<p>Seven Sisters?</p>
<p>(google is your friend).</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_(colleges[/url])”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_(colleges)</a></p>
<p>Toughyear~ What exactly is your place in this forum? If you are not aware of “The Seven Sisters” (now 5 1/2 lol) than you do not know enough about undergraduate to comment on med school. Actually I’m pretty far into the application process, since all my requirements and NO it was my SEVEN SISTER (where I took most of my advanced sciences physics, neuro, orgo, biochem, cell bio exceptions anatomy & physiology and genetics were taken at cc because we had a full cadaver lab and the opportunity to dissect cadavers because it was a top Nursing program) physics prof who is on the committee for the evaluation of changes being made to the MCAT. Maybe you should pay more attention, it’s all clearly written above. </p>
<p>FYI I’m also non-traditional and had to start at a cc… of course non-trad= many friends already with their MD’s guiding me.</p>
<p>@bluebayou, thanks for the info. Didn’t know about that distinction. seems to have some parallelism to the eight ivy schools? Recently learned about that DO degree. Feeling ashamed for someone who has been associated with higher education for nearly thirty years, but only in the STEM area.</p>
<p>@vpappas83, like I said b4, keep this board posted about how your application progresses because it can be a good guide for students taking path similar to yours to medschool (namely CC, transfer to a quality 4-yr college, then to medschool).</p>
<p>TY~ Traditional The Seven Sisters were the counterparts to the Ivies when only men were admitted to the Ivy League. They are all very highly regarded equally.</p>
<p>@vpappas83 - You’re completely wrong. Read the requirements page again. The whole page. Including the bottom. HMS requires calc-based physics, and is the first school I’ve looked at that won’t accept non-calc-based. Which means I won’t be applying there, unfortunately…</p>
<p>bauman~ You’re WRONG! REREAD the class of 2016 and beyond!!! It no longer requires calculus based physics. The breadth in physics they are asking for can only be achieved in 2 semesters through a non calc format. Furthermore, they will continue to require one calc course and familiarity with calculus for biological applications but see the need to also accept students with 1 calc and 1 stats. Current applicants have the OPTION of which set of requirements they will fill, meaning you can choose the new ones if you have EVERYTHING required in Humanities etc…</p>
<p>OP,
Harvard new requirements says that biologically relevant part of math/sciences is encouraged vs required. They also specifically mentioned about usage of AP credits, I would pay more attention to that. I do not know anybody who has applied to one Med. School. So, might as well make sure to meet general requirements, checking with specific Med. Schools adcoms if needed and take care of AP credit guideline provided by Harvard. I believe that you worry about problem that is the last to worry for you now. Get your college GPA close to 4.0, MCAT some 38+, EC’s…, make sure you do not live life of social hermit, learn to connect to people easily, have fun, then see how close your personal stats and various other accomplishments/experiences match to be considered for good number of Med. Schools. Apply to Med. Schools that apeal to you personally and are good match to above. </p>
<p>Harvard is not as far in requirements as some other schools. They are adding Anatomy, Biochem (last is required by many). My D. had to drop one of her minors to fullfill these requirements that were added AFTER she has applied and registered for Senior Fall semester. Ironically, she turned this Med. School down in favor for another one. But Anatomy class was fun, she enjoyed it. Cannot plan too much, have to stay open to any changes.</p>
<p>tone it down a notch, will ya’ guys?</p>
<p>The H changes aren’t extreme as they first appear. While Biochem is now required at only a small number of schools (~20, if I recall), all rumors in the press is that it will become mandatory in 3+ years for everyone. As a leader, H just wants to be out front, hoping to sway the other med schools (voters), and replace second semester of Organic with Biochem.</p>
<p>With the massive growth in biological knowledge, it is past time to review the Bio requirements for premed. (Do med schools care much about Enviro and the flora an fauna of Botany?) But colleges have figured that out awhile ago, and have already restructured their Bio curriculum – not for premed per se, but because of the volume of information. (At the current rate of knowledge growth, Campbell’s will be 3000 pages, or multiple volumes.) For example, Cornell announced two years ago that it was establishing a Comte to restructure its Frosh Bio courses. Other colleges have already done the same.</p>
<p>wrt: dropping Calc-based physics…H has probably realized that it is missing out on key recruits (URMs) that it might want in its class. Many large and public schools offer Algebra-based Physics to pre-health majors, and since many publics have poor advising, that is what the masses take. Thus, those students are currently ineligible to even apply to H.</p>
<p>^Interesting, while Orgo was one of the most difficult UG classes, Biochem was one of the easiest at D’s UG. …And actually almost no pre-meds took Calc-based physics…well D. had no plans to apply to Harvard, but as I have mentioned, other schools are changing reguirements, sometime after many have applied. Yes, chill and stay flexible.</p>
<p>Miami: perhaps it was just the differences in professors, i.e., Biochem teacher was just easier. Did your D take the Biochem course with the lab? </p>
<p>Regardless, I think med schools are starting to think that second semester of Organic – synthesizing stuff – is not as important as Biochem. Obviously, they could require both, but that would start to limit the number of lit/hume majors who can apply. H clearly stated that they want to keep the # of courses the same; thus, the substitution of Biochem for Organic 2.</p>
<p>Biochem with the lab. She said that she almost did not learn anything new in this class, she basically knew material. She was happy to have close friend in the lab, so that they could entertain each other, the lab was very boring otherwise. The easiest A+ and wasted time.
Orgo was so much on another side of spectrum. D. needed to study some 30+ hours for each exam, sometime going over material in her head while walking from class to class. Very very hard.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s not going to make a difference until a critical mass of students adopt that policy. Taking only orgo 1 and only being able to apply to 5 schools…well, there are better ways to spend a year of your life.</p>
<p>I would say that sacrifices are worth it if you want to be accepted to schools of your own choices and have selection at the end. Be prepared to change your senior year schedule if needed. That’s what my D. had to do. No emotions though, just do what is required, follow the rules and stay cool.</p>
<p>^^exactly. Not all requirements must be completed before application season. You can always squeeze in the required class over the summer, if nothing else, or request a waiver. Sure, not as fun as The Beach or a Euro vacation, but if you want to attend xx med school…</p>
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<p>I assume that you meant med schools, not students? But I think that is the point of Harvard’s early announcement – to get more med schools to follow their recommendation.</p>
<p>Bluebayou: Err, yes. And that is true.</p>
<p>I’m not an expert with college courses or college…because I haven’t even entered, I’m a high school senior graduating in a couple of days. But, I know my passion and I know the field I’m entering (pre-med) is a tough one. So…I wanted to look ahead and see what medical schools want EXACTLY. I looked over a lot of med. School Requirements. By far, U. of Oxford and Harvard U. have the most challenging Requirements. In any case, since I know that Medical Schools will eventually follow HMS, I thought I might as well follow HMS’s Requirements.
Thnx for ur replies…</p>
<p>“[Other] Medical Schools will eventually follow HMS”? I doubt it.</p>
<p>^^Or, perhaps H is just following the recommendations of the other members of amcas, who have clearly indicated that Biochem will be a requirement in 3+ years. H is just swapping out Biochem for Organic II so as not to increase the required courses. And, as I’ve noted elsewhere, many colleges are reconfiguring their Bio I/II sequence (it will no longer be an AP-lookalike) and this has been underway for several years.</p>
<p>You’ll see, aamc is changing things around. What makes you think that other colleges won’t follow? Give it a couple of years and you’ll see. What Harvard is doing is 100% reasonable. If you’re going to be a doctor, you have to know how to work with a human in a biological manner. For example, having plain calc won’t help. However, like someone else mentioned previously, knowing things like the brain waves and how the brain functions, or knowing how to calculate the exact amount of doze of medicine for a patient depending on different individual factors will help. (I know there’s a formula for determining the doze for a person depending on the age and bmi, but, to be a good doctor, you have to put into consideration other factors as well.)</p>