<p>What do current Barnard students suggest for completing the science requirement for those of us who hate science?
Would you recommend doing it during the summer with Columbia’s program?</p>
<p>With the science requirement, you have to watch out because there are strict rules with regards to how long labs are within each department. For example, I could not take the Psych Labs / Lectures at Columbia because labs there are not three hours long like they are at Barnard.</p>
<p>I am not a big fan of science either, so I am completing the requirement with Psychology. My Developmental Psychology class is very concept based and we are not required to memorize parts of the brain or anything like that, which I appreciate. You can also do environmental science, which I hear is probably the easiest lecture/lab sequence (depending on who is teaching it). My friends in Environmental Science come home with assignments to draw pictures of the sun and the rain...</p>
<p>Admission to the psychology labs are based on a lottery (so you might want to get in there early in your Barnard career) and all of them require that you take Intro to Psych first (which I recommend for everyone in college anyway).</p>
<p>My d decided to do the Psych route for her lab science requirement. She took intro to Psych during her first semester and discovered she loves all things to do with the BRAIN. She is now a neuroscience major.</p>
<p>The science requirement may seem to be some sort of obstacle to you at this point but I hope you can do a bit of exploring and have an open mind about it. You never know what you might discover about yourself and about the world!</p>
<p>Hmmm, I am beginning to sound a bit cheesy (okay, a LOT cheesy), so bye!</p>
<p>Chuchmusicmom, it's okay to be cheesy. I get cheesy about academics at Barnard too. What you are saying is very true. I came to college (although it was a different college) set on being a Psychology major. I ended up falling in love with Urban Studies after taking one Urban Studies class and, the next day, it was out with the Psych and in with the Urban Studies! You never know what you'll end up liking later on in life.</p>
<p>My D's room mate took "Physics for Poets" for science, but still had to take a lab.</p>
<p>I too hate science, and I'm completing the requirement with Biology 1001x/y. There are two semesters of it, and it meets 3 times a week for 50 minutes. Then there is one three hour lab a week. The semesters are broken up into Revolutionary Concepts in Bio and Contemporary Concepts. The first half is pretty basic, cells, plant physiology, a little animal physiology, etc. The second semester is broken up into three modules: Human physiology, Epidemiology/Infectious disease, and ecology. </p>
<p>Overall the class isn't super hard, but I'm not a science-y type at all, so I'm taking it P/D/F. </p>
<p>I wouldn't recommend over the summer, because even if you take a Columbia it counts as summer "transfer" credits. I'd use those credits for something of interest to you. </p>
<p>If you have anymore questions please ask!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!
So, should I take science freshman year, or does it matter?</p>
<p>While environmental science is easy, I wouldn't recommend it, because it's frustrating and time consuming busy work. Plus I learned far more in my AP class. It's set up very creatively, but I really wish I hadn't taken it.</p>
<p>You will receive a booklet this summer with a list of courses that are suggested for you to chose from, if they do it the same way as they did two years ago. Many of your questions will be answered then, I think! There are also advising sessions which you may attend over the summer (if one is in your area or you can go to Barnard for one of them) to help you make that first schedule out. My d was unable to attend one, so she had a phone session....</p>
<p>Try not to stress over all of this too much, though. Even when you get that first plan all worked out on paper, when the first couple of weeks of classes start and the "shopping" begins, you may find much of it changes.</p>
<p>hey church music mom~
i was wondering if you could tell me when during the summer all this info comes (choosing classes, course catalogues, housing surveys/forms, etc) i.e. beginning , middle or end of the summer? i'm going away for a huge part of the summer and i don't want to miss anything so if it comes in the middle of the summer, perhaps i can work out an arrangement somehow so i can get my mail.</p>
<p>actually, i don't know the odds of you checking this thread again, so i'll just message this to you just in case.</p>
<p>Princess, you should receive all materials about course enrollment in late May or early June. There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be done by mid-June or around July 1st. There is a big packet with housing and health forms that can be a little confusing. I think the course registration packet came separately. I am pretty sure the deadline for choosing courses and submitting that info online was around July 1 -- I know that last year my d. went to China during the first two weeks of July and all the paperwork and pre-enrollment stuff was done before she left.</p>
<p>Also princess, I remember that last year at a certain point many of the forms were downloadable on the admissions website. I don't know if they are going to do that again, but I would at least be on the lookout for them. Also, you can now view the current Barnard course catalogue online through the website.</p>
<p>can first year students take environmental science 1001, or do they have to sign up for it for the next year the previous spring? is it hard to get into basic science courses?</p>
<p>According to the catalog, Env. Sc. 1001 is a limited enrollment course and students need to sign up the previous spring. That means it probably would not be available as an option for you during pre-enrollment. You could try to get in during the fall, during the pre-enrollment period, but it looks like that class might be one that is in high demand and may be hard to get.</p>
<p>Most of the time its fairly easy for students at Barnard to get desired courses, but there are some exceptions. I think there are plenty of bio sections, though - so it isn't a problem with all the sciences.</p>
<p>I've taken spanish since I was 7...i'll be completing the AP this may and my teacher estimates a 4 or 5 forr me. will i be able to jump right into a spanish literature 3000 level course with this my freshman year or not?</p>
<p>For science, I would not suggest taking environmental science. I am taking it right now as an AP (also to fulfill a science requirement) and it sucks. Seriously. A lot of it seems to be common knowledge (but actually isn't and isn't actually easy like everybody said), and a LOT of it is busy work. I can totally agree with the person who said her friend came out of class having to draw the water cycle, because we had to do it, too. The class isn't exactly easy (eventhough it is rumored to be at all schools) and very time consuming.</p>
<p>If I go to Barnard (and I really hope I do!) I hope that I can fulfill my science requirement with astronomy. Does anyone know if that is possible?</p>
<p>Coffeetoffee, you will take a placement test online before signing up for language courses. Look at posts by Calmom, whose d was pretty advanced in Russian studies and who ended up in a lower level (though COLLEGE level) class than she rather expected, and it was fine. My d also took a lower level class at the beginning (even though she tested into a higher one) in Spanish and was glad she did. Not sure about a lit class...that's a question to ask your advisor when you talk to him/her.</p>
<p>And as for the astronomy question, I believe you must take a lab science to fullfill the requirement....anyone confirm???</p>
<p>You can fulfill the science requirement with these astronomy courses:</p>
<p>ASTR BC 1753-1754 or ASTR C 1403-1404, both with lab
ASTR C 1903-1904; ASPG C 1234- 1235, Plus PHYS BC 1091, Plus
ASTR C 1904; ASTR V1420 plus 1904 (satifies one semester of lab requirement)</p>
<p>The courses which satisfy the various requirements are listed here:
<a href="http://www.barnard.edu/provost/gerapprcourses.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.barnard.edu/provost/gerapprcourses.html</a></p>
<p>thank you!! that helps!!</p>