<p>So I read the lower division requirements for MCB major, a year of bio, a year of physics, and 2 years of chem. My question is how do you fit those in your first two years at Berkeley, I seems that you need to be taking 2 science classes every semester. I was thinking about taking Chem1A or Physics 8A or Biology 1B my first semester, which one would you guys recommend?</p>
<p>Here is the general path that the MCB handbook says</p>
<p>Fall Frosh
Chem 1A
Math 1A</p>
<p>Spring Frosh
Chem 3A/L
Math 1B</p>
<p>Fall Soph
Chem 3B/L
Biology 1B</p>
<p>Spring Soph
Biology 1A/L
Physics 8A</p>
<p>Fall Jr.
Physics 8B</p>
<p>I personally recommend that you take Bio 1A/L first in Fall and then Chem 3B/L in spring. This way you will get Chem 3B with Pedersen instead of Vollhardt.</p>
<p>Well I was thinking about taking Chem 112 after Chem 1A and 1B. Also is there a disadvantage to taking Physics 8A and 8B frosh year in case I don’t get into Chem 1A?</p>
<p>^^There’s no disadvantage of taking physics frosh year. But getting enrolled is the problem.</p>
<p>Open seating is completely full and the only seating left is reserved for transfer students. There is also no waitlist for physics classes.</p>
<p>Most students take physics when their telebears phase I is earlier (ie soph year and higher)</p>
<p>^ That’s basically it. And essentially, you could bump Bio 1b to Spring of Freshman year. But I got screwed over by 3al this year, and so i’ll probably end up in summer school next year. haha</p>
<p>hmm, it seems that Chem 1A is pretty full too, what if I end up not getting into Chem or Physics? Is Bio 1B the only option left?</p>
<p>You’re more likely to get into Chem than Physics (there’s multiple labs going on at the same time that the online schedule doesn’t always show and the lecture shouldn’t matter). And I’m not sure whether you are even able to sign up for Bio 1b first semester freshman year. Although regarding chem, who knows what’s going to happen with this money fiasco.</p>
<p>You can sign up for Bio 1B fall your freshman year, if you phase 1.</p>
<p>i didn’t sign up for chem 1a till 2nd week into the school year last fall. still got in. lol</p>
<p>I just graduated from MCB. I thought two science classes at once was too hard for me especially when finals rolled around. I spread my schedule out during the summers so that I would take only one science class per semester. I would suggest doing this to maximize your GPA unless you want to do full time research doing the summer. Although, this doesn’t happen for most people during their freshmen and sophomore summers…</p>