<p>Hi! I'm a first year undergrad student, I want to be a doctor, and I'm considering majoring in mechanical engineering.</p>
<p>This is my schedule so far: 14 credits</p>
<p>Chemistry I with honors lab
Calculus II
Intro to Engineering
Honors Capstone Development
Elective</p>
<p>My advisor suggested that take Biology I with lab in addition to this schedule, but I've been hesitant to add it because I'm afraid that if I overload myself I won't succeed with high grades and I'll be weeded out of the premedical track. However, because it's my first year of college, I don't have a good idea of whether or not adding biology actually WILL be overloading myself. What's the greater of two evils--only taking one of the two entry-level science classes I need as a freshman or potentially overloading myself with schoolwork while I'm still adjusting to college?</p>
<p>For that matter, should I take Calculus II later on even though it's a building block for mechanical engineering classes? Is it too much to try to complete an engineering degree and my premed at the same time?</p>
<p>Also, I'm attending a state school that has good ratings for its science curriculum and research but is not particularly competitive or selective. How will the non-prestige of my school be judged on my application to medical school?</p>
<p>^^This. Overloading/overscheduling is a pitfall many freshmen fall into. Don’t do it.</p>
<p>Does your intro to engineering have a lab? If so, you really, really don’t want to add bio (with its required lab) to your schedule.</p>
<p>If you sincerely intend to major in engineering, you will have to take Calc 2 sooner rather than later. You will need it for your required engineering physics classes. If you delay Calc 2 you risk not be able to graduate on time.</p>
<p>If you do major in MechE, I would strongly suggest sitting down and laying out a preliminary 4 year course guide to see if you can squeeze in all the pre med requirements around your major requirements. It’s going to be tricky, esp since bio, ochem and biochem are not typically part of the MechE curriculum. (For the 2015 MCAT, you’ll also need intro level psych and sociology. So don’t forget to pencil in those too.)</p>
<p>I think your advisor is ill advising you! What’s wrong with these college advisors? Are they purposely trying to overload students so they can be out of the running for med-school? Don’t take bio with chem and calc. Also, change your advisor .</p>
<p>As others said, overloading is a bad idea. Don’t forget that you need to time to adjust to college environment. Doing well in the first semester/year is important for your confidence.</p>
<p>Here is my son’s first semester course load 3 years ago.</p>
<p>Calculus II (4 credits)
General Physics II (Calculus based - 4 credits)
General Physics II Lab (1 credit)
Intermediate Programming (4 credits)
Elements of Macro Economics (3 Credits)</p>
<p>Total - 16 credits. He did very well. Unfortunately, the first semester grades are covered at his school and they didn’t count for AMCAS :(</p>
<p>How hard did you work your last two years in high school? My senior year I took 6 AP (none of the easy ones) classes and was involved in a great many ECs. In my freshman year in college I simply maintained the same pace. I took 18 credits the first semester including Honors Orgo, Honors Calc III, a writing intensive honors seminar, and a performance studio class that alone demanded several hours/day of preparation. It was not a problem, but if I had not been already well prepared for the pace and commitment of that first year, it might have been a problem. Only you know what you are capable of doing. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Mechanical Engineering requirements and premed requirements don’t go together.</p></li>
<li><p>If you intend to take 4 classes each semester in first year and one of those classes happens to be labeled Honors Capstone (I am betting this does not add to either engineering or premed) you will not be able to finish in 4 years. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>MechE does not require many of the Chemistry or Biology classes which means these are in addition to your major. You will also need psychology and sociology in future for MCAT which most schools don’t list in their requirements at the moment. What you essentially need to do is to take the schedule for your major and add all the additional classes needed for premed and determine when you need to take those classes (it is advised to complete most premed requirements by end of first semester in junior year if the goal is to take MCAT by March during junior year).</p>
<p>Having reassessed the engineering curriculum, I don’t think it’s realistic to try to complete both premed and engineering courses in four years. The solution is to switch to a biology major, swapping biology for calculus and an english or spanish course for intro to engineering. I did lay out a course of study plan so that I’ll be prepared for the MCAT and finishing in four years–without engineering in the picture.
In response to some of the comments, intro to engineering is just a light “how to be an engineering student” type of course so there’s no lab. Also, at least at my school, there’s an 8 credits natural sciences requirement for any B.S., so biology and chemistry would count.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the valuable advice from everyone!</p>
<p>Listen to your advisor. 14 hours is way too low. D. had more in her lighter senior year. Keep in mind that you will need a lighter schedule (but not that light) in junior year (prep. for MCAT) and Senior year (Med. School interviews)
D. also did not have Humanity courses. Thanks to her Music minor, she did not have to take them, she does not like History, Economics,…etc. She had to take one semester of Honors English though, and it was waste of time, learned nothing, and keep in mind English is very time consuming because of requirement fo reading all those novels (D. hated it, thanks goodness she is a very good and fast writer, skill that served her very well).
One suggestion, if I may. Foreign language and specifically Spanish is very important. If you could fit it in your schedule…</p>