<p>I'm a current hs student interested in vassar. Was wondering how hard the calc, chem, physics, and bio classes are for those planning on going to med school (i'm considering a career in medicine). I'm asking because next year, as a senior, i'm planning to take ap calc and either ap chem or ap physics (the ap bio teacher at my school is terrible, so i'm not considering it). Was wondering which of the 2 ap science classes i should take to create a better foundation for college. </p>
<p>I’m a pre-med student currently attending Vassar. I HIGHLY advise taking AP calc simply because our math department is the worst department at Vassar. AP physics won’t do you much good, seeing as it won’t forgo the physics requirement for pre-med courses unless you’d like to come in knowing a little bit more. AP chem however would allow you to take a 1 semester course instead of a full year general chemistry course, which is always nice.</p>
<p>Okay thanks! I’m probably going to take ap chem and ap calc then.<br>
And, if I do well on the ap calc exam, can i also forgo a semester of it like with chem?</p>
<p>Well… pre-med requires that you take an year of college math, not college-level math. So oddly enough, you have to take 2 semesters of math regardless. However, if you get a five (I’ve noticed that Vassar accepts 4s too) on the ap calc exam, you can take 200 level math courses such as multi-variable calculus or linear algebra your first semester. The 200 level courses are decent. They’re not great, but certainly not bad in my opinion. 100 level math courses, which you’d have to take if you didn’t get college credit, are a nightmare for most students simply because they’re taught so badly. </p>
<p>How well are multi-variable calculus or linear algebra taught as opposed to 100 level courses?</p>
<p>Also, would it be possible for statistics courses in say, Psychology or Economics count towards the 1-year requirement for pre-meds, or would it HAVE to be taken in the math department?</p>
<p>Statistics in psych, math, econ, or bio should all fulfill the requirement, though the econ version hardly feels like an introductory course. I would strongly suggest the biostatistics-focused intro stats class taught by the math prof that’s actually good (she teaches all stats in the math dept and is great). 200-level math classes are better than calculus I-II, and simply not as stressful because they’re decently taught.</p>
<p>Med school requirements vary vastly among schools. Harvard requires one year of Calculus. Yale does not have a math requirement.</p>
<p>My daughter’s school does not offer AP classes only honors. She’s taking calculus at a community college since her high school doesn’t offer it. Would she be able to transfer credits from a community college or only AP courses? </p>
<p>Case by case, Vassar did not offer my DS much in the way of credit for AP, max 2 I think, but it was something, he didnt attend in the end and enrolled at a LAC in NE that gave NO credit whatsoever for AP/CCredit and he 8 AP and 30 credits, none no credit whatsoever, be careful with paying for AP exams and then the kid goes to a school which offers no credit, but its the best school possible so no complaints its my problem and we paid for then and got nothing.</p>