<p>Wow, the information in this thread is awesome. Thanks chyln and crimsonbulldog. I was hoping you could answer a few more questions. Does the lack of AP credit or a particularly strong background in chemistry and biology put one at a disadvantage if he or she wants to major in MB & B? Also, since it requires so many prerequisites, do students have to decide very early that they want to enter the major? Personally, I have a strong background in math and computer science, but not so much in chem or bio, so I don’t know how such a course of study would suit me. There are so many required courses, did either of you feel that they restricted your ability to take classes outside of the major? And finally, chyln, is a combined BS/MS degree a normal path for someone who might eventually want to go after a Phd? Thanks for all your help!</p>
<p>Hey justin,</p>
<p>“Does the lack of AP credit or a particularly strong background in chemistry and biology put one at a disadvantage if he or she wants to major in MB & B?”</p>
<p>I don’t really think it does at all. It certainly does help to have the strong background, but I think what is most important is a strong interest in biology. Chemistry is not as important except to fulfill the organic and physical chemistry reqs. </p>
<p>“Also, since it requires so many prerequisites, do students have to decide very early that they want to enter the major?”</p>
<p>Science majors in general usually decide fairly early their majors. It’s just in the processive nature of the classes. Still, its fairly easy to switch between bio/mbb majors just because there’s so much overlap in the pre-reqs, so you don’t have to decide quite so early. </p>
<p>“There are so many required courses, did either of you feel that they restricted your ability to take classes outside of the major?”</p>
<p>Sure there are a lot of pre-reqs, but I definitely didn’t feel that restricted about my selection of courses. Then again, I’m a person that has an abnormal affinity towards science classes, so I may be the wrong person to ask :-P</p>
<p>“is a combined BS/MS degree a normal path for someone who might eventually want to go after a Phd?”</p>
<p>In most cases, my advisors would advise against it. If you are planning on getting a PhD, there really isn’t any need to get the MS. The MS is more for people who are plannin on going directly into research/industry following college. That said, I think getting an MS is excellent preparation for graduate work and really challenges you, whch are the reasons I’m doing it. </p>
<p>Again, I would like to emphasize the importance of an active interest in the biological sciences. It is more important that whatever background you may have. </p>
<p>As a tip though, taking freshman organic will definitely give you a jumpstart into the MB&B major and comes highly recommended!</p>
<p>Hope this was hopeful, glad to answer any more questions!</p>
<p>This may not be the case, but when I visited Yale, I felt as though “Science Hill” ostracized the science students from the main quad area with traditional liberal arts departments. Do science students at Yale get this feeling or not at all?</p>
<p>Although Science Hill is indeed a bit of a walk from the main campus, we Group IV majors definitely don’t feel ostracized. Rather, we take a measure of pride in our knowing the campus of Yale better than our other non-science counterparts :-P</p>
<p>I actually feel somewhat differently than chyln about this topic (but since I am more removed from yale, chyln might be more accurate). Because there are so many prerequisites, it is to your advantage to place out of intro level courses with ap credits. This means either taking organic chemistry or physical chemistry as a freshman (I took freshman orgo 250). That way, you can get to your actual biochemistry and biophysics classes earlier in your four years. This will also allow you more room for other classes (MB&B is probably one of the worst in terms of room for other classes, that said, its still close to 60% of your classes will not be in the sciences). I also believe that a strong background and drive in CHEMISTRY is absolultey necessary. Chemistry is really at the core of alot of classes and you need to have a fundamental understanding of biochemical processes. But then again, it depends on your focus and in this major, you could go more physical, or more chemical, or more biological. Obviously I feel chemistry was most important to my classes - probably why I was fond of quantum chemistry and so lost in spectroscopy. </p>
<p>As for science hill being removed from campus, its a 10 minute walk. I actually had it really bad my senior year when I was doing research at the med school (which is at one end of campus) and taking my classes up science hill (which is at the other end). I just used the campus shuttle. Its fine, no big deal. I even think they have just instituted an express shuttle for science hill. Still it’s nothing compared to some of the campus separations at other institutions like columbia, harvard, duke and cornell.</p>
<p>Thanks chyln and crimsonbulldog! My concern as I mentioned is that I really don’t know how much biology appeals to me because I have never had the opportunity to take a worthwhile course. Luckily I was fortunate enough to get an internship in a biomedical research program this summer, and it should be just what I need to find out if this is something I really love. I wonder, if I decide that this is what I want to do, if a high SATII score in Chemistry from two years ago could place me out of some intro courses, or if that is something I wouldn’t even want to try since I’d risk getting in over my head? I’ll let you know if I have any more questions. Thanks again!</p>
<p>You will still be required to take Intro Chem unless you have a 5 in AP Chem. You could quite easily be in over your head if you go straigh into orgo. A high SATII in Chem will not do anything for Bio, only the AP will do that.</p>
<p>actually, isn’t there an entrance test you can take to place right into freshman orgo/physical chem?</p>
<p>I think you have to take the entrance test even if you have taken the AP, but I am not completely sure about it.</p>
<p>there is indeed an entrance exam that you need to take if you intend to take freshman orgo or physical chemistry during your freshman year. A 5 on the AP exam can place you into Chem118, which is the accelerated version of first year chem, but nothing beyond that. In 118 you take one semester of Gchem and then begin organic chemistry, so essentially you accelerate through one semester of chemistry. </p>
<p>Again, if your plannin on being an MB&B major, frosh orgo prepares you very well for the major and the freshman organic teacher is a very excellent professor, very well liked by the students.</p>
<p>What about physics?</p>
<p>well,</p>
<p>i’m not a physics major, so I don’t know that much about physics. I do know that almost all physics majors take the 200 level physics, there really isn’t any placement into any of the intro physics from what I can tell. You just choose which one you want to take and take it. </p>
<p>Physics 200 is taught by the DUS of physics and, from what I’ve heard, is a very well taught and interesting class, although it is also a very very challenging class, thus mostly only physics majors take it.</p>
<p>DUS = director of undergraduate studies</p>
<p>is the atmosphere competitive amongst science majors?</p>
<p>Maybe at the lower intro levels, science majors may seem a little more edgy, but by the time they start taking upper level classes, we’re all just friends who have been through a lot together. </p>
<p>Of course, there’s always a couple of very competitive people, but for the most part, I’d say the atmosphere here is very friendly.</p>
<p>great thanks for the swift reply! I appreciate it. I know there are a lot of prereqs but was there room to take some liberal arts classes?</p>
<p>is MB&B the most popular major for pre-meds?</p>
<p>I think Biology is the most popular pre-med major. I have always wondered however, what percent of premeds at yale were non-science (or Groups I/II/III). I assume its pretty high, which, having gone to medical school, is a good thing. MB&B was wonderful and helped me immensely with my research. But unless you are going to do a PhD or become an academic research oriented MD, then I do not think that being a science major really helps you in medical school past the first few weeks when you are studying biochemistry/molecular biology/cell biology. If you are set on becoming a doctor, then the non-Group IV majors at yale are really your last shot at studying something else, at a high level, for four years, without real repercussions on your professional life.</p>
<p>Rhamster:</p>
<p>I haven’t found any restrictions on the the number of liberal arts that i wanted to take, then again, I haven’t wanted to take THAT many either. </p>
<p>Sanguine:</p>
<p>On very very rough estimates, MB&B is approximately 1/3-1/2 premed and MCDB about 80% premed. MB&B gets less of the pre-med crown because it has harder pre-reqs and provides more challenging classes, in my opinion at least, which doesn’t really appeal to the GPA-centered minds of most premeds. </p>
<p>I’d have to agree with Crimsonbulldog that there is a pretty high fraction of the premeds who are not in the sciences, however they are definitely not in the majority. Definitely, if you are not considering research as a big part of your future plans, I don’t see any huge advantages in majoring in a science. It will, however, give you a much better foundation for both med schools and the mcats.</p>
<p>Howdy, all. I’m currently an MCDB major concentrating in neurobiology and will be a junior this fall. I started out as an MB&B major but changed over to MCDB after doing neuroscience research at the med school the summer after freshman year. As people have mentioned, the required core courses for MB&B are a little more intensive than those of MCDB, but they’re certainly not prohibitive. If you like chemistry, a second semester of biochem and p-chem shouldn’t be too bad.</p>
<p>As far as AP credits go, I found them extremely helpful. I placed into CHEM118 with my AP score. (I would, however, recommend that you take the placement test to see if you’re ready for freshman orgo - it’s something that I’ve regretted not doing.) Also, I was able to skip the intro bio series (MCDB and EE&B 120’s) and go straight into Genetics (MCDB200). (I’m including course numbers in case people want to look these up on OCI or something.)</p>
<p>While I didn’t care for the class structure of Genetics (a rant that I’ll save for later), I’ve found the higher level MCDB courses very interesting and well-taught. Cell Bio (MCDB205) is taught by Tom Pollard, an <em>extremely</em> organized instructor who is one of the co-authors of the textbook used in the course. He’s a really nice guy and sticks around after class to answer any questions that you have on the course material. And he types out the course notes for you and hands them out at the beginning of class. Reproductive Bio (MCDB240) is also a very popular course, and Bill Segraves (who teaches it in the spring) has been one of the nicest and most accessible professors I’ve had.</p>
<p>That said, I <em>have</em> noticed that the pre-med crowd in some of my bio classes is kind of scary. This is the case at most schools, I’d imagine. I’m pre-med myself, but some of these kids are a bit too much. I would really like to point out to people considering a future in medicine - especially for pre-meds at Yale - that it is not necessary to sacrifice all other interests in passions in your life just to get into med school. Yale provides <em>so</em> many opportunities for creativity, activism, and community involvement, and sacrificing a chance to go out into the world and try to make a difference isn’t worth it.</p>
<p>The aforementioned pre-med kids, of course, represent a small minority of science students. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed being a science major at Yale. If you have any questions about the MCDB major, I’ll try to answer them to the best of my ability.</p>