Hi,
So I just saw my MAT135 course mark, and well, I failed. I really wasn’t expecting this… and I am quite traumatized. My chosen major is Genetics (I’m a first year right now) and since math isn’t a prerequisite, I’ve decided to take it next year instead of next semester, so I can pull up my GPA without bearing the burden of math (which I hate, and really don’t understand why I have to take) but anyway, what do you think? Also, do you have any suggestions for any “bird courses” I could take that would help boost my GPA? I know no course is easy, but statistically speaking, courses that students have done generally well in.
Thanks for your help, please post this anonymously.
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hey there,
the only subject POSts i can find with genetics in the title is human biology’s “fundamental genetics and its applications” major, and the molecular genetics and microbiology major. both of those POSts require math, so i don’t know why you’re saying that it doesn’t require math.
however, assuming that i’m missing something and that there is some kind of genetics POSt that doesn’t require math, then – no, why would you take it? if you know it’s going to be hard for you, and it’s not a priority for the POSt, there’s no reason to take it. however, do make sure you take a look at upper-year courses required for that POSt – if there are any math courses in there, then it’s probably a smart idea to take first year calculus.
i’d recommend, though, that you take this opportunity to reflect on what you want to do. genetics is an area that, somewhere down the line, does overlap significantly with math. ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. is it really the right thing for you? i’m not hinting at anything, i just think it’s important to self-reflect and ask yourself these questions honestly.
if you need some help thinking through these questions, having a conversation with someone at your registrar’s office can be really useful.
“statistically speaking,” i have no idea which courses people have done well in, because they don’t give me that kind of data. i’m absolutely impoverished in data. in fact, i’m impoverished in a lot of stuff: a social life, hours of sleep, money, food – pretty much everything except sass and some sick slow-motion .gifs.
anyway. i find that the best way to identify courses in which you’ll do well is to look at courses in which you’ve previously done well or found interesting, and then find similar courses?at a lower year level.
maybe there’s some 100-level course that’s outside your area of interest that you can pick that up to take in your second year. for example, ENV100H1 is a biology-esque 100-level course that might be a bit easier on the ol’ grey matter.
or maybe you want to get some breadth requirements out of the way. maybe you don’t want to stray to far from biology, but you really want to get rid of your category 3 breadth req – lucky for you, PHL281H1: Bioethics is available.
also, the general ease or difficulty of a course often has a lot to do with the professor. and there are websites you can go to read up on a professor’s reputation. of course, they’re not uoft-sanctioned and so i can’t recommend them outright, but. they’re out there. you know what i’m talking about.
best of luck,
aska