<p>I am mainly interested in a biochemistry major (or Chem major), but I am not sure if I've heard the popularity or rigor of this major at Penn.</p>
<p>Can you tell me how rigorous these majors/departments are, and the average GPA associated with this majors?</p>
<p>I am a Biochemistry/Biophysics double major in the Vagelos MLS program.</p>
<p>The Chemistry and Biochemistry department at Penn is extremely strong. Something like 5 or 6 Nobel Laureates are affiliated with the department. I don’t know the exact figures for how many people graduate with a major within the two departments every year but I think it ends up being around 30 or so for Biochemistry.</p>
<p>I will be frank and say that both majors are not easy. Chemistry majors have 3 labs (organic chem lab, inorganic chem lab, advanced lab) that take an immense amount of time (9 hours, 9.5 hours, 10 hours a week respectively) both in and out of class. Furthermore, I doubt anyone flies through inorganic or physical chem easily. </p>
<p>Biochemistry is better in the sense that it only requires Organic Chemistry Lab. Probably at least half of the Biochem majors are the people in Vagelos MLS.</p>
<p>Don’t know about GPAs with either major, I’d guess maybe 3.4ish? Don’t quote me on that though, not certain.</p>
<p>I don’t want to discourage you or turn you away from either departments, but I just want you to realize that although the going could be tough, the departments are quite great. If you are truly interested in either, I’d highly encourage you to check them out at least.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree and know that Penn’s Biochemistry will definitely not be easy, but I am more than willing to take on a great department with the expense of hard work. Also, I heard Penn’s chem/biochem was under enrolled. I’m definitely interested in the program and it definitely will be a top choice next year.</p>
<p>If one is thinking about majoring in chemistry or in something that requires a lot of chemistry (biophysics, or physics with a concentration in chemical principles) and one has credit for math 104 and could potentially get credit for both AP Physics C exams and get a 5 on AP chem (If I am correct this does not work for placement?) would you recommend taking Chem 115 (I think this is honors chem) or trying to place out of chem 101 and/or chem 102?</p>
<p>For AP Physics and Chem, I believe that they will only place you out of its intro class but not the lab. ie, AP Chem will get you out of Chem 101 I believe, but you still have to take its appropriate lab course.</p>
<p>Honors Chem is 015 and 016. I would highly recommend you taking them mainly because I’ve seen alot of Chem 101 and 102 stuff and it just seems too much plug and chugging. In Chem 015/016 you’ll focus alot more on theoretical stuff. I think you will cover some quantum mechanics and pchem in 015 as well as heat engines, much more interesting material than something like plain thermo in chem 101.</p>
<p>I have a question. I enrolled with the Vagelos MLS program ('14 woot) recently with the intention of pre-med. However over this summer I’ve been doing some soul searching, contemplating, etc. and I’ve been thinking about not doing medicine, maybe going into pharamaceuticals or something else that wouldn’t require so many years of prep.</p>
<p>So if I were to NOT go into medicine, what would my job prospects be with a Master’s in Chemistry from Vagelos (I’m planning to go that track)? Especially money wise–I don’t know if this is a shallow concern but it really matters to me–what kind of salary would I expect if I were looking for a job right out of Vagelos or after getting a PhD in Chemistry?</p>
<p>Realistically, there isn’t all too much you can do in with just a Masters in Chemistry. Well, you can get decent positions with it I suppose, but you can’t really rise in academia easily unless you have a PHD already. </p>
<p>Entering academia even after getting a PHD requires a ton of work. The salary, I will be blunt, is horrendous, probably around $45,000 for a PostDoc considering you just spent 7-8 years as a graduate student. I don’t know how much entering costs are for the pharmaceutical industry though.</p>