<p>Can anyone in the major describe the classes that one needs to graduate from it? From what I gather, one needs:
-Intro Bio
-Intro bio lab
-Gen Chem w/ Lab and Orgo w/ Lab
-Biochem w/ Lab
-Genetics w/ Lab
-Introductory Animal Physiology
-Cellular Physiology</p>
<p>How many other upper division courses because I was told 4 I think, but does a lab count as one of the 4?</p>
<p>Regardless I am very interested in taking:
-Animal Physiology
-Immunology</p>
<p>What is Biological Basis of Sex Differences? Can you recommend any other cool bio courses in this major? Thanks.</p>
<p>It says 7 additional credits in addition to the two BioAP courses so that's only 2 additional upper div courses (1 lecture-based and 1 lab-based).</p>
<p>The thing I don't like about BioAP and Immunology is that the courses tend to be at the vet school. As a transfer, you will be on West Campus. The Vet School is one the extreme east side of campus. It's a good 30-35 minute walk. For that reason, I rarely attended the two BioAP courses I signed up for during my senior year.</p>
<p>But is evolutionary bio still a required course?</p>
<p>Why wouldn't it be? Isn't evol. bio required for every bio major?</p>
<p>I guess. But it just does not seem to be all that helpful. Norcal, I am just curious how you had enough time to take the 2 animal physiology courses while being a molecular bio major. Did you kill yourself to take those courses and do well. I mean isn't molecular bio tough enough or you just needed the extra class credit to earn enough credits within your college to graduate? </p>
<p>For instance, I am in CALS and I need 55 credits within my college. It just seems to me that even after taking all of the classes for my major, I will still be short on credit. So as a result, students diversify in that extent by taking classes in varied area of knowledge? And just as a side question, how many credits did you take in a semester? How many of those classes were either humanities and/or just classes in order to graduate from your designated college?</p>
<p>Molecular bio is pervasive in many biological disciplines. So, I can take courses in many different departments and still satisfy the requirements for my major. If you look at the requirements for Animal Physiology and Molecular Bio, you will see a lot of overlap. So, I can take BioAP 413 as a molecular bio major while you can take BioBM 440 as a AP major and still have those classes count. I ended up taking only 1 more bio course than was necessary to get my bachelor's. I was uncomfortable with only taking 1 bio course my last semester so I added BioAP 413 Histology since that's a 1st year med school course as well. </p>
<p>I didn't kill myself in any of my semesters. I averaged just a hair under 15 credits/semester and never took more than 16 credits in any semester. Obviously, you have to take courses outside your major in order to graduate. Most majors are only 40-60 credits while you need 120 credits to graduate. So, I took courses from anthropology to Spanish to English to History to Asian American Studies. In fact, I ended up with 3 courses in both English and History.</p>
<p>Are the humanities courses and time-consuming? Did they take away a lot of time from your ECs and your major and/or pre-med classes? On avg how many humanities courses did you take a semester?</p>
<p>If you are interested in Physiology then couple of great courses to take are BioAP 319: Animal Physiology Experimentation and BioAP 458: Mammalian Physiology.</p>
<p>Is BioAP 319: Animal Physiology Experimentation the lab course? Also, it just seems to me that it is tougher to do a physiology track because the students who do it need to take 3 labs (physiology, biochem, and genetics) along with 4 physiology courses: Introductory Animal Physiology, Cellular Physiology, Animal Physiology, and 1 more of their choosing. Am I correct?</p>
<p>Biophillic, were you a physiology major? If so, can you please give me a more indepth look on the major, the profs, the difficulties, exams, etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>I averaged 2.5 BPCM courses per semester and around 1.5-2 humanities courses per semester.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are the humanities courses and time-consuming? Did they take away a lot of time from your ECs and your major and/or pre-med classes?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yea, they can be time-consuming. The history and english courses involved A LOT of reading (typically one book per week). I often couldn't keep up so I did my best. In one of my history courses, I only read every other assigned book and in English 364 I fell two novels behind the rest of the class. Sometimes you have to prioritize and my science courses were more important.</p>
<p>I am assuming that you took the history and english courses because you were genuinely interested in them. However, couldn't you have, in theory, taken easier courses, such as wine tasting or massage, and still have gotten the same amount of credit. Or you could have minored in something, right?</p>
<p>Btw, do you know if art courses, like photography, fall under realm of CALS credit classes?</p>
<p>they won't count toward your 55 CALS credits</p>
<p>Go to this link: CALS</a> Registrar: CALS College Distribution Requirements</p>
<p>and it will tell you which courses fulfill the humanities & social science requirement</p>
<p>
[quote]
However, couldn't you have, in theory, taken easier courses, such as wine tasting or massage, and still have gotten the same amount of credit.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Right, massage. Cornell's difficulty is overrated, but it's not that easy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am assuming that you took the history and english courses because you were genuinely interested in them. However, couldn't you have, in theory, taken easier courses, such as wine tasting or massage, and still have gotten the same amount of credit. Or you could have minored in something, right?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, I was a CAS student so I needed to take real humanities courses. Something like Wines or photography can be interesting but it's not acceptable for Arts and Sciences credit. </p>
<p>Although they were a lot of work, I don't consider non-science courses to be hard, especially if you're interested in the subject matter. In fact, it wasn't until my very last semester at Cornell that I received an A- in a course not offered by the Bio or Chem department. (That course was Hist 325). Non-science courses are not meant to be stressful. In fact, they can be a welcome diversion from your premed courses.</p>
<p>I sort of created a sample schedule if I transfer for this major. Tell me how do-able this seems.</p>
<p>Soph
Fall- Evolutionary Bio, Gen Bio Lab, Orgo 1, Stats
Spring- Gen Bio Lab, Orgo, Orgo Lab, Animal Physiology Course</p>
<p>Junior
Fall- Biochem 1, Physics 1, Physics Lab
Spring- Biochem 2, Physics 2, Physics Lab, Biochem Lab</p>
<p>Senior
Fall- Animal Physiology Course, Animal Physiology Lab, Humanities Course
Spring- Genetics, Genetics Lab, Humanities Course</p>
<p>Aside from these courses, I still need to throw in an English course, 1 more writing & oral communication course, and 1 more Animal Physiology course. And then take CALS courses to achieve the 55 credit CALS designation.</p>
<p>It just seems that I will not have any room to do research nor any ECs with all of these required courses. Any advice, ideas, suggestions?</p>
<p>You should be taking more credits (around 15 credits a semester). Some of your planned semesters have a low number of credits. </p>
<p>For example: Spring- Genetics, Genetics Lab, Humanities Course
This is only like 8-9 credits. You need at least 12 to be a full-time student and you should have around 15 to be an average student.</p>
<p>Your science courseload seems to be fairly typical for a science-major. So, to make sure you have enough credits, you should be adding non-science courses to your schedule. But, in terms of science courses, it's fine. You should be taking 2-3 science courses a semester (except for maybe your last semester if you want to just chill).</p>
<p>Where do you suggest I place the English course that I should take for med school and the second physiology course that I need for my major?</p>
<p>Also is evolutionary bio given every semester?</p>
<p>I went through your schedule and tallied up your credits:</p>
<p>Soph
Fall- Evolutionary Bio, Gen Bio Lab, Orgo 1, Stats 12 credits; add 1 easy non-science course
Spring- Gen Bio Lab, Orgo, Orgo Lab, Animal Physiology Course 10-11 credits; add a 4-credit non-science course</p>
<p>Junior
Fall- Biochem 1, Physics 1, Physics Lab 7 credits; add 2 more courses, either 2 non-science courses or 1 science, 1 non-science
Spring- Biochem 2, Physics 2, Physics Lab, Biochem Lab 10 credits; add 2 more courses</p>
<p>Senior
Fall- Animal Physiology Course, Animal Physiology Lab, Humanities Course*add 1 more course*
Spring- Genetics, Genetics Lab, Humanities Course 8-9 credits; add 2 more courses</p>
<p>You can see that you have so much room to add in more courses. The english course can go anywhere and the physiology course I'd suggest putting in the Spring of your senior year since you only have 1 science course that semester.</p>
<p>Cornell has a policy where no courses are supposed to be offered between 4:30 pm-7:00pm (something like that). This is when most organizations have their meetings and so, with proper time management, you would be able to join a club or two. As for research, your classes probably won't take up your entire day. You can find the time to do research.</p>
<p>Med schools obviously like to see EC involvement. However, you don't need a laundry list of activities. When your create your final schedule, you can evaluate it and see how much free time you'll have. Then, select EC and research activities that best complement your interests. As a potential MD/PhD applicant, I suggest you focus on gaining research experience.</p>