Or, if your marks were close enough, you could always try just emailing the prof and asking for permission!

hello, im in grade 12 and next year im coming to mac for life science I

i applied to mac for honours biochemistry, and i realize that you dont actually pick your program until second year, and that the majority of courses u pick in your first year overlap for all the programs for the second year.

so my question is since i applied to honours biochem, can i head towards honours bio instead in my second year? (because first year courses are so similar) or am i stuck with honours biochem and cant change pathways?

Yes, you can switch to honours bio instead- as long as you have the prerequisites. You aren't officially in one or the other until you declare your major at the end of first year, at which time you can declare as Bio instead of biochem

Also, it is possible to switch your major at any time (again, as long as you have/ can take the prerequisites) - I know several people who have done just that. However, I am not sure of the exact procedure - I believe it involves talking to the dean, but there are lots of other students you can ask, as well as academic counsellors, who deal with this kind of thing all the time

thanks, that clears up a lot of issues that i've been facing with trying to set up my timetable for next year

another question that i have is, seeing as how they physics 1B03 is required in your first year, and then physics 1BB3 is "strongly recommended" - just how much does physics resurface in the upper years of the biology/biochem programs?

physics? very minimal; not nearly as much as chemistry. However you may need it for some medical schools, as they require one full year of physics, so please consider what it is you want to do.

If you decide to take physics 1BB3, i would strongly recommend physics 1BA3. The latter is designed for physics majors, and looks to be a lot harder than physics 1BB3. In my opinion, physics 1BA3 is a lot cooler because at the end you touch on modern physics such as nuclear physics and quantum mechanics. You get to work with the Schroedinger's equations, and do really cool stuff when working with wave functions (electron density maps). The class is also small - maybe 40 people as opposed to 300, and the prof is sooo much better.

If you somewhat enjoy math take physics 1BA3. If you couldn't care less, just want the damned credit, take 1BB3.

In terms of switching from biochem to bio: If you liked biology 1AA3..switch to bio. If you hated it, hated the way it was set up, hated the way it was marked, found the classes to be boring, and tests are unfair, stay in biochem for the sake of your hair.

im only taking physics 1bb3 because its strongly recommended for the program, other wise i wouldn't touch physics at all. but thanks for ur help, much appreciated

Originally Posted by paul

In terms of switching from biochem to bio: If you liked biology 1AA3..switch to bio. If you hated it, hated the way it was set up, hated the way it was marked, found the classes to be boring, and tests are unfair, stay in biochem for the sake of your hair.

Quite possibly the quote of the year.

Originally Posted by lampk

im only taking physics 1bb3 because its strongly recommended for the program, other wise i wouldn't touch physics at all

Don't bother taking it. From what current biochem students have told me in terms of assumed knowledge, students who didn't take physics 1BB3 are not at a disadvantage to those who did take it.

sweet kenneth, you're a fellow biochemmer!

Originally Posted by kenneth526

Don't bother taking it. From what current biochem students have told me in terms of assumed knowledge, students who didn't take physics 1BB3 are not at a disadvantage to those who did take it.

Hmm, i see what you're saying but seeing as how they're revamping the Science Programs this year, that might change right?

Was 1bb3 always strongly recommended for biochem and bio for those who took it in the previous years or has it just started this year?

I can't remember if it was strongly recommended. Once you enter the program, they can't really change the requirements on you and make you take physics.
I'm a 4rth year biochemistry student, and I can't say i've been calculating wave functions and electrostatic forces on a non-linearly charged rod in an electric field. Nonetheless, I think that some math skills that you will take away with you can be quite valuable. I.e. you learn how to derive formulas, analyze complex functions in a physical sense. It makes sense of the math you learn and teaches you to make it practical. I guess these sort of things can help in areas in biochemisty requiring math, but they are not necessary. I'm sure you can pick this stuff up eventually.
I would also like to point out that your organic chemistry courses will go into most physics details that you'll need. Therefore, if you can't stand physics, feel that it would greatly drop your mark, feel that that you won't enjoy it in the slightest bit, and don't see yourself applying to medical school, then don't take it.

Alright, thanks for your reply.

I have another question, um, seeing as how Math 1A03 is required for first year, but 1AA3 is not, should I still take it? Like, is 1A03 good enough for all my years in biochem or is 1AA3 also important?

no problem.
Take Math 1AA3 only if you like math. It is unlikely you will use any information you gain from it. Even if you need to use something in the distant future, you'll probably have to go back and relearn it. It mostly consists of doing complex integration, differential equations, and various kinds of series. This course is usually taken in conjunction with physics because you use some of this information in physics 1BA3 (although it's not required, but helps a bit).
Either way, the course was more fun and challenging than math 1A03. I would recommend it to those who enjoy math and didn't struggle too much with Calc 1A03. If you are interested, you can take it and switch it at the end of first term if you really hated calc 1A03.

Cheers,
Paul

Paul, what do you mean by switch it at the end of first term? Do you mean you're allowed to drop courses for 2nd term before 2nd term starts?

Yes, you can go on SOLAR, and switch courses any time before the term deadline. The deadline for changing 2nd term courses in somewhere in mid January.

Oh, so there's a term deadline for Term 1 and Term 2? Term 1 is like Sept 15 this year right?

And, if i were to change my courses in mid-January, the chances of me getting into another course that i enjoy is minimal since it's already taken up -.-