What should i take spring quarter?

[relentless11]

Hi all,

I'm just wondering if you guys have any ideas on what i should take next quarter? I graduated already, and i'm doing my own post-bacc program so I have the luxury of being able to take any classes I want. My theme is biomedical engineering, but i'm always open to other courses. The problem with some of the bioengineering classes is that i need to take some low division pre-reqs, such as Circuits, Statics, and Properties of Materials. I could take taht but I'm not too sure how the adcoms will view that. I would love to take them since i've never taken those courses before. Does anyone know if the adcoms would see that I was a biochem major before hand, and i took engineering classes in my post-bacc life to start on a new path? Or would they think i'm trying to take "easy lower division classes" for more A's. I can personally vouch that engineering classes aren't easy, regardless of their standing.

Anyway, back onto the main topic, here's a list of classes that i plan to check out.

1) Human Immunology (Upper Div)
2) Neurobiology (Upper Div)
3) Circuits (Lower Div)*
4) Statics (Lower Div)*
5) Properties of Materials (Lower Div) *
6) Biological Sciences for Engineers (Grad Level)
7) Microbiology Lab (Upper Div)
8) Statistics (Upper Div)
9) Epidemiology and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (Grad Level)
10)Calculus: Vector Analysis (Lower Div)*
11) Linear Algebra*

*Classes that I should take since i never had an engineering background.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Of course if anyone has any non-science classes to recommend, feel free. I'm always one to diversify. I just wish i had more time, and i hope the adcoms would not look down on me taking lower division prep classes, since I don't know how long i can hold out in engineering classes without taking differential equations or linear algebra. Somehow i've managed to get B's and A's. I'm just lucky, but i had to work my butt off to get those grades. I have respect for all you engineers out there. Totally more challenging than bio IMHO.

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[smuwillobrien]

Is this post serious? How could anyone think you're looking for an easy A when you've got a course load like that? I wouldn't go near that with a ten foot pole. I thought taking biology, physics, chemistry, calculus, and english was a lot of work, but it's nothing compared to what you're talking about.

I'd recommend adding some sort of humanities classes, or basically just something so you don't burn out with all that science. Remember, too much of anything is a bad thing. Hope this helps.

P.S. You're crazy!

 

[Cerberus]

Well I hated the class but as an engineer I think you should definitely take linear algebra.

 

[smuwillobrien]

Don't listen to him! He is a "bitter" mathematician. Hahaha.

 

[Thundrstorm]

I guess the question is how many classes you plan to take. If I were you, I'd take a couple fo the "easy" math classes at once, but also have a more challenging/interesting bio class. I personally love Neuro, and I think the Epidemiology classs sounds really interesting.

Adcoms won't look down on prereqs; you've got to build a foundation of knowledge before tackling the upper level stuff.

 

[oasis786]

I'm also a BME (well, BE at my school). I personally always felt that while my coursework provided me with a solid technical background and preparation for the science of medicine, it lacked the social, political, and philosophical aspects of life that could make me a much better doctor in the future. For my last semester, I'm still having to finish out my engineering reqs, but if I had a free quarter I would pursue the aforementioned types of classes. But that's just me - the only advice I could give you is to forget about your app for a while, forget about the admissions process, and just learn about what you want to learn about. There probably won't be another time in your life when you'll have access to the breadth of knowledge you do right now. Take advantage of it!

 

[MErc44]

i would avoid immunology like the plague, speaking of that epidemiology class looks pretty cool. Microbio lab is pretty lame also unless you like to streak bacteria and run endless biochemical tests, this is coming from a microbio major.

 

[relentless11]

Originally posted by Thundrstorm
I guess the question is how many classes you plan to take. If I were you, I'd take a couple fo the "easy" math classes at once, but also have a more challenging/interesting bio class. I personally love Neuro, and I think the Epidemiology classs sounds really interesting.

Adcoms won't look down on prereqs; you've got to build a foundation of knowledge before tackling the upper level stuff.

I think i'm going to take 12-16 units. Which is 3-4 classes over here. I'm glad to hear that they don't look down on these lower division stuff. I definately know they do look at taking like a lower division "grade booster" class but always wondered about like Calculus, etc. I also have to agree that the epidemiology class sounds interesting. At the very least, i may just audit that class for my own enjoyment.

Originally posted by smuwillobrien
Is this post serious? How could anyone think you're looking for an easy A when you've got a course load like that? I wouldn't go near that with a ten foot pole. I thought taking biology, physics, chemistry, calculus, and english was a lot of work, but it's nothing compared to what you're talking about.

I'd recommend adding some sort of humanities classes, or basically just something so you don't burn out with all that science. Remember, too much of anything is a bad thing. Hope this helps.

P.S. You're crazy!

Definately will try to look for a humanities class. I however found in my undergrad years that the teacher (like many other classes) definately make the difference. Especially in humanities since their influence and opinion plays a BIG role in what they teach. From my perspective, i don't' like have have biased opinions..hehe. But I am always game for learning something new. My gf said i should at least take an upper div art/drawing class since I like to draw. Maybe I can do that.

On a side note, yea, those classes are hardcore. But ya know, the problem is if you're at an institution long enough, you start running out of all other classes to take..hehe. What remains are the crazy ones like the above. Ironically, I have found that bioengineering classes shed an interesting light on things. Although some of the engineers (no offense to anyone here) are kinda strange. But good people though. They sure love numbers.

Originally posted by Cerberus
Well I hated the class but as an engineer I think you should definitely take linear algebra.

I was thinking the same thing. At the very least i should take this pre-req. I don't want to jump into diff-eq yet since i should take that vector analysis class first. As a biochem major, we stopped figuring stuff out within an x,y,z coordinate system, and Lagrange points. I hear Linear Algebra is actually "fun". Not as hard as diff-eq's. Additionally, i may want to hold off on that circuits class since i know that one may have to do Laplace Transforms (which i don't know how to do), so perhaps i should get some more mathematical pre-reqs out of the way before i deal with Circuits. I'm not too sure about Statics, i hear it deals with materials, such as metals properties at different temperatures for example. Sounds fun.

Thanks for the input guys. I think the ones that are on the list will be:

1) Human Immuno
2) Neurobiology
3) Linear Algebra

I can add probably 1 more class. I'm hesitant to take those engineering classes since i know they deal more with math. So like i said it behooves me to take more pre-reqs. Would be embarassing to do bad in a lower div class due to lack of pre-reqs. Maybe I can throw in Art