<p>My first semester has been pretty basic w/ Gen Bio I, Gen Chem II, Bio Lab, Calc I and an english course.</p>
<p>This second semester I just registered for.
-Chem II
-Chem Lab
-Bio 203 (Principles of Ecology)
-Calc II for biologists
-Geography</p>
<p>Most of the courses follow what I am currently taking now but my Calc II class is supposedly harder than regular Calc II and I am skipping Bio II for the 200 level bio.</p>
<p>I am told that it's best to take the path of least resistance with classes as freshman and to work on getting a decent GPA but does my current schedule for next semester seem pretty doable? </p>
<p>I could just take Gen bio II and I might be able to get out of the Calc II class but I think i'm up for the work that lays ahead...at least I hope. I'm having to work quite hard right now with my current schedule.</p>
<p>Ecology courses are generally not a good idea for your bio requirement. See post #1 of the Coursework sticky thread at the top of the page, particularly the section on ‘Timing’.</p>
<p>While it’s true ecology isn’t particularly useful, if the OP is a bio major or even just getting a bio minor, he/she may not have a choice in the matter.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, I did look at the coursework sticky and I couldn’t find any of the suggested bio courses available this semester so my options are limited.</p>
<p>To give a bit more info. </p>
<p>Being a bio major I am expected to take Gen Bio I (Freshman) > Gen Bio II (Freshman) > Principles Of Ecology (Sophomore) > Genetics (sophomore) > Cell Biology (junior)</p>
<p>It follows that basic order till I’m a junior and my options are limited to whether I should take Bio II or get a head start on my major and skip straight to Principle of Ecology.</p>
<p>I really like my Bio I class and since I had AP credits I thought it might be good to get a head start on my major. If I skip Bio II, I can take genetics and cell biology next year as a sophomore.</p>
<p>I plan on taking my MCATs hopefully the beginning of my junior year (get the summer to study).</p>
<p>Though next year i’ll have to take orgo w/lab, physics w/lab and the upper level bio courses simultaneously.</p>
<p>Can you skip to cell bio? Ecology and gen bio: organismic/ecology/diversity are pretty useless classes, really… (Take them later if you need them for your major as they’re not going to matter for the MCAT nor for any other courses you’ll take.) If you’re a strong student, just go from gen bio 1 to cell bio (assuming gen bio 1 for you covered intro to cell & basic A&P topics). I wouldn’t wait until jr yr for cell as it’s often required before doing research and you don’t want to wait until you’re filling out apps to start on research. (You would most likely also want to get ochem going asap – maybe this summer – if you want a head start on research.)</p>
<p>(If you couldn’t tell, I’m definitely not in the “take the path of least resistance freshmen year” crowd. I definitely think you should determine your level of ability first semester by taking moderate-level courses and go from there. I would expect most people who are destined to be successful premeds are the type who can generally bypass course prereqs and still be successful in certain cases. Unless not taking the path of least resistance implies you’re going to take a 400-level analytic chemistry class or a 400-level advanced immunology course w/ lab w/o having had any of the prerequisite courses, I don’t know that I agree you should take the path of least resistance. Instead, take the path of some resistance. Just like you wouldn’t weight train by beginning with the “path of least resistance” – i.e., paper weights – you don’t want to start your freshmen yr out w/ all easy 100-level classes or you’ll just bore yourself to death.)</p>
<p>Just make sure by the finish of your junior year that you’ve taken all the pre-med courses necessary - you can finish your Bio major class requirements during your senior year.</p>
<p>^ I should have my, bio, orgo, physics and chem requirement done and i’ll have Calc I and II hopefully. Though it seems a bit overwhelming right now.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input GoldShadow and “MCAT”, i’ll remember that. I don’t even know why I added the s but the more you know. =]</p>
<p>Also apumic, I definitely see where you are coming from about taking on a bit of a challenge. Though I haven’t learned the material from Bio II in a long time, I feel like the material isn’t as difficult to get, as it is memorization. It just wouldn’t interest me, then again ecology isn’t much better but at this point it’s my only other option.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that by taking this upper level course i’ll be set to get cell bio done before i’m a junior. I need to take genetics before I can take it though, at least according to my adviser.
Plus i’ll get to take Orgo I/II, orgo lab, Physics I/II, physics lab and cell bio along with genetics next year along with some gen eds. </p>
<p>I know it’ll be hard but I really want to test myself a little and see what I can do, the classes I am currently taking haven’t been easy and it’s a tough state school to be in (I’m not the guy getting A’s at the moment but i’m managing to get by). However I think I could get something out of pushing myself a little more. No matter what grades I get though as long as I believe I did my best, i’ll feel okay. </p>
<p>This Calc II for biologists course worries me more than the 200 level ecology ATM. I already registered for the class and am now hearing that this class is very difficult with a tough professor. If it’s possible to do okay though, i’ll have to figure out a way.</p>
<p>hmm… you sure genetics goes before cell? every UG I’ve been to requires cell as a prereq or coreq for genetics as cell gets you oriented to what is going on biologically in the cell, which is going to help you when you take genetics. It seems you would want to take cell either first or along with genetics. Could just be my UG and PB schools are weird, though… Cell, it seems, though, is sort of a “gateway” course to a lot of other upper division courses. I’d check your catalog and take what your advisor says w/ a grain of salt as I’ve found a well-researched student is often quite a bit more knowledgeable about (and creative with) course requirements than most advisors are…</p>
<p>At my school, Cell and Genetics are independent of one another (ie one is not a prereq for the other). Both can be taken at the same time, but usually Genetics is taken before Cell. The only prereq for these classes is intro bio.</p>