<p>How difficult are the math classes at Brown as compared to higher level math in high school (AP Calc BC)? The science classes vs. AP sciences? How is the adjustment from high school to college level course work?</p>
<p>Uroogla: What is life like in Providence? I’ve heard from some people that they expected it to be bigger, but what’s the overall atmosphere like?</p>
<p>Is the Human Biology Program more or less competitive than the hard sciences? because i applied to bio-chem, i didnt know brown had a humanbio concentration untill now…would have applied to it.</p>
<p>^I applied to Human Bio, but haven’t yet found anyone else who did. It’s an awesome program. If anyone is currently in it, please share your experiences so prospectives like me can get a better idea of what the program is like (:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If you’re taking BC now (and do pretty well), your advisor will most likely suggest that you take MATH0180, MATH0200 if you’re thinking about concentrating in engineering, or MATH0350 (the honors Multi class). As for adjusting, it seems to have varied from person to person, but most people found the course difficult at first but stuck it out and feel as though they’ve learned a lot. I think the issue this semester with Math18 and Math20 at least was that the TA’s teaching the class weren’t very good at explaining important concepts, or were hard to understand. The teaching list seems to shift around from semester to semester though, so make sure you attend different sections during reading period, and don’t hesitate to switch your section if you feel like your teacher/TA just isn’t working for you.</p>
<p>Other than that, there’s usually a problem set due each class (or weekly in the case of some sections of Math20). It is kind of overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it (which is usually different for everyone…I learned that for my calc class, I had to reread the section in the textbook after each class to kind of set the concepts in stone in my head), it won’t be too bad. As for science, I’m sure other people can give you better advise here (I’m definitely not concentrating in something science-related at the moment lol) but a lot of science classes have long labs that meet weekly. Since most people didn’t have labs this long in high school (ranging from 2 hours to 4 hours in the case of chem…although the labs don’t always take that long), it comes as a shock at first when you get to college</p>
<p>Can anyone expand on interviews? How important are they? In what way, shape, or form do they affect applications? Can they hurt someones chances and, if so, would it have to be a really awful interview? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Just quickly dodging in here to direct some of you to some info for now:
ViggyRam: The interview sticky at the top of this forum will pretty much answer your questions about interviews. The first post has plenty of information.</p>
<p>Bio and Human Bio: [Undergaduate</a> Biology - FAQs](<a href=“http://biology.brown.edu/undergraduate/faqs]Undergaduate”>http://biology.brown.edu/undergraduate/faqs) is a good place to start.</p>
<p>^Thanks for the link, but as I said before, I already read everything on the website. I just want to hear from a student who is currently in the program, because then I can see it from a unique perspective (:</p>
<p>On Human Bio: I’m not a concentrator but fwiw, the Human Bio program combines biology and its interaction with human impacts, and in thus inter-disciplinary in nature. This may be also why Human Bio is popular with pre-meds, as it explores some of the more social aspects of biology, which I guess is helpful in med school. On the other hand, if you want to apply to grad school in the biosciences, then the Human Bio program may be perceived as being not rigorous enough, unless of course you supplement it with more biology/science classes on your own.</p>
<p>@overmyhead: Generally speaking, when you put down a concentration in your application, you are not applying to that concentration. Rather, it is just a way for admissions to gauge where your academic interests lie. You are not bound in any way to the concentration you wrote down on your application. Your choice of concentration may sometimes affect your admission chances based on the class profile we want to build. However, the difference between Biochem and Human Bio is so slight (for admission purposes) that it probably doesn’t make a difference which one you put down on your application.</p>
<p>@viggyram: I think this thread addresses your concerns pretty comprehensively: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/810532-brown-interview-faq-answers.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/810532-brown-interview-faq-answers.html</a> (this is the same one Graagh is referring to)</p>
<p>When I was doing research on concentrations at Brown, I focused on science-related ones because I want to go into medicine. I was ecstatic when I read, for the first time: “Human biology is an interdisciplinary concentration whose goals are to provide a rigorous foundation in the biological sciences with substantive course work in humanities and social sciences.” It’s just the perfect program for me!</p>
<p>If I am admitted, my theme will be Human Health and Disease (I assume many pre-meds choose this theme over the other three), because I’d like to learn more about health policy and children’s health.</p>
<p><strong><em>Questions for pre-meds at Brown</em></strong>
- What is your concentration?
- Is it difficult to achieve and maintain a high GPA for med school?
- What are or were your favourite courses? Least favourites?
- What is a typical day like for you or other pre-meds?</p>
<p>And finally… a large percentage of Brown students concentrating in Biology get in to med school, but does this apply for Human Biology as well?</p>
<p><strong><em>Question for students in Human Biology ONLY</em></strong>
Do you intend to get a B.A. or B.Sc.?</p>
<p>
Providence is small compared to NYC and Boston. Many students at Brown are looking for the big northeast city, so they’re disappointed. I don’t have much of a basis of comparison, but…Providence proper is fairly small. The city contains about 25% of the number of people that Des Moines has, for what it’s worth, though the surrounding area contains quite a few people. The feeling of not being in a big city is further exacerbated because Brown is up on a hill, away from the skyscrapers and bustle of the city proper. There’s a good sized mall about a mile from campus down the hill (3 stories high, 170+ stores, a full movie theatre with 17 screens that offer student discounts and imax, and several restaurants as well as an overpriced food court), and near the mall is the train station, which offers inexpensive service to Boston if you prefer a bigger city and trains to DC. On the other side, about a mile off is a Whole Foods (organic supermarket) and East Side Market (which also has a fairly large organic selection) for groceries. It feels much less like a city in that direction, though the feel is distinctly commercial rather than residential. Closer to Brown is Thayer Street, which runs through campus. Thayer Street has several clothing stores, including an Urban Outfitters. CVS is at the north end and Tedeschi foods is towards the middle. On or near Thayer Street is a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop (some love it, some don’t…it’s fairly expensive either way), Paragon (a nice but not incredibly expensive restaurant), Subway, a couple pizza places (the Antonio’s vs. Nice Slice debate rages on…I’ll gladly eat at both, though I found myself at Antonio’s more this past term), Toledo’s (everything in a cone…haven’t tried it), and a Philly cheesesteak place whose atmosphere I’m not fond of. The Philly cheesesteak place also makes burritos, and there’s a burrito place next to Antonio’s. Recently, Better Burger Co. moved in, as well as Chipole, which makes Mexican food. Starbucks isn’t cheap, but it’s always filled with students working on laptops while drinking coffee. Most of these places aren’t that expensive once in awhile, but they can add up if you go out every day. There’s a Supercuts for haircuts, a candy store that supposedly gives students discounts, and the Brown Bookstore. When it’s nice out, motorcycle “gangs” are common sights on Thayer Street at night, and during the day you’ll see peddlers with tables selling things like popcorn or cheap jewelry, and some people will play instruments. For me, the area has an urban feel without being in the middle of a bunch of skyscrapers, but I live in a distinctly suburban area, so my view is a bit biased. The area isn’t completely safe - we get occasional e-mails about robbery and assault, but they’re pretty much exclusively on side streets where students were walking alone at 1 AM. This can be remedied by walking in a group, taking SafeRide or SafeWalk, or not being out of your dorm at very late hours. Providence definitely feels like a tiny city with a very interesting group of people around it; WaterFire is an amazing bi-weekly event where torches are lit on the river, but I’ve only been on Halloween so my experience with it is atypical.</p>
<p>
lapras provided some very good information; I’ll throw in my two cents.</p>
<p>There are quite a few people who take AP Calc BC and then retake Math 10 (Calc 2 = integrals and sequences and series) and struggle greatly. This may come from forgetting it or not having a very strong high school course (remember that the AP exam’s curve is relatively lenient, and one can get a 5 even not understanding a few major categories). Some take 17, which is an accelerated review of 10. My freshman year, it was completely crazy, but it’s become more sane lately. Many premeds take 10 or 17 for part of their calc requirements. Other students with BC Calc take 18 (calc 3 = partial differentiation, multiple integration and related topics), and as lapras mentioned, many of these people struggle because of the poor teaching. 20 is taken by potential engineering/physics concentrators, and 35 is primarily for those planning to major in math or a closely related field. 35 is supposedly hellish on most students, whether because they’re not cut out to be math concentrators or because of weak preparation or because the professor is completely crazy. I don’t know much about it because I convinced my advisor to let me skip it, but I gather that it is the first course that weeds out math majors. There is no doubt that 35 will make most/all AP Calc courses look easy. From there on, math becomes very much proof-based, and isn’t particularly comparable to AP Calc - it depends on how easy you find abstract proofs. Additionally, most of your grade comes from 1 or 2 midterms and a final; my final for Abstract Algebra next term is 50% of my final grade (and this isn’t the most heavily weighted final I’ve had at Brown) - this is typically very different from AP courses.</p>
<p>Computer Science A is not at all comparable to any of Brown’s CS courses, and even AB was not comparable to 19 (I don’t know about 15/16 and 17/18, though I know both teach concepts and/or languages not covered by the now-defunct AB exam).</p>
<p>AP Physics C is substantially easier than the 7/16 sequence, but harder than 3/4, I gather. AP Chem is roughly equivalent to Chem 33, though as lapras said, the labs are longer, and gen chem is done in 1 term at Brown. Additionally, you cannot place out of Chem 33 with your AP scores. I’m not at all familiar with bio, but many people with AP Bio place out of the intro course through an exam. In general, Brown offers harder sequences covering the same material as the AP exams (Math 17, Physics 7, CS 15/16), but it also tends to offer courses roughly on par with the AP exams (Math 10, Physics 5/6, CS 4, Chem 33). You’ll be challenged, and you’ll have to keep in mind that an AP course is designed to be challenging for high schoolers, but the equivalent of an intro course at the “average” college.</p>
<p>A 4 or 5 for AP Bio places you out of (and gives you credit for) Bio 20, which is kind of a shame really, since Ken Miller teaches that class. There is no need to sit for a placement exam.</p>
<p>The placement exam is mainly for people without a 4 or 5 in AP Bio. Passing the placement exam will similarly place you out of Bio 20.</p>
<p>aleph0</p>
<p>When I get to Brown, I will probably study applied math-bio. Can you tell me about this concentration? How are the classes and teachers? How demanding is the coursework and how interesting is it? Is it possible to intern at labs through the school year? Does the course provide you with tools to maybe use applied math in a other fields? </p>
<p>Since it is an Sc.B. I take it that double majoring is out of the question. Would this be a good background for a PhD in biology (as a physical science)? Or would Biophysics be a better choice for that?</p>
<p>
Not necessarily true; I’m double majoring with an Sc.B. and an AB. You can do this in 4 years, or stay a 5th year and obtain 2 degrees. Double majoring two closely related Sc.B.s in 4 years is possible as well. It’s not easy, but it’s doable. To do this, though, one doesn’t get many electives unless one takes 5 courses a significant number of terms. So it depends on how important this is to you.</p>
<p>@guitarclassical: Nice to hear someone interested in Applied Math-Bio! First of all, Applied Math-Bio deals mostly with some of the quantitative aspects of biological phenomenon. For example, modeling of predator-prey relations using differential equations, or analysis of the human genome using statistical methods, among many other things. If your interests lie more towards biomechanics, or structure-related issues in biology, then Biophysics would be more suitable for you. Both concentrations serve as good preparation for grad school, and your choice would depend on your specific area of interest.</p>
<p>Double majoring with an ScB is entirely possible, although admittedly it does not make for the most relaxing 4 years at Brown. I think the key is to start planning for your concentrations from freshman year, although the trade-off is that you would have fewer slots to take random classes you might be interested in. Personally, I’m also concentrating in Philosophy in addition to Applied-Math Bio, and I’m planning to finish in 3 years. So double-concentrating in 4 years isn’t that out of the question.</p>
<p>Classes wise you have complete calculus up to multivariable (MATH 18/20/35), linear algebra (MATH 52/54), the differential equations sequence (APMA 35 and 36) and a stats class (APMA 165). As I’m sure you’ve heard about intro math classes, teaching can be hit and miss, although we kinda struck gold last year with an amazing prof for APMA 35 and 36. </p>
<p>In addition you have to do the physics sequence (PHYS 3 and 4) and CHEM 33. You DO NOT have to do orgo for the concentration, even though it is recommended. The 4 bio courses you choose for the concentration are entirely up to you, so you can go wherever your interests lead you.</p>
<p>Opportunities for working in labs are (as I think is the case with any other field) abundant. All it takes is an e-mail to the prof describing your interests, and if there’s space in the lab then you’re in. </p>
<p>I think in general the applied math classes lend themselves well to application in other fields. For example differential equations can be used to model things in many different areas, from biology to physics to econ. Some of the upper-level applied math classes are geared specifically more to one particular area, so you can take those as well if you’re interested.</p>
<p>Coursework wise I would say Applied Math-Bio is less demanding than some other ScBs. I think not having to do orgo is at least part of the reason.</p>
<p>I hope this has been somewhat helpful. :)</p>
<p>Thanks Aleph0. That was very helpful!</p>
<p>Also, I have high scores in my school leaving exams - they qualify as getting a 5 in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Phyiscs and AP Biology.</p>
<p>Would this help me reduce the number of requirements to graduate/fill up concentration requirements or simply place me into higher level classes meaning I still have to do the same number of classes?</p>
<p>It depends. We can go through this case by case.</p>
<p>Math - A 5 on Calc BC will place you out of MATH 9 and 10 (you can even get credit for them if you want). You can start directly with multivariable calculus. You need not do additional math classes to “make up” for MATH 9 and 10.</p>
<p>Physics - All three introductory sequences (3/4, 5/6, 7/16) are open to all, without <em>official</em> pre-reqs. Given you have AP Physics, you should consider doing PHYS 5 or 7, which also satisfy the PHYS 3 requirement in the concentration. There is a way whereby you can get credit for PHYS 3 (but not PHYS 4). Look here: [Department</a> of Physics|Brown University|Undergraduate Program](<a href=“http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/detail.asp?id=2]Department”>http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/detail.asp?id=2)</p>
<p>Chem - 5 on AP Chem places you into (not out of) CHEM 33. No credit awarded for AP scores.</p>
<p>Bio - 5 on AP Bio places you out of BIOL 20 (again you can get credit for it if you want). However, you still have to take 4 other biology classes for the concentration.</p>
<p>Note that although credit from AP scores can be used to satisfy certain concentration requirements, they do not count towards the 30 courses you need in total to graduate.</p>
<p>Just adding my name to the list…</p>
<p>Here’s a list of students who are willing to answer questions here or by PM:
-Bruno14 (PLME, bio/music concentrator, class of '14)
-Uroogla (Classics [Greek and Latin] and Mathematics-Computer Science concentrator, class of '12)
-aleph0 ('12, Applied Math-Bio, Philosophy)
-burningham17 ('14, Biochem?, probably premed or research)
-Keynes ('14, Computer Science-Economics)
-AmbitiousMind07 (Class of 2013)</p>
<p>Uroogla: Providence sounds wonderful! The town in which I live has a population of 2,500, so anything is bigger than that! </p>
<p>I really appreciate your description. It was very thorough. I may be going to visit Brown this summer (I’m so excited) and I bet Providence is even better in person!</p>
<p>I know! Providence, RI sounds amazing. I applied mostly to schools in smaller cities/towns (: Are there lots of TREES, small stores, university student hangouts, coffee shops around Brown? I put an emphasis on “trees” because I like a gorgeous, green campus.</p>