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Switching to life sci?

 
Old 06-23-2014 at 12:47 PM   #16
cudizOne
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Yeah definitely get physics over with in first year!
You can choose up to 4 second year programs. If the program is limited enrolment (ex. PNB, honours biochemistry) then you should aim for a higher cumulative average then the minimum. But for programs that are unlimited enrolment (ex. honours chemistry, life sciences) a 6 should be fine. The cutoffs and amount of people that get in vary depending on how many people apply and their averages. Someone posted this on macinsiders so you can check it out:
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...9.html?t=93249
I’m not sure if that is 100% accurate though. If anything, you can go into the faculty of science office next year and ask them in person, they have an updated list.
Old 06-23-2014 at 04:25 PM   #17
amyh237
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cudizOne View Post
Yeah definitely get physics over with in first year!
You can choose up to 4 second year programs. If the program is limited enrolment (ex. PNB, honours biochemistry) then you should aim for a higher cumulative average then the minimum. But for programs that are unlimited enrolment (ex. honours chemistry, life sciences) a 6 should be fine. The cutoffs and amount of people that get in vary depending on how many people apply and their averages. Someone posted this on macinsiders so you can check it out:
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...9.html?t=93249
I’m not sure if that is 100% accurate though. If anything, you can go into the faculty of science office next year and ask them in person, they have an updated list.
Great thanks so much! And the link was very helpful, I appreciate your help
Old 06-23-2014 at 06:19 PM   #18
anon491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amyh237 View Post
Oh ok that makes sense, I was hoping to specialize regardless. What happens if I want to apply for PNB for BSc and not BA but don't have the required chem course? I think chem and bio 1A03 is required from what I read, but I won't be able to take that course until the summer since I'm not in life sci (and I got a 78% in 12U chem which is what brought my average down and I can't take chem 1A03 since I don't have >80%). I heard that the time when they consider you for majors is before June in first year; is there another time of year they admit students into majors?
No, there isn't another official time. It might be possible to take the courses in summer school and see if you can transfer in at the beginning of the year, but I don't know the specifics of that process. Ann Hollingshead, the academic advisor on the first floor of the psych building, can better speak to that.
What I do know is that people often enter PNB from social science and switch to science during third year once they get their pre-reqs, so that's a possibility for you to look into as well.
Old 06-23-2014 at 07:19 PM   #19
gggggg
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Originally Posted by Phoneup View Post
Honestly, since when is life sci so 'desired'? Life sci degrees are just as worthless as BAs. You folks need to realize that.
You are right, life sci degrees are useless. But most people want to do life scis to get a MD. They take this risk... In reality, life sci at mac is nothing special. I am going to be the black sheep here and say that you should've just accepted other life sci programs that you got into. Transferring from humanities is also a risk. If you are confident about your abilities, what you can do is take the required biology courses and chem courses 1st year and dont take any humanity courses and hope to get into life sci or another science major. Plus, in the summer you can take orgo or do other things that are more productive.
Old 06-23-2014 at 07:33 PM   #20
starfish
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gggggg View Post
You are right, life sci degrees are useless. But most people want to do life scis to get a MD. They take this risk... In reality, life sci at mac is nothing special. I am going to be the black sheep here and say that you should've just accepted other life sci programs that you got into. Transferring from humanities is also a risk. If you are confident about your abilities, what you can do is take the required biology courses and chem courses 1st year and dont take any humanity courses and hope to get into life sci or another science major. Plus, in the summer you can take orgo or do other things that are more productive.
The problem is that the OP is not eligible to take the chem courses or bio 1A03 in their first year, due to the program they're registered in and low high school chem grade.

You could try transferring into enviro sci or something, which has a lower admissions average and solves the problem of not being able to take bio and chem in first year. Then, just apply to whatever second-year programs you want.
Old 06-23-2014 at 09:09 PM   #21
amyh237
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Quote:
Originally Posted by starfish View Post
The problem is that the OP is not eligible to take the chem courses or bio 1A03 in their first year, due to the program they're registered in and low high school chem grade.

You could try transferring into enviro sci or something, which has a lower admissions average and solves the problem of not being able to take bio and chem in first year. Then, just apply to whatever second-year programs you want.
Yeah, I tried doing that because someone from the admissions office suggested I do that since my average was higher than what envirosci asked for, and they said I could do that if there was space and they said they'd let me know after the first week of June but the program also had an overacceptance so I couldn't be transferred in.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gggggg View Post
You are right, life sci degrees are useless. But most people want to do life scis to get a MD. They take this risk... In reality, life sci at mac is nothing special. I am going to be the black sheep here and say that you should've just accepted other life sci programs that you got into. Transferring from humanities is also a risk. If you are confident about your abilities, what you can do is take the required biology courses and chem courses 1st year and dont take any humanity courses and hope to get into life sci or another science major. Plus, in the summer you can take orgo or do other things that are more productive.
The issue was the only other two schools I applied to were uoft and waterloo life sci, and I didn't really like waterloo (plus commute would have been too long) and I've heard only bad things about uoft's undergrad science programs (parents didn't want me moving out hence the issue of only being able to apply within the GTA but that's another problem within itself). The only school out of the three I applied to that I actually wanted to go to was Mac, which is why I ended up choosing it despite it not being life sci.

I'm relatively confident in my abilities but really kicking myself in the head for slacking in chem now because a couple percent higher and I would've been fine :/

Also, re: required bio/chem courses. I can only take bio 1M03; bio 1A03 is only for faculty of science or level II and up, and chem 1A03 is for science students or >80%. I don't have an issue doing chems and bio in summer school though.

Last edited by amyh237 : 06-23-2014 at 09:14 PM.
Old 06-23-2014 at 09:16 PM   #22
amyh237
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Originally Posted by ooburii View Post
No, there isn't another official time. It might be possible to take the courses in summer school and see if you can transfer in at the beginning of the year, but I don't know the specifics of that process. Ann Hollingshead, the academic advisor on the first floor of the psych building, can better speak to that.
What I do know is that people often enter PNB from social science and switch to science during third year once they get their pre-reqs, so that's a possibility for you to look into as well.
Thanks! I am going to be visiting the campus tomorrow to drop off some forms and look around so hopefully I'll get a chance to drop by her office.



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