<p>Bio, chem, calc, fws, PE is optimal I think.</p>
<p>The first schedule sounds good! I wouldn't take the fifth class, take an extra class second semester if you feel you have time.</p>
<p>I took chem and bio at the same time and didn't have any trouble. I took chem lab tuesday, and bio lab thursday. They are totally different formats, chem was completely based on writeups and it usually didn't take the whole 3 hours. Bio, usually took the whole 3 hours, but we only had worksheets....but we did have major quizzes to study for and a paper to write. Bio is much more geared towards lab practicals.</p>
<p>Hey, do you guys know if this schedule would be too crazy or too light for the first semester?</p>
<p>Calc
Intro to Western Civ
French
FWS
PE</p>
<p>I'm just afraid that I'm not getting enough in there, but then again I don't want to overload myself. Should I add in one more course?</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know anything about Physics 112 and the difficulty of that class?</p>
<p>You guys are all such a big help, thanks so much.</p>
<p>For wat major?</p>
<p>I'm not sure yet, but most likely history, econ, or anthropology.</p>
<p>Do Cornellians typically take 4 courses a semester? If there are no science classes with a lab, would the 1st semster be 4 classes with a phys ed ?</p>
<p>Do you recommend taking Bio101 with Chem215?</p>
<p>i think that schedule is a bit light ocean, especially if you don't find French very challenging (aka you took it in high school). I'd shoot for around 15-16 credits freshmen fall.</p>
<p>snajean: Most freshmen commonly take between 15-16 credits per semester + phys ed. That could translate to five 3-credit courses, four 4-credit courses, four 3-credit courses and one 4-credit course, etc, etc. </p>
<p>Some freshmen come in with a lot of AP credits, and they choose to go a little lighter and take 12 credits - which is the minimum amount of credits you can matriculate with.</p>
<p>From what I've heard, Bio 101 can be a pain or it can be pretty easy if you already had AP. Chem 215 is pretty hard though (a lot harder than chem 207-208), and will take a lot of time. But at least half the 215 class takes Bio 101 at the same time, so I guess it can be done.</p>
<p>Would it look better for med schools if you take bio101 and chem 215?</p>
<p>To be honest, I don't know. But if you like chemistry, 215-216 is definitely more interesting than 207. I know alot of people who dropped down to 208 after 215, which is not very good. Honors courses in college don't work the way they do in high school. It is more of a "for your own benefit" kind of thing. Oh, and the mean is higher in 215-216. So maybe a better grade...higher GPA...</p>
<p>Thanks for the information, aloe :)</p>
<p>In terms of a "strategic" premed schedule, the question to ask yourself is "How prepared am I?"</p>
<p>Many people taking introductory biology and introductory chemistry at Cornell have taken AP courses in one or both of those subjects in high school. Both the bio and chem departments encourage people to take the Cornell introductory course even if they've scored high enough on the AP exam to place out of the course, and a lot of people do this. </p>
<p>If you've taken AP Bio and AP Chem, a demanding schedule (maybe 5 courses, maybe Chem 215) seems appropriate. If you have less preparation, go easier on yourself so that you can get good grades in the courses you do take. If you're not a bio major, you might even consider postponing biology until your second year and taking Chem 207 as your only science in your first year. (This makes your schedule easier AND gives you room to take the prerequisites for your major.) And taking only 4 courses would make sense.</p>
<p>In answer to somebody's question, Cornell students generally take 5 courses at a time during their first two years (because most lower-level courses are 3-credit) and 4 courses at a time during their last two years (because most upper-level courses are 4-credit). However, there are lots of exceptions to this rule, especially in the sciences, because science courses vary greatly in their numbers of credits due to labs.</p>
<p>As for calculus, if you haven't taken it already, you can take it as a freshman if you want, but you don't have to. If you prefer to get your foreign language out of the way (this only applies to CAS people; those in the other colleges probably don't need to take a language), if you prefer to take something you might actually enjoy (such as Psych 101), or if you need to take the prerequisites for your major, you can let calculus wait. This won't prevent you from taking physics because premeds can take the physics sequence that doesn't have calculus as a prerequisite.</p>