Hello all,

I am going into life sciences next year and i'm not sure if i should take physics 1B03 or 1L03. I have heard that 1B03 is much harder, and am worried that i will get a bad grade in it. I did well in high school physics (high 90s), but i am not sure how well prepared i am for physics in university. WHich should i take? Or should i take 1L03 first term and 1B03 second term?

If anyone has taken one or both of these courses and can offer some insight it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Check out these threads.

I dropped this class the first day I went to lab. The head lab guy had an attitude problem. If you want an easy elective take 1l03. I had a quiz every friday and wrote it hunGover...eevery friday and cranked out a 10 and only took gr 11 physics. if you need a physics for grad school your gonna need the 1b03 cuz its got labs and they want labs.

Many second year science programs and med schools require physics. You're gonna probably end up taking 1B03 anyways so it's better to do it first year, when course content in your other courses will be easiest.

thanks! i didn't realize there were course reviews on here as well

okay so i am definitely taking 1B03 then. That being said would it be a good idea to also take 1L03 as an elective bird course in first year or would it be better to take something else?

Originally Posted by spionee

okay so i am definitely taking 1B03 then. That being said would it be a good idea to also take 1L03 as an elective bird course in first year or would it be better to take something else?

They teach 1B03 pretty much from scratch. I took grade 12 physics in grade 11 and 1B03 in term 2 of first year, so I went a long time without physics, and everything turned out well. In my bias I'd say take something you'd enjoy more since L03 has been frequently described as a waste of money for people who have already learned the material.

Yep, I agree; 1L03 was a waste of money for me. You should take something you enjoy or try out something new instead of taking 1L03 as an elective.

Thanks for the input everyone! I will be taking just 1B03 next year. Cant wait to come to Mac!

Originally Posted by raptorboi

I dropped this class the first day I went to lab. The head lab guy had an attitude problem. If you want an easy elective take 1l03. I had a quiz every friday and wrote it hunGover...eevery friday and cranked out a 10 and only took gr 11 physics. if you need a physics for grad school your gonna need the 1b03 cuz its got labs and they want labs.

good old alex

Since you did well in high school physics, just go straight to 1b03. This gives you the opportunity to do 1bb3 in the future. Med schools sometimes ask for a full year of LAB physics (1L03 has no lab component). As for Alex (the dude with the attitude problem in 1b03, he's always like that - a genuine a-hole. But besides the fact, that shouldn't stop you from taking the course. You need it to specialize in anything in the sciences.

You took highschool physics, so 1B03...

Save your money.

If you did grade 12 physics then take Physics 1B03. 1L03 is a waste of time for you (no lab component, review of grade 12 physics).
Taking 1B03 in second year can decrease the amount of elective space you have in certain specializations, and you would have to take another physics with lab component for professional school requirements.