I have been admitted to Cal Poly as a music major. I want to be a music major but I also want to complete all the premed requirements. How difficult will it be to get those classes? What’s the current climate there like…is it overenrolled? Is it hard to get classes?
It’s not overenrolled per se. You’ll be hunting classes most music students don’t though.
Your curriculum requires 16 hours of science and math (Area B) and 12 hours of social science (Area D). That will get you a long way there. Plus, there are 21 hours of free electives.
Overlay your prerequisites on a flow chart and see how it will work.
I think it could be hard as a music major, since you’ll be competing against pre-meds and pre-vets, possibly some other CSM majors who have these classes required for their majors.
As mentioned elsewhere, my daughter entered SLO with advanced standing due to her AP credits, so she hasn’t had any significant issues with getting classes.
There’s no lock on who can take what. It’s just a matter of having standing to get a slot.
If it was my student, I’d have them call the the pre-health career advising department and ask.
Maybe the bigger issue is the rigor. Music demands a lot of time. That said, as a motivated student, you can do it.
I didn’t say “lock,” but mentioned competing with others who have said classes in their major requirements.
Having said that, as a freshman, your schedule is partially blocked and music majors won’t have premed science classes blocked. So some premed classes will be full or near full with blocked freshman and upper division students.
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Indeed. Blocked classes can be changed though. My son did when they applied his DE credits. I think it’s safest if they just call the pre-health advising department to ensure what they want to do is achievable.
Yea, exactly like my son did it, by talking to his advisor.
No one is suggesting the OP change their schedule willy nilly. I suggested they call the department before even accepting.
Final block schedules with days/class times are available in mid-August, so speaking with an advisor now prior to SIR, is certainly not ideal. Purely speculative.
My D’s friends, sophomores, are now having problems trying to schedule those freshman blocked classes this year that they had changed/moved/dropped.
It’s not impossible, but it’s going to be difficult IMO.
Moving on. Good luck to the OP.
There’s a priority order to register for classes because there may not be enough space for everyone. Juniors register before Sophomores who register for classes before freshmen, and majors register first - the classes you take will be considered part of Gen Ed so as a music major you’d be expected to take non-med-school pre-reqs and won’t have priority for these classes.
You can try and see whether there are many sections of Chemistry (it’s important to start that sequence as early as possible) with available spots, for instance. Same thing for Bio (but there are fewer classes required for the sequence so you can easily start Sophomore year).
You can decide you’ll start taking your premed pre-reqs Sophomore year, when you have a better shot at registering into those “elective” or “gen ed” classes.
Will you come in with a lot of AP/DE credit?
Like everyone upthread, I would recommend you email or call Pre Health Advising and see what they have to say.
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