Hello,
I am going to be a freshman at Emory university this fall and will be on the pre med track. I am making a schedule for this first semester and would appreciate some insight on whether I should take chemistry and biology together or use my ap credit for biology lecture (i would still have to take the lab) and take the full chemistry course. Some people say that the load of two science courses would be unwise to take on. But I think personally that perhaps it is better to have a solid foundation for biology by taking the class instead of relying on what I learnt in high school two years ago. Am I overestimating the value of learning directly from a professor? Does introductory biology carry a lot of the basics for the more advanced biology courses or is it really not necessary to take again?
Have you discussed this with Emory’s pre-med advising office?
http://prehealth.emory.edu/explore/medicine.html
You should check to see if your AP bio class covered exactly the same topics as BIOL 141 does at Emory. (You can look up the class syllabus online and compare it to your AP class. If you can find it, locate a copy of the final exam for 141 and see if you could successfully pass it.) Many HS AP classes are not fully equivalent to their classroom counterparts at elite colleges.
If you have already sent your AP score to Emory and have received credit for BIOL 141, retaking the class will require you to mark the class as a “re-take” on your AMCAS application. This may look like GPA-fluffing to adcomms–something that won’t endear you to them. (Alternatively, you could ask Emory to remove the AP credit from your transcript or assign your AP credits for BIO 120 instead.)
Taking 2 science classes plus their required labs plus 2 GEs is not an impossible task–in fact it’s usually necessary for science majors to do so if they want to graduate on time without taking. summer classes. But taking 2 lab sciences in a single semester is time consuming and requires excellent time management and study skills.
If I were in your shoes, I would take the class. It may be a little easier for you given your AP exposure to the material (which would help your GPA) and you will have a solid foundation going forward if the class covers anything the AP class did not. With that said, @WayOutWestMom gave you the best advice – talk to your pre-med advisor at school. They know best how to set you up for success.
In most cases AP bio is different from the classes offered in a 4 year college, especially in a better University like Emory. You have nothing to lose by taking it, give you a better base going forward. Of course, you can take a higher level course to make up med school requirements, if you are so confident.
@dooley12
Looking at Emory AP credit list and pre-med requirements, would recommend that you take AP credit and do the remaining required pre-med courses.
Some schools give 2 semesters courses for AP but Emory gives only 1 semester. So any how you have to do another Bio, Chem courses. Emory is not mandating any other Bio courses besides 141, 142. But it will benefit you both for MCAT and also for your MD later to do some other advanced courses like Genetics, Cell or Molecular Bio etc. So optimize your time by taking advantage of the max 18 credits Emory gives for AP courses.
Review both Emory lists.
http://college.emory.edu/oue/documents/resource-a-to-z-files/ap-ib-equivalencies.pdf
http://prehealth.emory.edu/documents/explore/pre-reqs_med.pdf
I’m not a big fan of AP credits for material you’ll need to know for your major. Gen Eds, sure, get them out of the way. But I think that if you’re going to need material for Calc II, then you should take the entire college Calc I class in a college setting.