What class to take in the fall?

[kungpow]

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Hey,

I'm new here... so hello to everyone.

So, here's the deal and some background info... I went to design school for undergrad, I'm 25 right now, haven't taken any of the pre-med req's yet and will be taking night classes for the first couple of semesters while I continue bringin' home the clams. This summer I'm going to take precalc as a refresher and am wondering if anyone has suggestions on what to take in the fall semester? I basically have 3 options from looking at the class schedules: Bio 1, Chem 1 or Calc 1.

Since the summer will be my first semester back I'm going to just take one class in the fall to get back in the swing of things and work towards getting an A in whatever I decide to take.

What'ya think would be the most beneficial to take?

Thanks...

L8,
Mat

 

[WalterSobchakk]

It depends on what you want. Bio 1 is pretty much rote memorization, whereas Calc 1 is more comprehension and application. Chem is in the middle. Personally, I got my chem and calc finished before bio.

 

[kungpow]

cool, thx.

i'm down for any of them really... just wondered if there was a traditional or preferred way to do it. like chem and calc first and bio later... doesn't really matter i guess. my pre-med advisor told me to take chem 1 first, i assume that is her way of weeding out the hobo's.

mat

 

[uclacrewdude]

i dunno, depends on your educational background. if youve never taken hard sciences before, you need the chem to do the bio, you need the physics to do the chem (though less so than any other pair im listing), and you need the math to do the physics. ugh. i say calc1 first just to get yourself in a good pattern of making good grades.

 

[kungpow]

interesting... seems to make sense. so you think doing it like this would be the most logical:

Calc > Physics > Chem > Bio

?

Thanks.

 

[susannaQ]

It depends on what you want. Bio 1 is pretty much rote memorization, whereas Calc 1 is more comprehension and application. Chem is in the middle. Personally, I got my chem and calc finished before bio.

Thats interesting. Bio 1 was understanding and a little bit o application for me and Calc1 was absolutely no understanding and just rote memorization of formulas and calculations which I didnt undersatnd too well. Hope this doesnt mean something is wrong with me...

 

[kungpow]

hey chalklette, sorry for the late reply... busy as all hell. i studied a combination of interactive design/cumputer programming. it just wasn't the life i wanted... so decided to do something i really wanted to and felt passionate about. 'tis all.

if you feel like switching it up and going for interior design def go for it... do what interests you.

 

[Medikit]

How is your algebra? I'm worried that it may have been so long that you are a bit rusty. Chemistry is a difficult class if you have a poor foundation in algebra, there are a lot of equations that you end up having to work out, especially in the 2nd semester, if you're having trouble with the equations it will distract you from the important information that you're trying to learn. Similarly I wouldn't even attempt calc without a good algebra background. I would take Bio1 and Trig, unless you feel confident, in which case I would take Chem 1.

 

[kungpow]

thanks medi.

i'm going to start brushing up on my algebra now actually... and signed up for a pre-calc class this summer. think I'll be fine...

registered for chem 1 in the fall yesterday... 🙂

 

[UCLAstudent]

If you're taking pre-calc over the summer, you could take calc in the fall so that your math is continuous ... but chem's a good choice, too. 🙂

 

[kungpow]

yeah... kinda thought the same thing... my "advisor" said to take chem and just wrote in on my mo'fo'n schedule... haha. what the...

but yeah, chem will be fine... and i'd rather not take two semesters of calc ****e anyway.

 

[Medikit]

thanks medi.

i'm going to start brushing up on my algebra now actually... and signed up for a pre-calc class this summer. think I'll be fine...

registered for chem 1 in the fall yesterday... 🙂

Looks good to me 👍

Good luck with the whole process. Watch out for the chemistry series, I think the G-chem/O-chem series is the one that kills off most of the pre-meds before the application process. The only other thing that seemed to "kill" off my pre-med friends like chemistry did was the MCAT. First semester isn't usually that bad, but try to really get the concepts down. You will be reintroduced to it a lot and it will make 2nd semester Gchem, an Ochem easier.

 

[kungpow]

cool, thx for the advice medikit. chem 1 is the only class i'm taking in the fall... so will have a ton of time to focus on it... plan on taking the chem series one at a time and then load up on the bio at some point. we'll see how it goes...

 

[Medikit]

cool, thx for the advice medikit. chem 1 is the only class i'm taking in the fall... so will have a ton of time to focus on it... plan on taking the chem series one at a time and then load up on the bio at some point. we'll see how it goes...

Do you have limitations on time or something? Like are you trying to take classes while you are working?

 

[kungpow]

yeah... i do have a very limited amount of time. working full-time right now... eventually will hang up the coding and hit the books full-time but for now i need to keep the cash flowin'.

 

[Brickhouse]

Go to the post-bac forum - I think you'll find more of "your people" there. I was 24 when I went back to take my pre-meds and started with Calculus, then Chem, then Bio. Smart thing for you to take the pre-calc refresher. I jumped into Calc after 7 years of no math and it was pretty hateful. Good luck to you, it can be done!