<p>We all hear of some of the "infamously impossible courses" of each subject area. For example, in chemistry/pre-med it's organic chem, in physics it's Quantum Mechanics, in math it's Real Analysis (or some redonculously high level of Calc). I was wondering if anybody could enlighten me of the hardest classes at this school. For example, what is the hardest class/greatest challenge in a field such as Poly Sci, IR, Woodrow Wilson (for Princeton's case), Sociology, Econ, Psych, English, Bio? What Philosopher's works are considered the most difficult to read and comprehend? Or Classics (Latin, Greek, Western Civ/philo/hum)? Etc.</p>
<p>im taking freshman organic chem right now and first semester is basically high level physics (shrodinger's wave eq) and some history (not really chem yet) ... its very challenging but interesting i like it....</p>
<p>philosophy - intro to ethics w/ shelly kagan is supposed to be really hard in terms of grades, but not workload...kagan doesn't like to give out good grades..im taking it Cr/D/F though</p>
<p>then people say math 120 - multivar. calc is hard, but it only gets hard at the end of the semester...</p>
<p>does that help?</p>
<p>Math 230 (Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra) is a proof-based, year-long course that is equivalent to Maths 120, 225, and 250. It's also called "Suicide Math."</p>
<p>I thought physical chemistry is supposed to be harder than organic chemistry.</p>
<p>eh, i think they're about the same. but then, i'm a chem major and i like them both :-D</p>
<p>... hardest "intro" course I've taken was Phys 260/261 (misleadingly called "Intensive Introductory Physics"... should have been called "only take this if you can do multivariable calculus in your sleep, like doing three pages of math to answer one of the five physics problems on the homework set, and ... yeah. don't get me wrong, it was a GREAT course; learned a LOT, and Prof. Girvin's cool :p. just definitely not for the faint-at-heart!)</p>
<p>i'm taking pchem (chem332) and orgo (227) now, and i say without a doubt that phys260/261 was harder than both of them. possibly combined.</p>
<p>My roommate is taking Physics 260 and Math 230, and he says that Math 230 is definitely much harder, mostly because it's abstract and proof-based.</p>
<p>What if you plan to major in chemistry, but haven't taken any physics? Is that a problem?</p>
<p>I don't think this should be a problem... you can just go into physics 180 (or higher; I think 150 is also okay but I wouldn't swear to it) freshman or sophomore year and everything will be fine (if you need to take math - math through math 120 is ABSOULUTELY necessary for pchem - take it as a freshman and then take physics as a sophomore. or something like that.) definitely get the physics and the math done before you go into pchem (it's usually a junior-year course), though, because you'll be absolutely lost without it.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>and yes, I acknowledge that math230 is probably harder that phys260/261, but I didn't take it so I can't speak from personal experience... I was just saying that I think p260 was harder than both orgo & pchem, which are some of the most classic science-major-killer courses :p</p>