Post-Bacc Fall Schedule Question

[sacapuntas]

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Hi all,

Please throw your opinion in the ring if you would.

For this fall, I am planning to drop my calculus course in favor of another course that will help more directly in dental school admissions.

I am taking gen bio 2 and organic chem 1, both with labs, and am debating for the 3rd class to take intro to psychology as I will be applying to a few schools that require psychology or Analytical Chemistry.

I really don't know much about analytical chemistry, but it would at least help my BCP whereas the psych course would not. I also have already taken a 300 level psych course that applied to management as part of my previous major, but it looks like schools want to see an intro to psych course.

I could also take both classes.

What do you think, how hard of a class is analytical chemistry and will it help me? Is intro to psych necessary if I already have a higher level psych course? Should I just stick with Caclulus and leave my schedule alone?

Thanks!

 

[dentalWorks]

Hi all,

Please throw your opinion in the ring if you would.

For this fall, I am planning to drop my calculus course in favor of another course that will help more directly in dental school admissions.

I am taking gen bio 2 and organic chem 1, both with labs, and am debating for the 3rd class to take intro to psychology as I will be applying to a few schools that require psychology or Analytical Chemistry.

I really don't know much about analytical chemistry, but it would at least help my BCP whereas the psych course would not. I also have already taken a 300 level psych course that applied to management as part of my previous major, but it looks like schools want to see an intro to psych course.

I could also take both classes.

What do you think, how hard of a class is analytical chemistry and will it help me? Is intro to psych necessary if I already have a higher level psych course? Should I just stick with Caclulus and leave my schedule alone?

Thanks!

well... isn't there a lab component to analytical chemistry? If so, you have too many labs as is (orgo and bio). Personally, I HATED too many labs in semesters, they eat up so much time.

Which dental school requires analytical chem?

So basically, you are about to take Orgo and Bio (both with labs) and now your debating between Calculus vs Intro psyc vs Analytical chem....

Honestly, I'd look for another class thats more useful to take than either of the 3. Your psychology requirement has already been fulfilled (if school requires 3-4 credits of psyc, then you already have it). Very few schools require calc, and if you are interested in THOSE schools, yeh you have no choice but to take it. Analytical chem, I have never heard of a school requiring it, so double check.

 

[sacapuntas]

well... isn't there a lab component to analytical chemistry? If so, you have too many labs as is (orgo and bio). Personally, I HATED too many labs in semesters, they eat up so much time.

Which dental school requires analytical chem?

So basically, you are about to take Orgo and Bio (both with labs) and now your debating between Calculus vs Intro psyc vs Analytical chem....

Honestly, I'd look for another class thats more useful to take than either of the 3. Your psychology requirement has already been fulfilled (if school requires 3-4 credits of psyc, then you already have it). Very few schools require calc, and if you are interested in THOSE schools, yeh you have no choice but to take it. Analytical chem, I have never heard of a school requiring it, so double check.

Thanks for the reply, no school requires analytical chem.

The only reason I would take it is to improve my BCP GPA, as the intro to psych or calc won't do that. I can't get into any upper level biology courses anymore because they are all full/wait listed/and I have not done gen. bio. 2.

I am out of ideas for another useful type of class to add so I looked at chemistry electives. My last option that I can see is a 100 level chem course called chemistry for the consumer...I believe it would help my BCP GPA. I just hate wasting money to take a course I don't need!

 

[amdrocks]

Analytical chemistry is really just the study of different instruments.

Does your school offer quantitative analysis?

It looks like upper level bio courses are stuck for you at this moment. What about physics? Have you taken them?

For chemistry: inorganic chemistry w/lab, physical chemistry, biochemistry, spectroscopy, biophysical, drug design.

 

[dentalWorks]

Thanks for the reply, no school requires analytical chem.

The only reason I would take it is to improve my BCP GPA, as the intro to psych or calc won't do that. I can't get into any upper level biology courses anymore because they are all full/wait listed/and I have not done gen. bio. 2.

I am out of ideas for another useful type of class to add so I looked at chemistry electives. My last option that I can see is a 100 level chem course called chemistry for the consumer...I believe it would help my BCP GPA. I just hate wasting money to take a course I don't need!

what about lower division biology courses? Things like 200 level Physiology / anatomy / and I've seen a few microbiologies here and there. These normally are designed for the non-healthcare seeker and don't have any pre-reqs to them. They aren't very useful, but I assure you, they make more sense than analytical chemistry, calculus and/or psycology

 

[sacapuntas]

what about lower division biology courses? Things like 200 level Physiology / anatomy / and I've seen a few microbiologies here and there. These normally are designed for the non-healthcare seeker and don't have any pre-reqs to them. They aren't very useful, but I assure you, they make more sense than analytical chemistry, calculus and/or psycology

So there is a Bio 100 level course called Basic Bio: Ecology and the Diversity of life. It is 4 credits with a lab. I assume it will be very easy but probably totally worthless. Do you think I should still take that rather than my other options? It will bump my BCP GPA up even though its 100 level I believe, and will give me more than 12 credits...and I think its probably best to stay above 12 credits. I just hate to waste 1800 bucks for a worthless course.

 

[sacapuntas]

I actually found a 300 Level Intro to Molecular Biology that was still open. So I guess I will enroll in that instead.

What do you think the intro to molecular biology would be like compared to general microbiology? Would I likely still want to take general microbiology before dental school?

 

[dentalWorks]

I actually found a 300 Level Intro to Molecular Biology that was still open. So I guess I will enroll in that instead.

What do you think the intro to molecular biology would be like compared to general microbiology? Would I likely still want to take general microbiology before dental school?

well obviously, the higher end general microbio is better.... but the intro to molecular bio is better than the 3 mentioned above.

Besides, Molecular Biology isn't the same as Microbiology.

Microbiology = study of microbes (you'll study alot of bacteria)
Molecular Bio = study of cell biology (alot of overlap between biochemistry and genetics)

 

[sacapuntas]

well obviously, the higher end general microbio is better.... but the intro to molecular bio is better than the 3 mentioned above.

Besides, Molecular Biology isn't the same as Microbiology.

Microbiology = study of microbes (you'll study alot of bacteria)
Molecular Bio = study of cell biology (alot of overlap between biochemistry and genetics)

Haha I was so excited when I found the course still open that I was reading and interpreting them as the same word. Thanks for pointing out the obvious difference!

Well that explains why microbiology is full and molecular biology has openings.



The course description for molecular biology is:
Provides an understanding of the structure and function of genetic material, DNA replication and recombination, and regulation of gene expression and protein synthesis. Emphasizes eukaryotic systems, while providing an overview of prokaryotic systems. Prereq: One year of general biology with a grade of "C" or higher and one year of general chemistry.

This doesn't sound too difficult, but who knows, maybe it will be.

 

[dentalWorks]

Haha I was so excited when I found the course still open that I was reading and interpreting them as the same word. Thanks for pointing out the obvious difference!

Well that explains why microbiology is full and molecular biology has openings.



The course description for molecular biology is:
Provides an understanding of the structure and function of genetic material, DNA replication and recombination, and regulation of gene expression and protein synthesis. Emphasizes eukaryotic systems, while providing an overview of prokaryotic systems. Prereq: One year of general biology with a grade of “C” or higher and one year of general chemistry.

This doesn't sound too difficult, but who knows, maybe it will be.

its probably gonna be the most difficult course you've taken so far. Once you get into biochem and genetics, it opens a new can of worms.

How are you able to get into this intro molecular bio class? is says it requires 1 year of biology (so thats bio 1 and 2)... will they let you take it?

 

[sacapuntas]

its probably gonna be the most difficult course you've taken so far. Once you get into biochem and genetics, it opens a new can of worms.

How are you able to get into this intro molecular bio class? is says it requires 1 year of biology (so thats bio 1 and 2)... will they let you take it?

Yes they will let me take it. They don't seem to actually care what classes you register for except for math classes. The pre-reqs are treated like recommendations it seems like.

Hmm if it is that hard I might have my hands full with O-Chem, but I think it will be better than taking the 100 level fluff course.

 

[dentalWorks]

Yes they will let me take it. They don't seem to actually care what classes you register for except for math classes. The pre-reqs are treated like recommendations it seems like.

Hmm if it is that hard I might have my hands full with O-Chem, but I think it will be better than taking the 100 level fluff course.

I don't wanna discourage you... but that molecular bio (especially if your biology background is low) will be a handful. But if your brave, go for it, I wish you best of effort (not "luck")

Why about either of the physics? Have you finished those? Bio + orgo + physics is a good semester.

 

[sacapuntas]

I don't wanna discourage you... but that molecular bio (especially if your biology background is low) will be a handful. But if your brave, go for it, I wish you best of effort (not "luck")

Why about either of the physics? Have you finished those? Bio + orgo + physics is a good semester.

I don't take your posts as discouragement, I really appreciate the time you are taking to help my decision.

College and general physics are both way full and waitlisted...but Foundations of Physics, a 100 level course is open. This might not be the worst thing, it could help me get ready for physics and I believe will still count in my BCP.

When schools require a year of physics, what level do they mean? I assume I couldn't take a semester of the 100 level class and a semester of Physics 1 correct?

 

[dentalWorks]

I don't take your posts as discouragement, I really appreciate the time you are taking to help my decision.

College and general physics are both way full and waitlisted...but Foundations of Physics, a 100 level course is open. This might not be the worst thing, it could help me get ready for physics and I believe will still count in my BCP.

When schools require a year of physics, what level do they mean? I assume I couldn't take a semester of the 100 level class and a semester of Physics 1 correct?

Yeh they want the traditional physics 1 (mechanics) and physics 2 (electricity)....

And yes, that 100 physics will count towards BCP..... Its probably better than calculus/psycology/or analytica chem.

Stop by your pre-med advisers office and get a list of all the pre-dent/pre-med classes. It will show you which sequence of physics you need.