Does anyone know if you take a bio or a chem lab if there is a lab EVERY week or they are only some weeks? Doing the Freshmen Learning Community so having to take BISC 120 and CHEM 105 so some days that would be like 5 hours of science if the labs are every week which would totally suck
Lab classes are almost every week. There are a few, rare exceptions. Depending on the class, they won't always take the full time. Especially in Chem, if you work quickly and efficiently you can get out of the lab early. You are working on the experiment on your own or with a partner, so if you work quickly you can leave early.
Most of time they aren't 3 hours long but they are every week except the first week. I'd say BISC 120/220 labs are on average 2 hours. Some are shorter, some are longer but I'd say on average 2 hours. CHEM 105a labs are longer than 105b labs from my experience. It also depends on your TA, some love to hear themselves talk while some just want to do it as quickly as possible so they can leave. Some grade harsh so you have to put more effort into the lab while some think its a joke and don't care if you BS your work.
My Chem-105a lab met every week except the first week, and it usually took us 2 - 2.5 hours to finish the lab. My phys-151 lab met every week except once when there was a physics midterm that week, and it took us about 2 hours to do each lab.
wow so these labs are every week.i can't imagine learning something new enough to do a lab on every week. sounds interesting... which brings me to my next Q: are the labs interesting at least? not like those boring H.S. ones anyways.
Ha...interesting...that's a good one. Some are, some aren't, some are a complete waste of time. You'll learn to dread going to lab (unless you're fascinated by mixing chemicals so you can watch them change colors). In chem lab, you'll have to do a pre-lab for each lab and a post-lab for the previous lab in addition to 2 lab tests each semester. In bio lab, you'll have a quiz before each lab in addition to 2-3 full lab reports and 2 lab practicals each semester. In 220, there's also a presentation. Your TA can make your life a living hell or very easy. Some don't care as much as others and will give you points like nothing, while some will take off points for the littlest things.
argh I am already dreading labs. Gonna have two this semester first semester in college too. Guess its good to get them over with, gotta grit my teeth and get through them I guess.
That's a poor attitude for any class, let alone a lab. It's not like they're torture or anything. It was more engaging for me because we actually did things in class rather than sit and listen to a lecture.
They aren't more difficult, most of the time they're pointless and just plain stupid. Does it make sense take the exam and then do the lab that covers the same material? I don't recall many labs that actually correlated with the material learned in class. Of those that did, I don't recall any of those actually being helpful.
I don't know about physics lab because I haven't taken it yet, but that's how I felt in chem and bio.
If you want to really to be practical, go do research, its 1000x more engaging.
I hated labs in high school, like I am looking forward to lectures, but labs I just uch don't like them, in a slightly better mood though today. Its just that college is a big change (and about 14 hours away by plane plus 2 hours away by car) so I have a right to feel a little pessimistic.
first semester in college too. Guess its good to get them over with, gotta grit my teeth and get through them I guess.
