<p>Hello,</p>
<p>Could any of the readers that have taken MCB 130 or 150 comment on their experiences? Was it hard? Were the handouts good? Any tips? Most importantly: does the recommended literature cover the course completely? </p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>I took MCB 130 with Schekman, Drubin, and Luo this past semester. It wasn’t an easy course by any means, but it wasn’t too difficult.</p>
<p>The handouts were not that useful for the most part. Schekman’s handouts was disorganized, Drubin’s had way too much information, and Luo’s was just right. I never did any of the course readings but did allright in the class. I think the exams are structured to be lecture based, so the readings are only useful as supplemental material.</p>
<p>The only tip I can think of off the top of my head is to learn how to design logical experiments. About half of the points on the exams are allocated to experimental design questions, so it pays to know what sound experiments require.</p>
<p>just wondering, isn’t this the last semester 130 is being offerred? could it be a wiser proposition to take 130A in spring instead?</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your kind advice, tastybeef.</p>
<p>anon5524485, you are correct in that 130 is replaced by 130A starting from Spring 2010. I think that there are both advantages and disadvantages in taking one over the other. Although I see 130A as a course that will have a more up-to-date information, it is also a new course, and as such, it might come out to be too difficult, or too easy. Nobody will be able to give any tips for the exams, etc. I still am thinking whether to drop 130, and get 130A the next semester, or not. The more up-to-date course, is of course very appealing. I am probably going to talk to one of the professors about it. What would you suggest?</p>