1st semester....too much or not?

<p>Hey, I just registered for classes a few days ago, and was wondering if this seemed like too much.</p>

<p>Chemistry 101+Lab, 4 hrs
Italian 101, 3 hrs
Biocalculus, 3 hrs
English 052 (special seminar on computers and literature), 3 hrs
Lifetime Fitness, 1 hr
Special Research seminar, 1 hr
Total: 15 hrs</p>

<p>I'm going to register for either trombone lessons and/or a music ensemble when i move in in the fall, so this will add another 1-2 hours to my schedule...should i think about dropping something? I didn't plan on taking this much, but it just sort of happened, and i was wondering if this looked like too much. I have credit for two semesters of calculus from taking AP Calculus BC, but it just sounds interesting to me because I sat through calculus the whole year thinking "how the hell do you use this stuff?"...but I can drop it if I need to.</p>

<p>You'll probably be fine. However, be wary that chemistry lab might actually be longer than the credits state.</p>

<p>My chemistry lab class was 2 credits (in addition to gen chem lecture being 3 credits) and I had 4 hours of lab a week and 1 hour of lecture. So yes, a lot of times they shaft you out of credits.</p>

<p>yeah chem lab runs 1-5 or something like that on thursday afternoon.</p>

<p>I guess my main concern was the number of hours this schedule is going to run from taking so many of these 1 credit hour courses. Also, the research seminar is graded ONLY on a pass/fail basis...is that gonna be ok, i know med schools don't like seeing stuff taken on a pass/fail basis, but one 1 credit class isn't gonna hurt, right?</p>

<p>From what I hear, med schools only care if you take IMPORTANT premed requirements pass/fail. So it's definitely not a good idea to take Gen chem or orgo pass/fail, but I'm sure they will find no problem with taking joke 1 credit courses pass/fail. Just make sure you don't take every other class pass fail.</p>

<p>haha ok...another question, i was planning to look through some chemistry stuff over the summer to prepare myself for chem (i've heard genchem rather than orgo is the main weeder at my school, although orgo is still supposed to be tough)...any suggestions for books/study guides? I don't think my professor has posted our texts online yet.</p>

<p>Gen Chem is also very hard at my school, with the means on exams fluctuating around 55 and 10-15 percent of the class getting A's.</p>

<p>I got an A both semesters, though. I think a lot of people don't do well for a couple of reasons:
1. College adaption throws some people off
2. Some people didn't go to a rigorous high school
3. A lot of people don't go to class (this should be obvious, but it surprised me how a lot of people don't go to class)</p>

<p>The above reasons handicap some people. Some people do everything right, but still get screwed. What they lack is study skills. College is tough, you learn what could be a year's worth of HS material in one semester. Thats why it's imperative that you adapt decent study skills, and find out how you are as a learner. In high school, teachers could pause and spend additional time on hard topics, but in college, they follow a strict schedule. Keep up, and don't fall behind (go to lectures, do problem sets, read the book, do additional studying on concepts you don't get). Study skills are useful both for med school and undergrad, and if you didn't get much practice in HS, now is a great time to start.</p>

<p>ahhhh well I think numbers 2 and 3 shouldn't be too much of a problem (my school is known as an extremely hard high school in the area) and I do intend to go to class.</p>

<p>I think I'll try to get ahead a bit during the summer so I don't fall behind :)</p>

<p>what the hell is Biocalculus?</p>

<p>I would guess calculus for bio sci majors, but you never can tell :)</p>

<p>No, it's actually a very specialized class. You have to genetically engineer and then raise a small animal to do complex math for you. Mine was a dolphin/chimpanzee hybrid which I named Integral. Ironically, she could only differentiate, not integrate, but I left her name as is anyway.</p>

<p>Anyway, very cool class. You learn a lot of genetic engineering, neuroscience, embryology, nutrition, and advanced calculus, too.</p>

<p>mmm phonyreal, you SAY you "intend" go to class now. Just wait for the temptation, darling ;)</p>

<p>...and don't study over the summer. Seriously, who does that?</p>

<p>I guess it'll help that I only have one 8 AM then... :)</p>