<p>Should we aim to take a science course every semester? is it bad if we have a semester without a science class?</p>
<p>Doesn’t matter. Take them when it works best to take them.</p>
<p>It makes exactly no difference.</p>
<p>Just don’t take ALL science classes at once like my son did. 2nd semester freshman year, he took 2 neuro classes, orgo and a physics class. He survived but learned his lesson. I think. This past semester, he studied abroad and took NO science classes. Go figure.</p>
<p>Just aim to finish in the number of semesters that you would like to. If you are a science major, finishing in four years may require you to take science courses every semeter because of the fact that many are required to move forward (gen chem-o chem- biochem- biophysical chem and other higher level electives at my school)</p>
<p>There is no advantage to taking science every semester except for spreading out the requirements to spread the workload.</p>
<p>if i have AP science credit to skip a science class, i should be ok with not falling behind with finishing sci requirements on time?</p>
<p>Usually, AP credits don’t mean you skip a science course. It just means you can take a higher level.</p>
<p>AP won’t count toward med school prereqs. Take the course. (Sorry…)</p>
<p>pre-meds at D’s school have 2-3 science classes every semester to graduate in 4 years. it could be different from school to school</p>
<p>Miami, it doesn’t really differ. Pre-meds at your D’s school have to take the same courses as every other pre-med. Schools don’t differ on that b/c they don’t set what a pre-med takes (as much as some advisors believe they do). You’re most likely speaking of science majors (esp. bio majors) but, if anything, these are the least successful pre-meds.</p>
<p>since a standard major is ~10 courses, one should not have to triple up on sciences. Assuming a two courses each in the first two years, that leaves 6 courses over the last two (for a bio major, for example), plus physics, for premed. </p>
<p>Of course, a neuroscience major might need more science coursework.</p>
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<p>What major is 10 courses?!? I want to switch to that one! 10 courses =~30 units. The only major at my UG that fit that description would be philosophy (at exactly 30) and you can bet those were 30 hard-fought units. (Phil classes aren’t exactly mass comm!)</p>
<p>Of my two UG majors, the smaller was 15 classes min and the larger was ~36 classes min! My UG’s bio major was about 20 classes. There’s no way you could fit any of those into 10 classes.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, no, you shouldn’t have to triple up on sciences. Granted, it’s not that bad as long as you don’t take more than a class beyond your 3 sciences (2, maybe, but I wouldn’t suggest it).</p>
<p>apumic:</p>
<p>if you are on a quarter system, then multiply by 1.5 = 15 courses.</p>
<p>A Bio major at Cornell, for example, takes Frosh Chem + 11 additional courses.</p>
<p>I don’t know how you calculated that for a bio major at Cornell.</p>
<p>You need 2 math courses, 2 organic chem courses, 2 gen chem courses, 2 intro bio courses, 1 genetics course, 1 evol. bio course, 2 physics courses, 1-2 biochem courses, and 1 program of study (for molecular biology, it’s minimum 4 additional courses).</p>
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This is highly variable. Proceed according to your abilities and experience.</p>
<p>During one semester a couple years ago, I took 6 science courses and did very well. Currently I’m taking zero science courses. I’m kind of glad I got them all out of the way early.</p>
<p>Different strokes for different folks.</p>
<p>^^ The required courses for a bio major on a standard track at DS’s school are very similar. I believe these are the required courses:
- pre-reqs before becoming a bio major = the medical school pre-reqs (excluding English).
- bio core courses: 1 genetics, 1 biochem, 1 cell bio.
- 4 upper-division bio electives, one of which should be at 400+ level (i.e., roughly grad. level.)
- 2 upper-division bio labs.
- 1 or 2 semesters of research in senior year. Most students take two semesters.</p>
<p>1) is not completely true when you knowingly or unknowingly make use of AP credits to skip some of the departmental (but not medical school’s) pre-req courses.</p>
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<p>Nope, no quarter systems here. Most majors simply wouldn’t fit into 10 courses. In most subjects, that would be a medium to large minor and in some 10 courses is the size of a concentration.</p>
<p>Still, no need to double up (or more) on sciences unless you want to. Everything should always be to your level of ability. Some can take 21+ units most semesters and still make it out with a 3.8+. Others should probably not take more than 12-14 units/semester (barely “full time”). Every person needs to gauge his or her own ability and work within those limits.</p>
<p>apumic, what did you mean by “these are the least successful pre-meds” in post 11?</p>
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<p>First to clarify, I did not say “these are the least successful pre-meds.” I said “if anything, these are the least successful pre-meds.” In other words, they are certainly not more successful than other majors and may, in fact, have a disadvantage in the admissions process. I was pointing out a flaw in many pre-meds’ thinking when considering a major.</p>
<p>By comparison to all other majors (except vocational majors, such as nursing) bio majors have the weakest chance of admission – both in terms of admissions rates (~45% vs 50-55% will gain admission to at least one school for most other majors except vocational, which have a ~28% admissions rate) and average GPA needed for matriculation. The difference is small but when we are talking about sample sizes in the n=1000-5000 range, it is likely those differences may be significant. (These cannot simply be explained away by weaker bio majors applying based on GPA as students in other majors, such as the humanities, are actually applying with similar GPAs and getting in with lower ones.) A bio major has the advantage of reducing the premed load (i.e., most prereqs are part of the major) but the disadvantage of a less well-rounded education (which is something med schools have been pushing for for quite a few years now). It is also of note that medical schools want socially strong individuals (i.e., for bedside manner, etc.) and sometimes these individuals are more difficult to find in a bio dept than in some of the softer sciences.</p>