<p>I’m going to be a freshman next year and likely premed. I was wondering if its better to do bio or chem first semester, and which most premeds at barnard do? I’ve taken AP Bio, so I feel pretty comfortable with that, but have VERY weak chem knowledge. I will also be taking calc I, and have never taken calc before.</p>
<p>What should I take for a schedule that won’t totally overwhelm me?</p>
<p>An advisor will be contacting you (I think some time in June??) to help you with your schedule and class selection. I suggest you talk to them about it for sure. But hopefully someone here will be able to give you some info that will clarify things for you. Good luck!</p>
<p>Try asking in our FB group.</p>
<p>My daughter followed CU’s recommended curriculum when she was filling out her class schedule at the end of the summer, but you’ll find that your advisor will be a great help in guiding you to chose your classes. </p>
<p>[Premedical</a> Curriculum | Student Affairs](<a href=“Premedical Curriculum | Columbia College and Columbia Engineering”>Premedical Curriculum | Columbia College and Columbia Engineering)</p>
<p>They do recommend starting with chemistry first. Besides the chemistry, her fall semester included calculus, foreign language and FY seminar. She studied a lot before and after each class.</p>
<p>I’m not pre-med, but I have a lot of friends that are pre-med. Some of them did bio whereas others did chemistry. I highly recommend you take bio your first year. Chemistry is usually a slap in the face for a lot of pre-med students and is what makes the number of pre-meds at Barnard drop significantly. Your first year you should focus on adjusting and I think since you like bio, you should be fine and it’ll make the transition a lot more comfortable. Additionally, there’s a spring class for students who need to take chem, but feel uncomfortable with the basics of chem.</p>