I got accepted to life sciences, but I did not take grade 12 chemistry. I am interested in specializing in biology second year, but I see that you need two chemistry courses to do this.

I am not bad at chemistry, I just did not have time to fit in my schedule. I see that you can take a replacement course for 4U chemistry first year, but how would this work if I needed to take an additional two chemistry courses? (CHEM 1AO3, 1AA3) .. you need 1ao3 before you take 1aa3

You would take the replacement course first year, and then you would need to take 1A03+1AA3 either during the summer or in second year.

1A03 is only offered first term, so you would not be able to take the replacement course first term and then 1A03 second term.

I'd recommend taking SCH4U in summer school this summer if you can.

i thought gr 12 chem was required for all science courses at mac?

anyways take the gr 12 chem 1r03 during 1st year or take gr 12 chem in summer and then take chem 1a03/1aa3 in first year

Originally Posted by Silver

i thought gr 12 chem was required for all science courses at mac?

anyways take the gr 12 chem 1r03 during 1st year or take gr 12 chem in summer and then take chem 1a03/1aa3 in first year

nope.. got into kin + life sci and i don't have gr 12 chem. i replaced it with calculus

i think i may just have to take gr12 chem online this summer

there are courses required for life sci that require first year chemistry. you need to take it. take it at an adult ed centre or pay 600 dollars to take it at mcmaster.

take grade 12 chemistry over the summer, you will save $600 and 4 valuable months

Originally Posted by hilton

there are courses required for life sci that require first year chemistry. you need to take it. take it at an adult ed centre or pay 600 dollars to take it at mcmaster.

Actually no, sometime in the last 3-4 years they have changed the life sci requirements so that you don't require first year chemistry, which is why they accept people into the program without SCH4U. It severely limits your options for upper years though and it seems pretty dumb that they changed the requirements. It was supposedly to make the program more attractive to applicants and make it easier for people to get accepted, but the program is already so popular with such a high admissions cutoff that there's really no need.

Originally Posted by starfish

Actually no, sometime in the last 3-4 years they have changed the life sci requirements so that you don't require first year chemistry, which is why they accept people into the program without SCH4U. It severely limits your options for upper years though and it seems pretty dumb that they changed the requirements. It was supposedly to make the program more attractive to applicants and make it easier for people to get accepted, but the program is already so popular with such a high admissions cutoff that there's really no need.

yeah i just read that it's not technically required to be accepted... you need it for almost all the courses later though.

Originally Posted by hilton

yeah i just read that it's not technically required to be accepted... you need it for almost all the courses later though.

If you major in life sci then you don't need chem at all, ever. If you want to major in anything else, then you do.

So you can get by without it, you don't "need" it, but like I said before, it seriously limits your options if you don't have it, and I think it was a stupid decision to make chem 1A03/1AA3 not a requirement for Life Sci 1.

Take SCH4U either through summer school, ILC, or a private school course and take chem in first year. Alternatively, you'd have to do SCH4U during the year, then the 2 Chems 1A03/1AA3 in the summer. Think about which option is best for you and get started on it asap !

How much easier can life sci get

Originally Posted by zwitter

How much easier can life sci get

lol, how is it easy?

i still had to take biology, advanced functions, calculus, and an exercise science course which was basically all anatomy. no need to be so rude.


thanks to all the other answers, im gonna take it in booklets this summer

Originally Posted by zwitter

How much easier can life sci get

Originally Posted by ss1995

lol, how is it easy?

i still had to take biology, advanced functions, calculus, and an exercise science course which was basically all anatomy. no need to be so rude.


thanks to all the other answers, im gonna take it in booklets this summer

I think zwitter was referring to Life Sci I and how it doesn't require chem 1A03/1AA3 anymore...at least, that was my interpretation.

But yeah, taking those four high school courses shouldn't be considered difficult regardless.

What's booklets?

I highly suggest taking it through the summer. You really don't want to get behind in CHEM.

Originally Posted by ss1995

lol, how is it easy?

i still had to take biology, advanced functions, calculus, and an exercise science course which was basically all anatomy. no need to be so rude.


thanks to all the other answers, im gonna take it in booklets this summer

You will long for those high school days in university, haha.