unorthadox prereq schedule...good or bad idea?

[nicetomeetyou]

Hey all,

so, I am starting my prereqs this spring semester and here is how I plan to do it.

Spring:
A&P I
Chem I

Summer:
Physics I-II

Fall:
A&P II
Chem II


as you can see, their is a 3 month gap between A&P/Chem I and A&P/Chem II. is this a problem? will my grades in II suffer because of this gap? do you all have any suggestions on what I can do? I would like to get the prereqs finished by December 2013.

thanks for your help.

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[Monastn5]

Hi! I actually did my schedule similar. I had a year gap between Chem 1 and 2, a 3 month gap between A&P 1 and 2, as well as a 3 month gap between physics 1 and 2. I got A's in both chems and and am finishing up A&P 2 and physics 2 now. You'll be fine, you'll be surprised how much info you actually retain. Just put in the effort and it won't be a problem 🙂.

 

[NewTestament]

My only problem is your summer schedule. Physics takes time and effort to learn. I highly recommend you take Physics I and II in the fall and spring. For example, take Physics I in the fall, and then Physics II in the spring. It's a challenging course.

Keep your essential notes from chemistry I. There's much more carry over from Chemistry I to Chemistry II than there is from Physics I to Physics II.

Kevin

 

[nicolej5]

i think you could be fine taking physics over the summer. I took my first semester of it over summer and got an a. I think it can sometimes be better to take physics over the summer because if you don't have a heavy summer schedule that means more time for physics. Also, the student to teacher ration are generally pretty low in summer courses.

 

[nomattic]

I agree with the sentiment about maybe taking just Physics I over the summer, but Physics I and II?? Unless you're naturally gifted with some physics skills (which I am not), I'd say that sounds like a kick in the pants. Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into with that one.

 

[LadyCard05]

Speaking from experience I took Physics 1 and 2 over the summer and struggled to get C's. I just retook Physics 1 this fall and had much better results. Any kind of accelerated Physics isn't a great idea, although I understand the sense of urgency and just wanting to get it done. It's just too much to learn so fast. Chem or A&P is a much more summer-friendly class in my opinion.

 

[nicetomeetyou]

what about if I switch the Chem and Physics around, so that i'm doing Physics I in the spring , Physics II in the fall and Chem I-II this summer?

 

[NewTestament]

That's exactly what I did last year, and I'm in PT school. I got three As and one B (in Physics II). Sounds like a good plan.

Kevin

 

[nicolej5]

i think you've really gotta look at yourself for this one. are you better in chem or physics (if you took in high school). if you didn't take in high school, read up on the professors, try to see if any friends have taken it, read up on the class. then you can decide which one requires a semester worth of time (the one you think you will struggle in). kevin took chem during summer and i took physics during summer. we both did well with both, this just depends on what kind of learner you are and what your strong suit is.

 

[nicetomeetyou]

I received a B in Biology & Chemistry and a B- in Physics while in high school, though this was 8 years ago and I was not the hardest worker then. I remember Physics being particularly challenging though. However, problems have arisen because i've looked at my local community college, and all of the Physics classes are booked up for this spring! Is it possible to do A&P 2 with a three month break after A&P1?

 

[mirifical]

It sounds like you have a solid plan. It is going to be a lot of work, but it definitely is manageable.

I actually had 2 years between Physics I and II, and 1 1/2 years between A&P I and II. I got As in all those classes, and I actually found the 2nd half of both those classes and Chemistry easier than the 1st half. Both times that I took Physics over the summer, about 1/2 the class took both sections. They seemed to do fine, but they were definitely a bit drained by the end.

 

[NewTestament]

As Nicole points out, it's certainly possible to go your proposed route and take two Physics courses in the summer, but I don't recommend it. Only go that route if it's your last option. Try to take either AP or Chem during the summer. Whatever class you take, your're going to be busy, but you have a better chance of getting an A or B in Chem or AP than Physics, unless you're gifted like Nicole, that is.

Kevin

 

[nicetomeetyou]

Due to a lack of Physics I options this spring, i'm going to go with A&PI, Chem I this semester. I don't know what it is like around you, but here we have summer session 1 (June-July 15)and summer session 2 (July 15-End August). I think I will do Physics I in session 1 and A&P II in session 2.

However, this still leaves Chem I & a Bio class for the fall semester. Would it be possible to apply for Fall 2014 entry to DPT if I haven't completed these two prereqs? or should I space it out more and aim for Fall 2015 instead?

 

[nicolej5]

I believe most schools will allow you to have 2-3 prereqs in progress or planned at the time of application. Not sure if it depends which pre reqs they are or if it puts you at a disadvantage. I don't think so though, I applied this cycle and am currently taking gen bio 2 and abnormal psych. Maybe check with each program individually and go from there.

 

[mirifical]

When I applied, I was taking General Bio I and Abnormal Psychology which were prerequisites for some of the schools, and I told them I intended to take Physiology (A&PII) in the spring. I got accepted at 2 schools that didn't even see the grades for those classes. So 2 or 3 pending courses usually doesn't seem to be too much of a problem.