<p>I hear all of the horror stories about professors using the intro course (bio and chem in particular) as weed out courses. They make the courses ridiculously difficult to get good grades in and some even refuse to give out and A's.</p>
<p>Is it truly a weed out course meaning that those who don't study/don't attend class/don't make any effort are the only ones that do poorly?</p>
<p>If you put the effort and time in is it possible to get good grades w/o being a genius?</p>
<p>I mean I've done well in all of my HS classes and my dual enrollment classes at my local CC but I just worry.</p>
<p>Most of the weed-out courses I’ve had haven’t really had horribly difficult material, there was just a lot of homework and the problems on the tests and everything required you to really know your stuff from the homeworks. If you do put a lot of time into your work you should be fine as long as you’re basically competent in whatever you’re studying. Do all the homework and make sure you have it right.</p>
<p>With weed-out courses (in any subject, not just science) it’s really about effort more than being smart. The material in these introductory bio and chem courses is easy, but the curve is usually what makes things difficult. For example, freshmen year I took Bio I and 25% of the class got a C or lower because of the curve, and they weren’t allowed to move on to Bio II, so that “weeds-out” potential biology, biochem, neuro and pre-health students. It really comes down to how much effort you put in, you definitely don’t have to be a genius to do well.</p>
<p>plus a lot of freshmen come in thinking they want to major in ___ and quickly figure out they’re not that great at it and it’s time to move on (or retake the course). HS is easy so these intro weedout courses are partly to adjust them to college level work.</p>
<p>I don’t know about other schools, but IIRC Biochem is the major with the lowest retention rate (as in switching major, not dropping out) at UCLA because people come in thinking it’s like a biology/chem double major.</p>
<p>@Corey91 - biochem is hard and a lot of people in my college drop that major freshmen year. Most biochem majors eventually decide to major in biology or chemistry (or switch to a non-science if they do really bad) I don’t know about your college, but in mine the biochem major has a ton of requirements and that’s partly why it’s difficult. </p>
<p>If it turns out you’re not good at that subject, then you’ll have to pick another major. But based on the fact that you’re on CC asking this months in advance, i’m guessing you’re a smart kid and will do fine. Go to most classes, pay attention, do your assignments. Doing well in chem and physics usually means lots of time on problem sets. Don’t worry about it now.</p>