Hello everybody!

My marks for this year are as follows (including my top 6 only)

Biology- 90
Chemistry - 87
Advanced Functions - 89
Physics - 80
English - 81
French - 83

Altogether, my average is exactly at an 85. Recently I got rejected from life sciences at mac, however I also applied to environmental sci and was accepted for that program.

I have also heard that students switch from enviro sci to life sci if they don't get accepted into the latter right away. Basically, I was wondering about the procedure of doing this. How does it work? What risks will I be taking if I accept environmental sci, while hoping to switch into life sci? Is it a good, solid field to study if by some chance, I can't switch into life sciences?

Thank you everybody for the help!

all science programs at end of first year can apply to 4 different programs. they can be w.e as long as you have the prereqs or will complete the prereqs in summer. once you get into mac, life sci takes anyone if you get the required avg and took the prereqs. 1st year enviro is same as 1st year lfie sci anyways. just take 2 chems, 2 bios, math, enviro, etc. and apply to the 2nd year programs. you prob wont even go into life sci anyways since there are so many programs to go in to

also, if you dont do gr 12 calc in summer school then you will have to take the gr 12 version of math in first year first term and then take math 1ls3 in 2nd term. this will waste an elective space for u.

I'm actually taking grade 12 calculus already, it's just not included in my top 6, so I'm not worried about that.

However, wouldn't there be an issue if there aren't any spots available in life sciences? And what do you mean when you say that "all science programs at end of first year can apply to 4 different programs?"

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by capa774

I'm actually taking grade 12 calculus already, it's just not included in my top 6, so I'm not worried about that.

However, wouldn't there be an issue if there aren't any spots available in life sciences? And what do you mean when you say that "all science programs at end of first year can apply to 4 different programs?"

Thanks again!

Honours Life Sciences (the degree program) is different from "Life Sciences I" (the first-year general program). Honours Life Sciences, which starts in second year, has unlimited enrolment so as long as you have the required GPA and took the prerequisites, you will get in.

Also, for most Faculty of Science programs, you're not actually "in" yet for first year. At the end of your first year, you get to apply to different majors/specializations/programs. Some of these, like Honours Life Sciences, are unlimited and will accept everyone that meets the requirements. Others, such as Honours Biochemistry or Honours Chemical Biology, will only accept a certain number of people.

Originally Posted by capa774

I'm actually taking grade 12 calculus already, it's just not included in my top 6, so I'm not worried about that.

However, wouldn't there be an issue if there aren't any spots available in life sciences? And what do you mean when you say that "all science programs at end of first year can apply to 4 different programs?"

Thanks again!

check the undergrad calender

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...14/pg1466.html
these are all the programs in the faculty of science u can apply to at end of 1st year regardless of your 1st year science program.

So in short, as long as I am in the faculty of science I can specialize in any of those courses, given that I have the required admission average and prereqs?

And there aren't any consequences of me taking environmental sciences and then specializing in say, honours life science to become like, a vet or something? Would that put me at a disadvantage to somebody who is enrolled in life sciences I? Or would this only lead me to careers that have to do environ sci?

no, and life sci isnt a specialization anyways. you can become a vet in any program. the situation youre in right now is fine. u can be whatever u want and take whatever u want. u and all other life sci/enviro sci/physical sci students are all pretty much in the same program and all have options to take/do what ppl in the other 1st year science programs can do. its all the same 1st year

You are not at a disadvantage at all to someone in Life sciences. As long as you have all the prerequisites to your intended program you can do it whether its switching into honours life sciences from enviro or applying to graduate schools or med/law school. Just make sure you have the marks and are taking the necessary courses and you have UNLIMITED opportunities to what second year program you want to get into that will lead to the career you want!

I see. The reason I was so paranoid was because I called the admissions office a while ago, and the lady who answered didn't seem to know what she was talking about, and said I could only get into life sciences if there were spots available. I guess she was confused with Honours Life science, and life science I as I was myself, but this has been very encouraging. Thanks again

Originally Posted by capa774

I see. The reason I was so paranoid was because I called the admissions office a while ago, and the lady who answered didn't seem to know what she was talking about, and said I could only get into life sciences if there were spots available. I guess she was confused with Honours Life science, and life science I as I was myself, but this has been very encouraging. Thanks again

No actually, while there are limited spaces in Life Sciences I, the Honours Life Sciences program has unlimited enrollment, so the admissions person was referring to the first-year program.

I think you're confused with what people are saying. Nobody is saying that you will be able to transfer into Life Sciences I, they're just saying that it doesn't matter what your first-year program is because you can apply for any science degree program (including Honours Life Sciences) to start in second year.

Originally Posted by Silver

also, if you dont do gr 12 calc in summer school then you will have to take the gr 12 version of math in first year first term and then take math 1ls3 in 2nd term. this will waste an elective space for u.

you know you can edit posts, right?