Guest Ibraheem Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 Do you guys think if it is worth skipping first year of Bio/Chem/physics? I can write the AP exam and skip the first year of university, The benifits for that is that: I dont have to pay for the first year I can get my Bio-Chem bacholors degree in 3 years If i dont write it: I can get high mark the first year I can get a sweet schlorship More Pros and Cons + it doesn't affect your grade 12 course average - Each exam costs $120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aneliz Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Be aware that first year bio/chem and physics are often med school pre-reqs...and med schools may or may not accept an AP course as an equivalent for pre-req purposes. You might want to check that out. Also, regardless of whether they will allow you to use AP's for your degree, most schools will not allow you to use the marks as part of your GPA...it will be marked on your transcript as "equivalent" or "transfer" credit with no mark assigned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 is that true everybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Not sure what kind of confirmation you're looking for, but it is usually best to check out the policies of the universities you're thinking of attending. Transfer credit means you won't have to take that particular course again, but it doesn't count toward your GPA and you will still need to take a full course load at university. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shoopshoop Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 hello ibraheem, i had that in mind before but many people, including my highschool advisor, told me that as you mentioned you have a higher chance of obtaining the high grades you need for GPA. also she told me that from highschool to university there is a big difference in the educational system which you may or may not adapt to well, so there is a risk that in the begining of 2nd year university (which would be YOUR 1st) that you may get lower grades than you would like. this is all word of mouth as i am in the same ladder step as you now, but think about it....what if what i say is true? are you willing to let the dream of medicine or any other proffessional career slip away because of one year? to me i don't think it's really worth it, sure saving a few thousand dollars is tempting for short term but... you should as aneliz and lactic folly said, first check out the pre-requisites for medicine in universities you plan to apply to. i assume from your name that your in the middle east? then you're probably taking the British A-level system maybe? if so, according to my bio teacher only some of the A-level science subjects will be repeated in 1st year university and not all, so u may have a little difficulty as a result in 2nd yr as some courses could be a "continuation" to the previous 1st yr ones. again this is all 2nd hand info so contacting universities about this would be your best bet. GOOD LUCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Actually in live in NB, Canada I am planning to go to UNB and get a degree in Bio-Chem or Bio-Physics and then I am planning to attend Med School at Dal/Mun.... would it work then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marbledust Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Ibraheem, The best thing for you to do would be to talk to your high school guidance counsellor or try to make an appointment to take to someone in academic advising (it might be called something a little different) at MUN. People here can offer advice, but you should always talk to the school itself when it comes to questions like how much credit you can recieve or if they will accept it. That's the only way to be 100% sure any information/advice you have been given from this board or anywhere else is correct. Plus, you would probably find it very informative to spend a little time and find the information out for yourself. Good luck Marbledust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PerfectMoment Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 high school guidance councillours are woefully inept, in my opinion, in matters dealing with university, and even less knowledgeable in medicine. my councillour suggested i take less than a full course load because she thought that it'd be easier - knowing full well that my intention was always to enter med school. she also recommended i take P/F courses, because they wouldn't be factored into the GPA. and lastly, she knew less than I did about university admissions, telling me something that was completly wrong, and had i listened to her, would probably have left me out in the cold with regards to entrance scholarships. bah. that's enough of my diatribe. anyway ibraheem, yeah I'd totally suggest that you don't accept your AP transfer credits and instead, just take first year courses. I went through the IB program, which is amazingly similar to AP, though i've heard slightly harder, and now that I'm in first year university, much of the material covered in the syllabus is stuff I did back in gr.11 and gr.12. Heck, i'm doing well on the previous years' midterm and final exams that my school provides. As of right now, university has been pretty much cakewalk because I don't have to study as hard as my fellow classmates who took the regular program in HS. Of course, i'll really get into the swing of things once new material is introduced, but that's the great thing about going through a program like AP or IB, lots of the stuff you'll see in first year is gonna be stuff you'd be quite familiar and comfortable with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencer Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 We speak again! This time over the premed forum. Anyway, with regards to the whole AP thing, I don't think its worth it and here is why: - As aneliz, Lactic Folly and shoopshoop had mentioned in the previous replies, AP are considered TRANSFER credits with no mark assigned, therefore you will still need to take a full course load regardless. - University is very different as shoopshoop mentioned, going directly into second year, imho, will adversely affect your GPA as you might not be completely used to the system. - I can't speak for all of Canada, but in Ontario, most universities don't even accept AP as equivalent credits, make sure you find out what UNB and DAL says. - Unless you're super apt at school, AP is a tough and rigorous curriculum which will take up a lot more of your time to study, and there's also that negative pressure of having to get the high marks to get into University in the first place AND having to score 4+ on the AP exam to be even considered as a transfer credit. - Cost! As you said $120 per exam, I am currently taking 4 AP Courses that will cost me $480...and I don't know if you know this, but AP bio requires a $100 textbook in Gr.11 and there is an AP Chem textbook that is $120 ...so the *CHI-CHING* AP comes to a whopping total of $700!!! (that's a shizload of $$$)...give or take the money you'd be earning if you were working instead of studying for the AP exam (as I know you have a part-time job). But as you said...there are some pros, such as the finishing biochem in three years, but is it worth NOT even getting into biochem if your average suffers as a result of AP? Or how about discovering that Year 2 is moving too fast and that you can't keep up? Decisions...Decisions...I am also debating whether to stay in the AP program...AP Chem teacher is being MEAN to us...on our first quiz, he tricked us with his evil questions...he told us to fill in this makeshift periodic table, and one atom had 98 neutrons!!! No atom has 98 neutrons, right? But we had to fill in SOMETHING, cause if we didn't he would deduct marks *sigh*. Plus he's taking marks off every time we get something wrong, in his words, "This is AP, which is the equivalent of University, this is what they do in University..." Evil eh? So that's why my average will crash and burn as a result of evil AP Chem teacher...but then again, you might get a very nice teacher...look on the bright side, you have until Feb. to decide whether or not to stay! Oh and btw with regards to your scholarship comment, most scholarships require some super extracurricular involvement (not just super marks) save Entrance Scholarships, but even than its at most $3,500 for a 90+ avg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 my dad work at UNB as a professor, and i get 50% off my UNI fee, i would have a full course load the first year, i can take the 2nd year to biology/chem/physics on my first year, i really dont miss anything..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jmh2005 Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 You have your whole life to practice medicine if that is infact what you want...why skip things, take the time to review if that's what it is, it will only further help you with the MCAT as well and provide you with hopefully some great grades...how old are you now?? Enjoy things, go out, meet people, help people, volunteer, party, study...live life like it is supposed to be lived at your age...spend your time building your resume, I just don't understand the big rush, what is one year going to change...being in university is great! Trust me, the real world is just around the corner especially if you do medicine...take time now to stop and smell the roses... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 i am 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 i am 16'nuff said! Seriously, you are in Grade 11 right now, and med school is a bare minimum of 4, and most likely at LEAST *six* years from now. Think of how much stuff has happened in your life in the past six years from Grade 5 to Grade 11. You will see at least that much MORE transition in the following 6 years as you progress further in life. There's no need to fixate on med school at your age (the chances are extremely good that you won't even end up in med school, but will find something else that suits your personality and life goals better). Take the time to explore other things, and just in general, enjoy being a high school student. Start worrying about med school once you've established yourself in university, and can more realistically appraise whether devoting the next decade to studying and hard work (in med school and residency not to mention for the rest of your life) is really what you want to do. You're young. Take advantage of that. Med school will always be there later, and there's no need to rush. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 this is about AP courses and skipping the first year of university which is not too far away....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jacksonchan85 Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Ibraheem! Chill out man, really! Do what everyone else tells yea, and enjoy high school, go after girls, get ur drivers license etcetc! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibraheem Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 look man, i have spent all lot of time think what i wanted to be, and what subjects i enjoy, etc and i am going for medicine all the way ----------------------- Quote: Do what everyone else tells yea, and enjoy high school, go after girls, get ur drivers license etcetc! ----------------------- I already did, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jmh2005 Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Ibraheem...apparently you are missing the point...this is about AP and skipping year one of university...the advice we are trying to give you is to enjoy life...DO that 1st year of university, don't skip it...WHY RUSH...like I said before, you have your whole life to be a doctor...why does it matter if you are an MD at age 25 or 26 if you get in right away...?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Ibraheem - do whatever you want, but jmh and Ian have a very valid point. More people burn out of medicine than fail out, and you don't want to lose sight of the big picture by being too goal-oriented at 16. Don't let yourself get so caught up with medicine that you forget WHY you want to devote yourself to medicine and why you are working so hard, and why you are ignoring other career paths. Ian and jmh are not trying to dissuade you from medicine or discourage you, they're just looking out for your own interests. Oh, and speaking from experiences at Dal - AP courses do not have labs associated with them, so you will still need to cover 1st year science labs. I do remember some friends jumping into second year math courses based on their AP credits, but I don't think they actually earned a university credit for those courses. . . they just didn't have to take them. Oh, and btw, my friend who jumped into the 2nd year math course from AP got killed in the course. It's sample size of 1, but something to think about. I'd take AP if you want the challenge of something tougher and want to be a bit ahead in your first year classes, as long as you don't mind getting slightly lower marks (what impact that will have on "sweet scholarships" I know not.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cracked30 Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 All the power to ya, I'd worry about the interview committee though, I find that the youngest people in medical school had to be a lot better than everyone else, research, volunteer work, political involvment, etc. There is ageism on the part of interview committees, they need some concrete evidence of significant maturity when you are that young. You will be placing your hands into peoples orfices with their complete trust. Heck, if you look young, patients won't allow you to see them. It is becoming more common these days. How can you learn? I agree with these guys, go to school, get involved in clubs and research, medical schools don't like taking young people. They know they are ending your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 Umm, I was on the interview committee last year and I can't even remember finding out the applicant's age. In terms of our interviews, it just wasn't an issue. But I still say you shouldn't rush into medicine, but just so you don't lose focus on everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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