Hello Everyone,

I am a High school student and am planning on joining Honours Biochemistry Biomedical Research Specialization and this is the schedule I have formulated for myself.

Term1:
Math 1B03
Math 1A03
Physics 1B03
Chem 1A03
Chem 1AA3

Term2:
Physics 1BB3
Math 1AA3
MED Physics 1E03
Biology 1A03
Biology 1M03

I would sincerely appreciate any suggestions/opinions on this course load from people who have taken courses at McMaster; those who are in 2nd year/higher in Biochem Specialization or those who have done a few of the courses on the list.

Bottom line; Would this be too much to handle? Should I thin the science courses? I am an upper 80's student and physics was the subject that pulled me down.

Thanks in advance.

You can't do both chems in one semester (1A is a prerequisite for 1AA) and it is STRONGLY recommended you dont do both bios in one semester.

Swap Chem 1AA and Bio 1A and you should be good. Otherwise it is a pretty standard schedule. Also, I'm pretty sure as a first year lifesci you need to take Psych 1X, we had to at least.

Also, you have 18 units in term 1...and yeah it's not possible to take the two chems together. You should take a look at what terms courses are offered in before making a list like this.

And ask yourself WHY you're taking each course. There should be a reason. For example, if you want to go into biochem you don't need 3 maths and two physics...you need one math and one physics. If you want to minor in math or something then that's a good reason to take all three math courses in first year, but if not, then consider moving one of them to second year or something.

Originally Posted by Biochem47

You can't do both chems in one semester (1A is a prerequisite for 1AA) and it is STRONGLY recommended you dont do both bios in one semester.

Swap Chem 1AA and Bio 1A and you should be good. Otherwise it is a pretty standard schedule. Also, I'm pretty sure as a first year lifesci you need to take Psych 1X, we had to at least.

Thank-you. I'll make that change I didn't even think of that. How did you know that so quickly? Is it always that 'X' will be a prerequisite for 'XX'?

Originally Posted by starfish

Also, you have 18 units in term 1...and yeah it's not possible to take the two chems together. You should take a look at what terms courses are offered in before making a list like this.

And ask yourself WHY you're taking each course. There should be a reason. For example, if you want to go into biochem you don't need 3 maths and two physics...you need one math and one physics. If you want to minor in math or something then that's a good reason to take all three math courses in first year, but if not, then consider moving one of them to second year or something.

At the side of GPS there are recommended courses Math and physics courses for Biochem Biomed specialization. I am taking those Math/Physics courses because they were recommended. And yes, I will switch the chemistry.

Also, How do I have 18 credits in first term? I count 15 (3 x 5). Is it not the last number that is the unit count?

Originally Posted by RiskBreaker

Thank-you. I'll make that change I didn't even think of that. How did you know that so quickly? Is it always that 'X' will be a prerequisite for 'XX'?

Yea, usually, but you should really be checking the undergraduate calendar for each course and their prerequisites.
http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg1515.html

Also you should use the timetable generator (or the master timetable) to help you in figuring out which term courses are offered in, checking for conflicts, and planning ahead for which profs/sections you would like to get.
http://www.timetablegenerato r.com/

Originally Posted by RiskBreaker

At the side of GPS there are recommended courses Math and physics courses for Biochem Biomed specialization. I am taking those Math/Physics courses because they were recommended. And yes, I will switch the chemistry.

Also, How do I have 18 credits in first term? I count 15 (3 x 5). Is it not the last number that is the unit count?

Recommended but not required. I have heard from several people they did not once use Math 1B knowledge in Biochem. It is kind of an easy course to begin with but it isn't required. Can't say for Physics 1BB cause I haven't taken it but why put yourself through it? Physics 1B I'd say is probably the hardest first year course many of my friends got D's (again I cant comment cause I didnt take it either).

And yeah you have 15 units both sems.

Oh weird, apparently I can't count. I counted six term 1 courses - my bad

Take the recommended courses with a grain of salt. The knowledge from physics might be marginally useful depending on your electives, and math 1B03 isn't really useful at all. Taking them won't improve your chances for admission into biochem, either. You can always take them at a later date if you want, there's no need to cram them all into first year.

*spark*, Thank you! The timetable generator is amazing! Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Biochem47

Recommended but not required. I have heard from several people they did not once use Math 1B knowledge in Biochem. It is kind of an easy course to begin with but it isn't required. Can't say for Physics 1BB cause I haven't taken it but why put yourself through it? Physics 1B I'd say is probably the hardest first year course many of my friends got D's (again I cant comment cause I didnt take it either).

And yeah you have 15 units both sems.

Thanks for the input, I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Originally Posted by starfish

Oh weird, apparently I can't count. I counted six term 1 courses - my bad

Take the recommended courses with a grain of salt. The knowledge from physics might be marginally useful depending on your electives, and math 1B03 isn't really useful at all. Taking them won't improve your chances for admission into biochem, either. You can always take them at a later date if you want, there's no need to cram them all into first year.

It happens to me too sometimes. I figured that as well. Why would I anyone need vectors and planes in biochemitry?