Upper level classes

[LittleRedPanda]

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Which year is best? genetics, microbiology, etc.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Which year is best? genetics, microbiology, etc.

Do you mean which year of undergrad is best to take those classes (like sophomore, junior, etc.)?

 

[Devastating]

I think that would depend on how you'd like them to fit in your schedule (when the classes are offered, how many upper-levels you would be willing to take on at once, etc.) and most importantly, when you would have any prerequisites finished (e.g., you probably can't take Microbiology without first having general biology. So that would affect when you could register for it.)

 

[LetItSnow]

I can't see a reason it matters. Take them after you take the pre-reqs, whenever they fit in.

 

[pp9]

Idk...I think it can matter, even if it's by accident. I wish I hadn't put off biochem/genetics until my last year of undergrad, because I ended up having two C's as part of my last 45 credit GPA. It wouldn't matter if you did well in the courses, but I didn't and it brought not only my science GPA down, but that pesky last 45. Double whammy, but I didn't think like this when I was scheduling (and I didn't intend to get C's...). Hindsight is 20/20.

You can game around a bit with your scheduling and in theory take any 'easier' courses in your last 45 credits, but whether or not that would even be possible depends on when you take pre-reqs for these courses, how your school allows you to schedule, etc. For example, looking back, I wish I saved my humanities courses for my senior year instead of putting off my harder pre-vet/zoology classes until then. That was easily something I could have done. However, that's a lot of planning to do based on the assumption you may not do well in certain courses, and it's complicated, and yeah. Also, I don't even know if every school calculates the last 45 credit GPA, either. Whether considering this when scheduling is actually worth it? Up to you.

Also, if you attend a big school, putting off in demand courses such as pre-professional biochem, genetics, etc. may end up screwing you over if you reach your last semester and the class is entirely full and you can't get in. It happens. My friend had to finish her degree during the summer after her last semester, but they let her participate in the spring graduation ceremony so whatever. If this were to happen, any tentative admissions to vet schools could be in trouble since most seem to require you to have your pre-reqs done by the spring prior to starting vet school.

Food for thought, or I'm just being complicated. If you really get to know school admissions processes, you can kind of work with their individual systems. It's very much worth having a rough outline of when you intend on taking each course you need to take for vet school and your major, just do it in pencil.

 

[LittleRedPanda]

Do you mean which year of undergrad is best to take those classes (like sophomore, junior, etc.)?

I'm a freshman and am behind due to family issues.. So I'll be taking bio 1 and chem 1 and want to take bio 2 and chem 2 during the summer because, again, I don't want to be any more behind. Was wondering as to when its best to take biochem and upper-level Bio classes. I'm planning on taking physics 1 and ochem 1 during my sophomore year in the first quarter and second one as well. However I don't want to set my self up for failure, hence why im asking which is the ideal time in your opinion. Thanks 🙂

 

[LittleRedPanda]

Idk...I think it can matter, even if it's by accident. I wish I hadn't put off biochem/genetics until my last year of undergrad, because I ended up having two C's as part of my last 45 credit GPA. It wouldn't matter if you did well in the courses, but I didn't and it brought not only my science GPA down, but that pesky last 45. Double whammy, but I didn't think like this when I was scheduling (and I didn't intend to get C's...). Hindsight is 20/20.

You can game around a bit with your scheduling and in theory take any 'easier' courses in your last 45 credits, but whether or not that would even be possible depends on when you take pre-reqs for these courses, how your school allows you to schedule, etc. For example, looking back, I wish I saved my humanities courses for my senior year instead of putting off my harder pre-vet/zoology classes until then. That was easily something I could have done. However, that's a lot of planning to do based on the assumption you may not do well in certain courses, and it's complicated, and yeah. Also, I don't even know if every school calculates the last 45 credit GPA, either. Whether considering this when scheduling is actually worth it? Up to you.

Also, if you attend a big school, putting off in demand courses such as pre-professional biochem, genetics, etc. may end up screwing you over if you reach your last semester and the class is entirely full and you can't get in. It happens. My friend had to finish her degree during the summer after her last semester, but they let her participate in the spring graduation ceremony so whatever. If this were to happen, any tentative admissions to vet schools could be in trouble since most seem to require you to have your pre-reqs done by the spring prior to starting vet school.

Food for thought, or I'm just being complicated. If you really get to know school admissions processes, you can kind of work with their individual systems. It's very much worth having a rough outline of when you intend on taking each course you need to take for vet school and your major, just do it in pencil.

I have senior friends who did their absolute best in the class and ended up with a C in genetics, i can't imagine taking it along with Biochem :s. I'm a freshman so I still have a lot of planning to do, wish i started with the other students but sadly :c.. So i'm forced to take bio 2 and chem 2 during the summer if i want to catch up. Just not sure if ill be able to handle that much information in a 6 week period opposed to the normal 12-15 weeks the other students have.

 

[JaynaAli]

Your individual school matters a lot in these types of questions. Some people above have talked about genetics being difficult but at my school it was a fairly basic course, especially if you went through the animal science department instead of the biology department. Also certain professors were tougher than others so you quickly heard rumors to take gen chem with X person instead of Y or to get Professor A for biochem instead of Professor B. I'd talk to upperclassmen on a similar degree path for insight.

 

[pp9]

I have senior friends who did their absolute best in the class and ended up with a C in genetics, i can't imagine taking it along with Biochem :s. I'm a freshman so I still have a lot of planning to do, wish i started with the other students but sadly :c.. So i'm forced to take bio 2 and chem 2 during the summer if i want to catch up. Just not sure if ill be able to handle that much information in a 6 week period opposed to the normal 12-15 weeks the other students have.

I took them separate, and I still had trouble! They're tough classes.

Your individual school matters a lot in these types of questions. Some people above have talked about genetics being difficult but at my school it was a fairly basic course, especially if you went through the animal science department instead of the biology department. Also certain professors were tougher than others so you quickly heard rumors to take gen chem with X person instead of Y or to get Professor A for biochem instead of Professor B. I'd talk to upperclassmen on a similar degree path for insight.

Yes, do this. You may not always get the best professor each time, but it's worth it to avoid the ones with horrible reputations.

 

[Devastating]

Your individual school matters a lot in these types of questions. Some people above have talked about genetics being difficult but at my school it was a fairly basic course, especially if you went through the animal science department instead of the biology department. Also certain professors were tougher than others so you quickly heard rumors to take gen chem with X person instead of Y or to get Professor A for biochem instead of Professor B. I'd talk to upperclassmen on a similar degree path for insight.

I took them separate, and I still had trouble! They're tough classes.

Yes, do this. You may not always get the best professor each time, but it's worth it to avoid the ones with horrible reputations.

Seconding these.when planning out which courses you'd like to take, researching is your friend. There's always ratemyprofessor and the like, but word of mouth/asking people who've taken the course recently is more accurate.

I also had to take Gen Chem 1 and 2 during the summer after my freshman year to stay on track with my degree plan, and I took Physics 1 a couple summers ago. Going through so much info in 6 weeks is definitely challenging and you can't miss a day, but at the same time it can be a bit "easier" in a way--you can focus all your attention on that course or two, and the class sizes are smaller so you're more likely to have individualized attention should you fall behind. Again, you can try to look into the class/professor!

 

[bullyb]

I'm a senior right now taking microbiology and biochem at the same time, and I took genetics this summer. I definitely liked taking the summer class because I was only taking that course, so I could focus on it and didn't have to worry about any other courses. I know people that are taking that class right now during the semester with the same professor and they are saying its super hard, so definitely talk to upperclassmen, they will tell you the truth! As for micro and biochem, its tough, but they intertwine a little bit, and taking genetics before definitely helped me out. I don't think theres necessarily a good year to take these courses, but making sure you have all the prereqs is super important because you will actually need to know what you were supposed to learn from those prior classes!!!