Arts\Science

[Guest Heya]

In general, is it easier to get As in Arts or Science?

 

I heared that some profs will NEVER give out an A in Pilosophy\History\Poli Sci\Socio courses, no matter how good you write. But on the other hand, i've heared that some Science profs are a bunch of jerks that put a whole bunch of hardcore questions on a test so that the class average is sub 50%.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Heya Heya,

 

I think it's been said elsewhere, but it's pretty near impossible to make sweeping generalizations about the comparative level of difficulty of schools/programs/courses. For example, at UT you can take two different English courses within a given program, with two different profs and receive two wildly different marks. Same goes for sciences. Also, it can become even more convoluted when one course and the prof's approach may change from year to year. For example, this year there was a full-year course offered inaugurally at UT which basically gave out 18% "freebie" marks (10% was attendance, which almost everyone scored 100% on and 8% was an assignment which, at the last minute the prof decided he didn't want to give, and so handed over another 8%, pro bono). I'd assume that quite a few people in the course scored over 90% and would not say that the course was challenging at all; however, that same course will have a different prof next year, so potentially, there goes the easy marks.

 

Overall, it's probably best to first uncover the program/courses that you're interested in, and then, in the case of UT at least, check out the "Anti-Calendar" and try to get a feel for what the students thought of certain courses and profs. Again, you may end up feeling a little differently than the majority, but at least it may be a little better than having no compass at all.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest haloo]

I have a BA in history and can say with certainty, it is very rare to get an A/A+ in an arts class since it is a subjective marking system and the "perfect" essay is a sort of unattainable ideal that we simply strive towards without reaching most of the time.

 

On the other hand, an A/A+ is certainly attainable in a science class. THis was a rather novel experience for me when I started taking my science prereq's for med schools. My standards for excellence shifted from trying to get A-'s in my history classes to trying to get A's in my science classes (I go to McGill and there are no A+'s)

 

That's been my experience anyways. So since I'm an arts student, my gpa is just hovering around 3.7 on the 4.0 scale and I'm pretty pleased about that since it would have been hard to do much better. However, I guess the 'good' thing about an arts course is that you'd have to be really trying to fail, which isn't true in a science class where if you bomb your final that's it.

 

Neither an arts class nor a science class is easier than the other. You have to work hard in either case.

 

That's been my experience anyways, are there any other arts students with a degree in the humanities out there who have found the same thing? Maybe I'm just an underachiever and I didn't know it.

[Guest mying]

I never went a semester without at least one (usually two) courses in the humanities. These weren't my best nor my worst grades. I think it depends a lot on *you* as a person, which courses you find get you going, whether you're better at essays or better at multiple choice. I found a lot of my "arts-only" colleagues in undergrad despised multiple choice, while I love them... I equally love essays, which my sciences-only colleagues found trying.

 

While it's more difficult to get a guaranteed A in the humanities because of the subjectivity, at the same time it tends to be more concept-based (where the sciences tend to be more detail-based) so if you're a concept kinda person you might find humanities easier.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that neither is easier, they just use different parts of your brain.

 

My brain, however, has ceased to function.

[Guest Liana]

While I would totally agree that it is impossible to make generalizations, there are trends that do exist. Essay-based courses generally do tend to be more difficult to get the really high marks in, because, by nature, you would have to write something groundbreaking to warrant an A or A+. That said, they may potentially be easier to scrape by in, particularly where the essays require the presentation of an opinion, because opinions are generally never wrong, just perhaps more or less thought out.

 

From my minute experience and the experience of a few friends who majored in it (albeit at only two different schools), psychology tends to be an area where it is reasonably easy to get really high marks, particularly in the first or second year level, perhaps because the course tests your understanding of basic facts (which allows the possibility of getting those really high marks), but some of which can be partially rationalized with common sense (making it perhaps a bit easier not to do poorly in). Obviously, this is not true for every course or every student, but apparently it is easier to whine for part marks and to suck up for 90s than in bio courses. That said, however, there will always be stiff competition for marks in these courses much like bio courses, since many students in psych are determined to get into clinical psych grad programs, where they absolutely *have* to have those 90% marks.

 

Ultimately, it's a product of the course, the prof, and the student.

[Guest PeterHill0501]

Liana,

 

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> From my minute experience and the experience of a few friends who majored in it (albeit at only two different schools), psychology tends to be an area where it is reasonably easy to get really high marks, particularly in the first or second year level, perhaps because the course tests your understanding of basic facts (which allows the possibility of getting those really high marks), but some of which can be partially rationalized with common sense (making it perhaps a bit easier not to do poorly in)<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->

 

Talking about sweeping generalizations...OMG! Intro to psych is probably one of the exceptions...very easy. I would say, having achieved an honours undergrad and an M.A. in psych that it is as hard as any other discipline. My degrees were chalked full of biology, neuroanatomy, brain chemistry, univariate and multivariate statistics, genetics (elective), research methods...

 

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> ...but apparently it is easier to whine for part marks and to suck up for 90s than in bio courses<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->

 

Hmmm...not so sure about this last comment either...there are actually right and wrong answers in psych just like in other courses. In some ways it can actually be much harder as you can't just memorize stuff to arrive at the correct answer...you must synthesize large amounts of primary and secondary data to come up with plausible hypotheses with respect to how things work...

 

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> While I would totally agree that it is impossible to make generalizations, there are trends that do exist.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->

 

Liana...the rest of your post after the text quoted above seemed very much like a generalization... :eek

 

Peter

[Guest Liana]

Peter,

 

Whether or not it is a generalization, I would still have to say, at least at the schools where I or someone I know have taken psych courses (and obviously, I'm not talking about 4th year courses here, and only some 3rd year courses) that it is possible to get high marks in psychology as easily as it is to get them in bio. That is, the "arts/science" divide isn't so distinct because each subdiscipline is unique.

 

On the other hand, I would still argue that theoretically one should have an easier shot at getting a slightly higher mark in psych as opposed to biology et al, merely because psych (ie, more applied as opposed to experimental courses) tends to have this fundamental value to it that allows the student to apply it to his/her own life. That accounts for students paying greater attention in class and finding ways to memorize info by relating it to their own lives. That said, there are more experimentally-based courses (esp. in upper years) that don't have this benefit to them.

 

This is a limited sample, but I know several people who have done psych majors with bio minors, all of whom claim that the 90s they received in psych courses are not the same as the 90s they received in bio courses (ie, they needed to work harder in bio). Several have also commented about being mark-grubbers; perhaps this is not a trait of psychology's debatability (again, depends on the course), but the students in the program. Who knows. There are mark-grubbers in the sciences too, but unlike clinical psych grad studies, you don't have to have a 90% average to get into medical school.

[Guest PeterHill0501]

Good points...and interesting points of view. Perhaps another reason they could find psych courses easier is because they have more aptitude in psych than in bio, etc? I guess what I was saying was sure there are some easy courses in psych undergrad...but there are also some incredibly difficult ones as well...if someone wants a high GPA, this might not be the best choice...just my opinion, however, I do enjoy the debate and differing point of view you bring...

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[Guest]

At least at UofT, psych is a much harder course than the biology class. (At least in first year)

[Guest Heya]

I'm totally intrested in doing a psych degree....

 

but what I don't understand is why it's harder to get better marks in psych after 3rd year.

 

Also, are psych courses full of essays? Or is it mostly short answer stuff?

[Guest Heya]

So what are considered "easier" majors and what are the tougher ones in a science point of view?

[Guest cheech10]

I dislike this type of question, because it leads logically to picking "easier" courses because they're thought to be easier. A more general degree, like plain vanilla Bio, *may* be easier because the freedom in choosing courses lets you avoid courses you hate, but you really should try to pick majors/courses you like because you'll ultimately enjoy them more and do better on them. Many people have taken "easier" majors/courses and found them harder because they hated the subject matter. So I don't think there is an easy answer to your question.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Isn't psychology also considered a science degree? At Dal at least, you could do either a B.A or a B.Sc in psych.

 

Everything pretty much depends on the SPECIFIC PROGRAM, and in fact more so, the SPECIFIC CLASS and SPECIFIC professor. Psych at one school might be easier than biochem, and at another school it might be easier. All depends on where you do the degree. And subjects can be easier for some people and less so for another. . . it's a bad idea on the whole to take other people's suggestions as to what's an easier or more difficult program, as that person's strengths might be different.

 

That being said, to contribute to the debate I found humanities courses extremely difficult to pull off > A- marks in. There is a lot of subjectivity to arts courses, and one bad essay can torpedo your chances at getting an 'A' range mark. At the same time, I found many of the skills I learned in my arts courses to be MORE useful than the science courses. Yes, it can make things easier in med school to have taken anatomy, biochemistry, and microbiology courses before. . . but many of the skills you will need to use as a med student and physician (thinking outside of the box, synthesizing multiple sources of information) I found to be better learned in arts courses.

[Guest DCR]

Hello, I have noticed that there is the same distribution of marks in my humanities and social science classes as there are in my bio and chemistry classes. So, from that I would say it the chance of getting an A is the same in arts or science, however an A+ on an essay is pretty rare, though A+'s on exams, assignments, participation are more than possible which can result in an A+ final grade. I'm taking psych (arts) and have to study A LOT, to get A's in my classes. Its difficult to make a strong statement either way about arts or science because as everyone has pointed out, it depends on your own skills, strengths, and enthusiasm.

[Guest PeterHill0501]

UWOMED2005,

 

In psyc you can go either with a B.A. program or a B.Sc. program. I went the Sc. route...and I can tell you it wasn't easy...that's for sure.

 

Peter

[Guest Heya]

I REALLY don't know what I like.

 

I'm in high school right now and I'm pretty much good at everything, but I can't single one subject out to study for 4 full years.

 

How did you guys\gals untimately choose your major? Am I the only one who doesn't know what they want to study?

[Guest browsing]

hmm, what about the BA/BSc double degree at Mac or the Scholar's Electives at UWO? I think those have a good deal of flexibility if you are into taking a good variety of courses.

[Guest SIMETRA]

Hi Heya:

 

Most people only have a vague idea (sometimes NO IDEA) of what to study in university. First year should be a year to explore. Needless to say, university is a place to gain knowledge and grow as a person. Here are some tips that I hope will help.

 

1) Go through the course handbook of the university of

your choice (and if you have many...go through

them all). Look at the courses that are offered. Jot

down the ones that really spark your interest. Once

you've written down a number of courses, have a

look at the list. If the list is mostly full of courses

from particular discipline/program...then you should

consider going in that direction. However, if the

courses on your list are very different (i.e.

Anthropology, Math, Chemistry, Mythology, Music,

etc.), then consider taking courses from a variety of

disciplines (if it's feasible).

 

2) Sit in on a lecture. Try to attend a lecture from a

few of the courses on your list (and even some that

may not be on the list). This might help you decide

which courses to take. You'll be surprised how

different some courses can be in university (i.e. a

math course that looked utterly boring in the

handbook might be the most captivating lecture

you've heard).

 

3) Also, keep in mind that you rarely have to stick to a

very limited program (one exception may be

engineering). You can pick two majors that are very

different from each other (i.e. Art History &

Neuroscience), or three very different minors (i.e.

Politicial Science, Environmental Science, and

Psychology), etc.

 

4) Most universities don't ask their 1st years to pick

their program of study in 1st year. This usually

happens in second year. So, take the time to have

fun in your courses. Take courses that you are

passionate about, courses that motivate you to

learn and explore (b/c chances are...it will be these

courses that will help you decide in a career path).

 

Well, these are just some ways to figure out what you might want to study in first year. Remember, learn what you love (not what you think looks good on paper or what your parents want you to purse). University can be one of the most thrilling times of your life (but only if you let it)! Make use of the resources and opportunites that your university offers. And of course, socialize and make friends (chances are you'll meet people from all walks of life).

 

Anyway, I hope this helps. Good luck and have a blast!

 

Cheers,

SIMETRA

[Guest Liana]

I'm not sure I would recommend the Scholar's Electives Program if you're not sure what you want to study. This program is designed more for people with defined interdisciplinary interests who cannot meet their academic goals through a regular program.

 

That said, most students have uncertainties about what program to major in when entering first year. Many schools allow you the flexibility to transfer between programs after first year, and you should definitely consider how flexible a school is in this respect as one of the factors you use to decide which school to go to.

 

First year is a year for determining the areas that you like, but your entire undergrad career is also the opportunity to explore a wide range of areas. If you want to enter medicine, grad school, or the workforce, it will be at this point that you must truly specialize.

 

I think the best first year program is one that prepares you for advanced courses while allowing you the most flexibility. The program you register in, for the most part, is just a formality. Ideally, if you're geared for medical school, a good (and common) first year might be composed of: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, and Math or another arts course. Math is often required for medical school, but there's no reason you absolutely *have* to take it in first year. However, if it is required for your program, then you should probably take it in first year since some schools (like Mac) put restrictions on the number of first year courses you can take (ie, for Mac, if you take more than 5 first year courses and don't take any extra summer courses to make up for it, then you can't apply until after 4th year). However, a program like this allows you to cover all your bases. If you really like biology (and be warned, first year bio is generally less interesting than upper year courses, but it gives you an idea of what the exams and assignments are like), you have the biology and chemistry background. If you like psych, you have the required first year course to continue in that area. If you realize you'd rather follow an arts program, it's generally easier to meet arts prereqs than it is for science, so even if you want to major in english but haven't taken it in first year, it's not so hard to enter the program in 2nd year (whereas for biology, you'd almost definitely need an extra year if you didn't take the first year science courses in first year).

 

Most medical schools require you to fulfill certain science course requirements (often a year of chem, a year or two of bio, and sometimes even organic chem), so taking 3 or 4 science courses in first year will prepare you for this, even if you end up majoring in music, or art, or english. Sometimes English is a required course(generally, in the western provinces).

 

I wouldn't suggest doing a double degree for flexibility. If you have strong interests in two distinct fields, then a double major will reduce the number of required credits in one area and allow you the ability to take more courses in the other area. But it generally won't allow you much flexibility if you want to take courses outside of these two discrete areas. Often, a single major will afford you the most flexibility to explore the spectrum of courses, since you often have about 5 full-year courses worth of optional courses.

 

To sum up my babble: the safest way to keep your options open while still exploring all of the areas in first year is by registering for a science program, and taking Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology (or another arts), and Math (if it's required) or another arts of interest (English is always good because it's required at west coast schools, gives you good exposure to the essay-writing requirements of an arts degree, and will help you to express yourself in a written form for when it comes time to write the Essay component of the MCAT, or compose your admissions essays).

 

Good luck!

[Guest Artemis of the Bow]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "Scholar's Electives Program" Liana...is that an actual program?

 

One can do a major in biology, and take the prerequsite courses (for meds)...as well as take courses that they really enjoy or are interested in. Also, one has to do a double major (or triple minor) if they are pursuing an honours degree...at least that's how is works at UofT. Different universities have different program requirements.

[Guest Liana]

The Scholar's Electives program is offered at Western (and was suggested by one poster above). Essentially, there are no course requirements for this major, but the student must have a clearly defined academic goal which they intend to achieve. That is, this is a program for students with a highly defined area of study in mind that cannot be fulfilled by the current prescribed programs, not for students who don't know what they want to study and want the freedom to choose from all departments.

 

Regarding your comment about majors, Artemis, it depends on the school you attend. For example, at a school like Dal, it is common for students to complete a single major (and if they like, they can complement that with a minor). If you elect to pull a double major, the number of courses you are required to fulfill in each of the major subjects is reduced. However, at Guelph, very very few people pull double majors. To complete a double major, you need to complete all required courses for both subjects (most degree programs require about 12-15 credits, ie, 2.5-3 years worth of required courses), and can only overlap about 2.0 credits (4 one-semester courses) between each major. In most science programs, you will absolutely have to take extra courses to fulfill a double major.

 

While biology is the commonly selected major, an aspiring med student should not feel like they have to major in this area to succeed in medicine. If anything, having a major in a slightly different area will help you stand out against other applicants (assuming your GPA, MCAT and ECs are similar) because you can bring a unique experience to the medical school class. Biology is the simple choice, and if that's the area you would most like to learn about as well as the area you think you could make the strongest academic achievement, then by all means, enter a biology program. But if you're also yearning to study physics, or english, or fine arts, there's no reason why you can't major in these areas, as long as you can find the time to fulfill the handful of prerequisite courses required for medical school.

 

A good way to consider what major to enter before ideally progressing to medical school is to ask yourself what you would like to do with your life if you don't make it into medicine. If you're not a doctor, can you see yourself working in a field where having an in-depth knowledge of biology is essential? Do you see yourself instead working in an area where it would help to have an in-depth understanding of the way people interact with one another? This isn't always an easy question to answer, but if you get an idea of what types of things you could do with such a degree, you might have an idea of whether this degree will interest you as well as understanding how a degree in this area might make you a better doctor.