<p>What is the quality of the science classes at Duke? Do you like your professors? Is it easy to get help? Are the classes good and interesting?</p>
<p>I'm taking Organic Chemistry and Genetics/Cell Biology this year - I had AP credit for both AP Bio and AP Chem. Both classes are demanding - chem is very application-based and bio is more memorization. The instructors are decent - they assume you know a lot from the get go and the class moves very fast. It is easy to get help - the professors all have office hours, you can set up an appointment with them, and your T.A.'s are available as well as resource rooms in the department. The professors also hold review sessions before each test. The grading is really tough in orgo and cell bio - its curved to a C+/B-. Pretty much if you want to get an A- or better, you have to score almost 2 standard deviations above the mean, which for these classes, aren't really that low either.</p>
<p>I took organic chemistry last semester (thankfully, it wouldn't fit into my schedule this semester). It was taught really well (although he went FAST), and there were office hours and the resource room to help. If you're lucky enough to get a good TA (I didn't), recitation before lab can be helpful. I didn't find labs terribly useful because we were blindly following the instructions and didn't really understand the process, but it boosts your grade, and it's helpful to experience what you learn in lecture. Gross Chem isn't exactly the most modern facility out there, but the French Science Center will open this fall, which will be completely new and up-to-date. </p>
<p>I have very mixed opinions about the biology department. I get the impression that it's strongly dominated by premeds and people interested in the biomedical sciences. If you're into that kind of thing, Duke is the perfect place to be. I was a bit turned off by the strong medical focus, though. Bio 116 (Ecology & Evolution) was packed with people who were only taking the class because it's required for the major, so I didn't feel like I got quite as much out of it as I would've with a smaller, more enthusiastic class. The upper level classes are more diverse, ranging from botany to microbiology to primate behavior. Juniors and seniors tend to fill them up rather quickly, though. The biggest drawback to the biology department is that it's HUGE. As in about 150-200 majors. It's easier to get lost in the shuffle in biology than in a much smaller department like physics or earth science, IMO.</p>
<p>Do you think the intro sciences are the same way? And did you think you learned a lot from the professor or did you get the impression that teaching was not their first priority?</p>
<p>Eh, I tested out of intro biology and chem (IB credit), so I really can't speak from personal experience. From what I've heard, the intro classes can be really good or really poor depending on the professor. For example, Bio 25 (intro biology) is taught by Prof. Grunwald this semester, and he's a really good professor. </p>
<p>I can definitively answer your second question, though. Duke professors are there to teach, with research as a second interest. Very few professors will neglect students for research. As a general rule, professors tend to be more excited about upper level classes, but they will are DEFINITELY willing to help you understand the material, and they genuinely want you to succeed.</p>
<p>I took General Chemistry, and there's definitely a ton of people who have mixed feelings about this as well. I, for one, loved the material, and the professors, but that's probably because I'm a Chemistry major and I'm obligated to be obsessed with it.</p>
<p>Anyway, I ALWAYS got the feeling from all three of my professors that they definitely really wanted to students to understand the material, and really just love what they do. This semester we even had Dr. Lyle in lecture almost everyday doing demonstrations (frequently blowing things up which was awesome by the way). Gen Chem professors get a lot of hate because the classes are usually filled with premeds just taking chemistry to fill their requirement and get an A. You would never known from my professors...I was impressed, especially with Macphail this semester.</p>
<p>Now, that being said, a lot of people don't go to chemistry lecture because you can get much of the same information from the book, but I always thought it was worthwhile and interesting. Oh, and I'm very biased so someone else might think differently:p</p>
<p>warbler, did you get 7s on both Chem and Bio HLs? And were you playing catchup on Bio side where APers are more well versed in fun factoids? Are you a pre-med? Besides the obvious Bio and Chem, what other majors are common for pre-meds?</p>
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warbler, did you get 7s on both Chem and Bio HLs?
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I wish! I got 6's on both.</p>
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And were you playing catchup on Bio side where APers are more well versed in fun factoids?
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Definitely not. IB Biology is very broad, especially with the HL Options. I was very well prepared.</p>
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Are you a pre-med?
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Nope. I've never had an interest in the medical field.</p>
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Besides the obvious Bio and Chem, what other majors are common for pre-meds?
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Biological Anthropology is fairly common for premeds. The Health Policy certificate is mostly premeds, and the new Global Health certificate should be pretty popular. As a general rule, premeds stick to the sciences and pre-law/business students stick to PP/Econ/Poli Sci, but there are exceptions.</p>
<p>How difficult is it to major in PP/Econ and still fulfill the requirements for med school? Will these students need to take Bio/Chem classes as their electives? </p>
<p>Although I know that we don't have to declare a major until Soph year, I'm somewhat nervous because I'm not quite sure about what I want to do - there's just so many fields that interest me. I enjoy science (Bio, Chem), but I'm worried that I won't have enough electives to explore other areas (in the humanities) as well. </p>
<p>Any advice? It would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>I'm an Econ premed. I declared late, so it's been a little hurried, but nothing too crazy. You'll have plenty of time to explore.</p>
<p>I HATED Gen chem. I had mukundan 1st semester and Macphail second semester. I got good grades, but I HATED the classes and how they were taught. I took AP Chem in high school so luckily I didn't have to rely on their boring and useless lectures to inform me of what we were supposed to be learning. I didn't like Mukundan so I took MacPhail second semester and he was even worse. It just turned me off to the chem department, which I was good at and had planned on majoring in, and I ended up majoring in two disciplines in the humanities (go figure).</p>
<p>I know some people who actually like chem, but it is mostly a pre-med department - you will be hard-pressed to find chem majors - they are really rare because it seems like all anyone uses the chem department for is prereqs for med school.</p>