<p>Hey everyone! I just started scheduling my classes and have several questions. I hope someone experienced in the Emory community can answer them.</p>
<p>I noticed that I have a credit equivalent to Biology 141 because of the Bio AP exam. For those who took biology at Emory, do you think it's a good idea to "skip" Biol 141 in the fall semester and immediately take Biol 142 in the spring? </p>
<p>I also want to know the differences (in simple terms) between English 101, English 181, and Comparative Literature for the first-year writing requirement. What strengths do I need for each class?</p>
<p>Thanks!:)</p>
<p>If you pre med or a bio major its worth taking 141. If not, there are other options</p>
<p>As far as the english classes. 101 is pretty much just general writing. 181 is writing about books. and Comp Lit is just writing about books again. No really real strengths to any of them. Read quite a bit in all of them but I think 101 is a little more enjoyable if you are not really a reader</p>
<p>I don’t think 141 is worth it. There are at least a couple of other biology w/labs that will compensate for not having 141. Just move on to 142. In general, it is easier and better taught than 141 (just seems as if they don’t go into the exhaustive detail they do in 141) as normally it’s the profs’ area of expertise (various areas of genetics as opposed to the pre-dominant biochemistry and cell biology stressed in 141). If you have AP credit, 141 will come pretty easy, perhaps w/exception of the chromosomal genetics covered at the end (and often this is poorly taught, so many sections fail the exam on this topic, meaning that it’s questionable that you’ll even learn this material). Most w/AP will not have seen that stuff. Other than that, it doesn’t really offer much new exposure. I would only recommend 141 if you feel as if you got lucky on the AP and scored a 4/5(I doubt this takes luck). If you feel you know it, proceed to take something like chem 141 (or 221-Z if you qualify) and enjoy the time freed up from having a biology free semester. Also, note that there may be a couple (and ONLY a couple) of upper-midlevel biology courses that only require 141. Things like organismal form and function and perhaps ecology (which has a lab 
).</p>
<p>I took AP Calculus in H.S. does it make sense to take Math 115 freshman year while it’s fresh in my mind or does it matter?</p>
<p>Just get it over with and take it freshman year. Unless of course you got credit, in which case, you should not take it at all.</p>
<p>Okay, that’s what I was thinking. I didn’t take any AP tests senior year. I was told medical schools want you to take actual classes and since I didn’t feel very strong in some of them I didn’t want to waste my parents $480 bucks… LOL I got an easy A in calc, but not sure if that would have translated over to the exam.</p>
<p>Oh wait, my bad. I really want you to double up in chem and biology. You can take 115/116 second year w/orgo. or something. It’s really more like 1/2 a science course anyway. I keep forgetting how restrictive freshmen schedules are (especially when there is little to no AP credit). NM, I lied. 115/116 can wait.</p>
<p>Bernie, I’m so afraid to double up with Bio/Chem. My AP Bio teacher was horrible so I feel like I will be starting from scratch! So should I take Bio 141, Chem 141, Spanish, Fresh Sem, Pace 1st semester. Bio 142, Chem 142, Spanish, English 101, Health second semester? Should I just skip English since I have credit or will it help me down the road?</p>
<p>My teacher for biology 141 was not as good as I would have liked either, but trust me, I knew much more than I thought. The class is doable w/chem, trust me. The approach to biology is simply to not let it stress you out. Don’t be overly afraid of it. I found that being more laid back in 142 than what I was in 142 really helped. Simply do the readings and assignments as you are told to (basically, just keep up). Don’t find yourself marathon studying for the course (like 3-5 hours a day is completely unnecessary for bio. I tried that going into the first exam in 141 and got a flat C perhaps because of diminished returns. Eventually, I just began to study less and more effectively and then I started getting B grades on the exams. And in 142 I got 2 B grades and 2 really high A grades, one A being the final). I would put more time into chemistry personally. Biology is definitely annoying but doesn’t deserve excessive studying (again, don’t stress, simply keep up) until perhaps the end of the semester where you have to do the double cross-over genetics and stuff. Also, skip English and take another Spanish class or something.</p>
<p>In simple terms: English 101 = easier to get an A</p>
<p>Uh, no that’s not how it works. All 3 are reasonable As (all have the same workload and course goals. They just have different emphasis on how they achieve the proficiency). However, it’s possible you’ll have a harder grader in a 101 topic than someone in a 181 topic. Of course you can’t know this ahead of time (English instructors vary drastically from year to year). You won’t find out until you get the first writing assignment back.</p>
<p>Bernie,</p>
<p>So do you take either Chem 171 /172 w/lab or Chem 221/222 wlab but not both? I’m trying to figure out my schedule down the road… So if I take Bio 141 and 142 fresh year, and Chem 171/172 and Physics 141/142 sophmore year… what do I take junior senior year if I’m a non-biology or non-chemistry major? What other science courses for non-majors are recommended for med school?</p>
<p>Chem 171/172 doesn’t exist anymore. It’s now Chem 221z/222z and it’s basically a Freshmen Orgo course. I think you would take Chem 221/222 (regular Orgo) if you’re taking it sophomore year. Also, just a side note. All freshmen (this year) have to take Health Fall Semester, which totally sucks. This didn’t used to be the case, but I guess it’s a new program that they’re trying out…</p>
<p>Take 221/222-Z(yes, this is what 171/172 is since they finally figured that it more than challenging enough to be 200-level) and Biol 141/142 frosh year. If you are pre-med, you will probably need something like chem 260L along w/physics sophomore year as well. Ideally, you should consider taking something like cell biology, biochemistry, and a genetics course (142 isn’t sufficient), even if you aren’t majoring in chem. or bio.</p>
<p>By the way, for those interested, Passalaucqua will teach 141 this fall. Time hasn’t been disclosed, but try to get her when times are revealed. If Eisen is offered, feel free to get him also. These are excellent choices for a more useful gen. biology experience. The other good teacher to take is Spell. Don’t follow your “easy A” peers and go to Escobar’s class. It ends up being less easy than expected for many and can possibly be subject to downward adjustments in some grades (they try normalizing grades across sections since they know many intentionally take the easy course). Not worth it for a sucky-mediocre lecturer.</p>
<p>Bernie, </p>
<p>I think I’m confusing myself. Are you saying to take Chem 221/222z Freshmen year with Bio 141/142? I didn’t take AP Chem so I was planning on take Bio 141/142 and Chem 141/142 Freshmen year. So wouldn’t that mean I would take Physics and Chem 221/222z next year? Does not starting out behind hurt my chances of getting all of my requirements for pre-med? Also, is PACE an actually 1 credit class? If so, wouldn’t it make sense to take that 1st semester. So does that mean we have 4 regular and 2 (pace/health) 1 credit courses. Total of 18 credits?</p>
<p>When I mention 221-Z/222-Z (the Z designation is for freshmen only, or permission needed), I am only referring to freshmen w/AP credit who want to take organic chem. frosh year. You should indeed take gen. chem and gen. bio frosh year and more than likely physics and orgo. sophomore year. PACE is only offered 1st semester, and so is the new health course, so yes, most students will have a standard load of 18 for 1st semester at Emory.</p>
<p>Okay thanks! Seems like there isn’t much opportunity to take courses for pleasure/required but not really classes. My schedule for next year would be 2 science classes, spanish, and math. When would I have an opportunity to take psych, religion, or sociology type classes. I’m really interested in these classes too : )</p>
<p>If you thought 4 classes was too easy first semester, you can get into such a course second semester as you will then be allowed 22 credit hours.</p>