Which class should I take?

[teatime]

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I'm going to be taking an upper division bio course with lab this fall, in addition to physiology, and seem to only have two options at the moment - an ecology course or a PCR/DNA Sequencing class (that is mostly a lab course - 9 hours lab/1 hour lecture a week)?

It seems like the PCR class will be a lot more intensive but might look better in terms of rigor and applicability.

I really wanted to take immunology with lab but no schools around me that offer open enrollment are offering it with lab this fall. 🙁

 

[moosenanny]

Have you considered calling up vet schools and asking admissions people what they would find more impressive? I'm not sure if they'd even really be able to say, but it could be worth a shot if you're that worried about it. Otherwise, I'd say take what you're more genuinely interested in -- the application process is such a pain, why have another added source of agony in your life in the form of an extra class you don't like? Take what you feel will be most interesting personally, and you probably won't go wrong.

 

[nyanko]

Take what you feel will be most interesting personally, and you probably won't go wrong.

I agree with my classmate here. 😀

 

[HopefulAg]

Personally I'd do the PCR class but ecology sounds interesting too. PCR might be better if you're interested in research, though.

Relevant

 

[BlacKAT33]

If you want to be happy during the semester, take what you have an interest in.
If you have any lab/research background I think the PCR class would look better because it shows you are trying to expand your knowledge of something you have experience in.
I'm not ashamed to admit I took some ecology courses as an undergrad. One PI who interviewed me tried to say that it meant I wasnt as intelligent as someone who only took hardcore sciences. Well, screw them, I got a job with another PI! I do feel like I am more well rounded because of the courses I chose in undergrad. Plus, one of my classes had a couple field trips to the Chesapeake Bay! Awesome!
Anyway, enough rambling, choose what you have an interest in!

 

[Minnerbelle]

If you want to be happy during the semester, take what you have an interest in.

👍 IMO it's rather useless knowledge unless you're interested in pursuing it, or are really just interested in the subject. i think it's important to understand the basic principles + limitations of pcr (esp as a diagnostic tool) as a vet, but you can learn that without taking a whole class on it. the nitty gritties of primer design, thermal cycler settings, different polymerases, different applications, etc... won't mean much to you in the future unless you actually plan to use pcr on a regular basis.

is there any reason why you have to specifically take an upper level bio class with lab (esp if you're not digging the choices you have)?

 

[BlacKAT33]

is there any reason why you have to specifically take an upper level bio class with lab (esp if you're not digging the choices you have)?

that's a good point. if you dont need this class for your major you could take an ANSC course, business, psychology, ooo that reminds me!!!

Out of all the non-sci courses i took in undergrad, the BEST one was Personal Finance! I can't tell you how much this class helped me. I mean seriously. My teacher was cool but i also learned sooo much about everything everyone needs to know about being a TRUE adult. Car buying, house buying, taxes, checking, savings, credit, retirement, 401k, rothIRA, rules and regulations of all these things, basically....how to live your life SMART so you dont get ripped off and you make the best out of the money you have. HIGHLY recommend something like this. and btw- i took business101 and this stuff was not taught. I found the course not in a business section but like something really strange...ok just looked it up "family science" department. strange right? lol here is a description and actually it WAS an upperlevel!! maybe your school has something like it!

"FMSC341 Personal and Family Finance; (3 credits)
Individual and family financial strategies with emphasis on financial planning, savings, investments, insurance, income taxes, housing, and use of credit. Planning, analyzing, and controlling financial resources to resolve personal/family financial problems and to attain financial security. "

 

[NStarz]

Technically, my major is an ecology major. It's a bio major with a concentration in marine and environmental biology. There is a second major just called "marine biology and policy" that is essentially watered down version of my major. So I get to take ecology, marine bio, environmental chemistry, as well as genetics, biochem, organic, physics, calc, and molecular/cell. Best of both worlds (the other major--the strict marine bio one does not require the more "difficult" classes like biochem). I still get to take fun classes that are relatively easy and that I enjoy and I do my prereqs at the same time. My research is also technically "ecology." As long as I have the prereqs (and research, woot!), I don't think it'll matter what major is on my diploma nor what class I took beyond the prereqs and 'recommended' courses.

I would actually disagree with what someone else said ^^^. If you already have lab experience, take the ecology class. It'll show that you're more well-rounded than just PCR and are familiar with the wide scope of biology.

Of course, you should pick a class that you're interested in. Either one of those can get very boring very quickly if you dislike the subject matter. Good luck!

 

[teatime]

I do not have a research background, which is why I thought the PCR class might be a good one to take for the experience.

I'm taking an upper level bio to try to get in a pre-req for some OOS schools, since the only upper level classes I've taken are biochem, nutrition, and genetics.

I'm a non-trad with a business degree so I've already taken business classes, etc. I figured if I have to take physio, I might as well try to get in one other class and actually make this the last semester of taking any classes whatsoever.

I'll keep thinking about it. It might turn out that I have to take the PCR class because it's still half-empty and I get last registration priority.

Thanks for the input!

 

[teatime]

Personally I'd do the PCR class but ecology sounds interesting too. PCR might be better if you're interested in research, though.

Relevant

"PCR - When you need to find out who your daddy is"

 

[bunnity]

I took Ecology and it was my one of my favorite classes. I think it was incredibly interesting and I learned a lot about why animals are the way they are, different reproduction strategies, different types of family bonds, etc that helped me understand animal behavior better. It is also an excellent class if you have any interest in wildlife medicine because it shows you how your patients fit in with the rest of their ecosystem, what the effect is of losing a particular species, how climate change affects species, how changing vegetation due to logging forces changes in animal species, migration, and so on. I learned a lot about research too and if I ever had to do research, I would do it in ecology. They had experiments where they had competitions between different types of goldenrod and they would squeeze each other out of the plot - like goldenrod wrestling! Now that I have truly revealed my dork side, I highly recommend the class.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I took Ecology and it was my one of my favorite classes.

yeah my younger sister studied zoology with an emphasis on marine ecology, and is going on to grad school in Hawaii no less to study dolphins and whale behavior (so jealous! they have their own research island with dolphins and a false whale). it seems like she had a much more enjoyable undergrad curriculum than i did with my molecular/cell type biology curriculum. like she was sooo excited about going to each of her classes... and me... not so much. i mean i found the topics i learned interesting and such, but they weren't lectures/labs i'd prefer to partake in over other things i could be doing in life

 

[projekt]

I think it'll just get marked as a science course on your application either way, and it won't make a big difference. Take the class that interests you the most so you get an A and a good experience. That'll pull up your last 45 gpa as well as your science gpa.