Hi, I am an incoming freshman & I will be attending SOAR in 2 weeks. I took a look at the registration worksheet I am pretty sure I will be taking:
Gen Chem 111A & lab
Calc 1 131
Spanish 202
FOCUS Irish Lit
Writing 1 (TBD 1st or 2nd semester)
Assuming that I continue with Calc 2, Chem 2, etc. the following semester and knowing that FOCUS is 2 semesters, should I take Bio 2960 my second semester or wait until sophomore year?
Basically I feel like I have to chose between Bio 1 or intro to Psych my second semester, provided that I take Writing 1 first semester. Should I take Bio to be on track as a pre-med?
Also are sophomores allowed to take intro courses, like Psych 100B?
Have you checked to see whether you were assigned first or second semester for Writing 1? You might want to add another class to your fall semester schedule if you’ve been assigned spring semester.
You really should take bio 1 second semester. Bio 1 is only offered second semester and bio 2 is only offered first semester (this is because gen chem 1 is a pre req to bio 1). If you choose to skip bio 1 your freshmen year, you would only be able to take bio 1 second semester sophomore year and bio 2 first semester junior year. The fact that you are pre med and only taking bio 2 first semester junior year is kind of a problem. This also prevents you from taking upper level bio courses since bio1/2 are usually pre reqs.
@slights32 If you want to start med school immediately after undergrad, it’s going to cause issues. Most premeds I knew took the mcat summer after junior year (aka before senior year, when apps are due). If you follow the plan you’re thinking of you’ll likely have issues with when to take biochem, which most people recommend taking before the mcat.
Biochem 1 (Bio 4810) is typically a fall class. If you push off Gen Bio, you’re waiting until senior year to take biochem (hence pushing back the mcat, and forcing you to take a gap year between undergrad and med school.
If you’re fine with that, or that’s your plan regardless, sure. But it would be silly to do in the OPs case just because they’re trying to schedule Psych in somewhere.
I am a Pre-Med student at Wash U and I didn’t take Bio my freshman year. I simply just took Bio 2 the first semester of my sophomore year and then Bio 1 the second semester. Even though not many people do it in this order, Bio 1 isn’t a prerequisite for Bio 2 so don’t get too stressed out if you can’t do Bio 1 until sophomore year.
(I also took Physics my freshman year, which helped me with Chemistry the following year. Chemistry seems to stress a lot of first-year students out, while Physics is much more lax).
All I’m saying is that you should absolutely not feel any pressure to do things the “regular” way. There is no “right” way to do Pre-Med and just cater it to your own preferences.
@Rivero which physics? 197 or 117? @Johnson181 my advisor said I could take the U college biochem class spring of junior year. He wants me to start with physics freshman year
Taking physics 2, bio 1, chem 2, and probably calc 2/3 (or some other math class) with the corresponding physics lab, chem lab, and bio lab second semester freshmen year doesnt sound fun. Usually only BME people do that
@ee1025
UCollege’s Biochem has Orgo (both semesters) as a prereq. If you do not take Chem until sophomore year, you won’t be able to take Ucollege Biochem until senior year.
You’ve got some crackpot advisor, honestly. Quite frankly, it sounds like your advisor doesn’t know what he/she is talking about.
The only way this plan will work out is if you either skirt prereqs (which, to be honest, no one really checks; however, it’s very foolish, imo) or take summer classes.
If you want to take summer classes, go right ahead. A lot of people do. But just know you’ll make it very hard on yourself to get an internship or summer job…
NOTE WELL: You cannot take Physics 197 as a freshmen. You’re only starting with Calc I; Calc II is a coreq for Physics 197 (it is not for Physics 117).
Posting again because it really seems like your advisor is giving you garbage advice. Really really garbage advice.
***If you are either planning on taking classes in the summer or a gap year between undergrad and applying to med school, none of this matters. But you haven’t said that so here we go.
Basic “sciency” classes you need for med school applications:
Bio I & II
Chem I & II
Ogo I & II
Biochem I (not all schools require it, but even my state school does & you don’t want to limit yourself on where you can apply)
Physics I & II (I recommend the 197 series; nearly everyone on this board is going to recommend 197. It’s worlds better than 117, imo. It’s taught better and a better format to both get a better grade and learn the material in depth).
Calc I & II, Statistics (and Calc III, if you’re majoring in anything like bio or chem, really).
All of these should ideally be done by the end of junior year, before you take the MCAT. Now, if you don’t want to worry about biochem and the MCAT, that’s your prerogative. But if you’re serious about premed you should be serious about the MCAT.
Chem I is a prereq for both Orgo & Bio I.
Orgo II & Bio II are prereqs for Biochem.
So the flowchart to biochem would be Chem I - Chem II/Bio I - Orgo I/Bio II - Orgo II - Biochem. 2.5 years/ 5 semesters.
I am taking Calc II so I can take Physics 197, in fact it is a popular class for freshmen. Also I think only Orgo 1 is a prereq so I can take UCollege Bio Chem in spring of Junior year
@ee1025 if that’s the case, sure, 197 is fine for you. Definitely take 197, not 117! Do a search on the board if you want more info.
But for the record, it’s only “popular” for freshmen because engineers have to take it as freshmen (all 300 of them unless they AP out of it). (I was an engineer, for reference).
If that’s true about Orgo for ucollege, then that’ll work, but you’ll be layering up junior year. To each his own… Edit: I’ve found varying info on whether or not Orgo II is needed for biochem with ucollege. If they’re this back and forth on it it likely isn’t an issue for you.
In all honesty, summer school might be a really good bet for you regardless. A lot of people do it, and it makes things a lot easier on your schedule. Ie Chem I & II summer after freshman year. Or Orgo I & II summer after sophomore year.
Doesn’t have to be at wustl. You can do it for cheap back home at a local school.
FYI, depending on your circumstances, med schools prefer that you don’t take prereqs during summer. Just do some research before you commit to this path.