Premed Forum FAQs: Read First

[Bigredmed]

You're not even required to know through calc 2.

I only took calc 1 and then a stats class (which wasn't even taught through the Math department - it was a sociology research methods class).

BDM like multi-var calc and encourages students to take it because of the real world applications, but it's certainly not a class you have to take by any means of the imagination.

[sports61kh]

i know i'll end up taking stats since bio is probably my area

what r your thoughts on this: let's say i'm able to retake calc I,II in college even though i've taken up to BC calc in HS

in this case, would i just take the extra math class (3 total), since i've had exposure to the calc stuff and none to stats (not taking in HS)?

[madamebovary]

sports61kh, what im doing next semester in college is just taking calc 2 straight off that bat (no calc 1) since i took calc bc in HS. it really depends on your major since some require higher math anyways and also you may be required to take a placement test to see where you fit better.
from what i have heard the suggestion is just to
1 sem calc 2 and 1 sem stats (like bio stats or psychology stats class)
also stats isnt too bad, dont worry too much about it. i remember in AP stats, i spent a lot of time just using the calculator.

[sports61kh]

but do u think it would benefit my GPA if i retook calc 1&2? since i've seen most of the material (i know college is deeper, but at least no multi-var stuff)

i could probably fit stats in later like jr/sr year
it's just like AP stat right?

[madamebovary]

yup thats what im doing. just finish stats sophmore/jr/ or senior year
from what i heard, it is very similar to AP stats ; plus you will be reinforced on stats stuff again since bio lab, you need to use them for experiments

for your question on gpa, the secret is to just find the easier teacher. the teacher makes a lot of difference- you can quote me on that. so if you are able to just hear around who is easier for calc 2, you can probably just take the class and forget about calc 1- my friend she retook calc 1, told me it was just a waste of time.

[sports61kh]

r u talking about upper division bio classes that will incorporate stats, or also including intro bio?

how did your friend do in calc 1? was it all review for him/her though? was the teacher hard?

[madamebovary]

intro bio lab: we used some stats to analyze data- i mean you remeber t test, anova, and e.g.
calc 1, she got A and was all review. teacher was one of those visiting professor

[sports61kh]

good info MB

well i was looking at some course catalogs (quarter system colleges), and they have major requirements w/ the whole full-yr sequence of math, so does that mean i would have to take all 3 classes? or should i bypass 2 w/ AP credit and then take stats (which i think is more than 2 quarters anyways)?

i'm confused b/c idk if each class each quarter is only like calc A, then B, etc.

[madamebovary]

as a suggestion, i would do 2 of the 3 quarter classes. since you still need a year. if you bypass two, and take stats, you still need one more quarter.

let me ask my friends at ucla and uci for you to double check if what im writing is correct, because im pretty sure you can get out of most of those classes. my friend took BC in highschool, now first quater at ucla started out at linear algebra.

[sports61kh]

is it possible u can check UCD too? it's okay if u can't

[sports61kh]

can someone clarify (who's familiar w/ a quarter system) if the 1st yr calc classes are grouped into calc A,B,C each w/ its own quarter class?

[sports61kh]

^ (10 chars)

[Pharmagal]

Is it true that students who get accepted in MD/PhD programs generally get full ride?

[norcalguy]

Not all MD/PhD programs.

The one most people refer to when talking about MD/PhD is the MSTP program funded the NIH. Your tuition and fees are paid for (not sure if you get a stipend as well) by the NIH. MSTP programs are available at around 30-40 med schools.


There are MD/PhD programs funded by the med school itself, programs where only the PhD years are funded, and programs that are unfunded.

[bluedevilmike]

Hm. I think, since PG adds the qualifier "Generally", I'd agree with her statement.