's a cool photography class i've got my eye on being offered next spring...)

 

[JRod94]

I have had several people tell me that this course plan for my Junior year is impossible to do without losing my mind. Unfortunately that's almost making me want to pursue it more to prove them wrong (I also had people telling me a 4.0 freshman year was impossible, and I think a 3.97 is close enough to be smug about it.) However... these are definitely difficult classes. So please talk me out of doing this to myself. My main issue is my school is small and some classes are only offered certain semesters. So I need to take all of these classes in the same semester (ie biochem offered only fall semester). I'm trying to decide which of the classes I have listed I can drop- because if I don't take it this semester I run the very probable risk of not being able to take it later as it may conflict with the other courses I will need to take senior year. For fall Biochem definitely has to stay, and I would really like to keep Animal Behavior. So I guess it comes down to Mammalian Anatomy or Immuno to drop. Thoughts? 2nd semester I honestly don't think there's much I can do. I have managed to handle gen bio, organic chem, and physics all together in this current year, and am currently scraping by mid-80s but I have had a combination of terrible personal problems (horse tried to die on me in the middle of midterms, I came down with a 102 degree fever the week of the next round of projects/exams, etc) and developing really bad study habits (a lack of them). I could, if I actually studied more than a day or two before exams, probably pull high 90s in everything except physics, which never makes sense no matter what.

Fall Semester:
Biochemisty 1 3cr
Immunology 3cr
Immuno lab 1cr
Mammalian Anatomy 3cr
MA lab 1cr
Animal Behavior 3cr
AB lab 1cr
And to fill in the last of the credits for the semester, one of my gen ed classes, probably a religion class or english literature class or something.

Spring Semester:
Biochem II 3cr
Biochem lab 1cr
Biochem seminar 1cr (a pointless three hour one credit class for biochem majors)
Microbiology 3cr
Microbio Lab 1cr
Vertebrate Physiology 3cr
VP lab 1cr
Some fun easy english class just to fill that last credit spot, I'm thinking creative writing, and an art class (there's a cool photography class i've got my eye on being offered next spring...)

If I were you, I would probably drop Immunology and try and take it senior year if you can. Mammalian anatomy sounds interesting and fairly different to biochemistry so that would be a nice breath of fresh air. I'd probably take two gen ed classes in the fall so that its not too stressful.. The gen ed classes usually aren't super difficult. Spring looks pretty solid to me. Its going to be an intense junior year for you so you absolutely need to develop some study habits (easier said than done I know). Hopefully though taking these now will make your senior year a little less chaotic which is what you want to try and achieve because if you are planning on applying to veterinary school this upcoming cycle, over the summer you'll probably take the GRE and then go to interviews in your senior year. So having a chaotic senior year along with all of the vet school stuff would not be a great idea. But again, all up to you of course! I don't know your course of action for vet school stuff so maybe you'll take a gap year, in which case you can take as many hard classes as you'd like.

 

[EquusObsessed]

If I were you, I would probably drop Immunology and try and take it senior year if you can. Mammalian anatomy sounds interesting and fairly different to biochemistry so that would be a nice breath of fresh air. I'd probably take two gen ed classes in the fall so that its not too stressful.. The gen ed classes usually aren't super difficult. Spring looks pretty solid to me. Its going to be an intense junior year for you so you absolutely need to develop some study habits (easier said than done I know). Hopefully though taking these now will make your senior year a little less chaotic which is what you want to try and achieve because if you are planning on applying to veterinary school this upcoming cycle, over the summer you'll probably take the GRE and then go to interviews in your senior year. So having a chaotic senior year along with all of the vet school stuff would not be a great idea. But again, all up to you of course! I don't know your course of action for vet school stuff so maybe you'll take a gap year, in which case you can take as many hard classes as you'd like.

I'm slowly getting their with the studying... The biggest problem is I've never needed to study before. That sounds stupid, but high school was a breeze and freshman year even my harder classes that I studied for were ones I could cram for or bs my way through exams. I have a semi-photographic memory, but a lot of the time I'll conveniently remember the part of my notes or the page in the textbook that I don't need for a test question! I have realized that I need to convert everything I study into a visual format. If it's a body system I need to draw it out and write the steps on the diagram. If it's a chemical reaction I need to draw the steps in some sort of organized diagram. That's a really good point about the GRE.. I almost forgot that I would be starting prep for that next year as well. Yikes. I'm not exactly against a gap year, but I would like to try to apply so I can start vet school right away. Thanks for your help!

 

[nohika]

I'm slowly getting their with the studying... The biggest problem is I've never needed to study before. That sounds stupid, but high school was a breeze and freshman year even my harder classes that I studied for were ones I could cram for or bs my way through exams. I have a semi-photographic memory, but a lot of the time I'll conveniently remember the part of my notes or the page in the textbook that I don't need for a test question! I have realized that I need to convert everything I study into a visual format. If it's a body system I need to draw it out and write the steps on the diagram. If it's a chemical reaction I need to draw the steps in some sort of organized diagram. That's a really good point about the GRE.. I almost forgot that I would be starting prep for that next year as well. Yikes. I'm not exactly against a gap year, but I would like to try to apply so I can start vet school right away. Thanks for your help!

It's not stupid, it's what a lot of people run into, I think. I would drop immunology because it's not required anywhere, and I'd suggest checking out the art class before you agreed to take it because some can be a lot more stress than they're worth.

Take the time now to really solidify your study skills, because if you're struggling this year, there's no guarantee life won't try and kill you again next year with an even harder schedule. It's better to take a breather than to bomb something and have to drop it.

 

[JRod94]

I'm slowly getting their with the studying... The biggest problem is I've never needed to study before. That sounds stupid, but high school was a breeze and freshman year even my harder classes that I studied for were ones I could cram for or bs my way through exams. I have a semi-photographic memory, but a lot of the time I'll conveniently remember the part of my notes or the page in the textbook that I don't need for a test question! I have realized that I need to convert everything I study into a visual format. If it's a body system I need to draw it out and write the steps on the diagram. If it's a chemical reaction I need to draw the steps in some sort of organized diagram. That's a really good point about the GRE.. I almost forgot that I would be starting prep for that next year as well. Yikes. I'm not exactly against a gap year, but I would like to try to apply so I can start vet school right away. Thanks for your help!

I know exactly where you're coming from, I too have a partial photographic memory but that did jack squat when I started taking biochemistry and "upper division biology" courses such as Immunology and Microbiology. Those are courses that you could technically cram for but your mental health would SERIOUSLY suffer. Also, being a biochemistry major you'll have to study to retain the information you learn in biochem 1 because if you think that wont come back to haunt you in biochem 2, hahaha. Silly. lol.
The GRE isn't too terrible to be honest. I studied every day for a month over the summer and did rather well (after taking it a first time and being very unhappy with my score). If I were you though I wouldn't get super super ambitious with a heavy courseload senior year. Take courses that interest you and that you will enjoy so you end your undergrad on a good note. Thats what I did and it was the most memorable of my undergrad years. Also, Senioritis is a very veerrryyyyy real thing and after having gone through the stresses of vet school apps, it will hit you like a bus. It ran me over like a bus... >_>

 

[EquusObsessed]

I know exactly where you're coming from, I too have a partial photographic memory but that did jack squat when I started taking biochemistry and "upper division biology" courses such as Immunology and Microbiology. Those are courses that you could technically cram for but your mental health would SERIOUSLY suffer. Also, being a biochemistry major you'll have to study to retain the information you learn in biochem 1 because if you think that wont come back to haunt you in biochem 2, hahaha. Silly. lol.
The GRE isn't too terrible to be honest. I studied every day for a month over the summer and did rather well (after taking it a first time and being very unhappy with my score). If I were you though I wouldn't get super super ambitious with a heavy courseload senior year. Senioritis is a very veerrryyyyy real thing and after having gone through the stresses of vet school apps, it will hit you like a bus. It ran me over like a bus... >_>

Haha yeah... I remember senioritis from high school (I also took three AP courses plus Calculus that year... oops.) It is at least looking like the only course I will really "need" to take senior spring is molecular biology for my major. So the fall will be crazy busy, but spring is always harder for me to study since I hate winter and once the weather starts to warm up I have no motivation to stay indoors and do schoolwork. At least I'm usually pretty good at standardized testing so I'm not too worried about the GRE itself, just the time and preparation for it.

 

[EquusObsessed]

It's not stupid, it's what a lot of people run into, I think. I would drop immunology because it's not required anywhere, and I'd suggest checking out the art class before you agreed to take it because some can be a lot more stress than they're worth.

Take the time now to really solidify your study skills, because if you're struggling this year, there's no guarantee life won't try and kill you again next year with an even harder schedule. It's better to take a breather than to bomb something and have to drop it.

Oh definitely. I'm incredibly upset with myself for forgetting I had an organic chem quiz today. I'm pretty sure the prof announced the date for the quiz monday... when I was jetlagged from a short term study abroad trip, slightly feverish, and dehydrated, and I swear he said the quiz was wednesday. Which makes me incredibly sad as I have finally found a study system that works for me for Ochem and I've been doing really good at keeping up with the topics and reviewing several days before quizzes/tests. Still managed to answer all the questions though, so maybe it's not as bad as I think lol

 

[battie]

I went to a small undergrad in Nebraska, so I get the whole schedule problem. We have classes that only show up every two years or so.

With that being said, I don't see a huge problem with those schedules with the addition of a gen ed. Especially since you claim that you aren't studying well. If you absolutely have to take all those classes, it might be better for you to go to your school tutoring center and learn how to study. You'll definitely need to learn to study for vet school; might as well learn now.

If you don't need all of the classes, simply take out the classes you don't need. Or see if you can set up an independent study course over the summer to get all the classes. My school doesn't offer biochemistry 2, so my pre-dent friend had to do it as an independent study course

 

[EquusObsessed]

I went to a small undergrad in Nebraska, so I get the whole schedule problem. We have classes that only show up every two years or so.

With that being said, I don't see a huge problem with those schedules with the addition of a gen ed. Especially since you claim that you aren't studying well. If you absolutely have to take all those classes, it might be better for you to go to your school tutoring center and learn how to study. You'll definitely need to learn to study for vet school; might as well learn now.

If you don't need all of the classes, simply take out the classes you don't need. Or see if you can set up an independent study course over the summer to get all the classes. My school doesn't offer biochemistry 2, so my pre-dent friend had to do it as an independent study course

Thanks! I think immunology would be the easiest to drop since it's not "required" by anywhere, while some school require an anatomy class. I'm already taking Calc and Genetics over the summer (even more classes that overlap... If I took genetics during the year my genetics, biochem, AND cell tissue bio would all overlap in fall semester at the same times. As it is, I'll be able to take genetics over the summer, biochem Junior fall, and cell tissue senior fall. Small schools are a struggle for sure (but I love my small classes)