Too ambitious?

Well, it seems like I may be getting a great part-time employment deal so I can transfer to a local 4-yr university this coming fall.


I have to put in about 25 hours/week.


Would it be too much to take:


Organic 1 + Lab = 5 credit hrs


Physics 2 + Lab = 5 credit hrs


Cell Bio + Lab = 5 credit hrs


10 years ago, when I was in college I did average around 13 credit hrs plus 25-30 hrs/week of work and it was okay.


I know Organic 1 and Physics 2 will require lots of hours but what about Cell Bio? If Cell Bio is another tough class, I could take Psychology or something easier to make it full-time.



Well, it’s up to you, but taking 15 course hours, all sciences with labs, is going to take a lot of time! REMEMBER, you want to ace these classes.


If it were me, I wouldn’t take all three at once. But that’s just my $0.02, FWIW


Take your time. Do well.

Hi Drumstick,


Have you been attending school for awhile, or are you just starting back and getting your prereqs? If it is the former, I definitely think it possible although I would think it might be wiser if you took the psychology instead of the 3 sciences. If it is the latter, I definitely wouldn’t suggest the three sciences as you want to make sure that you do well in all of your prerequisite classes.


Best of luck!

Hi, drumstick.


As someone who just completed organic chemistry this last semester, I would caution you against underestimating the beast that is organic chemistry. Not only does learning the material take a tremendous amount of time and energy, but organic lab is no joke either. In your shoes, I would take only two of the classes listed above. In addition to organic chem, I would take whichever one of those classes that you believe would be the easiest. Unfortunately, it may get less attention, but if its something that comes easily to you, then you will be a much happier camper come November.


Remember - this is not a race. As attractive as it might be to rush through and just get it done, taking your time, really learning the material, and focusing on getting good grades will make for a much better application. In addition, if you really learn the material, it will make studying for the MCAT that much easier.


Good luck!

With working even half-time, I’d strongly advise against 3 sciences. Cell biology is not a hard class, but it’s time consuming - it’s lot’s of reading (while the other two classes you’re going to take are time consuming b/c of practicing problem solving etc).


Psych seems easy, but depending on the teaching style, you might get stuck with tones of reading to do, it will take time, which you want have… But it depends on how the class is taught. I took a couple of psych classes in my college career, and I did OK with only listening to lectures and never reading any book.


Whatever you decide, make sure you’ll getting As! :).


Good luck.



I’m working full time and taking 15 credit hours this fall…my schedule though has no hard sciences, when I get to those I hope to be working significantly less or taking less classes, something will have to give I suspect.

What’s the rush? I would take 2 out of the 3. Your goal needs to be to get high grades, and that suggests a more balanced schedule.


But it’s up to you; only you know your limits. Just be prepared to drop one of them in case things aren’t going well. Best of luck,

You guys are totally freaking me out here??? Now I am wondering if I bit off more than I can chew too?? I have scheduled 16 credits for the fall.


BIO I … retake (1998: A)


CHEM I … retake (1998: A)


CELL BIO w/Lab


GENETICS w/Lab


I intend to review the bio and Chem over the summer once my summer classes are over so I am ready for the Upper Div classes. I was thinking that 4 sciences wouldn’t be so bad since 2 are retakes. While I do have a family at home, I am not working so school is my primary focus. Is this too much as well??


Good-luck with whatever you decide drumstick!!

  • ttraub Said:
What's the rush? I would take 2 out of the 3. Your goal needs to be to get high grades, and that suggests a more balanced schedule.

But it's up to you; only you know your limits. Just be prepared to drop one of them in case things aren't going well. Best of luck,



Well, I did hear that Cell Bio and Genetics help with MCAT so I was trying to fit them in before I take the MCAT next summer.

My original plan was:

Fall 2009

-Organic 1 + lab

-Physics 2 + lab

-Cell Bio + lab

Spring 2010

-Organic 2

-Genetics

-Study for MCAT

-Take MCAT June 2010

I'm leaning toward only taking Organic 1 and Physics 2 this coming fall since I'm seeing continued horror stories about Organic Chem.

So now, the next question is:

Cell Bio vs. Genetics?

Which one is more helpful for MCAT?

Or should I simply take Organic 2 next spring and devote more time on MCAT?

I am very very curious about Organic chem. Is it that difficult of a class? From my experience, the most difficult class I have ever taken was Abstract Linear Algebra, basically proving all the concepts from Linear Algebra. The textbook from that class was size of a large index card with about 100 pages. I think we only covered about 50 pages whole semester. Understanding single example took about 3 hours. I personally can't imagine anything being harder than that from my experience. I'm kind of excited to start Organic Chemistry. I'm waiting for my Organic Chem as 2nd language book. Thanks to LC2Doc aka BOOBS for posting that topic.




By the way, thank you all for your feedback. I would not know what to do without OPM. OPM Rocks!

I’m going to dissent a bit here from people urging you against your schedule, simply because 3 lab sciences, totalling 15 credit hours, is a perfectly normal freshman load for 18-year-old freshmen science majors from sea to shining sea. I never took that much as a premed, but I was working fulltime. If you are willing to work hard and you believe you have a lot of talent (the two precursors to trying to get into medical school ANYWAY), I think that an industrious person could succeed with that schedule and a PART-TIME job. But what Kasia said is the crux of the matter: if you think you can get A’s, go for it. If you think your performance will be more marginal, then you would benefit from spreading it all out more.

  • drumstick Said:


Well, I did hear that Cell Bio and Genetics help with MCAT so I was trying to fit them in before I take the MCAT next summer.

...

I'm leaning toward only taking Organic 1 and Physics 2 this coming fall since I'm seeing continued horror stories about Organic Chem.

So now, the next question is:

Cell Bio vs. Genetics?

Which one is more helpful for MCAT?

Or should I simply take Organic 2 next spring and devote more time on MCAT?



Organic is not that bad! I think most people think it's bad because it's so different than most classes. But if you do your work, and make sure you understand/ not memorize the stuff - you'll be fine.

I really think that if you are a hard worker you should do fine with the schedule you originally intended. If, however, you decide to skip one of these classes, you'd be better off taking cell biology! It will be supper helpful for both MCAT and 1st year biochem class. Genetics on the MCAT is very superficial (mendelian inheritance etc), and genetics in med-school is nothing like genetics in undergrad (unless you're thinking about taking medical genetics).

K.

I’ll go with Matt here. If you think you can handle it, go for it. I took bio + lab, gen chem + lab, physics + lab, and calculus all in the same quarter and did pretty well. I also worked part time. Of course, I also had a couple of friends who did the same thing and it didn’t work out so well. If you do decide to do it, keep a close eye on drop/add deadlines and be prepared to drop something if the load is too much.


As for the genetics/cell bio thing - go to the MCAT website and look at their listing of bio section topics and then try and decide which class looks like it would cover more of the topics that are testable.


Good luck!

I think I can handle it but I am being a little cautious since it’s my first semester at this school and all. I’ll have to do some more research (ratemyprofessor.com) before making the final decision.

I would be very cautious about that schedule if it’s your first semester back. O-chem is like a foreign language; it’s not that it is so much HARD as it is DIFFERENT. And the only way to really adapt to it is through lots of time - like a language immersion program, if you will.


I did o-chem 1, physics 1 and microbio (13 total credits) along with my regular “job” as mom but that’s a very flexible job without set hours or schedules!


I agree with Kasia, cell bio is the way to go.


Mary

I have to agree (yet again!) with Mary. Also, from what I have read by multiple applicants, having a good grade in organic chemistry is a plus in your application. It is probably one of the harder prereqs that you are going to do. Having a strong organic chemistry background will definitely be a plus when you have to move onto biochemistry.


I’m planning on taking organic chem 1 in the fall, and I am currently prepping myself now so that when I get into it, I won’t feel lost immediately.


Kris

I don’t think that your schedule is that bad. I haven’t taken Orgo yet, but I think the advice stream on this forum tends to be pretty conservative, probably rightly so. Being a little aggressive is okay for some of us.


I wouldn’t do anything to make your life extra difficult if you didn’t gain any advantage on finishing your studies sooner, applying sooner, or taking a class that will help on the MCAT sooner rather than later. But, if you have to have one semester where all you do is work, go to class, and study, it’s not really that bad. You can do anything for 16 weeks! And when you are successful at something very difficult, it can be a huge confidence booster. I have done some impossible schedules in the past, and while I don’t like to do it all the time, it has really helped me to prove to myself that I can be Superwoman when it’s necessary.

  • AliJ Said:
...I think the advice stream on this forum tends to be pretty conservative, probably rightly so. Being a little aggressive is okay for some of us...



Quite true. If there is a common theme on this board over the years, though, it's that the folks who jump into the deep end of the pool, in their enthusiasm to get a quick start, are more likely to be the ones who end up having to do some damage control. Not always, but enough of the time to engender the cautious advice. It's easy to ramp up over time; it's hard to overcome mistakes. And for people going back to school - especially those with mistakes in their pasts - doing your best to guarantee good results on the "second chance" is wise.

Mary
  • drumstick Said:
Well, it seems like I may be getting a great part-time employment deal so I can transfer to a local 4-yr university this coming fall.

I have to put in about 25 hours/week.

Would it be too much to take:

Organic 1 + Lab = 5 credit hrs

Physics 2 + Lab = 5 credit hrs

Cell Bio + Lab = 5 credit hrs

10 years ago, when I was in college I did average around 13 credit hrs plus 25-30 hrs/week of work and it was okay.

I know Organic 1 and Physics 2 will require lots of hours but what about Cell Bio? If Cell Bio is another tough class, I could take Psychology or something easier to make it full-time.



I ended up taking Orgo Lecture, Cell Bio, Physics 2 Lecture + Lab = 12 credit hrs. But I ended up working 30 hrs/week consistently so it was a good thing I didn't take Cell Bio and Orgo labs.

The final result for fall 2009 = 4.00

And now I understand why Organic Chemistry is called the "gatekeeper" to medical school. Freakin' thing needs a lot of time to study and practice. But the good thing was since you have to study so much throughout the semester, cumulative final exam didn't require much reviewing since you remember so much of the old stuff. Anyway, I'm glad this semester is over but really enjoyed being a full-time student again.


By the way, I took Biology 1/2, Chemistry 1/2, and Physics 1 at a CC with 4.0 GPA. So this was more than a just 4.0 semester. This is my 4.0 transition semester!!!