<p>are introductory bio courses the 200 level courses or 100 level courses? are 200 level courses taken freshman year or sophomore year? can they be taken freshman year without prerequisites of chem/math earlier?</p>
<p>– As a premed you have to take the 210 -1,2,3 sequence. </p>
<p>what 300 bio courses are recommended on basis of grading curves, professors, teaching, amount learned?</p>
<p>– I’m not to sure about this one. Most classes are curved to a B-/B. The Bio department just got a huge new facility here, so I wouldn’t worry to much about the quality of teaching, they obviously have the talent.</p>
<p>for chemistry, is skipping to organic chemistry recommended when there’s ap credit? i heard orgo taken with 200 level bio is a killer, so should it be taken freshman year or is it too early to tackle orgo in freshman year? which orgo should be taken, is there a grading curve? also, will taking orgo at harvard help at all?</p>
<p>– Do you mean skipping organic chemistry freshman year? Or just in general? If you mean skipping it freshman year, its kind of your call. Personally, I would have liked to have taken in freshman year, simply because it would have been off my plate earlier on. However, moving into organic chemistry here out of high school (from what I have heard) is a very hard transition. Most people I have talked to say that coming from a high school environment to that of the organic chemistry lectures/labs here is overwhelming for at least the first quarter.</p>
<p>If you meant to ask if you could place out of orgo with AP credit – this is not possible. </p>
<p>is 101,2,3 chem graded more easily than 171,2 accelerated chem, in other words, is there more of a grade curve for accelerated chem or not?</p>
<p>– Again, pretty much everything is curved to a B-/B. For chemistry here, that is how the majority of curving goes. It is pretty hard lines, and the professors do not typically give much leeway in terms of grades. Typically students are placed into 171 if they have prior experience with HS chemistry, and/or have a special interest in the subject. I believe the majority of pre-meds do not take this sequence.</p>
<p>those 300 chem courses sound quite hard, anyone care to share their experience with them? how are the professors and the labs? can they be taken while doubling up in bio?</p>
<p>– I will be taking 2 courses from the Chem 342 sequence next year, I have heard that they are not too bad in comparison to the rest of the chemistry courses offered. The professors are all at the top of their field, and are typically world renowned for some aspect of chemistry that they specialize in. In case you havent figured it out already, Chemistry is extremely good here. I would imagine that taking Chem 3XX and Bio 2XX/3XX would not be uncommon.</p>
<p>what is the difference between math 210 and math 220 series? do people other than math majors/minors take 300 level math courses and do well in them? is it worth it for a premed to take 300 level math courses when it’s not required?</p>
<p>– The majority of people I know just take the 220,224,230,234 sequence. I don’t know much about the difference between the 210/220 sequence, but I would assume it is a different type of math, or perhaps a differently taught math, i.e. for those who are not going to be entering a sciencey discipline. Math 3XX classes are typically only taken by math majors, perhaps some econ majors. I would stay far and away from them.</p>