Average not high enough for Molecular Biology & Genetics (among other things), got into Life Science Honors and Chemistry Honors, picked life sci. My intention is to transfer to the mol bio program so I decided to chose the following courses:

CHEM 20A3
CHEM 20B3
BIO 2B03
BIO 2C03
BIO 2F03
BIO 2EE3
LIFE SCI 2A03
BIOCHEM 2EE3
+ 2 bird electives

As far as I know, there are Life Sci course versions of a few of the bios I listed. I believe they are cross listed so I won't be too hindered taking for instance BIO 2B03 instead of LIFE SCI 2B03 in case I don't get into the major I'm trying to shadow...right? Are the life sci versions in any way easier, profs, structure of the course and so on...? My main question is, are those courses going to get me into Mol Bio 3rd year (given high enough grades), allow me to painlessly continue Life Sci otherwise and if so are they the best solution (because it looks like a heavy course load and I need to optimize my odds of getting high grades). Of course, I picked all of that with those goals in mind so I just want a second opinion or some advice from others who have successfully done what I'm trying to do. I also plan to take STATS 2B03 in the next summer.

If a course is cross-listed it means its the same course, with just a different name. Bio 2B03 and Life Sci 2B03 are the same class, its just that if you're in life sci, you'd register for Life Sci 2B03. I think they have different course codes only so that they can split up the spots available for students from different programs.
So in answer to your question, if you take cross-listed courses, you should be fine. There is no difference in prof, structure, etc.

The cross listed life sci courses are the same thing as bio but when u register u register for Bio 2B03,C03 etc.. there is no life sci 2B03 and life sci 2c03 and d03 are completely different class, so don;t register into life sci courses.
As for transfer those courses should be good just make sure you get ur average up.
Also I see that you are gonna take Life sci 2A03, if u really think that you are gonna transfer i suggest you take some other elective as it will not count towards your degree when ur in mol bio and even if u can't transfer u can take it 3rd year. But that's up to you i heard the course is pretty easy.
Also Stats 2B03 is very easy if u change ur mind and decide that u want to take it during the year just make sure u take it with childs and if u plan to take upper year physio courses I suggest Bio 2A03 over 2F03 but that's up to u too

For second year mol bio you need 6 units from BIOLOGY 2A03, 2D03, 2F03, 3FF3. So I would suggest taking Bio 2A03.. which would also open up upper year physio courses as an option for you in third year. Or you could do 2D03 if you really aren't interested in physio at all.. but I would say take 2A03 since you haven't done any physio in first year.

I don't see a Life Sci 2B03 but if it's cross-listed with Bio 2B03 it would be the same class. I'd go with Bio 2B03 anyways.

I don't know anyone who's switched into the mol bio program, but if you have the right prereqs and a decent mark you should be good. Your courseload seems alright but the orgos are challenging during the year and microbio (2EE3) was a difficult course last year. Also Bio 2A03 has really hard lab reports, which are time-consuming. I'm taking Biochem 2EE3 this year, and I hear it's a lot of memorization but doable. 2D03 was a very easy course, the labs were long and boring but the course itself was a light workload. Stats 2B03 was a very easy course with Childs. The orgos might be better to take during the summer and you could take stats during the year as an average booster.

Are the orgos that hard...? Should I be aiming to take them in the summer and to replace them, take electives and the stats course. Will that affect my transfer in any way?

I found the recent summer orgo 2A03 midterm harder than the 2011 midterm, but that may be due to a new prof. The concepts in orgo aren't hard. And like half of orgo 2A03 is pretty simple review. I wouldn't say it's as hard as everyone else says. concepts are simple for the most part.

Ok so I will ditch LIFE SCI 2A03 in favor of STATS 2B03, which I wonder how I'll do in given I never took data management in grade 12 nor any stats course first year. I could take orgo 1 2nd term and then orgo 2 in the summer for the sake of not forgetting chemistry and lightning up the load. The spot left by CHEM 20B3 will be replaced by an elective counting towards mol bio. I took BIO 2F03 because of the 9 unit line from the life sci undergraduate calendar, but I could just not meet those units and use the 36 from the life sci list to take BIO 2D03/BIO 2A03 instead right? Now with all those electives to pick would you suggest adding yet another bio given program note 2 from the mol bio undergraduate calendar online (I can't post URL's yet)? And finally, because my orgo 2 will be during the summer when I apply to transfer will they look at me LATE compared to others who also want to transfer or is that not a disadvantage in any way? How is the transfer process done? I got a 7.2 average but I slacked very hard and skipped class to a large extent so there isn't much doubt regarding where I went wrong. Realistically what should I get this year to have any chance of making it?

Originally Posted by Krisu

Ok so I will ditch LIFE SCI 2A03 in favor of STATS 2B03, which I wonder how I'll do in given I never took data management in grade 12 nor any stats course first year. I could take orgo 1 2nd term and then orgo 2 in the summer for the sake of not forgetting chemistry and lightning up the load. The spot left by CHEM 20B3 will be replaced by an elective counting towards mol bio. I took BIO 2F03 because of the 9 unit line from the life sci undergraduate calendar, but I could just not meet those units and use the 36 from the life sci list to take BIO 2D03/BIO 2A03 instead right? Now with all those electives to pick would you suggest adding yet another bio given program note 2 from the mol bio undergraduate calendar online (I can't post URL's yet)? And finally, because my orgo 2 will be during the summer when I apply to transfer will they look at me LATE compared to others who also want to transfer or is that not a disadvantage in any way? How is the transfer process done? I got a 7.2 average but I slacked very hard and skipped class to a large extent so there isn't much doubt regarding where I went wrong. Realistically what should I get this year to have any chance of making it?

I took both orgos during the summer so I can't really judge. A lot of my friends found it difficult during the year (but it was difficult in the summer too), and a friend in mol bio decided to take the second one during the summer of 2nd year. I don't think it would matter when you take the second orgo, the undergrad calendar just says in levels II-IV. I know people who got 11s in orgo by working hard during the year so it all depends on how much you practise. I didn't take 2F03 but I found 2D03 to be really easy . Also Stats 2B03 doesn't require grade 12 data management, it's very simple if you do practise tests. I never took data management but did well with minimal effort (Childs' notes are the best!).

So you have: CHEM 20A3, BIO 2A03, BIO 2B03, BIO 2C03, BIO 2D03, BIO 2EE3, STATS 2B03, BIOCHEM 2EE3 + 2 bird electives?

I wouldn't take another biology, this is roughly how many biologies 2nd year mol bio/regular bio students had last year. I had the same 5 bios, Bio 2L03 (mol bio course list), Stats 2B03, Astron 2B03 (easy elective), Physics 1B03, and Psych 2TT3 (easy elective). If you take two electives your year will definitely be manageable. I'm not too sure about the transfer process or the average required.. I think the cutoff in first year might have been 8 or 9 (probably 8.something but I don't know about the transfer average). Aim for double digits in your courses and you should be fine!

So you are saying:

CHEM 20A3
CHEM 20B3>>>>> now BIO 2A03 (heard it was relatively tougher vs other bios?)
BIO 2B03
BIO 2C03
BIO 2F03 >>>>> now BIO 2D03 (I prefer the 2d03 material, bio 1m03 was meh)
BIO 2EE3
LIFE SCI 2A03>>>> now STATS 2B03
BIOCHEM 2EE3
+ 2 bird electives

So then this is around the normal amount of bios core bio and mol bio majors take, good. With those 2 electives and BIO 2A03 vs orgo 2 the year is manageable, good. Must have 11 average now, that's the goal at least. Thank you all for the input, very very helpful.

Originally Posted by Krisu

Ok so I will ditch LIFE SCI 2A03 in favor of STATS 2B03, which I wonder how I'll do in given I never took data management in grade 12 nor any stats course first year. I could take orgo 1 2nd term and then orgo 2 in the summer for the sake of not forgetting chemistry and lightning up the load. The spot left by CHEM 20B3 will be replaced by an elective counting towards mol bio. I took BIO 2F03 because of the 9 unit line from the life sci undergraduate calendar, but I could just not meet those units and use the 36 from the life sci list to take BIO 2D03/BIO 2A03 instead right? Now with all those electives to pick would you suggest adding yet another bio given program note 2 from the mol bio undergraduate calendar online (I can't post URL's yet)? And finally, because my orgo 2 will be during the summer when I apply to transfer will they look at me LATE compared to others who also want to transfer or is that not a disadvantage in any way? How is the transfer process done? I got a 7.2 average but I slacked very hard and skipped class to a large extent so there isn't much doubt regarding where I went wrong. Realistically what should I get this year to have any chance of making it?

Stats 2B03 assumes you HAVEN'T taken data management in gr12 or a stats course in first year. Most other intro stats courses are antireqs.

You can't take orgo 1 in second term, it's not offered.

Relax, you're way overthinking this.

If you will be shadowing a program, I would highly recommend you going to talk to an academic advisor, we can tell you what's best to take based on our limited experience and knowledge but an academic advisor would provide you with more authentic information and to ensure that you're not wasting your time and efforts where not needed.

All the best with everything!

I overthink it to reassure myself, serious business after all. Course selection opens up soon...optimism^ you are 10000% right, I $#%!ed up not doing so in advance. I decided to just do both orgos and work hard, here is the final(?) decision

CHEM 20A3
CHEM 20B3
BIO 2B03
BIO 2C03
BIO 2D03
BIO 2EE3
STATS 2B03
BIOCHEM 2EE3
PSYCH 2C03
ASTRONOMY 2B03

bro this is impossible to handle, trust me, im a doctor

Make sure you have some backup options that fit into your schedule just incase your electives are full.

Nope, solar has everything but 4 of my courses FULL. I give up, is this even normal...........I started the clicking at 11:45..............