Getting Into Life Sciences
Hi im about to be an undergrad and I want to apply for Life Sciences...People have told me the acceptance range has changed and become higher? If so, does anyone know what it has changed too. Also, I wanted to take either physics of chemistry next year for Grade 12, is it necessary to take both ? which one is a better choice?

I want to get into dentistry and many have told me to take Life Sciences for dentistry instead of health sciences. Any ideas ?

Im planning on only taking Adv.Func. course next year and not taking Calculus, does Mac take students with Calculus more than students without it ? I just want to have a good average so im trying to replace my tough courses with some easier ones to keep my average up.

I am about to take (grade 12):
Sem 1: Physics (Might want to take away & replace with Food & Nutrition)
English (Cluster)
Advanced Functions.

Sem 2: Exercise Science
Chemistry
Business Leadership
Calculus ?

I have already taken SBI4U1, Grade 12 biology in grade 11, and i got an 81% in the course.

Is my schedule good ? I don't want to take physics but if its necessary I will... . I am hoping for an 85-87 average. I REALLY WANT TO GET INTO LIFE SCIENCES!

ANY HELP!!! ???

Take both the maths, it will help you.

It states you need either adv func or calculus, however "applicants without MCV4U (calculus) will be required to take an equivalent Calculus course in Level 1"

You need, eng4u, sbi4u, and two of mhf4u, mcv4u,sch4u, sph4u and an anticipated average of 83-86%.

Hope this helps.

I'm sure you'd be able to get in with an 85+. I recommend taking both physics and chemistry for grade 12. I put a lot of work into high-school physics, and as a result university physics was mostly a breeze (I even took 2 physics classes for people in the physics program as opposed to "life sciences" physics which I would consider a waste of time and money..)

I'd also recommend taking Calculus, but it isn't really necessary. Math 1LS3 really baby-steps you into doing actual calculus. If you're mathematically inclined, it shouldn't be a problem. I hate math though so having some calculus background helped me considerably.

as a side note, you are required to take physics in your first year of life sciences, however if you don't have grade 12 physics, you will have to take a substitute course, Physics of Living Systems. If it were me, I would take it in Grade 12.

Originally Posted by meikaelahmad

Getting Into Life Sciences
Hi im about to be an undergrad and I want to apply for Life Sciences...People have told me the acceptance range has changed and become higher? If so, does anyone know what it has changed too. Also, I wanted to take either physics of chemistry next year for Grade 12, is it necessary to take both ? which one is a better choice?

I want to get into dentistry and many have told me to take Life Sciences for dentistry instead of health sciences. Any ideas ?

Im planning on only taking Adv.Func. course next year and not taking Calculus, does Mac take students with Calculus more than students without it ? I just want to have a good average so im trying to replace my tough courses with some easier ones to keep my average up.

I am about to take (grade 12):
Sem 1: Physics (Might want to take away & replace with Food & Nutrition)
English (Cluster)
Advanced Functions.

Sem 2: Exercise Science
Chemistry
Business Leadership
Calculus ?

I have already taken SBI4U1, Grade 12 biology in grade 11, and i got an 81% in the course.

Is my schedule good ? I don't want to take physics but if its necessary I will... . I am hoping for an 85-87 average. I REALLY WANT TO GET INTO LIFE SCIENCES!

ANY HELP!!! ???

You definitely need gr12 chem for life sci--first-year chem runs all year so you'll run into major problems if you haven't taken gr12 chem already. If you don't take gr12 physics and gr12 calc/vectors, you'll have to take a replacement course in term 1 of university, which wastes both money and elective space. I'd recommend taking them in high school, where you're more familiar with the learning environment and have more teacher support...my guidance counsellors spent hours trying to convince me to not take gr12 physics, and I'm sooooooooooooooooo glad I didn't listen to them. If you have only 3 courses per term, you should be fine.

As for dentistry, you should be able to get the prereqs to go into dentistry from Life Sci (and most of the level 2 specializations) or Health Sci, however you should keep in mind that health sci is highly competitive and you need over 90% average to be considered. The admission range for Life Sci is only a guess based on previous years. They have a certain number of spots in the program, and the top applicants get in. For Sept 2010, the estimated range was 83-86%.

Yes, I'm not so good at math, so I'm just going to have to take calculus first year...

Most of my teachers have told me that physics is not necessary and that I would be better off taking Chemistry instead of physics because your allowed to take one of the two :S
I don't know what to do, some say if you have taken Physics in grade 11, it would be easy to comprehend it in university and grade 12 physics is just another barrier towards receiving a good overall average... is that true. But yes im def. taking chemistry...

Keep in mind, you need 6 Grade 12 U/M courses, not sure if food and nutrition or business leadership qualifies.

considering I got into the program by doing absolutely no work in my gr 12
you don't have to worry so much

Originally Posted by meikaelahmad

Yes, I'm not so good at math, so I'm just going to have to take calculus first year...

Most of my teachers have told me that physics is not necessary and that I would be better off taking Chemistry instead of physics because your allowed to take one of the two :S
I don't know what to do, some say if you have taken Physics in grade 11, it would be easy to comprehend it in university and grade 12 physics is just another barrier towards receiving a good overall average... is that true. But yes im def. taking chemistry...

You'd have to take calculus in first year regardless of whether or not you take it in high school. If you take it in high school, then take the easier calc in university, you'll have a much easier time than if it's your first time doing calc.

It's the same thing as with physics. You'll have to take at least one physics in Life Sci. If you have a good grasp of it from high school, you'll do better at it in university. Also, most level 2 programs require physics 1B03, which has either gr12 physics or the equivalent university course (physics 1L03) as a prerequisite. So, if you don't take gr12 physics, you'll have to take two physics in university instead of just 1. Another thing to keep in mind is that if a professional school requires physics, 1L03 usually will not satisfy that requirement since it doesn't have a lab component.

You can definitely take both calc/vectors and gr12 physics and get a good average. People have a huge bias against both math and physics (at the high school and university level), thinking that it's so hard and no one can do well in it. It's no harder than anything else, it's just that people have a negative attitude about it (I can't even tell you how many guidance counsellors/academic advisors tried to get me to not take physics, or take the easier physics, thinking it would be better for me. I'm SO glad I didn't listen to them). Even if you end up with a slightly lower grade in one of these courses, it's only your top 6 that count as part of your average. If taking gr12 calc and/or physics would harm your average enough that you don't get in, then you would have major problems in first year anyways.

Another alternative is taking one of them in the summer before you start gr12, but in summer school you won't learn the material as well because it's much more compressed.

Originally Posted by cjdzl

considering I got into the program by doing absolutely no work in my gr 12
you don't have to worry so much

seriously...i doubt that aha!

Originally Posted by Myoch

Keep in mind, you need 6 Grade 12 U/M courses, not sure if food and nutrition or business leadership qualifies.

And yes, i have 6, exercise science, physics, English, adv.function, biology(completed), chemistry...

But I can easily switch an unnecessary course with another major...I just need to have a good schedule so I can maintain a good average and at the same time

If I have already taken Biology in grade 11 it still counts as a major of the top 6 right ?

Originally Posted by meikaelahmad

And yes, i have 6, exercise science, physics, English, adv.function, biology(completed), chemistry...

But I can easily switch an unnecessary course with another major...I just need to have a good schedule so I can maintain a good average and at the same time

If I have already taken Biology in grade 11 it still counts as a major of the top 6 right ?

Yes, any gr12 U/M course completed prior to June 30 of the year you're starting university will count towards your average You can still take courses in the summer before starting university, but they won't count towards your admissions average.

Originally Posted by nerual

You'd have to take calculus in first year regardless of whether or not you take it in high school. If you take it in high school, then take the easier calc in university, you'll have a much easier time than if it's your first time doing calc.

It's the same thing as with physics. You'll have to take at least one physics in Life Sci. If you have a good grasp of it from high school, you'll do better at it in university. Also, most level 2 programs require physics 1B03, which has either gr12 physics or the equivalent university course (physics 1L03) as a prerequisite. So, if you don't take gr12 physics, you'll have to take two physics in university instead of just 1. Another thing to keep in mind is that if a professional school requires physics, 1L03 usually will not satisfy that requirement since it doesn't have a lab component.

You can definitely take both calc/vectors and gr12 physics and get a good average. People have a huge bias against both math and physics (at the high school and university level), thinking that it's so hard and no one can do well in it. It's no harder than anything else, it's just that people have a negative attitude about it (I can't even tell you how many guidance counsellors/academic advisors tried to get me to not take physics, or take the easier physics, thinking it would be better for me. I'm SO glad I didn't listen to them). Even if you end up with a slightly lower grade in one of these courses, it's only your top 6 that count as part of your average. If taking gr12 calc and/or physics would harm your average enough that you don't get in, then you would have major problems in first year anyways.

Another alternative is taking one of them in the summer before you start gr12, but in summer school you won't learn the material as well because it's much more compressed.

You seem like an expert so I am going to take your advice, I don't mind taking calc in uni. Physics in my school is just horribly difficult...I was planning on taking it in summer school, but many told me it would be a bad idea because when you give your admissions, the universities rank you at a lower level because you took a compressed course of a program whereas others have fully completed it. So, I decided not to, and now I don't know if I want to take it, but your advice is really good, so I might just take it like you said.

Originally Posted by meikaelahmad

You seem like an expert so I am going to take your advice, I don't mind taking calc in uni. Physics in my school is just horribly difficult...I was planning on taking it in summer school, but many told me it would be a bad idea because when you give your admissions, the universities rank you at a lower level because you took a compressed course of a program whereas others have fully completed it. So, I decided not to, and now I don't know if I want to take it, but your advice is really good, so I might just take it like you said.

I'm just speaking from my experience, same as everyone else here
If you take physics in gr12, and then find you're doing horribly at it (like, in danger of failing), then you can drop it and either take it the following summer (it will not affect your admissions at all. It shouldn't even have affected them if you took it the summer before--I took a required course in the summer and got in no problem) or wait until university, but like I said, if you're having that much trouble with it in high school, don't expect it to be easier in university There's no real harm in at least trying it in high school.

Good luck!

Also, updated admission cut-offs (for Sept 2011) should be available soon--just keep an eye on the Mac website.