Starting at Rutgers with pre calculus

[mvalentine2419]

Hello,

I recently took the math placement test at Rutgers and was placed into pre calculus. Because pre calculus is a prerequisite for general chemistry and obviously calculus, I will essentially be start school in the fall a semester behind because I'd be able to take general bio first semester, but not chemistry (until Spring). Should I be worried about this? Will I still be able to graduate with a BS in bio in 4 years and apply to medical school in 3-4 years, as most premed students do?

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[jesse120]

you'll be fine. you can always take summer classes if it's ever an issue, which it won't be

 

[theWUbear]

Pre Calc and Calc 1 Freshman year
Bio 1 and two Freshman year

Physics I and II, Gen Chem I and II sophomore year

Orgo I and II junior year

Very light course load spring of junior year, coupled with MCAT evening course

May of junior year MCAT
June of junior year prayers about your score

June and possibly into July scrambling to get your committee to finish its letter (which they'll probably hold out on until they have your mcat score).

tough, stressful route to take, if it were me I might plan to take Gen chem after freshman year over the summer to put me on track with others, so orgo is during soph year, and junior year you take MCAT not while still learning orgo 2. this is all if you are attempting to have an early-in-the-cycle application after your junior year ends

 

[ccrone]

Hello,

I recently took the math placement test at Rutgers and was placed into pre calculus. Because pre calculus is a prerequisite for general chemistry and obviously calculus, I will essentially be start school in the fall a semester behind because I'd be able to take general bio first semester, but not chemistry (until Spring). Should I be worried about this? Will I still be able to graduate with a BS in bio in 4 years and apply to medical school in 3-4 years, as most premed students do?

I also placed into trig originally. Don't sweat it. I was annoyed, and thought about pushing hard for a professor override to take Calculus I directly. I'm glad I didn't go that route. I got a lot out of the trig class, had a great time, and was in perfect shape for calculus AND physics. Everyone who went straight into calculus had serious trouble in that class and physics when they were expected to have all of their trig functions/ratios memorized.

Take it. You won't regret it. 😉

 

[DinoSaysRawr]

I also placed into trig originally. Don't sweat it. I was annoyed, and thought about pushing hard for a professor override to take Calculus I directly. I'm glad I didn't go that route. I got a lot out of the trig class, had a great time, and was in perfect shape for calculus AND physics. Everyone who went straight into calculus had serious trouble in that class and physics when they were expected to have all of their trig functions/ratios memorized.

Take it. You won't regret it. 😉

Am I the only one who thinks that Pre-Cal wasn't really necessary for Calc I? 😕

 

[Verum]

You're not the only one. Pre-Calc is basically Algebra + Geometry + Trig, things which you should already know.

 

[sebass]

Why the poo do you need pre-cal for Gen Chem I? :|

 

[ccrone]

You're not the only one. Pre-Calc is basically Algebra + Geometry + Trig, things which you should already know.

The class I took was trig only. I graduated high school in 2000, and didn't start undergrad work formally until 2009. Trig was definitely pretty far removed from my brain.