Prerequisites aren't that difficult.

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Krypton36

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Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
 
Oh well look at you smarty pants.
 
Frazier said:
Have you completed all of them?

Note: It largely depends on the professor -- a professor that awards A's to only the top x% [regardless of individual final averages] is harder than one that awards A's to anything over a 89%.
Click to expand...
I've completed about half of them. I'm not trying to sound like a smart***, but it's not impossible to get an A or an A- if you bust you hump in class. My point: Hard work 😎.
 
Krypton36 said:
I've completed about half of them. I'm not trying to sound like a smart***, but it's not impossible to get an A or an A- if you bust you hump in class. My point: Hard work 😎.
Click to expand...

Point is most people don't really understand hard work in their 1st or 2nd years. And pre-reqs are right during that time...
 
o_rly.jpg
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...

Congratulations, I guess? I'm not sure what you're trying to say..
 
OP, why did even you post this thread? ... Do you want a pat on the back?

Next time, just try building one of these (shouldn't be too hard since physics was a breeze to you, so obviously you have great spatial reasoning skills):

pat_self_on_back.gif




...OTOH, I do agree w/ the OP that the prereqs really aren't that difficult (and I have taken all of them and at multiple strong schools). Still, I see no purpose in this thread.
 
ArkansasRanger said:
For me, anything non-mathy is easy while mathy stuff isn't.
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Same its why im dreading chem 102. I get the feeling o-chem might be easier for my just because i'm good at concept driven things and suck at math.
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...

From your other posts it looks like you're a high school student taking prereq classes at a community college..if this is the case then yes I am sure your classes have been a breeze so far.
 
I am curious about your age and where you are in your educational career ie non-traditional, traditional, running start?

A
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...


514QFWXD8FL._SL500_.jpg
 
Wait, OP is at a community college? Way to go, I hope you know that it is widely thought that many medical schools look down at completing prereqs at community colleges....
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...

Yeah, the MCAT is not that tough either, same goes for Step One. Sounds like you are well on your way to a top residency in a competitive specialty.

Congrats. Most people don't figure it out as early as you. It is never too soon to start shopping for your first BMW. Get a convertible, even if you live in the Northeast. It displays a certain self confidence that woman find compelling and attractive.
 
tiedyeddog said:
Wait, OP is at a community college? Way to go, I hope you know that it is widely thought that many medical schools look down at completing prereqs at community colleges....
Click to expand...

I'm not buying the OP's thread at all. That being said I dont think the pre-reqs are really that hard either. I do however, think this (quoted) statement is simply incorrect. I would argue the use of the words "widely thought" and "look down at". Bot hare incorrect. You might find some schools that dont like CC courses, but for the most part, they are fine. Search for the millions of threads on SDN about that very subject if so inclined.
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...

I had a 3.9 GPA after I finished all my pre-reqs. Then, stupidly, I tried to complete my biochemistry degree and got a 3.2 GPA senior year. The competition level going from random-chem/bio/lifescience people to pure pre-med is insane. I also slacked off too much senior year, but that's a personal problem ;p
 
My point of this thread: Don't get overly stressed over the classes. Yes, I'm a second semester freshman and HS senior. I was enrolled in Physics I and GChem I last semester and am midway through GChem II and GBio I right now.

As far as medical schools looking down upon CC classes, I'm not too sure. My state school doesn't mind either way. Other than that, I have no idea.
 
Frazier said:
Have you completed all of them?

Note: It largely depends on the professor -- a professor that awards A's to only the top x% [regardless of individual final averages] is harder than one that awards A's to anything over a 89%.
Click to expand...
At my school the chemistry department guarantees everyone an A for 85% and above. lucky huh.
 
Krypton36 said:
My point of this thread: Don't get overly stressed over the classes. Yes, I'm a second semester freshman and HS senior. I was enrolled in Physics I and GChem I last semester and am midway through GChem II and GBio I right now.

As far as medical schools looking down upon CC classes, I'm not too sure. My state school doesn't mind either way. Other than that, I have no idea.
Click to expand...



if i had taken some prereqs while in highschool i would have probably done awesome, too. living @ home and not having the college "freedom" you feel during freshman year away usually affects students.


but i mean, sure, work hard, get results. duh.
 
Then ace them. Come back and tell us when you get a 4.0.
 
Electronegative said:
At my school the chemistry department guarantees everyone an A for 85% and above. lucky huh.
Click to expand...

That's nice. At my school, I think an 85% was the highest final average for anyone in any section of general chemistry. My final average was in the 60s and I got a C (my only C on my script). Exam averages were in the 20s and 30s.

Fun times.
 
Zona Pellucida said:
That's nice. At my school, I think an 85% was the highest final average for anyone in any section of general chemistry. My final average was in the 60s and I got a C (my only C on my script). Exam averages were in the 20s and 30s.

Fun times.
Click to expand...

That's rough... 🙁
 
85% is the average for an A, yup.

In some classes the class average is 50% 🙂
 
tiedyeddog said:
FYI, nothing is that bad if you put the time into it.
Click to expand...

My ornithology class was the most difficult class I have ever taken. We had to learn 200 bird species by sight and sound with their taxonomy. On top of that, we had to know their breeding grounds and common behaviors. We also had to learn all about the dynamics of flight, avian ecology, behavior, anatomy, evolutionary history...etc.

I studied more for that class then I did the MCAT. 😱
 
Zona Pellucida said:
Highly dependent on the school & professor.
Click to expand...

This.

Case in point. Took cell bio with one teacher. VERY easy class. Didn't learn much of anything about cell bio, but got an easy A. She didn't fail a single person in the class.

My friend is taking it now. Very studious person. Teacher has a large portion of the tests fill in the blank for different enzymes and structures and whatnot. Don't tell me that it's easy to memorize all of those. Spelling counts! Pretty sure she's struggling with a B or C in that class.

Now, tell me how that scenario isn't dependent on the teacher?

Not to mention, I go to a relatively small state school. A friend of mine who goes to Berkeley was telling me about her Cell bio final and I honestly wasn't able to answer a single question. It was 10x more difficult than any test I had encountered here.
 
vin5cent0 said:
This.

Case in point. Took cell bio with one teacher. VERY easy class. Didn't learn much of anything about cell bio, but got an easy A. She didn't fail a single person in the class.

My friend is taking it now. Very studious person. Teacher has a large portion of the tests fill in the blank for different enzymes and structures and whatnot. Don't tell me that it's easy to memorize all of those. Spelling counts! Pretty sure she's struggling with a B or C in that class.

Now, tell me how that scenario isn't dependent on the teacher?

Not to mention, I go to a relatively small state school. A friend of mine who goes to Berkeley was telling me about her Cell bio final and I honestly wasn't able to answer a single question. It was 10x more difficult than any test I had encountered here.
Click to expand...

QFT. People at my school take OChem elsewhere because of the rigor of the course at my school. And even with that class it depends which prof you take it with. One is significantly harder than the other and the students know it. The "easy" section is always filled when like 120 seats are still left in the "hard" profs class.
 
VTBuc said:
My ornithology class was the most difficult class I have ever taken. We had to learn 200 bird species by sight and sound with their taxonomy. On top of that, we had to know their breeding grounds and common behaviors. We also had to learn all about the dynamics of flight, avian ecology, behavior, anatomy, evolutionary history...etc.

I studied more for that class then I did the MCAT. 😱
Click to expand...

that sounds like torture!

dru2002 said:
QFT. People at my school take OChem elsewhere because of the rigor of the course at my school. And even with that class it depends which prof you take it with. One is significantly harder than the other and the students know it. The "easy" section is always filled when like 120 seats are still left in the "hard" profs class.
Click to expand...

that's what ratemyprofessor was used for lol.
 
Krypton36 said:
Before starting college, I was terrified when I read a mass of threads on these forums about how difficult the prerequisite classes are, and honestly, they aren't that bad if you put the time into the class...
Click to expand...

I've never seen any class in college that was "difficult" with the right amount of studying. Its just figuring out how much studying is the right amount lol. Hardest class I've ever taken was a film history class. All we did IN class was watch movies. The exams were on about 200+ pages from the book with no study guide and every page FULL of directors, movie stars, production companies from around the world in the past 60 years. I've never studied more in any med school prereq than that class lol.
 
Zona Pellucida said:
That's nice. At my school, I think an 85% was the highest final average for anyone in any section of general chemistry. My final average was in the 60s and I got a C (my only C on my script). Exam averages were in the 20s and 30s.

Fun times.
Click to expand...

Lol, you go to University of Chicago with a certain professor named Norbert?
 
ColeOnTheRoll said:
I don't think the OP is trying to be an ass - he's just pointing out that a lot of the hype about pretty much anything on SDN is just that.
Click to expand...


That's how I took it.

He's trying to say that you don't have to freak out over it all. They're school classes designed by men thus the challenges are definitely surmountable. Sure, I don't want to take many of those classes namely chems and physics, but it's another hurdle on my track. This website I'm sure can cause people a lot of anxiety. A lot of what I read ticks me off because some of it is so stupid, yet the OP is testifying that he too became worried over crap posted on here and now he's finding that what he worried about isn't such an issue after all. I think that holds true for a lot of our life's worries.
 
ArkansasRanger said:
That's how I took it.

He's trying to say that you don't have to freak out over it all. They're school classes designed by men thus the challenges are definitely surmountable. Sure, I don't want to take many of those classes namely chems and physics, but it's another hurdle on my track. This website I'm sure can cause people a lot of anxiety. A lot of what I read ticks me off because some of it is so stupid, yet the OP is testifying that he too became worried over crap posted on here and now he's finding that what he worried about isn't such an issue after all. I think that holds true for a lot of our life's worries.
Click to expand...

I definitely didn't read SDN while I was taking the pre-reqs ;p
 
Ischemic said:
Lol, you go to University of Chicago with a certain professor named Norbert?
Click to expand...

Hahaa - Negative. Small private school in NY. Glad I'm not the only one who went through Gen Chem I hell, however. 😛

They specifically told us on Day 1 that about 50% of us won't pass and will most likely drop the major. They don't have enough seats in the upper level courses for everyone so they need to drop people out who "won't make it". They were right and about 50% of my major switched (mostly to psych) after the first semester.
 
I feel like all the pre-meds should switch to Psych and Econ. Definitely more useful than trying to pre-study first-year-med-school Biochemistry.

Another way to bypass gen-chem hell: Pass AP Chem with a 5. Instantly have credits for Gen Chem I and II without taking them 😀

Of course this only works if you can actually pull off an A in Gen Chem III (which I did).
 
Morsetlis said:
Another way to bypass gen-chem hell: Pass AP Chem with a 5. Instantly have credits for Gen Chem I and II without taking them 😀
Click to expand...

I think my school is weird but they accept the CREDIT for AP courses, but if it is a course required for your major/minor, you MUST still take the institution's course. A lot of students that took AP Chemistry actually didn't do too well. Basically you needed to work your ass off freshman year but once you hit sophomore year it is pretty much smooth sailing. Some people have Orgo trouble but overall not a big deal.

Gen Chem (college) was the first time I have ever seen chemistry. I only took physics in high school.
 
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