What was your first college bio course grade?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Buddhasmash

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
71
Reaction score
6
So this is my first semester of college (non-traditional student), and things are generally going ok. I'm making straight As with the exception of one class, Principles of Biology. The only grades we get are four equally weighted tests. I've taken two so far. 86% on the first and 84% on the other. It's feasible for me to pull an A in the class still, assuming I can get a 95% on the next two tests. In all likelihood, though, the grade is going to be a B. Honestly, this has me incredibly worried. If I'm working hard and only pulling a B in basic biology, what's going to happen in classes like Cell Biology and Microbiology? Should I be incredibly worried? How do the upper level bio courses compare? I think I may be in a "weeding" course, but I don't know.

BLARGH! :mad:

Members don't see this ad.
 
Withdraw - Failing, or if you don't count that, D
 
So this is my first semester of college (non-traditional student), and things are generally going ok. I'm making straight As with the exception of one class, Principles of Biology. The only grades we get are four equally weighted tests. I've taken two so far. 86% on the first and 84% on the other. It's feasible for me to pull an A in the class still, assuming I can get a 95% on the next two tests. In all likelihood, though, the grade is going to be a B. Honestly, this has me incredibly worried. If I'm working hard and only pulling a B in basic biology, what's going to happen in classes like Cell Biology and Microbiology? Should I be incredibly worried? How do the upper level bio courses compare? I think I may be in a "weeding" course, but I don't know.

BLARGH! :mad:

Step up your game. This should be a wake-up call. It's more important for you to spend your time studying science even if you sacrifice an A or two in non-science courses.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Learning biology takes time just like any other course. Are you doing problems, the only way to really cement this stuff is to do some practice problems in the form of hw or quiz or some sort.
 
I got an A.

Then again, my prof was CRAZY and gave extra credit - probably helped.

Seriously, she would like act out different molecules and functional groups. [picture the movie Superstar and Molly Shannon kneeling to the ground with her arms up in the superstar pose... my prof would do this literally every time she said 'carbonyl']
 
Learning biology takes time just like any other course. Are you doing problems, the only way to really cement this stuff is to do some practice problems in the form of hw or quiz or some sort.

My professor doesn't really assign "problems". He makes powerpoint slides with all the information, lectures on it in class, then has us memorize all of it. I'm not sure what you mean by "problems". We have practice tests, if that's what you mean. They never really helped me much, though. We have no formal homework or bio reasoning drills.
 
A- and in high school I got very mediocre grades. How did I step it up? Focus on conceptual framework and THEN apply the details. Now I tutor the sciences based on that idea.

Example: Say you have to know the ins and outs of transcription/translation. Trace it back from the VERY beginning and ask why at every step. (Why does transcription begin? Why does it happen in the nucleus in eukaryotic cells? Why are some genes transcribed when others are not? Why are those specific proteins and factors involved in transcription?)

If you are inquisitive about everything you're learning, you will be able to relate everything to the point where it makes sense to you on every level. Don't just memorized because everything connects with each other. This way of thinking is also good for learning how to think like they want you to on the MCAT. Good luck!
 
I thought gen bio was pretty doable. Some people struggled, some didn't. It was a pretty typical course. A small amount of extra credit was offered (equiv to <1% of our final grade -- just enough to, say, bump a 94.5% A- to a 95.0% A). The class grade cutoffs were also set on the high side -- 95 (A)/90 (A-)/88 (B+)/84 (B)/80 (B-) and so on. I think my final grade was like a 100.5% in Bio 1 (macro & phys) and like a 98% in Bio 2 (cell & genetics). The class average was around 75% (C).

Courses like human physiology were far tougher with class averages in the 40s and 50s (i.e., half the class failed).
 
I somehow managed to get an A- despite cramming the night before every test like an idiot.
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
I got an A.

Then again, my prof was CRAZY and gave extra credit - probably helped.

Seriously, she would like act out different molecules and functional groups. [picture the movie Superstar and Molly Shannon kneeling to the ground with her arms up in the superstar pose... my prof would do this literally every time she said 'carbonyl']

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
My professor doesn't really assign "problems". He makes powerpoint slides with all the information, lectures on it in class, then has us memorize all of it. I'm not sure what you mean by "problems". We have practice tests, if that's what you mean. They never really helped me much, though. We have no formal homework or bio reasoning drills.


If your prof doesn't assign problems you can always do the end of chapter questions, although this might be just a waste of time. Do practice tests to get a feel of what your exams are like and what you need to review prior to the test. Most of the bio professors I have had so far, always gave out quizzes (this is one form of practice, another form of practice are worksheets from discussion etc ).

If your teacher wants you to memorize the slides, then you may have to do just that, but this isn't learning, but may be the easiest way to get an A (depending on what your prof's questions are like).
 
Top