I dont understand Harvard Med School Requirement

<p>The harvard requirement says
1. Biology. one year with laboratory experience. courses taken should deal with the cellular and molecular aspects as well as the structure and function of living organisms. Advanced placement credits cannot be used to satisfy this requirement; upper level courses should be taken if granted advanced placement credits.</p>

<p>I will have AP bio credit and most likely I will get a 5. I will go to cornell for premed. but..what does the requirement mean? it says AP credit cannot be used but later it says its possible to be granted AP credits...im confused.</p>

<p>can someone explain? thanks in advance.</p>

<p>It means that if you AP out of your school's intro biology sequence, then HMS expects you to take upper-division lab-oriented biology coursework. The bottom line is, HMS wants to see your grades in a year of lab-oriented biology college courses.</p>

<p>A 5 on the AP test really doesn't mean much. Cornell's intro bio course is very tough and a great course. I would suggest that you take it regardless of what you get in your AP Bio class.</p>

<p>oh thank you thank you. what other AP's don't u not recommend using? especially at Cornell?</p>

<p>You will also be tempted to take Chem 215-216. Don't.</p>

<p>Take the Chem 207-208 course like 95% of the premeds do. Chem 216 in particular is a killer. You will see non-Chem AP stuff like quantum mechanics, deriving and normalizing wave functions using calculus, transition metal chemistry, etc. </p>

<p>In general, med schools prefer that you take med school requirements at your undergrad college. This does not mean you can't use your AP credit. For example, you can use Calc AP credit to take more upper level calc. courses. You can use Chem AP credit to place into Chem207/208 or 215/216. </p>

<p>You can use Bio AP credit to place out of intro bio. This isn't a big deal if you're a bio major since you're going to be up to your ears in bio classes, but if you're not a bio major, you'll have to take a more upper level bio course if you use your BioAP credit. You might as well retake a class whose material you've already seen.</p>