<p>So, I made a post here (<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/1644889-ivc-to-uci-bio-major-possibly-missing-some-pre-req-s-p1.html">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/1644889-ivc-to-uci-bio-major-possibly-missing-some-pre-req-s-p1.html</a>) about transferring to UCI as a biological sciences major. I've started to think about other possible "untraditional" options I might have for getting into UCI and pursuing that major.</p>
<p>One option I have since thought of, is possible applying as a Public Health (BS) major and then taking o-chem at UCI and THEN petitioning to switch to a bio major. I've looked on assist.org and have found that the core requirements for the two majors are nearly identical, except the public health major does NOT require a year of o-chem before transfer like the bio major does.</p>
<p>I will still try to take most of my major's math requirements (pre-calc, calc 1a, calc 1b, and stats) at my community college before I transfer. I just would like to know if switching into the bio major can be done after transferring to UCI, since I will have essentially taken about 80% of the pre-reqs for it if I decide to declare myself a public health major on my UCI application.</p>
<p>Or, should I declare Biological Sciences as my first major of choice, and then declare Public Health BS as my second "alternate" major of choice on the Fall '15 applications?</p>
<p>I know that this is, in a way, a back-door to getting into the extremely competitive school of biological sciences of UCI, but I am trying to be as resourceful as possible in regards to transferring within only 2 years.</p>
<p>Not going to work. Its worth spending some time reading thru the change of major information at Irvine if you are thinking of something along these lines.
So don’t take o-chem before you xfer, and you can’t change. Or at least that’s what the UCI web page says…</p>
<p>I saw that on the site and I was thinking that I might take the 1st semester of O-chem during spring '15 and the 2nd semester during summer '15. Technically, I would be completing the organic chem requirement before entering UCI… do you think that might work @mikemac ?</p>
<p>This is something I won’t even try to answer because the consequences of being wrong are so big. I suggest you contact UCI via their admissions webpage to ask them. If you have more questions or just want to go over where you stand and what you ought to do - they probably have counselors come to visit your CC regularly since it is so close, or you may even be able to make an appt at UCI to talk to someone. Some UCs allow prospective students to make such appts, you’d have to check and see if UCI does.</p>
<p>edit: I clicked on the link you gave and saw you have lots of questions about eligibility, what you should take, etc. I strongly suggest that you meet with a UCI representative, either at UCI or when they visit your school, to get the right answers. People here want to be helpful but unless they’re citing published links I’d be cautious about taking their advice regarding requirements and the like. If they’re right, great, but if they’re wrong you are the one that bears the consequences. It sounds like your advisor at your CC is uninformed, like all too many. But UCI is nearby and you should be able to get reliable answers without too much difficulty.</p>
<p>@mikemac you’re completely right. I was going to call UCI’s transfer admissions office either today or Monday (I think they close early on Fridays). And yeah, I have a ton of questions because it’s literally the only school I can realistically afford to go to right now that has a great bio program with a bunch of resources. Thanks for the advice though!</p>
<p>some more musings - i saw in your other post that you just failed a trig test and your grade in your Bio class is a B-. Most of the time the root causes are not spending enough time studying and not knowing how to study. </p>
<p>In math/science classes good students find they often need to spend 6-10 hours per week outside of class reading the book, doing homework, doing extra problems. That’s right - extra. There is no reason to limit yourself to the assigned questions, and one of the stronger effects in learning is the effect of testing on learning. For example read [To</a> Really Learn, Quit Studying and Take a Test](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/science/21memory.html]To”>Test-Taking Cements Knowledge Better Than Studying, Researchers Say - The New York Times) Doing extra problems is self-testing of exactly the right kind. For many subjects there are workbooks such as the “Chemistry Problem Solver”. These are incredible tools and I don’t know why schools don’t pass them out along with the textbook. The chapters have worked problems, hundreds of them. Keep in mind that distributed practice is much more effecting that bunched; spending 2 hours 3x a week on studying is much better than a single Sunday afternoon session.</p>
<p>There are tons of websites you can visit for advice, and your college is likely to have a learning center as well. Two links to get you started are [On</a> Becoming a Math Whiz: My Advice to a New MIT Student](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/3zh9frh]On”>On Becoming a Math Whiz: My Advice to a New MIT Student - Cal Newport) and [How</a> to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/aok5qn]How”>How to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses - Cal Newport) Read thru the story at [Teaching</a> linear algebra](<a href=“http://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebra.html]Teaching”>Random Observations: Teaching linear algebra) and see how that prof forced students to rehearse material with great results; the advice earlier focuses on doing that yourself. </p>
<p>The downfall of many students is confusing recognition with recall (won’t be a problem if you follow the advice above). When you do the homework you have the book right there and can thumb back to see how similar problems were solved. After a while the approaches become familiar, and then when you review the book before the test they may seem even more so, but as you’ve discovered once you face a test and can’t refer back you can’t recall what you need. Two academic links discussing this are [Why</a> Students Think They Understand—When They Don’t](<a href=“http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/winter0304/willingham.cfm]Why”>Ask the Cognitive Scientist: Why Students Think They Understand—When They Don't) and [Practice</a> Makes Perfect—but Only If You Practice Beyond the Point of Perfection](<a href=“http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/spring2004/willingham.cfm]Practice”>Ask the Cognitive Scientist: Practice Makes Perfect—But Only If You Practice beyond the Point of Perfection)</p>
<p>Oh I’m not worried about my grades right now. I was slightly exaggerating about the trig test… I didn’t fail it, just got a lower grade than I normally get. I understand the topics in trig since I normally do most of what you just suggested already haha 
I was receiving all A’s on tests and quizzes for the class, but for this last test, I didn’t have time to study the week prior to the test like I normally do (family issues, hospital visits, etc.) And my bio prof has told our class repeatedly that her test averages are always low at the beginning of the semester and high et the end, due to the overwhelming amount of material that she has to cover for the first test. Like I already said, I’m confident with my grades and study habits (for the most part). I should be able to maintain my current A’s and get my lower grades up to As within the next several weeks. I know the material well enough and I’m familiar with the different study methods you suggested. Thanks!</p>
<p>From my understanding, most UC school’s are hip to that “game” now. Students would transfer with a less “competitive” major, then change their major after enrolling. From my understanding, it is a bit more difficult nowadays. My sister graduated from UCLA, she entered as a psyc major, but she disliked that department and moved to sociology. I’ll see what info I can get, and see how it worked. I remember seeing it somewhere on UCLA’ site, but didn’t really pay attention, since I truly have a passion for my major. </p>