So from where I am right now this was my plan:

1st Year:

2 Prep courses:
COMM 1PA0
SCI 1A00

Required Commerce Courses:
COMP SCI 1BA3
COMM 1E03
ECON 1B03
MATH 1A03
BIO 1A03

I'm just grouping those together because ideally I'd like to take them together.
This is my first year of higher level business because I was a science student in high school and I'm trying to ...schedule wisely, if you will.


STATS 1L03
PSYCH 1X03
BIO 1M03
CHEM 1A03
ECON 1BB3

And then...

Summer: End of April - Mid June: CHEM 1AA3


This would allow me to fit in those upper year Bios and I wouldn't be tiring myself out by overloading, in the year or during the summer.
PLUS I get the knowledge I need for the MCATs and I don't have to worry too much about prerequisites though of course, there are some Bio's I am not granted access to because I'm not in the program, but I can take enough of them.


In my 2nd year, I was thinking of deferring one of the 3 Commerce courses listed on FAQ's for Commerce 2 on www.degroote.mcmaster .ca (http://www.degroote.mcmaster .ca/UG....pdf) ...such as ECON 2X03 perhaps, to the following summer (2011 summer) as you suggested, gmon, giving me those 2 elective options where I could take BIO 2A03, and BIO 2B03.


Then in my 3rd year I have up to 9 units of electives of non commerce courses, so not too many worries there because I can take those 3rd year Bio's and something else


And fourth year allows me again, 9 units of non commerce work provided I get into Honours Commerce, fingers crossed.

I'm a bit worried about Business I because I haven't taken any Economics courses etc in high school and you know they weren't required for admission so I trust I'm being taught everything, but I just don't know where my strengths are yet.


I pushed some of my electives to the 2nd semester because I figured:
A. Winter can be hard on my health and I don't want to risk doing badly on the sciences because they're very challenging in themselves; even working hard doesn't guarantee they're always going to be smooth sailing.
B. I suppose if I find that, Commerce is really way more intensive than I ever imagined and I cannot dedicate time to it and my sciences, I may want to ... rethink my course choices if you will.


I appreciate all feedback with open ears and a very receptive mindset, so anything you say is valued and really welcome.

Thank you.

To alleviate some of your concern about the economics courses, you don't have to have taken economics in high school. The two econ courses are both relatively simple in nature and assume zero knowledge coming in, meaning they teach you everything you need to know.

The only problem with your schedule is that Commerce 1E03 is only offered in Semester 2, and you have it listed as a course you are planning to take in semester 1.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

To alleviate some of your concern about the economics courses, you don't have to have taken economics in high school. The two econ courses are both relatively simple in nature and assume zero knowledge coming in, meaning they teach you everything you need to know.

The only problem with your schedule is that Commerce 1E03 is only offered in Semester 2, and you have it listed as a course you are planning to take in semester 1.

Thank you

Is that applicable for the Comp Sci, Stats and COMM 1E03 as well?

I was on the website for McMaster's Math department and I'm working on their "Math Survival Guide" for first year and I'm not too apprehensive about that because they reassure first years that they have clearly listed what material you need to have mastered before you walk in.


Would you recommend switching COMM 1E03 with Psych 1X03?

And is it possible that CHEM 1AA3 may not be offered in summer?

I'm sorry for all these questions but you've always provided really informative answers to my queries and being an Hons. Comm student you have a very firm grasp of this and again, I thank you and all the others who took the time.

Intropsych is only offered 1st semester, so those two need to be switched,
Also the master timetable is available at https://adweb.cis.mcmaster.ca /mtt/ and it still has this years summer schedule on it, so if you are curious, you can see what classes are listed this summer and use that as a basis for what may be offered next summer.

On that note it looks like chem 1a03 is also only 1st sem, so you should probably switch that with something, I'd recommend comp sci. (I think math and bio can also go to 2nd semester though)
and stats is only 1st semester too, looks like lots of your decisions are being made for you lol

Originally Posted by goodnews.inc

Thank you

Is that applicable for the Comp Sci, Stats and COMM 1E03 as well?

I was on the website for McMaster's Math department and I'm working on their "Math Survival Guide" for first year and I'm not too apprehensive about that because they reassure first years that they have clearly listed what material you need to have mastered before you walk in.


Would you recommend switching COMM 1E03 with Psych 1X03?

And is it possible that CHEM 1AA3 may not be offered in summer?

I'm sorry for all these questions but you've always provided really informative answers to my queries and being an Hons. Comm student you have a very firm grasp of this and again, I thank you and all the others who took the time.

When I was in first year, Comp Sci was an absolute joke. If you have some general knowledge of computers (which you probably do since you use one ), then you'll find it very easy.

Depending on your math ability, you might fight the math class an absolute breeze or a nightmare. Although if you fall into the category of "average" at math, you can still do well if you complete all the practice problems and review them before tests.

Commerce 1E03 will be your hardest class of the year, guaranteed. You need a good group for the report in the class, and the tests usually throw a lot of students off as well.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

When I was in first year, Comp Sci was an absolute joke. If you have some general knowledge of computers (which you probably do since you use one ), then you'll find it very easy.

Depending on your math ability, you might fight the math class an absolute breeze or a nightmare. Although if you fall into the category of "average" at math, you can still do well if you complete all the practice problems and review them before tests.

Commerce 1E03 will be your hardest class of the year, guaranteed. You need a good group for the report in the class, and the tests usually throw a lot of students off as well.

Good Lord, I'd forgotten about the Master Timetable!

I had previously thought that it only provided information on the hours your course was offered

Well, I reworked it and now I have:

MATH 1A03
STATS 1L03
PSYCH 1X03
BIOLOGY 1A03 / 1M03
CHEM 1A03

And second term...(I grew up saying "term" and then had to switch to "semester" and now we're at "terms" again)

COMM 1E03
ECON 1B03
ECON 1BB3
COMP SCI 1BA3
BIOLOGY 1A03/1M03


Now the questions from that are
1. Is it going to be too tough to have 2 Economics together?
2. Which Biology should go where in terms of its difficulty?


Unfortunately CHEM 1AA3 (Second part of Intro to Chem) is only offered in the 2nd term of summer school which...leads to a choppy break and then..a gobbled June and July but...nothing in life is easy.


I was initially considering taking Bio in summer school but...I don't know which Bio might be offered when so I might be in the same boat plus I presume with MCATs, the focus being on Biology, it's probably better to have more time to absorb Bio.


On SOLAR, do we have to pick time slots for our courses?

I was just talking my time table over with my mum who had concerns about the pressure and the additional tiredness caused by me commuting.

And I received a sisterly suggestion that I simply switch faculties if I was so interested in the Life Sciences but I'd like the knowledge provided by a degree in Business as well, just to keep those options open.

She felt that it would be better than juggling Sciences and Commerce.


I was worried about that too until I looked back down at my paper and realised I had Mathematics courses and Sciences in first semester (very similar to high school) and my Business courses and one Bio in 2nd so...I don't know. I don't feel that worried because it doesn't feel that much of a juggle any more.


Any contradicting opinions would be greatly appreciated because I could learn from your arguments and they might be very very enlightening.


Thanks to everyone again. All the help has been wonderful and I'm really thankful.

The way your describe it makes it sound very doable. One bio course isn't that difficult to juggle. Do you mind me asking which bio course it is?

It looks to me like you're all set, many Business I students waste their 1st year electives on courses they have no interest in. If you have a genuine desire to learn about the subjects you're taking, you'll probably end up in a much better position (ie: more happy) than if you half-heartily register in a course in hopes of a "lighter load."

Originally Posted by jhan523

The way your describe it makes it sound very doable. One bio course isn't that difficult to juggle. Do you mind me asking which bio course it is?

I'm not sure which Bio to take when.

I was thinking of Bio 1A03 first semester, and Bio 1M03 second, simply because I figure they had some reason to use those letters.

That may seem a bit silly I understand
But I don't know much about the system yet, so I'm just trying to make rational choices

But after looking at the course timetable I noticed that both were offered second and first semester.


Possible Pros for taking BIO 1A03 in term 1:
1. On the website with the course outline for Summer 2008, it was stated that it would be useful to take Chemistries or be registered in them as well as take 1A03. Could it therefore be more beneficial to take it alongside the Chemistry in first semester *term?
2. Bio 1A03 seems like the "meaty" course and I can, by doing it in Winter, perhaps ensure that it doesn't interfere with my business courses by overpowering them if you know what I mean. It's similar to in high school when you have what's considered a "light" semester, and you have this one subject that you enjoy and put a lot of time toward, that you find yourself focusing on more than anything else due to sheer enjoyment - however that's appropriate time management as well so I suppose I could work around the "overpowering" bit.

Possible Cons for taking BIO 1A03 in Term 1:
1. It could just be "too much". The term looks pretty packed as it is with courses that require a lot of practice problems ...so maybe taking 1M03 first...would be more appropriate allowing me more time to focus on 1A03.


However, lmfao, I could be completely wrong and 1M03 could be the killer

Here are student reviews of both courses:

Bio 1A03
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=2103 3

Bio 1M03
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=2020 9

Hope that helps!

Last year it was 1M03 that was in first term and 1A03 that was in second. Although they are independent of each other.

1M03 was a lot of memorization because of all those homonoids and what not. You had to know the name of all the species of homonoids as well as their characteristics (mostly related to the head). I found that to be the hardest part of 1M03

1A03 is more bio typed with mitosis and meiosis as well as DNA, such as replication, methods to sequence the genome. That also requires memorization but I found the memorization easier, smaller words and terms that you might have learned in highschool.

I took BIO 1A03 without taking CHEM 1A03 and was fine. I do have a good Chem background from AP Chem in high school, but the only chemistry included in BIO 1A03 was basic stuff like the structure of amino acids and nucleotides.

Ah, Doug Boreham is teaching 1A03 first term. I wish I had him as a prof my first year ... he's a great lecturer. I don't think it matters what order you take them, but I found 1A03 more challenging than the second bio. However, I'm not sure if it's changed since I took it 3 years ago =p.