What courses to take!?!?

[kat3iseret]

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My question is: Does it matter to medical schools if you take Physics with Calculus or just General physics I and II?
And most medical schools state that you can use your AP credit for one semester of bio/chem/math should I utilize this or no (meaning I would take Bio I and Chem I and Calc I) again. Thanks

 

[redlight]

nope, either physics will do. mcat physics IS NOT calc based fyi..but i still suggest calc based because that was the original language of physics.. it might make learning/understanding easier if you have a calc background (and we didnt use that much calc anyways). id say take them (calc/bio/chem I) over again unless it's going to hold you back in terms of academic pursuits (additional degress, studying abroad, w/e). college courses are more rigorous than h.s. courses. plenty of people here who got A's in high school or 4/5 on the AP but did not ace the college course. i think for APs all you needed was a 55-60% to get a 5.. that doesnt really show mastery of the subject.

 

[Dannyw]

nope, either physics will do. mcat physics IS NOT calc based fyi..but i still suggest calc based because that was the original language of physics.. it might make learning/understanding easier if you have a calc background (and we didnt use that much calc anyways). id say take them (calc/bio/chem I) over again unless it's going to hold you back in terms of academic pursuits (additional degress, studying abroad, w/e). college courses are more rigorous than h.s. courses. plenty of people here who got A's in high school or 4/5 on the AP but did not ace the college course. i think for APs all you needed was a 55-60% to get a 5.. that doesnt really show mastery of the subject.

At my school calc-based physics does not cover much of what is covered in general physics. We use the books by giancoli. You would have to take calc-based physics III to get some of the material covered in general physics I (heat, sound, waves, thermodynamics, fluids). If you feel comfortable picking up those topics on your own go for it.

 

[redlight]

interesting.. we don't have a non calc option at my school. there is an engineering version and a "biological sciences" version run by one department, but taught by 2 different schools within the ugrad. the main diff is one focuses more on xyz vector math and engineering applications and the it is in the afternoon. (and the bio one is mostly filled with junior premeds and science majors with some freshman and sophs while the engineering one is almost all freshman engineers plus older arts + science majors trying to ride the curve! lol).

oddly enough, the book for bio uses the knight series (for scientists and engineers) and focuses on only a few (specific) biological applications.

btw, do you run on the quarter system? on the semester system, you only need up to calc II.
edit: of course there is a series for physics majors: classical mechanics and w/e.. but you'd have to be reaaalllyyyy confident in your abilities to take that series.

 

[Dannyw]

interesting.. we don't have a non calc option at my school. there is an engineering version and a "biological sciences" version run by one department, but taught by 2 different schools within the ugrad. the main diff is one focuses more on xyz vector math and engineering applications and the it is in the afternoon. (and the bio one is mostly filled with junior premeds and science majors with some freshman and sophs while the engineering one is almost all freshman engineers plus older arts + science majors trying to ride the curve! lol).

oddly enough, the book for bio uses the knight series (for scientists and engineers) and focuses on only a few (specific) biological applications.

btw, do you run on the quarter system? on the semester system, you only need up to calc II.
edit: of course there is a series for physics majors: classical mechanics and w/e.. but you'd have to be reaaalllyyyy confident in your abilities to take that series.

That's interesting. The algebra based course is generally taken by the bio/exercise science and earth science majors at my school. Then the calc-based is taken by the physics, chemistry and engineering majors (physics majors are required to take honors for all sections). So with your "biological sciences" version you must go over the topics I mentioned then? I would have definitely taken the calc-based sequence but I didn't want to take physics III.

 

[JJMrK]

My question is: Does it matter to medical schools if you take Physics with Calculus or just General physics I and II?
And most medical schools state that you can use your AP credit for one semester of bio/chem/math should I utilize this or no (meaning I would take Bio I and Chem I and Calc I) again. Thanks

Just take general physics. It's easy and a good GPA booster. Also, since you've already had the material, Chem 1 and Bio I should be easy A's. I'd just take them.