<p>Aight, I'm Canadian and our stupid curriculum splits up general science in grade 11. We just have general science in grade 9 and 10 (covers bio/chem/physics very generally). In grade 11 and 12 we have the bio, chem and physics courses. </p>
<p>SO, I am basically done gr.11 bio in a couple weeks, and when I apply next year how do I know what program I want to choose? Like, Bio in university is divided up into things such as "Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Pathology, etc. etc.". I don't know which I'd be interested in. If I get Bio second semester next year (my senior year), then it will be too late to experience gr.12 bio and find my true interest. </p>
<p>So, my curriculum hasn't allowed me to learn a lot of bio. I like the genetics unit in gr.11 and I like learning about diseases and such (pathology), but I think marine biology would be really cool too (but i've never done anything like that before).</p>
<p>So, how do you know what to choose? And what should I do? Does it even matter what I choose? I don't want to end up taking all the intro. courses, finding out I don't like the biology program that I'm in and end up with bad grades to go along with that because I was uninterested.</p>
<p>EDIT: my thread title is wrong. I want to know how do you know which strand of BIOLOGY (i love bio over all other sciences) you want to take in university.</p>
<p>I am totally serious about computer sciences, Im only a sophomore in HS, but FOR SURE I know what major I want. Comp Sci, I have always been interested in programming, I did HTML in 5th grade, HTML is not a language but when I was 12, I started C++ learning from books and self taught, Im 16 right now, and Im totally down on being a Software engineer. Either working for a Game Company, or at JPL, Im down as long as it pays and I enjoy the subject, Not some chemisty equation crap or something</p>
<p>I’m going into bioinformatics (and then pathology) because I had some experience learning about it for a competition I was in last year. When I applied (before learning about this field), I just chose general biology. After I got to the university, my advisor asked me which exact field I wanted to study. I can still change it because the biology courses don’t diverge until I’m a junior.</p>
<p>My advice to you: find a list of what types of biology your chosen university(ies) have. Do a basic search of each and see what that field covers. Ask your advisor when you’d have to choose a concentration (since many fields just fall under biology, and things like microbiology tends to follow the same strand for a while). If you can, sit in on some classes for each field you’re interested in. Email professors and ask what their work entitles. As for finding out biology isn’t your major… I wish there was a fast way to figure it out. Eventually, though, it’ll all come together: just yesterday, when I was questioning my major, I picked up my new biology textbook, and it made my heart race from excitement. I think that was enough of a rush to keep me with it.</p>
<p>yea, I wanna do a bio major for sure. 100% sure about that I don’t like chem or physics, but I just need to take them in high school.</p>
<p>@davidthefat, I took a gr.11 comp. sci. course in gr.10, got 96% in it. I found it interesting, but no way I could do that for a living. I love the logic and the thinking that goes with it, but it’s not for me. </p>
<p>So,AtomicCafe. Do ALL bio majors start out taking the same courses in freshman and soph. year? Because I guess if I narrow it down to a few possible majors in bio, then I could take the general courses and courses that pertain to each major (if there aren’t a lot and only a couple) to truly figure out what I’m passionate about. </p>
<p>The problem with me is that I’ve just experienced the classroom work. I haven’t broadened my horizons. Marine biology sound so fascinating to me, but I haven’t done anything like that before. I find evolution in bio (currently on that topic in bio) pretty cool too, but I don’t know if I could do that for a long period of time. Pathology is interesting too, and I guess it would be a relevant major considering I want to go into medicine. Then, there are a slew of bio majors that I’ve never experienced before and wouldn’t know if I’d like them.</p>
<p>So, basically in freshman year do all bio majors have the EXACT same courses? And how about in Sophomore year?</p>
<p>I’m no expert since I’m just a freshman now, but most of my sophomore friends in biology are taking classes together. Freshman year shouldn’t have any differences (you’ll probably just be taking Intro to Bio I and II), and I don’t think sophomore year would have much different. For me, I’m taking Bio I/II now, and I’ll have genetics, ecology, and biochemistry next; only genetics is really tied to my friend, and I’m pretty sure all the bio majors at my school take ecology/biochem at some point. It’s something you’d have to check out in the course catalog or ask an advisor about, though. </p>
<p>I noticed a few days ago that there are tons of marine biology students and very few positions, and it’s projected to be harder to get a job in it in the future. Don’t know how much that affects your thoughts, but an interesting tidbit.</p>
<p>i don’t want to be a marine biologist, I wanna be a Doc, but it sounded interesting as a major. So, in a school year you have 2 semesters right? How many courses does a person usually take, 4 or 5?</p>
<p>Ah, sorry – forgot about your mentioning being a doctor! </p>
<p>We have 2 semesters, yup. Average is 15 credits, so 4-5 classes. I’m taking 5 right now (2 maths, chem, bio, and a gen ed). Our biology classes are staggered for the actual majors (so we start biology in semester 2 of freshman year and take the second part next fall), but that’s not normal at most schools as far as I can tell.</p>
<p>are bio classes and other classes better with a smaller class size? I was thinking about going to UT-Austin, but I assume the class sizes are enormous (grand total of 30,000+ undergrads). Would this be a bad thing for intro./freshman bio., math, and such courses? I heard that the curves would be anchored at around a C for large classes, which would make it hard to get and A I assume. Is this correct?</p>
<p>I go to a university of 30,000 students. My bio class has about 200-ish students, and my math classes are all capped at 35. We don’t get curves in any of them. I definitely advise getting a math class with fewer students since that’s usually a subject you’ll end up needing more help in. (At least, it’s true for me – I’m also a math major, and I’m finishing up the calc sequence now. We’re always in office hours.) I don’t mind lecture halls for bio/chem/sciences because I’ve never needed personal attention. Really depends on you. As for the curves, I can’t say much since I’ve never had them. It’s possible to have a lecture hall full of students with bad grades (I came out of chem with one of the highest scores) or to have a small group with geniuses to wreck the curve.</p>