Biology-too theoretical?

Colleges & Universities University of Chicago
5

<p>I’m saying that your original question is flawed. What is ‘practical training and experience,’ to a bio PhD program? It is research. There is no classroom experience that can substitute for real research.</p>

<p>To go over your questions quickly: I don’t have much experience with the facilities, being a first-year, but I’ve found them adequate so far. All I know about Georgetown’s program is what they tell me–[url=&lt;a href=“http://biology.georgetown.edu/undergraduate/biology/degree/77844.html]here[/url”&gt;http://biology.georgetown.edu/undergraduate/biology/degree/77844.html]here[/url</a>] are Georgetown’s requirements for the bio major, and [url=&lt;a href=“http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf/BIOS.pdf]here[/url”&gt;http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf/BIOS.pdf]here[/url</a>] are Chicago’s. </p>

<p>What I see:

  • Georgetown requires two “foundation” classes and three “core area” classes (representing two and a half years of your time); Chicago requires one “foundation” class, one biocalc class, and three “core area” classes (one and a third years), and you can get out of the first two with an AP 5. So you spend more time taking basic bio classes at Georgetown. Do you actually learn more? I genuinely have no clue; it’s not obvious from the course descriptions.
  • Different emphasis. You have to take molecular/cellular biology at Chicago. You have to take genetics at Chicago. On the other hand, you don’t have to take an E&E class unless you are specializing in E&E (and E&E people have a different set of requirements–it’s kind of like the regular bio major without the teeth.)
  • Possibly related to the above: You have to take organic chemistry here. You have to take physics here. You don’t have to do either at Georgetown.</p>

<p>I’m too tired to go into a deep analysis of the course catalogs or anything, but looking at the classes offered at each school might help too. </p>

<p>(Chicago’s biology program is much more highly ranked than Georgetown’s. Just pointing that out. [whistle])</p>

<p>Will talk about AP5 in another comment.</p>