<p>Can you replace your biology requirement with genetics, cellular biology, and biochemistry instead if you do not want to retake biology at the introductory level.</p>
<p>Most schools seem to allow that. My DD did not retake the intro level bio, she took upper division courses showing her mastery of the lower level coursework</p>
<p>Is there any schools that don’t allow you to replace intro bio with upper division bio classes? And does anyone know if those specific classes listed would replace the bio requirements for tier 1 schools?</p>
<p>From what I saw, (keep in mind, these are colleges I’m interested in) most colleges will let you use your AP credit to satisfy a graduation requirement or skip the intro class.</p>
<p>YMMV.</p>
<p>Anything above BIO 101 with the BIO heading essentially. You also need labs for those classes I believe. I have heard of a very few schools that do not accept replacement AP for some courses, but honestly I don’t know a comprehensive list. Genetics and Cell Bio definitely, I wouldn’t gamble on biochem though. I don’t know what you mean by tier 1 medical schools, but the top 20 schools are pretty open to AP replacement as far as I know.</p>
<p>First Bio is not allowed to be skipped at D’s school (thanks goodness).
It is weed out killer. Skipping this class makes it practically impossible to continue successfully with the next Bio class. It was taught by 3 profs simulteniusly in a classroom, taking turns covering their specialty.
Check out specifics of your particular UG and with pre-med advisor. I heard of other UG with the same situation.</p>
<p>I skipped the first intro course in the biology sequence at my school and have not found myself disadvantaged at all for upper level courses. However, I was still required to take the intro level cells and genetics course, which is really the foundation for many of the bio courses I took thereafter. I would say to look into the topics they cover in the introductory course(s) and see if you feel confident enough with the material to skip them and take higher level ones instead. I don’t regret my decision at all because now I am ahead of most other students in my year and I will have time to take other interesting bio seminars as electives.</p>
<p>From the advice I’ve been given and additional research I’ve decided to skip intro bio and go into upper level bio if replacement with upper division bio is allowed for all (or all that I’ve looked up) schools. I have been given more than sufficient preparation for genetics as my AP Bio teacher had an obsession with the topic and we did all of the chapters in the Campbell book on genetics, DNA, and DNA technology. The only area where I may be deficient in preparation is botany and ecology (though I still got a 5 on the AP); however, I do not plan on taking upper division in those subject areas. I have sufficient prep for genetics and orgo will prep me for Biochem. As for cellular bio, is the class worth taking or not? - does it have any pertinence to med school?</p>
<p>It is good review for the MCAT in my opinion and certainly has pertinence to medical school. Will it make medical school easier? Maybe a little in the beginning if you take it right before entering. Otherwise it will mostly just sound familiar and be a bit quicker to uptake. So, in short, taking the course is not in itself worth the time commitment for the mild benefit, but it is a good course and like I said it is good MCAT practice in my opinion.</p>
<p>In that case, and yes I still plan on taking cell bio for MCAT prep based on your advice, what would be the most useful course (other than anatomy) that you could think of that would improve performance in medical school?</p>
<p>Anatomy is not very useful for the MCAT… Physiology maybe.</p>