<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm a freshman aiming for MCB/premed. What classes should I be taking freshman year?</p>
<p>So far, I have:
Math 1A
Chem 1A
???
???</p>
<p>I'm hoping to fill RC credit freshman year, but my AP Lang scores won't be out until July.</p>
<p>Also, are there any particular professors to look for/avoid in these classes? Thanks.</p>
<p>is Asian American Studies a good class to take for breadth?</p>
<p>Hey, I would suggest you to take it slowly. Math 1A and Chem 1A will be more than enough for you to handle. Also go on ratemyprofessor.com before you choose your classes to make sure that good professors are teaching those classes this semester. If not, you might want to wait for the next semester. It won't hurt. </p>
<p>Chem 1A: I took it with Nitsche but I heard Kubinec is the man.
Math 1A: I just know that Aganagic (check spelling) is not too bad.</p>
<p>Again use ratemyprofessor.</p>
<p>As far as your RC requirement for your score because a 5 will get you out of R1A and R1B. A 4 I believe you still have to satisfy R1B. </p>
<p>What I suggest is that you can take a breadth course or satisfy your AC requirement. I personally took MCB 32/32L to satisfy some physiology requirements for grad school. So if you're looking at a grad school that require physiology this isn't a bad choice.</p>
<p>Kubinec for Chem1A is awesome. He's a pretty good teacher and he's enthusiastic; he's also really great in office hours. He also knows his football.</p>
<p>If you're premed though, you probably want to take an English class or two (any R&C in any dept. definitely fulfills this) because many med schools require a semester or two of English credits.</p>
<p>i'm premed/mcb as well and for my freshman year (fall) i took math1a and chem1a together and didn't find it too difficult (in addition to a 5 unit language course and a breadth course). i believe stacy is teaching chem1a, her class is fairly easy if you have taken apchem. i dont know if she'll change it after last year. math1a, it depends on the prof. the material is easy but the tests are significantly harder than apexam/high school. </p>
<p>i suggest you take an R&C class. it's not that much work.. and then you'll have 12 units and maybe a seminar/decal?</p>
<p>so for second semister would you take Math 1B and Organic Chem?</p>
<p>I'm in the same situation...except I'm not taking any more math. If I pair up Chem 1A and Physics 8A, would that be too hectic?</p>
<p>Physics 8A is not difficult at all. It should be manageable.</p>
<p>^^ Getting in to the class is difficult though... Both instructors for the class are completely full with no waiting list.</p>
<p>shah--
second semester, i took ochem (chem3a) with math 1b. it was very manageable if you have the right professors.. i had frechet & jones who was fairly easy compared to the other math profs.</p>
<p>I'm coming in having taken Calculus BC (5) and Chem AP (5) junior year, but may be hazy on some topics. Will Math 1A, Chem 1A, a Writing Course (sign up for this phase 2; any suggestions?), a possible 5 unit language course, and maybe a seminar be too much?</p>
<p>For the longer run: this is what I have laid out:
Freshman Fall:
Chem 1A
Math 1A</p>
<p>Spring:
Chem 3A
Bio 1A</p>
<p>Sophomore Fall
Chem 3B
Bio 1B</p>
<p>Spring
Organic Chemistry (not sure which class; suggestions?)
Another biology class</p>
<p>Junior Fall
Physics 8A
Biochemistry (not sure which class)</p>
<p>Chem 3A is a prerequisite to Bio 1A. They're pretty strict on this.</p>
<p>As nanday0 pointed out, Chem 3A is an absolute pre-req to Bio 1A. If you don't have a C+ (not sure about the exact grade) in Chem 3A, then you will not be enrolled in the class.</p>
<p>Also, where is your Math 1B? Why do you even take 1A if you don't plan on taking 1B?</p>
<p>You will need math 1B. 3A/3AL is a must before Bio 1A. And you will want to take 3A/3AL before Bio 1A it helps with some chemistry stuff you will learn in the beginning. After 3A/3B you don't need anymore O Chem you will need to take biochem which is MCB 102 or MCB 100 if you are Immuno track 1 and Biochem track 1. Double check on those but know that MCB majors that are more focused on research/PhD will require the more rigorous course of the 2. Last time I checked Math series and physics series is not required to declare MCB is required to graduate (of course). And truth to be told, they are not even needed in your upper division courses. Won't help much, as far as MCB 102 goes although it says some physics may help. Nah...</p>
<p>Sorry I left some classes out of my previous post.</p>
<p>Freshman Fall:
Chem 1A
Math 1A</p>
<p>Spring:
Chem 3A
Math 1B</p>
<p>Sophomore Fall
Chem 3B
Bio 1A
Math 53 or 54 possible
<prep for="" mcat?=""></prep></p>
<p>Spring
MCB 102
Bio 1B
<prep take="" mcat?=""></prep></p>
<p>Junior Fall
Physics 8A
Biochemistry?</p>
<p>Spring
Physics 8B</p>
<p>Somewhere in here, I need to stick in foreign language classes (Chinese), at least 1 or 2 computer science courses, a year of English, as well as normal breadth classes and MCB Immunology classes, though I could change tracks in MCB.</p>
<p>Don't take 53 or 54, it will be a waste of a semester for you. You will probably never see the material again unless you go into engineering. CS classes will be helpful in bioinformatics, but since you're a premed, you will probably never see this material again as well.</p>
<p>Physics is a section on the MCAT, so I'm not sure why you want to prep/take the MCAT without having taken physics. If I were you, I'd start taking physics during sophomore year and move Bio 1B later since it is a pretty useless class (you're not likely to see any material from this class on the MCAT) with a tough curve.</p>
<p>Oh, I see; I was hoping to take a CS course because I was looking at admissions requirements for some medical schools, and a couple recommended computer programming (e.g. UCLA).</p>
<p>For freshman fall, would Math 1A, Chem 1A/L, a Chinese course, a R & C course, and a Freshman seminar be too much?</p>
<p>Revision:
Freshman Fall:
Chem 1A
Math 1A</p>
<p>Spring:
Chem 3A
Math 1B</p>
<p>Sophomore Fall
Chem 3B
Bio 1A
<prep for="" mcat?=""></prep></p>
<p>Spring
MCB 102
Physics 8A
<prep take="" mcat?=""></prep></p>
<p>Junior Fall
Bio 1B
Physics 8B</p>
<p>Spring
Biochemistry?</p>
<p>OK time for my public service notice:</p>
<p>So you are premed and MCB. That is good assuming you like MCB type stuff, but it is horrible otherwise. If you are intended MCB because you love molecular and cellular biology, you can stop reading from here. Every year hundreds of freshmen get ********ted into thinking that MCB is the 'best' premed major, lies. It does fit the premed requirements but it is by no means the 'best'. As per thecampusbuddy.com's department GPA averages, MCB is the hardest biology major (taking exception to Chemical Biology because it lacks a department). Also keep in mind that for premed, being a biology major doesn't give you a med school admission edge. Now if you want to be a bio major and intend on being premed, don't do MCB just because, do MCB if you like it, otherwise don't. MCB is the de facto place where premeds congregate and slaughter eachother.</p>
<p>Someone, whose name I will keep anonymous, messaged me this on facebook:</p>
<p>Hey man, I was reading some posts on the UCB 12' group and saw that you helped out a lot of people. So, I was wondering if you could help me out as well. Im planning on majoring MCB, because I was told that would be the best major if one is planning on going to med school. And so, i was wondering which classes i should take in the fall and spring. I also heard that majoring in a classical language, like Greek or Latin, and taking premed courses as well would be better because that would make one stand out while applying to med school. Im super confused. What do you think would be best, and which classes should i be taking? Thanks a lot bro.</p>
<p>ivinshe-
my first semester at cal, i took math, chem, and a 5 unit language course and it was more than enough work. i did take apchem and found chem 1a very easy. math 1a i found kind of difficult (i took BC junior year) because it covers topics we did not go over in HS (hyperbolic functions, delta-epsilon proofs, etc.). my language course was the most difficult class because it required you to stay on top of things the entire semester. i know that the chinese department has different tracks so if you are doing a 5 unit course, i recommend not doing english and saving that for later. if you are doing a 3 unit course, then it shouldn't be too difficult.</p>
<p>premed requires 1 year of english so if you are doing chinese, then i recommend doing R&CB in spring and then doing R&CA in fall of sophomore year- many people have completed their R&CA by sophomore year so you'll have better choices for times & courses that are easier. from what i hear, R&CB is more on writing and R&CA more on reading. you can take them in either order.</p>
<p>To go prehaas in addition to premed/mcb or not...that is the question. xP</p>
<p>(How many extra classes would I need to take/are they hard?)</p>
<p>Also, which prof for CS3,
Which R and C class to take (professors?),
Which 7 course breadth courses (professors?),
Do freshman seminars fulfill breadth/which ones are good,
and Chinese yes/no?</p>
<p>and is this too much: Math 1A (prof recommendations?)
Chem 1A/L (prof recommendations?)
two more "major" as in significant courses (Chinese one of them? also prof recommendations?)
and a freshman seminar?</p>
<p>Sorry for the urgency xP My calso is very very very soon.</p>