What is the hardest course (undergraduate or otherwise) that you ever took?

[blackroses]

Anatomy & Physiology 1. The class itself was not bad. The instructor should have been fired years ago. About 80% of her total communication with us was yelling about how students were lying in their ratings of her class on RateMyProfessors and about how students were being unfair and ganging up on her (in this case, because she gave us all of the information for the cardiac chapters 3 days before the exam. We didn't use a textbook, every last bit of information was on her notes, slides, and lectures. We didn't even have the units laid out, so we couldn't just take note of what units we were covering next and at least do some studying on our own). It was a nightmare.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[fmpak93]

P- chem 2 is all quantum mechanics, after taking intro and advanced quantum, it shouldnt be too bad if i took it

 

[fmpak93]

P- chem 2 is all quantum mechanics, after taking intro and advanced quantum, it shouldnt be too bad if i took it

 

[kraskadva]

isnt p chem just thermo and inorganic chem, and then just intro quantum mechanics?

As far as topics, yes that's pchem 1.
As far as difficulty... well remember in gen chem when you did rate laws and the teacher did some handwaving and said "you don't have to worry about the math behind this, just do xyz"
Well, this is the obnoxious math that you skipped before.

 

[fmpak93]

As far as topics, yes that's pchem 1.
As far as difficulty... well remember in gen chem when you did rate laws and the teacher did some handwaving and said "you don't have to worry about the math behind this, just do xyz"
Well, this is the obnoxious math that you skipped before.

I'd expect the math to be tough haha, I heard you need to know up to multivariable calc? i think it'd be a challanging course. I guess yeah the jump between gen chem and p chem is huge(imagine pchem being a req for med school lolol). sounds like an interesting class doe

 

[kraskadva]

I'd expect the math to be tough haha, I heard you need to know up to multivariable calc? i think it'd be a challanging course. I guess yeah the jump between gen chem and p chem is huge(imagine pchem being a req for med school lolol). sounds like an interesting class doe

yeah have fun with that.
I understand the concepts just fine, it's the derivations that are killer. And the physics major in my class with uber math skills has the same average I do...
400 years of people (with variable math skills) making up equations to describe something they think is interesting leads to a clusterf* of test questions.

 

[deleted642188]

I would say either Gen Biology 1 (evolutionary biology at my school); the curve for each of each calss was roughly low 50s to mid 40s. I could say that my o-chem 2 was also tough because I remember the curve was so bad even though the class average wasa mid to high 50. I had a 84% on my final when the average was a 53% and my midterm averages was in the B/B+. I still got a B+

 

[fmpak93]

yeah have fun with that.
I understand the concepts just fine, it's the derivations that are killer. And the physics major in my class with uber math skills has the same average I do...
400 years of people (with variable math skills) making up equations to describe something they think is interesting leads to a clusterf* of test questions.

I'll be a senior so I can only take P-chem 2 before I graduate. Luckily from the syllabus it seems like 95% quantum mechanics, I've taken two quantum classes before, I wanna see the chemistry-heavy application of it now

 

[kraskadva]

I'll be a senior so I can only take P-chem 2 before I graduate. Luckily from the syllabus it seems like 95% quantum mechanics, I've taken two quantum classes before, I wanna see the chemistry-heavy application of it now

I've taken quantum too and there is no way I'd torture myself with pchem 2 (thankfully not req for my degree so f it).
If that's your idea of fun though, knock yourself out.
I'd recommend setting some time aside weekly to either cry or go to the gym and hit things. You'll need some variety of stress release...

 

[xnfs93hy]

Differential equations: Most difficult for me.
Organic Chem II: Most time-consuming.

Got an A in both classes, but had to study VERY long and hard to get that grade.

 

[CTc45VpP]

For me it was microbiology and organic chemistry.

Those two classes were the ones that killed my GPA. (And I took them twice!)

 

[Pholaffle]

Probably Clinical Microbiology last year. Even though it was listed as a 4 credit course with accompanying lab, the lab in itself required 9-10 hours per week because the students were responsible for taking all their media out of the incubators and then running tons of tests at odd hours of the day. The lecture itself was very dense as well and it's a shame that I won't remember much due to all the names of genes and virulence factors.

 

[takeonme]

Ochem. Mostly due to time commitment (boy, did I underestimate the amount of time I'd have to allocate for this class) and the fact that I honestly had/have a bad attitude towards it since I strongly disliked my ochem 1 professor

 

[deleted642188]

Ochem. Mostly due to time commitment (boy, did I underestimate the amount of time I'd have to allocate for this class) and the fact that I honestly had/have a bad attitude towards it since I strongly disliked my ochem 1 professor

I remember my O chem 2 professor decided to make the final so tough because everyone stopped going to lecture. The final average was only a 48 and even then there was barely any curve on the tests...

 

[takeonme]

Oh geez! That's terrible. Our lab grade counted separately. I managed to make it through the entire semester with an A until the lab final. Average was a 50. No curve. It brought me down... 13%? Ended up with a B

 

[llamasarefuzzy]

Jazz improvisation hands down.... Assignments include transcriptions (hearing a line off a CD and being required to notate it and perform it). Exams included particularly obscure CDs that we were required to listen to and name the entire ensemble based on tone, and improvisation quality, etc. Orgo and my graduate physiology were a walk in the park in comparison

 

[jbuc1081]

Jazz improvisation hands down.... Assignments include transcriptions (hearing a line off a CD and being required to notate it and perform it). Exams included particularly obscure CDs that we were required to listen to and name the entire ensemble based on tone, and improvisation quality, etc. Orgo and my graduate physiology were a walk in the park in comparison

What do you play? I'm a sax player and I hated having to write out Parker and Coltrane solos! Donna Lee, Confirmation, and Giant Steps still haunt my dreams...

 

[llamasarefuzzy]

Double bass! I did a major in jazz studies

 

[tymont12]

Physio 433 - Cardiovascular & Pulmonary physiology

I've never found a class to stump me because of the material. I always find the individual professor to be an issue. I.E., their tests don't mirror what they teach/assign as HW or they don't provide enough materials to thoroughly learn the subject.

This particular class was taught by a guy who was emeritus faculty (red flag!) and had been teaching the same course for 30 years. Very fascinating and rewarding to learn, however.

 

[jbuc1081]

Double bass! I did a major in jazz studies

So you learned some Mingus and Pastorius?

 

[deleted648172]

I hated differential equations.

 

[llamasarefuzzy]

So you learned some Mingus and Pastorius?

Mingus yes, one of my favorites. Pastorius no because university based programs tend to be a bit snobby. Unfortunately! I was always glad I didn't have to transcribe Parker or Coltrane!

 

[jbuc1081]

Mingus yes, one of my favorites. Pastorius no because university based programs tend to be a bit snobby. Unfortunately! I was always glad I didn't have to transcribe Parker or Coltrane!

Oh, come on. Be bop bass sounds like a great idea to me!

 

[llamasarefuzzy]

Oh, come on. Be bop bass sounds like a great idea to me!

If I were technologically literate I would post that gif of the octopus scuttling away

 

[jbuc1081]

If I were technologically literate I would post that gif of the octopus scuttling away

Even as a sax player, I can only hope to fake Parker and Coltrane. Not everyone can be high functioning on heroin!

 

[SECrazorhogs]

For me it's physical chemistry that I'm taking right now. It's like a combination of physics, Gen chem, and calculus which are my least favorite classes before this. I'll study for days and pull out a 79 on the test (which is a B ). Definitely the hardest and least worthwhile class for me.

 

[rugger4]

Physical chemistry. Doesn't need explaining

 

[PlaqueBuster]

Immunology

 

[pandadawn]

CHEG Thermodynamics, in a basement with no windows, at 8:00 am, and the most comfortable auditorium chairs you could imagine--AND a professor who started every class with a 10 minute "tidbit" about some incredibly off-topic boring story. I was fast asleep like a baby before we even got to the material.

 

[FutureOncologist]

Undergrad: That would have to be either my Cell Biology--emphasis in Neurodegenerative Diseases. This class was literally half concept/half math and examples. This class was filled with grad students getting a Ph.D in Neuroscience and a few, like me, who were undergrads that wanted to get our minor in Neurology. It started out like any neuroscience course--Action Potentials, Sensory Systems, Evolution and Brain development. Then we got into comparative neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. Along with that, we also had to get down any and all mathematical concepts that delved into calculus. We had a biweekly research article to read, summarize, discus, and critique. At the end of it all, we had a 5 hour exam that covered any and all subjects that he covered, in lecture and the readings that we needed to do. ALL FOR 3 CREDIT HOURS.

 

[CTc45VpP]

Undergrad: That would have to be either my Cell Biology--emphasis in Neurodegenerative Diseases. This class was literally half concept/half math and examples. This class was filled with grad students getting a Ph.D in Neuroscience and a few, like me, who were undergrads that wanted to get our minor in Neurology. It started out like any neuroscience course--Action Potentials, Sensory Systems, Evolution and Brain development. Then we got into comparative neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. Along with that, we also had to get down any and all mathematical concepts that delved into calculus. We had a biweekly research article to read, summarize, discus, and critique. At the end of it all, we had a 5 hour exam that covered any and all subjects that he covered, in lecture and the readings that we needed to do. ALL FOR 3 CREDIT HOURS.

Sounds like Ochem 1 & 2 lab. xD

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

Hardest courses for me were Existentialist ethics and upper level logic. Logic was extremely time consuming- taking socratic arguments then translating them into symbols and then putting them into mathematical proofs in order to solve. As far as existentialism goes, only class I spent 3 hours a week in office hours because I had not a single clue what the hell I had spent 2 hours reading the day before.

 

[ReggieNoble22]

Heat and Mass transfer (mech engineering class)

thermodynamics + fluid dynamics + calculus = miserable

 

[Mad Jack]

Medical school anatomy. Memorization too stronk. Dose origins, dat brachial plexus, dose insertions...

Granted, this is largely due to the way in which my school grades anatomy, it makes it fairly difficult.

 

[crossfit4lyfe]

Calc 2 as undergrad. I am good at math, Calc 1 was cake, but for some reason calc 2 was like learning a foreign language that I never seemed to grasp. My only retake!

 

[altblue]

Bio 2. 100-200 flashcards made per lecture. So many ****ing diagrams to image occlude. Instructor directly mislead class about what would be tested. Much of the material came from what he said, and not on the lecture slides, so if you drifted off or day-dreamed for a few seconds at the 8 AM lecture, tough luck.

 

[Drinkingtea]

Microbiology....
Interesting subject but management/curriculum for the lab was insane. I feel bad complaining as a student because my lab instructor was so exhausted from the hours in lab that while she was looking through my microscope she screeched and looked up at me with a startled look:

Me: Is there something cool on my slide?
Her: OMG did I fall?
Me: ?! No...
Her: (Grips tightly onto lab bench) I think I just fell...
Me: (Puts both hands on her back) Oh man...I don't think you are falling... (???!!!!!!!)
EMT classmate: (comes over calmly) Ms _____, I am going to ask you some questions ok?

Turns out she didn't eat anything that day except a pot of coffee (we were in lab for 3 hours + 5 additional hours because no one can finish the lab).

 

[kevinsword91]

Calc 1 for me. Not so much the material, but just how far behind I was when I started the class. The highest math offered at my high school was pre-calc and it didn't quite prepare me as well as I hoped. I remember going to office hours the first week of class struggling with the introductory material and my professor even suggested I drop the class. Joined a study group, did all the suggested problem sets and continued to go to office hours when I was confused. Ended up pulling off an A- which I was very happy with.

 

[Derivations]

P chem hands down. The professor was satan as well. Averages in the 40s.

 

[Lil Mick]

Either med school anatomy or one of the proof-heavy graduate math courses. The math ones were at least super interesting, albeit with scores on exams in the single digits. Anatomy was all memorization in a very short period of time...

 

[Shirafune]

I absolutely HATE cellular metabolism and biosynthesis. ._.
Worst and most frustrating class I have ever taken.

 

[knv2u]

Upper level inorganic chemistry was harder than physical chemistry at my school. I hated point group theory. In fairness, it was probably the professor more than the subject matter. The class averages were horrendous.

 

[Bottle]

So far, i'd say physics I. The class is not difficult, it just feels like high school with enlarged classroom x3 times. There is nothing worse than going to lecture to listen to someone talking about dumb equations that you will hardely ever use in your career.

 

[Rinya]

Most challenging was definitely pchem. Lots of blood, sweat, and tears went into that semester. And our averages were usually in the 30's.

My favorite class I ever took that was rated second most challenging for me was Quantitative Chemical Analysis. It was definitely the most fascinating class I've ever taken and I miss it a lot but it was incredibly difficult.

 

[freemontie]

Econometric Analysis with Game Theory being a close second. For the metrics class she would suddenly break out some fancy linear algebra like it was no big deal and keep going. The GM class used a grad-level textbook and I just had a heck of a time understanding what was going on in the second half of the book. Somehow got a B- but most of the second half of the semester is still gibberish to me. (I took these before I was set on pre-med.)

Among pre-med classes it was Gen Chem 1. Not because of the material but because I got really unlucky with her (rare) pop quizzes. It's hard to force yourself to review before class when there's almost never a pop-quiz (ended up being only 4 the entire semester - yet worth 20% of your grade).

I haven't done orgo yet.

 

[RedPhys]

Cellular and molecular biology
, and then the Molecular biology portion of Biochemistry

tl;dr - I hate molecular biology with all my heart

 

[UABme]

Advanced DNA Technology

It was half undergrad, half grad (MS, Phd) students and it was sooooo far over everyones head

 

[AlteredScale]

Medical microbiology, pharmacology, and immunology because it's a mixed undergrad/grad enrollment and all research based (everything is research heavy at Ucsd) which is making the curve insanely competitive.

 

[member000000000]

The toughest science class for me was microbiology. The toughest class period was the medicalization of deviance which was a sociology class.

 

[taina]

history because not science