Systematic Botany OR Biogeography?

[Cofo]

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My university is offering Systematic Botany, and Biogeography during the summer. They are advanced biology courses, and they each last 4 weeks.
I made an A in Botany, and I am currently making an A in Zoology.
If I can make A's in these courses during a regular semester, along with studying for other classes...I think I could make an A in these summer classes.
Systematic Botany---Lecture is from 8:00-9:20 MTWRF, and Lab is from 12:20-4:20 MWF
Biogeography--- Lecture is from 12:20-2:20 MTWRF ...and NO Lab!!!

Is this GPA suicide for me? Will it matter much to the adcoms of which one of these classes I take? I want to impress them, while raising my sciGPA.

 

[SanOnofre2002]

I don't think those classes are going to get any adcoms drooling over your application. But if you think you can get A's in them and pad your GPA, go for it.

 

[Regmata]

Why would you want to take botany?

 

[ummjoey]

i dont think taking 1 class over summer is GPA suicide? you should be able to handle 1 class...

i personally would take biogeography because there is no lab and the lecture times are good...

i agree with SanOnofre2002 in that adcoms wont really care which one you take.

i also agree with Regmata. why take botany? why not take some recommended science class by the dental schools?

 

[Cofo]

Should I take physics1 and physics 2 in the summer?
I tried taking chemistry1 last summer...I dropped because it because my university's chemistry and math departments are WEEDOUT classes. Would physics be easier, and would it be hard to make an A in the summer time?
BTW, I make A's in all my biology classes. Here is the physics schedule for this summer.
Physics 1: LECTURE is 5:30-8:00 PM, MTWR and LAB is 8:00-10:00 PM, MW or TR
Those hours don't seem so bad at all. Should I do it in the summer? I need to bring my SciGPA up. I just wonder if it is hard to get an A during the summer. But those hours are pretty good....? Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[ummjoey]

Should I take physics1 and physics 2 in the summer?
I tried taking chemistry1 last summer...I dropped because it because my university's chemistry and math departments are WEEDOUT classes. Would physics be easier, and would it be hard to make an A in the summer time?
BTW, I make A's in all my biology classes. Here is the physics schedule for this summer.
Physics 1: LECTURE is 5:30-8:00 PM, MTWR and LAB is 8:00-10:00 PM, MW or TR
Those hours don't seem so bad at all. Should I do it in the summer? I need to bring my SciGPA up. I just wonder if it is hard to get an A during the summer. But those hours are pretty good....? Anyone have an opinion on this?

i say take physics over the other 2. at least physics you can raise your BCP gpa too. i am not sure if the other 2 will count as BCP.

however, for me physics took time to "digest." sometimes it would take me like an hour to do a physics problem. i just wasnt good at it.

i still dont really understand why you really want to take a science class over the summer? i know you want to raise your sci gpa, but 1 class isnt going to change it that much. why not take a 2-3 fun and easy classes and get A+s to boost your gpa like crazy. since A+ will count as a 4.3 on AADSAS?

the decision is really up to you. whatever class you take i think it will be fine as long as you get As.

 

[toothfairy85]

Taking science classes during a shortened term (i.e. 4-5 week classes) is not an easy task. I took chemistry and lab in a 10 week session one summer, and thank goodness that was all I did. It was a lot of work. I enrolled in a genetics class during a 5 week term in the summer and ended up dropping because I got really sick, and I just couldn't afford to be missing anymore class. I don't think I would have made an A if I had stayed in the course. It was a difficult class, and extremely fast-paced. I know sometimes, some summer classes will abbreviate the syllabus and cut out the "not-so-important" stuff, but this genetics class did not. We were still expected to do 30 chapters in 5 weeks, and then a cumulative final the last week. You might also see what professor is teaching which course. Sometimes the professors who end up teaching in the summer are the "difficult" professors who only give 1 A. You don't want to do that to yourself. At my undergrad, physics was one of the hardest courses to take in the summer. The labs are pretty easy, but the lecture will keep you busy enough. If you are really set on taking a science course, maybe you could enroll in Physics 1 lecture the first term (no lab) and see how you do. And if you feel like you are doing well, then enroll in Physics 2. Or enroll in both, then drop Physics 2 before it starts if you struggled in Physics 1, or are burned out. Then you could always take a core curriculum class the second term (i.e. politics, economics, history, etc.) They are pretty easy to get A's in during the summer.

 

[laundry]

Both sound like a lot of fun. With systematic botany you will be spending a loooot of time in the herbarium, keying out plants. You will most likely also make your own collection for a grade. Lots of busy work.

Biogeography should be pretty straightforward. I'm not sure, but you may go into population genetics. If so, you'll be crying a river, mate, i promise.

But I say go for it. The worst thing that can happen is you dropping a class.