Summer School

[DrStraggler]

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I'm Currently completing my first year of bio/chem, and would move onto physics/orgo as a sophomore...but I'm also doing my math year along with a few of my major classes. It sounds like an over-flowing plate.

I've heard a lot of conflicting views about summer school. Is it basically, "I'm studying 24/7" or do they cut stuff out that makes the course easier?

I'd be taking a 4 week course for Physics I and then another 4 week course for Physics II.

Any/all suggestions appreciated.

 

[Stumpyman]

Physics is tough in the summer, especially yours since it's only 4 weeks. Bio isn't too bad in the summer though...

If you already know physics pretty well, then it wouldn't be too bad to take it in the summer. But if you don't know it at all, I recommend taking it in the regular school year, as you need to develop your problem solving skills for the specific course.

 

[Cambino]

I'm Currently completing my first year of bio/chem, and would move onto physics/orgo as a sophomore...but I'm also doing my math year along with a few of my major classes. It sounds like an over-flowing plate.

I've heard a lot of conflicting views about summer school. Is it basically, "I'm studying 24/7" or do they cut stuff out that makes the course easier?

I'd be taking a 4 week course for Physics I and then another 4 week course for Physics II.

Any/all suggestions appreciated.

I had initial plans of taking physics over the summer at my school, too, but decided against it and finished my math instead. This was because, at my school, summer courses review a little less material and try and jam-pack as much as they can within a 4-week period. It may be a little disadvantageous for the MCAT if your institution works this way too...

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

More or less you cover 2-3x the amount the material a week. As compared to the regular semester. So basically you'll need to do around 10 book problems a day to keep up in physics.

 

[Knocked Up]

I'd be taking a 4 week course for Physics I and then another 4 week course for Physics II.

If you have never taken Physics before DO NOT do this to yourself. You have to learn physics right the first time around, and 4 weeks is NOT enough time. You will be SOL come MCAT time. The MCAT physics is HIGHLY conceptual and unless you have a DEEP grasp of the topics you will NOT do well on it. Take a full year of physics and really learn to conceptualize the information.

Remember, you aren't learning this material to get an A in the class. You also aren't learning it for fun. You are learning this material to do well on the PS section of the MCAT. So take your time and really learn it.

 

[DrStraggler]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to talk it over with a few people at my school who've done it and hopefully I'll be able to work out something where I'm not totally bogged down during my sophomore year. I appreciate the opinions!

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

I just finished taking a year of general chemistry over the summer. The class was taught on the quarter system, with three classes of five credits each. The first two were four weeks, the third quarter was only three weeks. Here's my opinions:

The material is all the same. Nothing is cut out. Taking one class over the summer is like taking three during the regular year. It might not be easy, but it's far from an impossible workload. You won't be able to take two difficult classes or to work full time and take one class, but a schedule of physics and an easy class or a part time job is possible.

The class is fast paced, and you will need to be very self-motivated to stay on top of things. If you can't make yourself study every day and attend almost every lecture, you will fall behind, and there is no time to catch up. My classes had a test every week. On the bright side, you won't ever have multiple tests in one week like you will in the regular year, and studying for exams, especially the final, is easy since the material is so fresh. There's only one class to worry about, so it's easier to keep track of what work you have to do. I feel that I got a good education, and I understand general chemistry at least as well as if I had taken the class during the regular year.

Classes are smaller, and the students are generally better. Everyone wants to learn, since the people who go to college to smoke dope and play video games generally don't take summer classes.

In general, I would recommend summer classes, as long as you can stay motivated enough to keep on top of the work. The only exception would be if you were in a situation in which you absolutely, positively had to get an A. There isn't much flexibility when it comes to taking exams, so illness or a death in the family at exactly the wrong time could spoil a good grade. The combination of a staph infection, a tough chapter on redox reactions, preparing to move to Alaska and the final exam all in the same week very nearly knocked my grade in the last quarter down a letter.

 

[brahms11]

I just finished taking a year of general chemistry over the summer. The class was taught on the quarter system, with three classes of five credits each. The first two were four weeks, the third quarter was only three weeks. Here's my opinions:

The material is all the same. Nothing is cut out. Taking one class over the summer is like taking three during the regular year. It might not be easy, but it's far from an impossible workload. You won't be able to take two difficult classes or to work full time and take one class, but a schedule of physics and an easy class or a part time job is possible.

The class is fast paced, and you will need to be very self-motivated to stay on top of things. If you can't make yourself study every day and attend almost every lecture, you will fall behind, and there is no time to catch up. My classes had a test every week. On the bright side, you won't ever have multiple tests in one week like you will in the regular year, and studying for exams, especially the final, is easy since the material is so fresh. There's only one class to worry about, so it's easier to keep track of what work you have to do. I feel that I got a good education, and I understand general chemistry at least as well as if I had taken the class during the regular year.

Classes are smaller, and the students are generally better. Everyone wants to learn, since the people who go to college to smoke dope and play video games generally don't take summer classes.

In general, I would recommend summer classes, as long as you can stay motivated enough to keep on top of the work. The only exception would be if you were in a situation in which you absolutely, positively had to get an A. There isn't much flexibility when it comes to taking exams, so illness or a death in the family at exactly the wrong time could spoil a good grade. The combination of a staph infection, a tough chapter on redox reactions, preparing to move to Alaska and the final exam all in the same week very nearly knocked my grade in the last quarter down a letter.

This is a good summary. I took Physics I/II over the summer at tough institution. It was algebra-based only, thank God.

The 7-8 weeks were pure hell a lot of the time with nothing but physics from wake to sleep. However, I think it was helpful that I learned to think like a physicist out of necessity. There is something to be said for spending time on one thing and one thing only to learn it well.

If you decide to take the plunge review your trig, geometry (law of cosines, etc.), and calculus (if applicable) before the first day of class. You don't want to be playing catch-up in such a fast-paced environment.

If you want it badly enough and haven't been struggling in other science classes, you should be OK.