Taking Bio 1, Chem 1, and Physics 1 same semester!

[Narnian]

I would like advice from someone who has maybe done this. My school advisor told me that it is academic suicide to take three hard, science classes all in the same semester. These are the only 3 classes I am taking. Is this too much? Also are the 2's (Bio 2, Chem 2 and Phys 2)even harder and not to be taken in the same semester? Because provided I can and will do well in the first three, I plan to take the next three in the sequence next semester. Has anyone done this?

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[murfettie]

yeah, people have done it.
it's serious
but whatever, lots of things in life are serious.
just make sure to drop on time if you feel you can't handle it.
nothing is worse than getting a W a day after the drop deadline.
also i think general chem 1 isn't that hard at all.

 

[Signaq]

I would like advice from someone who has maybe done this. My school advisor told me that it is academic suicide to take three hard, science classes all in the same semester. These are the only 3 classes I am taking. Is this too much? Also are the 2's (Bio 2, Chem 2 and Phys 2)even harder and not to be taken in the same semester? Because provided I can and will do well in the first three, I plan to take the next three in the sequence next semester. Has anyone done this?

I'm in the same boat as you...all three together this semester and next. I'm taking an online physics with lab, so that should free things up a bit. It's still pretty intimidating. Ah well, no guts, no glory, right?

 

[Bamish]

I would like advice from someone who has maybe done this. My school advisor told me that it is academic suicide to take three hard, science classes all in the same semester. These are the only 3 classes I am taking. Is this too much? Also are the 2's (Bio 2, Chem 2 and Phys 2)even harder and not to be taken in the same semester? Because provided I can and will do well in the first three, I plan to take the next three in the sequence next semester. Has anyone done this?

I'm sure I took all of those concurrently, so I'll chime in. I intentionally took the type of semester you are describing--on many occasions. I figured if I couldn't handle a rough semester in undergrad, I probably couldn't handle medical school, and I would rather know now than later. I think spring '08 I took :

Organic II
Biochemistry II
Genetics
DNA Repair
Molecular Biology

And the fall semester before that would have been:

Organic I
Biochem I
Calculus
Immunology

Anyway, what you are taking really doesn't sound that bad. I wouldn't listen to the advisor telling you it's suicide--medical school will be much harder, might as well get used to it now!

Good luck!

 

[sindadel]

Every semester of my undergrad involved more than three concurrent difficult science classes. You'll be fine. Keep on top of the work, go to office hours, and be aware of your standing in the class.

 

[siliso]

I did this over the past year, and it went fine. They all overlap in some ways (not a lot, but some) and it was excellent preparation for the MCAT as well. If the advisor knows you and your academic history then I would take the advice seriously...if it is generic advice for average students and you have a track record of above-average success, then I would go for it.

 

[Substance P]

I think that is a completely manageable semester. I'm assuming you're going to take the labs with the classes as well? That should a great way to dive into the coursework, just don't let yourself fall too far behind.

 

[NTF]

If you're disciplined then it's totally doable. Just make sure you get A's.

 

[Angio]

If you're disciplined then it's totally doable. Just make sure you get A's.

This.

Your advisor sounds like an.... advisor. As far as I'm concerned, they're worthless for advice. I went to them once, beginning of the year, found out way after the fact that 3 classes I took did me no good in any way, for multiple reasons.

Do your own research and trod forth!

 

[murfettie]

This.

Your advisor sounds like an.... advisor. As far as I'm concerned, they're worthless for advice. I went to them once, beginning of the year, found out way after the fact that 3 classes I took did me no good in any way, for multiple reasons.

Do your own research and trod forth!

which classes?
my advisor is talking me some stuff i'm not sure if she knows what she's talking about.

 

[Narnian]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I do not even know if she looked in my history! I am very disciplined and have taken 5 science classes already,(A and P 1 and 2, Intro Chemistry, Intro Physics, Microbiology, all A's but one. (My wife told me her doctor said she might have cancer a few days before the final in A and P 1 I got a B ) Then the lab test came back negative... Anyways I was almost certain at one point she was pretending to listen to me and blowing burps out of the side of her mouth. I thought it sounded like generic advice for traditional average students too. Thanks everyone... you guys are my advisors

 

[Deeper1]

Narnian,


What else do you have going on in life? Do you have a family to support or work full-time? Do you have other obligations like helping to take care of a sick family member or something like that? These are things I'd consider if they are applicable to you.

I agree with everyone else that this load is doable, but any schedule is doable provided you have the time and energy to put forth the maximum effort. I took A&P I, Pre-Cal, and Gen. Chem. I . I last semester and worked full-time, and took care of a sick grandmother. I had A's almost the entire time till up to the end when my grandmother was in an accident at home. I took some hits to my grades towards the end, but still finished up well.

The point is you have to know yourself really well and by what you have written I think you can do it. Just be certain that you have the time to devote to it and I'm sure you'll do great.

Lastly, the only thing I'd warn against is trying to rush in your pre-reqs so that you could apply earlier (if that applies to you). I could have finished my pre-reqs in a year and been ready for the coming application cycle, but I decided to take an extra year to really firm up my standing as a future applicant. It can be frustrating to wait, but I know I'll be better prepared for the MCAT when I take it.

 

[DLY303]

I think that schedule is very doable. You just have to know your strengths and weaknesses and use that knowledge to adjust the way in which you handle your course load.

Over the last two years, I have carried from 9-15 credit hours at a time with multiple sciences at the same time (and worked and been involved on campus). This is somewhat of a light schedule, but I have also had three major surgeries involving travel out of state, hospitalization, and extended recovery. I have been able to maintain a 4.0 and I am not a particularly exceptional student. The situation has just forced me to be proactive and focused.

You can do it too. Sometimes, I think forcing yourself to sink or swim can be a good thing.

 

[Substance P]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I do not even know if she looked in my history! I am very disciplined and have taken 5 science classes already,(A and P 1 and 2, Intro Chemistry, Intro Physics, Microbiology, all A's but one. (My wife told me her doctor said she might have cancer a few days before the final in A and P 1 I got a B ) Then the lab test came back negative... Anyways I was almost certain at one point she was pretending to listen to me and blowing burps out of the side of her mouth. I thought it sounded like generic advice for traditional average students too. Thanks everyone... you guys are my advisors

I feel even more confident telling you that you can do this load since you have taken the intro's to the courses. Most people scoff at the intro courses, but I wish I had taken them. It would have made the regular courses that much easier.

This load is manageable and your advisor sounds like every other advisor. My old advisor told me I shouldn't even bother with medicine when I came back to school, because the courses would be too difficult for me based on my previous performance, she was wrong. And I've got a feeling that yours is as well. Just make sure you keep at it and whenever you think you've studied enough, remember that smug advisor that said you couldn't do it... That might be enough of an incentive for you to add on a few more minutes of studying every day.

Either way, good luck.

 

[aylaanne]

If you can't handle three science courses with lab in the same semester, and do well, then you can't handle med school.

 

[Angio]

If you can't handle three science courses with lab in the same semester, and do well, then you can't handle med school.

This too.

The classes I took were some extra socio classes, and two extra humanities classes, because I didn't know at the time that certain classes qualify for multiple requirements.

Anyways, I'm doing 3 upper level science classes, along with calculus. Wasn't too bad

Jimmy

 

[Salient]

Kinda like has been already said, most advisers give advice assuming that you're an average student, i.e. the kind that would get a C in gen chem even if it was your only science class. Have faith in yourself; if you're capable of doing medicine, you're capable of doing three freshman science classes at the same time.

 

[Salient]

...

This load is manageable and your advisor sounds like every other advisor. My old advisor told me I shouldn't even bother with medicine when I came back to school, because the courses would be too difficult for me based on my previous performance, she was wrong. ...

Either way, good luck.

No kidding, past performance means nothing when you're dealing with students who are coming back to school. How many people do you know who aren't initially planning on professional or graduate school who give 100% their first run through college.

 

[BWSTW]

I agree with everyone here, but I also think that it depends on the professor teaching the course. I took Ochem I and Physics I along with soc class and I ended up with a C in physics and having to retake Ochem. I had a prof in Ochem that enjoyed flunking his students and over half the class had to retake/drop it and the ones that moved on to Ochem II had to retake that class. He was famous for extremely hard tests.

As far as physics goes, I'm not that great with math and the prof we had was hard to understand (english was not his first lang) and he wan't the best at explaining things. Super nice guy tho.

Up until that point I had A's in Chem I and II , and B's in Bio (it had been about 4 years in between bio I and bio II and I wasn't premed when I tood Bio I so a B was fine at the time. ) along with A's in all my other classes.
So, I think that what you are taking is doable, if you are dedicated, have time to study and don't have prof that like to flunk their students.

Good luck to you!