prospective 1st semester at cornell. tell me if its OK

[sandman30303]

so i was thinking about taking these classes

CHEM 2070 (intro gen chem w/ lab)
BIOG 1440: Intro Comparative Physiology (Cornell no longer accepts AP cred for bio so, this class doesnt have a lab component)
MATH 1710: Intro stat
First Year Writing Seminar
SPAN 1110: Intro to Spanish

this comes out to 18 credits

do u think this is too much or just about right?

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[RogueUnicorn]

no advisors at ithaca?

 

[sandman30303]

i cant talk to advisors just yet

 

[RogueUnicorn]

then why the rush?

one word of warning - it's not the best idea to heap up on the first college semester of a well regarded school. you might not know what you're in for.

 

[DoctaFuture]

I personally don't know how the semester system feels, but I only took 3 classes and a seminar during the first quarter of my freshman year. I'd recommend on not overloading first semester/quarter b/c you need to adjust.

 

[jesse120]

you may very well be able to handle 18, or you may not. it's not about intelligence, it's about adjustment to an ivy from hs. personally i recommend taking a lighter load now and then you'll know whether you can take a heavier load next semester. it's safest.

 

[ohgodidonteven]

CHEM 2070 (intro gen chem w/ lab)

In my experience, CHEM 2150 was a better experience. It had a higher curve, less students, and covered virtually the 2nd half of AP chemistry. CHEM 2160 was also very interesting at least under Garnet Chan. It introduces you to a bit of Quantum Mechanics that might seem a little weird but shouldn't be difficult if you're willing to learn.

BIOG 1440: Intro Comparative Physiology (Cornell no longer accepts AP cred for bio so, this class doesnt have a lab component)

I know they've restructured some classes since I've taken biology, but isn't first year usually evolution and something else now?

MATH 1710: Intro stat

Why not Calc I?

First Year Writing Seminar

Yes, good idea. Choose one you think you'll enjoy.

SPAN 1110: Intro to Spanish\

If possible, you should try to test into 2nd year spanish and just do one semester of that, but again, ONLY if you can do well in 2nd year spanish.

this comes out to 18 credits

do u think this is too much or just about right?
Provided you are a dedicated student, you should do fine. Don't let first-year freedom get to your head. I took first-year biology, CHEM2150, Calc I, and a FWS for 15 credits. Did well in all the classes except the biology lab. We don't talk about the biology lab.

 

[cfx]

.

 

[surftheiop]

so i was thinking about taking these classes

CHEM 2070 (intro gen chem w/ lab)
BIOG 1440: Intro Comparative Physiology (Cornell no longer accepts AP cred for bio so, this class doesnt have a lab component)
MATH 1710: Intro stat
First Year Writing Seminar
SPAN 1110: Intro to Spanish

this comes out to 18 credits

do u think this is too much or just about right?

Unless your in a major that requires it, don't take stats in the math department!

 

[anbuitachi]

thats pretty much the norm in cornell. they just changed the intro bio stuff so i'm not too familar with those but you should be taking a bio class with lab or a bio lab soon. and yes it's not neccessary to take Math 171 stat, it doesn't really matter but PAM and AEM stats are easier. However math 171 isn't that bad either.

and the cornell advisors are pretty useless (some of them at least), it's much better to ask people whos taken the class!

 

[Amrazzz]

I always think its best to bulk up on classes your first two years so you open up time during your third year and focus on MCAT and applications.

Here is what I took my first year:
Fall Quarter
Bio w/ Lab
Chem w/Lab
Applied Calc
English Comp

Winter Quarter
Bio (differed Lab due to AP cred)
Chem w/ Lab
Applied Calc II
Psychology I
English Comp II

Spring Quarter
Bio
Chem w/ Lab
Sociology I
French III

its definitely manageable

 

[InLocoAbsentia]

Certainly, this doesn't look any worse than any other first year of college. If you're sure you can handle the 18 hours, then you're gold. I have to ask though: if you're good enough for AP, why not go for calculus? It makes physics way easier.

 

[surftheiop]

Certainly, this doesn't look any worse than any other first year of college. If you're sure you can handle the 18 hours, then you're gold. I have to ask though: if you're good enough for AP, why not go for calculus? It makes physics way easier.

Do you go to Cornell?

I'm an engineer so I had to take a ton of math, but flippantly taking math classes at Cornell destroys many a freshman GPA (even people who made 5's on B/C calc like me struggled to pull off a B)

 

[ohgodidonteven]

Do you go to Cornell?

I'm an engineer so I had to take a ton of math, but flippantly taking math classes at Cornell destroys many a freshman GPA (even people who made 5's on B/C calc like me struggled to pull off a B)

Yes, well, Engineering math will do that to you. I took standard Calc I and II (1110/1120) with only having done Calc A/B sophomore year and I pulled off two A's. I have no idea how I managed the second one, but it worked.

 

[Chemdude]

Welcome to the highest rank in the Ivy League!

Prepare to get owned

/jk

I think your schedule is fine. Remember, it might be rough the first couple of weeks (semester), but don't let it get to you. It takes a while to get used to the rigor of Cornell academics.

If you want to be super awesome at Cornell, you have to start working hard from day 1...

 

[Chemdude]

Unless your in a major that requires it, don't take stats in the math department!

I heard the best/easiest stats class is the ILR one....

 

[chocchipcookie]

^ agreed. just took ILR stats and it was pretty easy. cheat sheets for every test. 6 sheets for the final (wuht.) liz karns <3

i really wouldn't double up on sciences and take calc 1 your first semester. take either math and 1 science or 2 sciences and fulfill other random distribution requirements to get a feel for how classes will be

 

[ohgodidonteven]

It is usually suggested you do two 'sciences' a year, biology, chemistry, ochem, physics, math, and maybe evo/biochem.

My schedule was:
1st year
Biology+Lab/GenChemistry/Calculus/FWS
2nd year
Physics/OChem+lab/Biochemistry/Evolution/QuantitativeChem

I was headed down the Biochemistry concentration and my advisor thought I was crazy. Suggestion: if you feel you have an aptitude in chemistry, take the honors courses. Don't slack off in bio ones, and take standard Physics.

 

[Chemdude]

It is usually suggested you do two 'sciences' a year, biology, chemistry, ochem, physics, math, and maybe evo/biochem.

My schedule was:
1st year
Biology+Lab/GenChemistry/Calculus/FWS
2nd year
Physics/OChem+lab/Biochemistry/Evolution/QuantitativeChem

I was headed down the Biochemistry concentration and my advisor thought I was crazy. Suggestion: if you feel you have an aptitude in chemistry, take the honors courses. Don't slack off in bio ones, and take standard Physics.

YES! DO NOT TAKE ENGINEERING PHYSICS!!! It is much harder and it requires a lot more time. A lot of my premed friends who ended up with B's in engineering physics could have easily gotten A's in standard physics.

 

[ohgodidonteven]

Yes, standard Physics is not a breeze in the park, but you will be able to score an A easy (due to grading scheme) if you are competent and motivated enough. Warning: In your second semester, the tests are more difficult, but the final is a piece of cake.

I'm not familiar with biology courses as they've changed on me.

You can go non-honors and honors for Chemistry. It has seemed to be in the past years,non-honors was somewhat 'harder' than honors due to a combination of factors.

Don't take honors calc or engineering calculus unless you feel lke you have a good background and believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

 

[surftheiop]

Yes, standard Physics is not a breeze in the park, but you will be able to score an A easy (due to grading scheme) if you are competent and motivated enough. Warning: In your second semester, the tests are more difficult, but the final is a piece of cake.

I'm not familiar with biology courses as they've changed on me.

You can go non-honors and honors for Chemistry. It has seemed to be in the past years,non-honors was somewhat 'harder' than honors due to a combination of factors.

Don't take honors calc or engineering calculus unless you feel lke you have a good background and believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

As someone who took 215/216 (I guess thats 2150/2160 now?) I would advise against taking the honors gen chem sequence. The first course is fine, but the second course is very odd. In 216 they first start out trying to teach you basic quantum mechanics w/o calculus, then you do a bunch of MO diagram stuff, then do some basic organic chemistry using only MO diagrams and then you do some weird metallic structure chemistry stuff that was really more like some materials science class. All in all was a very odd class that was pretty difficult because it was so unpredictable.

(First day of class prof said "There is no textbook in existence that covers all the different topics of this class, so we will only use my lecture notes )

 

[ohgodidonteven]

As someone who took 215/216 (I guess thats 2150/2160 now?) I would advise against taking the honors gen chem sequence. The first course is fine, but the second course is very odd. In 216 they first start out trying to teach you basic quantum mechanics w/o calculus, then you do a bunch of MO diagram stuff, then do some basic organic chemistry using only MO diagrams and then you do some weird metallic structure chemistry stuff that was really more like some materials science class. All in all was a very odd class that was pretty difficult because it was so unpredictable.

When we took it, we had a professor named Garnet Chan who was very good. I had been pre-warned that the class was hard, so I attended every lecture and office hours and gained a fairly good understanding of the material. The first test was difficult, but he realized that he had overestimated our readiness and the next few were easier. It depends on how much you pay attention to the professor since there is no textbook.