<p>Hey guys. So… I am looking over courses…because it’s fun… .and just wondering - what science/math classes fulfill the requirement but also have the reputation of being, well, not very dependent on math? </p>
<p>Physics for poets seems a nice option! Very cute name. How are environmental and psychology ? (These usually seem to be the english major sciences!!) And… are the logic philosophy classes interesting? Any other ideas/generally good or easy ones?</p>
<p>thanks !!</p>
<p>Just a quick note -- I don't think you can take psych to fulfill your science requirement during your first year, or at least not during the first semester, because you need a lab science, and the psych labs are filled by lottery and rarely available to first year students.</p>
<p>You have to take intro to psych or have AP/IB psych credit, before you can take psych as a lab. That is, the lab courses are upper-level, so if you plan on doing that, plan a year and a half instead of just a year for your science. And calmom is right, the labs can be hard to get into.
I've heard both good and bad things about various sciences...pick something that's palatable to you. If you don't want to be thinking about velocity and force, don't do physics, even if it sounds like it'll be easy.</p>
<p>i'm in AB calc right now but haven't taken physics. do you think physics for poets would be all right?</p>
<p>From what I have heard, Physics for Poets does not require any substantial knowledge of calculus, nor does it require any previous physics experience. The course itself is offered at Columbia, so you might want to check this link out for more information: <a href="http://www.college.columbia.edu/students/academics/depts/physics.php?tab=courses%5B/url%5D">http://www.college.columbia.edu/students/academics/depts/physics.php?tab=courses</a></p>
<p>Physics for Poets isn't as much of an easy course as the name might imply, especially the second semester. However, if you're interested in physics but don't have a huge math background you should definitely consider it. </p>
<p>I don't have any personal experience in Environmental Science courses here, so I'm hesitant to make any overarching statements, but from the majority of people I've spoken with I gather that they can be pretty easy, but with a lot of busy work.</p>
<p>I took AP Psych last year and got a 5, so I know I can skip Intro. Would it possible to take a psych with lab my first year? I'm considering a lot of reading/writing intensive courses, so I'd like to break it up with one that is slightly less lit/language-oriented...</p>
<p>You can enter the lottery in the Spring, but that doesn't mean you'll be guaranteed a spot. I only know of one first-year who got placed in a psychology lab. Even as a rising junior, I only made it onto a waitlist.</p>
<p>My d. took the lecture part of an advanced psych lab course her first semester, and there was a LOT of reading -- so psych isn't going to get you out of reading. From what I hear, taking a psych class because you think it might be easier is a mistake.... take it if that's your area of interest, but according to most reviews on Culpa, the workload is pretty high.</p>
<p>Also, be warned: My d entered Barnard with her primary interest being lit/english as well and she took psych as her science because it seemed interesting and less math-oriented. HOWEVER, she fell in love with it and now is sitting beside me studying for her organic chem final (I am at Barnard to help her get her stuff packed up and stored) and she has discovered she LOVES science! Her major is neuroscience!</p>
<p>BEWARE the power of exploring new things.....</p>
<p>To both mom's: I LOVE psych and sociology, and right now I'm debating between pursuing a combination of social sciences and languages, so I really do have a passion for the subject area. It's good to know that it is heavy reading, but I'm more worried about having to do the EXACT same type of reading for every class--read a novel/essay, analyze it, write about it. It's a field I also enjoy/love, but I just wanted to break it up with something from a different spectrum.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help! Also, Physics for Poets sounded very difficult, and if you've never taken physics before and dislike math, I doubt you'll enjoy a class like that very much. I had a great physics teacher, but it's just not my type of science.</p>
<p>What is Culpa?</p>
<p>Culpa = <a href="http://www.culpa.info%5B/url%5D">www.culpa.info</a> -- it is the Columbia in-house version of ratemyprofessors.com -- you can look up any class or prof and get reviews by students. </p>
<p>You need to take individual reviews with a grain of salt, but if there are a lot of review sounding a common theme, then it's worth paying attention to. I would say focus on the reasons given for opinions rather than the opinions expressed -- and be sensitive to your own learning style and preferences.</p>