<p>Okay, so this might already have been answered already, but I didn't really see anything when I searched this specific part of the forum. </p>
<p>I'm a freshman student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.</p>
<p>I just wanted to ask - I already have AP Credit for General Biology I (BY 123 and lab). I have the opportunity to CLEP out of the next biology class (BY 124 and lab). I know it is looked down upon to simply CLEP out of pre-med requirements, but I intend to take higher level biology classes (genetics, mammalian physiology, microbiology, and cell biology) regardless.</p>
<p>If I were to take these higher level classes, would I still be looked down upon by medical school admission committees for clepping out of general biology II? From a common sense perspective, I'd say no, but I'm no member of an admissions committee.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Most pre-meds do not skip any Bio. D. mentioned that taking higher Bio in her school would be close to impossible without her taking the first Bio (both semesters). She had 5 on AP Bio and so many around her. However, it is different from school to school. That is why they have pre-med advisors who are familiar with their school program and have historical/statistical data to make intelligent suggesions.</p>
<p>All right. Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>I agree with MiamiDAP. At my school it is highly recommended that everyone retake the bio. At my school it was even changed last year from getting a 5 got someone out of the first two semesters and a 4 getting out of the first to that 4 and 5’s can only get out of the first semester. I know a few people who passed out of the first semester, but the majority of my class had taken AP Bio. On the other hand, at the school where a large majority of my high school friends go to, very few people don’t take the AP credit and move on to upper level courses. I think it really depends on the school. I would talk to people at your school, both advisors and upper level students.</p>
<p>At Ds school, Berkeley, it was recommended NOT to skip Bio 1A/B, but DD chose to do so anyway. She neither wanted to play the weeder class game nor wished to waste class time on the basics. In her case, a bio major, she took all upper div coursework and even a couple of grad level classes to continue with profs she really enjoyed. She got As in all those classes, it was no problem. She did not take most of these classes until her senior year so there was a large time elapsed between grade 12 and senior year of university, but it was fine. On the other hand, when she could not get into calc right away, she chose NOT to skip the first semester course as she felt she had gotten rusty.</p>
<p>It depends on you and your comfort with the class as well as your school Can you drop into a few of those bio classes this term and verify they are unnecessary.</p>
<p>somemom comment has proved that it is very different from school to school so it is very important to investigate at your school.
At D’s school, first Bio was not “basics” at all. Yes, it was weed out killer with impossible lab that made whole lot of HS valedictorians fall out of pre-med track. It was taught by 3 profs simultaneusly being in classroom at every lecture, each teaching their specialty (botany, micro-biology, zoology). D. took lots of upper Bio thru all her 4 years. None of them were easy, except she heard that Biochem is easy -taking it this semester. All of upper division Bio were required background from first Bio class, she was very happy that she did not skip it.</p>