<p>Hi all,
It's bookbagging time for firstyears right now. I have a few questions because I am concerned about the course load and stuff. </p>
<p>I have pratically no AP courses under my belt (my school doesn't offer them) except for Calculus BC. And I want to go into the sciences, because I hope to go to medical school. </p>
<p>As of right now, I am thinking of having CHEM31L, MATH31L, PHYSICS 62L (I couldn't find 61L) and WRITING 20. But, just looking at everything, chem and physics both have a lab and a recitation portion that comes with it, and math also has a lab. I am worried that I won't be able to handle all the courses. </p>
<p>Any comments, suggestions? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Okay, a few things.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Did you (or do you think you will) get a 4 or 5 Calculus BC? If so, you are done with calculus in terms of pre-med requirements and do not need to take Math 31L. The only reason you would have to take additional calculus for a science major is if you want to major in physics (or a BS in Chem, but generally Chem pre-meds get an AB). </p></li>
<li><p>Physics 62L is a physics course for engineers. Pre-meds take the 53L/54L sequence, but generally not until their sophomore or junior year. Again, if you want to major in physics, you’ll take the 41L/42L sequence. </p></li>
<li><p>You should definitely check out the pre-health advising website because they have great sample schedules based on how much AP credit you have, how strong your math/science background is, etc. [Office</a> of Health Professions Advising – Duke University](<a href=“http://prehealth.duke.edu/preparing/]Office”>http://prehealth.duke.edu/preparing/)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Other than all that, you should definitely take Chem 31L and Writing 20 or a seminar. The other two classes are totally up to you–you might want to sample some departments that could be potential majors or knock some T-reqs out. Hope that helps!</p>
<p>As the person above said, and I shall reiterate, if you have AP/IB credit for math, do not take anymore of it at Duke. Math 31 is one of the most failed courses at Duke, mainly because a lot of non-mathy people have to take it to fulfill reqs, but math in college is nothing like math in high school. Also, many of the math teachers are just downright horrible. </p>
<p>I say you’re schedule is doable, because I did something similar my freshman year. But I’ll give you a breakdown of each class so you know what you’re taking on:
Chem 31 is a weed out class, which basically means that it’s purposely made harder/curved harder so kids will drop out. If you haven’t taken Chem at all, then this class will be killer and you’ll have to study hard; however, if you have taken chem in high school, you’ll probably survive off that base of knowledge during the duration of this course. You’ll have WebAssign, an website where your prof will put online problems sets that you have do, and these, from what I’ve seen, are hard. I got a 5 on the AP Chem test, and I still don’t know how to do some of the problems they have. People usually work in groups on these, and it takes around 1-2 hours. Chem 31 labs are annoying. You have to copy down the procedures into a lab notebook each lab, and answer and solve a lot of questions. This probably takes another hour.
Math 31 is nothing like any math class you’ve ever taken. Again, if you haven’t taken the high school equivalent, it’s going to be hard. Problem sets will probably take around an hour to do, and that lab will probably tack on another half an hour to an hour.
Physics 62, if it’s anything like physics 61, will have a problem set that’ll take anywhere from 1-3 hours to do. Recitation is EXTREMELY helpful, so I recommend that you go. Labs will probably be pointless, while write ups will be pointlessly long and annoying. There’s another hour or so down the drain.
Writing 20 really depends on the class. You’ll probably be expected to write at least 2 short papers, and then a long one for your final with short discussion pieces in between essays. However, this varies a lot. Some sections will require you to write waaay more, depending on the prof. I suggest you use ratemyprofessor to find an easy one, or look at the various ratings on blackboard.
The hours given are very approximate, as I haven’t taken any of these classes and am relying on word of mouth. Also, this is per week, so it isn’t too bad. Duke is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy it. (:</p>
<p>I hope this helped!</p>
<p>Sorry for the thread hijack, but if I have chemistry credit, should I go into 43L or 151L?</p>
<p>I’ve heard really bad things about 43L.</p>
<p>@amonkeydotnet: thanks a lot for your help. I have been talking with my advisor, and she doesn’t recommend me taking physics in my first year. I don’t think I will. I probably won’t take math, either - though is there any statistics course that I can take, that’s kind of easy, in the first year? (I don’t have any background on stats, I think). And maybe I’ll take french. It seems like french 63, though it’s recommended on the french website for studnets who had french courses before, have pre-requisites I do not have?</p>
<p>The intro stats class (STA 10) is easy, according to my friend (although he’s a beast at stats). It’s just AP Stats in college, so take that if you want a stats class.</p>
<p>As for the french thing, just email the prof and work something out. Most professors are pretty accommodating. </p>
<p>Chem -<br>
I was also in your situation. The class average of the frosh orgo class is ridiculously high, but they curve to a B+/A-, so it balances it. In the end, though, I’m glad I chose to take 151, because now I’m done done done (!!) with orgo. 
However, if you don’t need to take orgo, don’t, unless you have some morbid curiously to probably get your GPA shot. My friends have said that 43 is hard, and the tests averages are ridiculously low.
You could also just wait to take 151 second semester, when averages are lower.</p>
<p>Pfffffffft orgo was so much easier than 43! (at least 151 was…haven’t taken 152 yet). Skip 43 if you can! The test avgs are really low, and we didn’t get a generous B+/A- curve like the freshman 151ers did</p>
<p>Thanks, I will definitely be taking 151L. Do you think taking 151L, an 100 level bio class, a seminar, and an 100 level stats class is doable for fall?</p>
<p>Yes, but the averages for my frosh orgo class were ridiculously high.
Waaay higher than a non frosh orgo class. Believe me. I was in one.</p>
<p>I think it’s possible. You’ll probably be studying more than some of the other kids, but I say it’s certainly doable.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Are the averages higher because it is curved to an A-/B+?</p>
<p>I mean that the averages on the test are higher, as in the students do better on the tests as a whole. So be prepared to study lots.
Then the class is curved to a B+/A-,</p>