how is your freshmen year at upenn?

<p>is the grading harsh for the first year?
are the intro science classes curved to a B+/B/B- or A-?</p>

<p>Intro science courses are curved to a B/B-/C+ depending on the class and professor. Grading isn’t too harsh. It only gets bad in easy courses with strict curves (which are more an issue with Wharton). Science and engineering courses can be tough, but curves help your grades (unless you’re in the bottom of the class, then you fail regardless).</p>

<p>I really enjoyed my freshman year. I just wished I focused on academics more.</p>

<p>which intro classes do ppl usually take for biological basis of behavior in their freshmen/sophmore year?</p>

<p>can sum1 recommend which classes are best?
Introductory Chemistry (2 c.u.)
Course 1 - CHEM 001 or 101
Course 2 - CHEM 102</p>

<p>Introductory Biology (3 c.u.)
BIOL 101 (1.5 c.u.)
BIOL 102 (1.5 c.u.)
– OR –
BIOL 121 (1.5 c.u.)
BIOL 124 (0.5 c.u. - Lab)
One 200-level BIOL course from following list: BIOL 202, 221, 230 or 240</p>

<p>Introduction to Brain & Behavior (1 c.u.)
BIBB 109 (or as BIOL 219 or PSYC 109)</p>

<p>Animal Behavior (1 c.u.)
BIBB 231 (or as BIOL 231 or PSYC 131)</p>

<p>Behavioral or Cognitive Neuroscience (1 c.u.)
200-level BIBB course (BIBB 227, 249, 269 or 270)</p>

<p>Neurobiology (1.5 c.u.)
BIBB 251 (or as BIOL 251)</p>

<p>Statistics (1 c.u.)
One of the following: BIOL 446, STAT 101, STAT 111, PSYC 020</p>

<p>

I just spoke to my advisor, and he suggested that I take BIOL121 first rather than BIBB109. Don’t know if that helps.</p>

<p>If you want to do BBB usually you take bio 101 or 121 (depending on your high school preparation). If you want to take the MCAT after sophomore year, Bio and Chem 101 freshman year and Physics 101 and Orgo sophomore year. </p>

<p>Most bio/bbb majors I know did 101. Mostly serious bio people and BE majors take 121. Bio 121 freshman year will be somewhat tougher because a large number of your classmates will be sophomore BE majors.</p>

<p>how is bio 101 and chem 101?
are they curved to a B or higher?</p>

<p>Average in bio 101 is either a B or B- (not sure). Average in my chem 101 and 102 courses were B-/C+. The courses are pretty similar, 3 midterms and a final. In chem you get to drop your lowest midterm or half the final.</p>

<p>wow C+? do they give a-'s to slightly above average students?</p>

<p>nah if you’re slightly above average, more likely to get a b+</p>

<p>side q: what do professors grade you most on? tests, essays, etc</p>

<p>it depends on the class</p>

<p>you’ll never have essays in chem 101</p>

<p>and in a writing seminar, no exams</p>

<p>rare to have both, though some exams have essay questions of course</p>

<p>do penn exams typically test tuff that you specifically learned in class and in the book or do they ask concept questions that may not have been learned?
(science classes)</p>

<p>wait, what is the difference between chem 101 and chem 001? I took AP Chem (don’t want to mess with skipping ahead, etc, my teacher wasn’t the best in teaching us every topic) so I was thinking 101? also, i only took up to precalc (taking math 103 in fall)</p>

<p>questions on the exams can be both regurgitation of covered material and problem solving based on the foundations you’ve been taught (so you may see slightly unfamiliar situations, but you should be able to figure them out)</p>

<p>chem 001 is the more basic / less math-y form of chem 101, but you should check to see whether the major you are interested in pursuing will accept 001 in lieu of 101</p>