Originally Posted by Silver

just think of the chembio kids

This will get me through the rest of uni!

Originally Posted by nerual

Yeah, I think the problem is waiting to get permission before getting a prof--if you start looking for a prof late (regardless of your program) it is going to be more difficult. It does kind of suck for core biochem, though. If a lot of people have issues with it they'll probably look in to changing it somehow...their department is pretty good with things like that.

This isn't true- I'm in core biochem and did a thesis, and had no problem getting permission or a prof. How it actually works is that every student is responsible for finding their own supervisor. I found a supervisor on my own, and once I met with him and confirmed that he had a project for me I was instantly given permission to do a thesis by the biochem department. I wasn't given "last pick" - in fact other students who are in specialization also emailed the same prof and didn't the thesis position. It depends on the prof and who they want to have working in their lab. Supervisor's don't care whether you require a thesis to graduate or not, they want students that they think have potential to excel in research. Albeit it did take me about 2 months of emailing and interviews to find a position I liked...... but that was not different from what my specialization friends also went through.

Originally Posted by gmoney

This isn't true- I'm in core biochem and did a thesis, and had no problem getting permission or a prof. How it actually works is that every student is responsible for finding their own supervisor. I found a supervisor on my own, and once I met with him and confirmed that he had a project for me I was instantly given permission to do a thesis by the biochem department. I wasn't given "last pick" - in fact other students who are in specialization also emailed the same prof and didn't the thesis position. It depends on the prof and who they want to have working in their lab. Supervisor's don't care whether you require a thesis to graduate or not, they want students that they think have potential to excel in research. Albeit it did take me about 2 months of emailing and interviews to find a position I liked...... but that was not different from what my specialization friends also went through.

That depends on the prof though, and that's why I said there are exceptions. Some profs don't care, but many others want to make sure you have permission before saying they will take you. This is the problem several of my friends ran into, and why they ended up not doing a thesis.

Arguing about it is pointless.

The point is that most, and I mean the majority (yes there are a few exceptions) people in core do not do a thesis. Whether or not this is by choice does not matter.

Honestly if you plan on doing a thesis, I highly recommend taking a specialization. They set it up like that for a reason. When you're in specialization, you get to take 3P03, which is an awesome course that furthers what you learn in 2L06. You have 1 semester with your group and a TA to take on a research project your TA is currently working on in their lab. Which is cool since they could be doing something completely new. Every group does something different, but the techniques are mostly the same. Your group gets a $1000 budget to plan experiments out and do them, get results, present them, and type it up. This course was probably my favourite course. It gives you experience with all the techniques you'll use, as well as writing a proper report, you'll be more than prepared to do a thesis. And if a prof knows you've done something like this, they know you have more experience than someone who has not.

The other courses for the specialization are not that hard either, you would have to take other biochem courses, or those courses themselves to satisfy your core requirements anyways.

And if you do specialization, second year is the same for core and specialization. If you find biochem tough in second year, drop to core. If you're fine with it, then make up your mind then.

Originally Posted by Philipp31

Yeah, im actually in Orgo right now, but im only taking 2OA3 during the summer, so I am a little worried that taking 20B3 during the year will end up causing some problems.

The only concern I would have here is the discontinuity you've set yourself up for. You will probably need some 2OA3 stuff in 2OB3, although not too much. Maybe at the very least the spectra stuff, basic nucleophillic subsitution and elimination, alkene/alkyne reactions. I recommend finishing orgo all at once, but if it can't be helped then a bit of review on your part next year and you should be fine.