Stats or Calc 2, and what about Psychology

[cubbbie]

Hello,

With my little time remaining as a pre-med, I'm trying to decide if I should take Stats or Calc 2. I know some schools require one or the other. Also, do you think enough schools require Psychology so that I should shell out the $1500 and take it?

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[iamgoaloriented]

I can't think of any schools that require psych, but unless there is some school that you want to go to that requires it I say don't take it (if you want to learn psych, just buy a book and read it because basic psych courses tend to be absurdely easy).

Only a few schools require Calc 2 (Harvard is the only one I can think of), but in my opinion students should take it because you learn a lot more than you do in Calc 1 and you learn a lot more usefull stuff.

Stat is pretty useful to though, more useful than Calc 2 and a lot easier, so most people in your situation would be better off taking that. Pre med students should take both.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

Hello,

With my little time remaining as a pre-med, I'm trying to decide if I should take Stats or Calc 2. I know some schools require one or the other. Also, do you think enough schools require Psychology so that I should shell out the $1500 and take it?

I don't think schools require Psych but a few schools require math (which can be satisfied by Stats). It depends on the schools that you want to apply to. Look at the requirements for the schools on their website or buy MSAR. Calculus can also take care of math requirements ...... so if schools do not require calculus then take Stat...very useful stuff

 

[bewitched1081]

i think there are more schools that req' a full year of calc than 1/2 yr of calc and stats. i can only think of one school that req's stats (ucla). i think a full year would be good. harvard, duke, and wash u in st louis req' a full year. it's better if you take the second half right after the first half anyway.

 

[PineappleGirl]

I vote for stats. In the long run, much more useful than calc and, as you probably know, all the math on the MCAT is pre-calc.
If you're interested in psych and need to raise your GPA I'd take a psych class, but if you'd just be doing it to have it on your transcript, I wouldn't.

 

[Code Brown]

I vote for stats. In the long run, much more useful than calc and, as you probably know, all the math on the MCAT is pre-calc.
If you're interested in psych and need to raise your GPA I'd take a psych class, but if you'd just be doing it to have it on your transcript, I wouldn't.

I second this one. Take stats over calc 2. It will be less work and more useful in the long run. Only 3 schools that I know of require a full year of Calc (Harvard, Duke, Wash U).

 

[cubbbie]

Thanks, this was helpful. I do know U of Minn requires psychology, but I could just take it after I get in if I decide to go there. I think I'll probably just do both Calc 2 and Stats, because I need to raise my Science/Math GPA anyway. I'm glad to hear Stats is useful -- which makes sense. I just never thought of it on those terms.

 

[relentless11]

Thanks, this was helpful. I do know U of Minn requires psychology, but I could just take it after I get in if I decide to go there. I think I'll probably just do both Calc 2 and Stats, because I need to raise my Science/Math GPA anyway. I'm glad to hear Stats is useful -- which makes sense. I just never thought of it on those terms.

Good call. Although some might frown on either calculus or stats (or both!), I have learned that stats is VERY important. Especially biostatistics if you are going to become a physician. I pretty much took the lowest stats class that i could find. Paid dearly for that this year. I'm doing my own research and I need to use upper division (and higher) level biostatistics so i can prove that this clinical data is statistically significant. Its a pain in the behind, but I have to say, if i took more statistics...it would've helped

With regards to calculus, it just helps to have this background. More than likely, your average physician will not need to do intergrals or differential equations. But the concepts that you would gain from calculus may come in handy. I personally took the full year of calculus, and I think i benefited from it in terms of a scientist.

Ultimately the more things you take, the more tools you have in your "bag". The more diverse and indepth the "bag" is, the better I say