<p>I don't really like math and I was wondering how many semesters of math and what particular classes does one usually take in college. I am going to be a bio/pre-med student.</p>
<p>if you're pre-med, you will have a year of calculus.
if you're pre-med, you will have a year of physics, which uses calculus.
if you're pre-med, you will take general chemistry, which uses calculus sometimes (Schrodinger Equation/Quantum Chemistry) and has plenty of math...</p>
<p>and then some more.</p>
<p>I have no problem with physics and chemistry I know they use math. So does that mean I will have just one year of calc to complete? And if so is that like calc 1 for a semester and calc 2 for the other?</p>
<p>Yah. Many med schools though require Calc III from what I have heard. Not guaranteed to be true.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure the majority only require one semester of math/calc, though there are also a handful that want two semesters of it. I'm nearly positive they don't require Calc III. Check the premed board though, I'm sure it has all the answers you need.</p>
<p>You're right about the not requiring Calc III. But most places need Calc I and II. What I meant to say about Calc III is that many students (at least those that I know) take it (if they can do well) to further qualify themselves at certain med schools.</p>
<p>The basic course requirements for med school admission are a year each of calculus, physics, biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and English/writing. However, some require more such as additional math or a second year of biology type courses.</p>
<p>Could I take calc 1 and then another math course that has the same merit as calc, like stats or something?</p>
<p>Not wise. It's easy to see that you're shirking away. Just take the Calcs with an easy course load so you can focus on it. Calc II is pretty easy-mainly integrals.</p>
<p>Calc II isn't really much harder than Calc I, if you ask me. If I remember right (and it's been several years), the bulk of the course was just extensions of what was done in Calc I, like Taylor and Fourier series. We also did some stuff on infinite series and convergence.</p>
<p>"I am going to be a bio/pre-med student." </p>
<p>OUCH!</p>
<p>My friend is is a bio/pre-med major who it finishing her minor in Political Science as well. If you are not good or sufficient in your math...you might have a problem. What are you going to do when you take the MCAT??? My friend who I will use as an example here is required to take Calc. III, and I believe she took Calc. II and Calc. I as well. She is good at math and find no problem in it. But I can see were you are coming from. Every person has his or her weak areas in Academics..mine too happens to be in Math (I just can't grab the concept sometimes) but I have no problem say in writing good essays, or doing Molc. Bio and Chemistry. If you struggle in Math, obiviously you will have a difficult time. If your lucky enough to make a B or a C in there, then consider all those who are competing for admission in U.S. medical schools with you who have made an A in math.</p>
<p>^ Ugh..this is why these type of questions should be asked in the pre-med forum. The above post is full of errors. </p>
<p>First off, NO knowledge of calculus is required for the MCAT as stated from AAMC, the distributor of the MCAT. You need to know basic math from high school. (Please tell me you know how to add, subtract, add vectors etc.!) So I have no idea what the above poster is talking about.
<a href="http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/studentmanual/physicalsciences/physicalsciences.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/studentmanual/physicalsciences/physicalsciences.pdf</a> Please read the section about mathematics <em>carefully</em>. </p>
<p>Second, the amount of math you need depends on the med schools you are applying to. Most require Calculus I, however, you may want to check your prospective school for requirements. Also, the amount of math you need, may depend on your major (at least at my university). </p>
<p>Third, do not give up on being pre-med/bio major because of your weakness. If you were having problems in biology or the other sciences (not because of the prof, but because of the material) then, you may want to reconsider your major. I have struggled with math for awhile and guess what, I still want to go premed. My calculus TA told me not to give up my dream because I struggled in <em>one</em> particular subject (and class).</p>
<p>smurfette2692 your feedback has to be the best I have ever got. I can do math. I mean I can work hard in calc and pull a B for sure, but I really doubt that I could get an A. I just don't want that to bring down my GPA. As for my sciences I am strong in them, I'm not some super-genius, but I understand it. So what classes did you take freshman year?</p>
<p>Actually, I am currently a freshman, but I have friends who are premed (who are upperclassmen) and I have read BlueDevilMikes's posts in the premed forum. You may find the Student Doctor Forums Network more useful. I believe the address is <a href="http://www.studentdoctor.net%5B/url%5D">www.studentdoctor.net</a>. If not, google it (I have the psychology thread bookmarked, so it isn't the home page). </p>
<p>I do not know if I made the right choice however, I decided to fullfill my university requirements by taking the required social science course and a writing course (scientific writing). I also took an introductory to psychology course (which I found to be very interesting) and of course calculus. (My lowest grade, but hey, I passed and I'm grateful). </p>
<p>This semester, I'm taking another required social science course, a humanities course, second year spanish, and cognitive psychology (I'm lucky I got the same professor again..and we're on good terms). I did not declare a major yet and premed is not a major here at my university. The major I choose (there isn't a minor..which is weird), will determine if I need to take more math courses. For now, I'm all set. :)</p>
<p>I guess I thought that if math was going to be hard for me, my required courses can save my GPA (and you want to start your first semester with a good GPA). Your professors will make or break your grade. And one C in a math course does not mean you're doomed. (I'll give credit to BlueDevilMike on this one!)</p>
<p>I also decided that if I cannot handle 2 or 3 science classes next year, med school may not be for me because that's what med school is like. I do not know if I'm taking the general sciences over the summer, since I know it's looked down on. </p>
<p>Good luck, sorry for the lengthy post, and feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>^ I believe both of you misunderstood my point. My friend (which I used as an example) is required to take both Calc I, Calc II, and Calc III I did not mention that YOU had too take ALL 3 as well. She just happens to attend a prestigous university that requires such courses for a B.S. in Bio. As I indicated Math was going to be on the MCAT, and if in anycase you found difficulty in this area be it in trig., or say regular college algebra then you would have a problem in it. When I stated "My friend who I will use as an example here is required to take Calc. III, and I believe she took Calc. II and Calc. I as well." it is unfortunate and quite silly for smurfette2692 to misconstrue the that you ARE supposed to take both calc. I and II. I simply stated that my friend HAD to because it was one of the requirements for her at her university. I never said, indicated, nor implied that all schools required you to take the Calc. 1, 2 and 3 as my friend was supposed to. </p>
<p>"Also, the amount of math you need, may depend on your major (at least at my university)." </p>
<p>Thankyou for criticizing and then reiterating my point.</p>
<p>^ First off, before you judge, I was criticizing this
[quote]
If you are not good or sufficient in your math...you might have a problem. What are you going to do when you take the MCAT???
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Read before you post. And your post about the type of math on the MCAT was ambigous; I'm not a mind reader. Don't be a wiseacre with me.</p>
<p>FYI: I did not misconstrue your post by saying that Calc III was required. I was merely answering the OP's question.</p>