<p>The course roster is up on Chequerd for Fall 2011, and I was confused about how the labs work for this class. The description says "In fall and spring labs are held T, W, R, F, 2:304:30. Lab sign-ups done in first lec." I know that it's a 5 credit class, and I've heard that the labs are very time-consuming. So...when it says "T, W, R, F" does that mean that we have lab for every single one of those days? Or do we sign up for certain days? Do I have to leave that time-frame completely empty? Thanks.</p>
<p>You’re gonna have one weekly mandatory 2 hr lab session. However, you will be in lab 3-6 days per week during the peaks of the drosophila and microbial sections depending on your efficiency in scoring flies/making cultures.</p>
<p>Thanks for replying :)</p>
<p>So I take it that since only one lab session is mandatory, it’s ok for me to schedule classes that end at 2:40 on some of those days?</p>
<p>yeah, that would be fine. you are not certain to get the day that you select on your ballot, but I think they have some flexibility to accommodate if you are only available on some of the days. also, it’s probably a <em>good</em> idea to have class at the other lab times, because you are not allowed to come in and deal with your flies/bacteria while a different lab is using the classroom because there is not enough room and equipment for that (not to mention that plenty of the actual scheduled lab time consists of lectures from the TAs about the intricacies of fly genetics.)
I think that 6 days a week is probably a bit much to expect. I had a somewhat unreliable partner and I still was probably there max 4 days a week. compared to the time I put into working in a lab (something pretty common for the bio major sorts taking 2810) the fly stuff was a relatively minor task. I think it’s so useful to get to know the flies, even if you don’t use them for a model organism yourself…they play a huge role in a lot of research, and at least I find it way easier to understand a paper when you have done similar methods before yourself.</p>
<p>Does anyone know which year most people take this class?</p>
<p>Most take it junior or senior year. A few ambitious people take it sophomore year. I took it fall of senior year so as not to have to take it with physics or orgo, which are both time consuming soph/jr classes. I wouldn’t take it spring of senior year either due to senioritis and all that stuff.</p>