As I’ve been trying to organize my first semester course schedule at UVA, I’ve realized that I don’t really know what I’m doing. I’ve checked the pre-health advising website for the most common pre-requisites (https://career.virginia.edu/gpsa/pre-health/careers/medicine/requirements-and-involvement-medicine) but I’m still not sure what kind of classes to start with.
Although I’m not 100% sure, I’m leaning towards a philosophy major. However, I again don’t know how to fit that into a first semester course load.
I’ve placed out of the first writing requirement, so I don’t have to take a writing course first semester even though I haven’t entirely ruled it out. Also I’ve placed out of the language requirement.
I don’t know whether I should take Introductory College Chemistry, Introduction to Biology with Laboratory: Cell Biology & Genetics, or a physics class. I have taken both AP Bio (4) and AP Physics 1 (3) although I didn’t score high enough to place out, if that’s of any relevance. The only one thing I know I want to take first semester is Calculus. After a hard science class (which one yet I do not know) and calculus, I imagine I should take something like psychology or sociology and perhaps something philosophy related?
Anyway, I don’t really know what I’m doing and I would really really appreciate any advice. Thank you 
It is desirable to test out your intended major in the first semester, so you can adjust your interests as needed, without needing extra time to graduate if you later change your major. Therefore, if you are thinking about doing a philosophy major, take a class in that dept ASAP to test it out.
I think most premeds take chem classes their first two semesters. That will be a test --If you don’t do very well in those classes, it may be time to look for a different interest, because the premed chemistry will get much much harder.
I would not start out with 3000 level bio classes your first semester, such as genetics.
Most students try to get general ed and language requirements out of the way their first semester. It will be hard to get registered into interesting elective classes as a first year - you will have plenty of time to take them later. Most students wait to fulfill their non-western required class, because a first year will not get into the interesting classes.
It also is helpful to take at least one class your first semester that you previously took as an AP class (but for which you did not receive credit). That will give you some breathing room in adjusting to college, because hopefully you be re-learning some of the same material in the first month. I was happy to see that the calc class I took at UVa used the same textbook as my AP calc class in high school - I have even brought my homework with me from that textbook.
There are also some smaller classes specifically designed for first years.