Upper level courses...how hard are they???

[i cant tell you]

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Hey folks

I am about to transfer to a university, and as ive read MANY times on this board, i should take upper level bio courses such as histology, anatomy and physiology (although sometimes this is counted as a first year course), pharmacology, etc.

So i have a special request for whoever has taken upper level bio courses. Can you list:
1) What upper level bio courses you have taken?

2) How hard were they???

3) Was it a shock compared to first year bio courses???

4) What was your major in comparison to taking these courses (for example, are you a philosophy major, and decided to take some upper level classes...or were you a bio major and took upper level bio courses). I ask this because it will help gauge if you have a liking towards bio, or interests are somewhere else.


Thank you SO MUCH to all of you people...it really helps to have you all helping each other.

Thanks again!

 

[savvysearch]

Honestly, I thought upper division courses were much easier than lower division courses.

 

[Toothinator]

I think it all depends where you take them. Some schools are known to have harder sci programs than others.

 

[BallDontLie]

Hey folks

I am about to transfer to a university, and as ive read MANY times on this board, i should take upper level bio courses such as histology, anatomy and physiology (although sometimes this is counted as a first year course), pharmacology, etc.

So i have a special request for whoever has taken upper level bio courses. Can you list:
1) What upper level bio courses you have taken?

2) How hard were they???

3) Was it a shock compared to first year bio courses???

4) What was your major in comparison to taking these courses (for example, are you a philosophy major, and decided to take some upper level classes...or were you a bio major and took upper level bio courses). I ask this because it will help gauge if you have a liking towards bio, or interests are somewhere else.


Thank you SO MUCH to all of you people...it really helps to have you all helping each other.

Thanks again!

1) genetics, biochem, immunology, neurobio, microbio, molec bio, cell bio

2) From my experience, the material that is covered in lecture and in texts isnt really that tough. The thing i found difficult was the research journals from PubMed we often had to read. That stuff was real dense and it took me forever to fully understand the thought process of the researchers and the experimental design. Plus the exam questions in upperlevel bios were more open-ended...like you're put into a situation where to have to characterize or isolate a certain protein and they ask you to design an experiment to do so. I guess it might be easier if you have some experience in a research lab, but i didnt, so it was tough. But the more you do it the easier it gets. Basically, the material isnt any harder, but the exam questions are harder because you dont simply pick a multiple choice answer or describe some figure in the book. Its more about applying your knowledge to current research.

3) a shock? not really...just a pain in the ass

4) im a cell & molecular bio major...so they were all required in some way shape or form.

 

[lindandy]

It seems that after a while they all start to blend. Histology seems like a review of Micro with some Biochem mixed in. For the most part they seem to expand on what was taught in the general pre-reqs and seemed to become easier after each one.

 

[thewince7]

I actually did worse in my intro bios than upper level bios. I thought anatomy and phys were pretty easy. Just dont recommend taking them both in the summer, working a normal job, and studying the dat because it sucks. But thats probably how chaotic dental school will be, oh well.

 

[arash]

I have taken alot of science courses (explains my low science GPA of 3.1), I must say the hardest class that I have ever taken was Immunology. This class was unbelievable. Again it depends where you take this class. I took it at Rutgers University (NJ) and the tests were rediculously hard. I even heard that our immunology was harder than the one they were teaching in the first year of Med or Dental schools. So again it depends where you take it at. So my advice is try not to take these courses:

Immunology and Histology (dental scools love these two classes but don't take them if you think you can only get Cs), Physical Chemistry, and Molecular Biolchemistry.

And instead take:

Anatomy and Physiology, Animal Reproduction, Cancer, Excersice Physiology, Principle of Evolution, Pathogenic Microbiology, or other similar classes.

 

[IWuvTeef]

upper level courses are not hard, per se. what's hard is managing your time. the subjects aren't hard; it's just hard putting in the effort to learn the tons of material they throw at you.

time management is key.

better to experience the courseload now, while in undergrad...than have it hit you like a bus in d-school.

 

[cgDDS]

I am a science major, so I've taken a heavy load of upper division science courses...After all of the science I've taken, I think that intro to Bio I and II weren't very good classes (and I would consider them more difficult too). I think that those classes try to cram too much information into one semester. The upper division courses give you more detail and explanation about whats going on, but at a much slower pace... for me, it was a lot easier in the upper division courses, rather than switching from topic to topic like the intro courses do. Lastly, the difficulty of a course can change drastically depending on the teacher you get. Cell biology and cell physiolgy are practically the same class, but my cell psio teacher made the course much tougher even though I had already learned most of the material we covered.

This is a longer post than I normally write but I thought I'd share my experience. Moral of the story: if you can handle the information in an intro class, you will be perfectly fine in an upper division class (just watch out for those teachers who are out to get you)

 

[i cant tell you]

Thanks so much to all of you for the advice.

Keep em coming cause i need all the help i can get.

Well see, i am not afraid to take these courses. I did cell bio (in college) and got an A+, which surprised me since i got A and A in intro bio 1 and 2. So am i worrying to much??? perhaps i am...but i was researching the courses ill be taking once i transfer to university and got kind of intimidated by their names (lol, i know it sounds stupid).

Im not looking to have an easy way out or anything...im very willing to put in all my days (weekends included) to do good in them, as i do now. I just wanted to know about these courses to get a heads up on them.

Thanks for all the replies, and to everyone else, please feel free to post ur thoughts and experiences.

Cheers!