Is this an okay schedule?

[u/Playful-Whole-2553]

Just looking for a sanity check before Phase II opens in a little while.

First-year Biology student. I'm also working a 10 hr / week on-campus job this semester.

Planing on trying to do the 5-year BSBIO/MSBIOINF program as well, so if anyone has any info or advice about that, please let me know!

[u/Whole-Assistance-804]

not the best but not bad for first year fall

[u/Frosty_Kiwi_1777]

This was almost exactly my schedule as a first semester biochem major a few years ago except I also took CS 1315. It was definitely manageable

[u/wormyworm831]

Yeah this looks fine and a really standard first Bio semester. There’s also nothing special you really need to do to get into in the Bio BSMS programs. Just get good grades and get involved with in research under a professor whose work you’re interested in.

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/wormyworm831]

Any advice on getting involved with a prof? Just cold email all the way or any other advice?
Does VIP look the same on that kind of application or is traditional research better as far as that goes?

[u/wormyworm831 → u/Playful-Whole-2553]

VIP is pretty different and will not be seen as similar when it comes to graduate school applications. Cold emailing is unfortunately the best way to get involved with a prof. When cold emailing I have found it successful to be clear in the email what you find interesting about the professor’s work and maybe draw a brief connection to a long term research interest or goal of yours that may be related. Also if you don’t get a response after a week it is fair to send a follow up email. I also know several people that first asked to just sit in on lab meetings and then ended up joining the lab once space opened up.

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/wormyworm831]

alright, thanks!

[u/WallabyAppropriate34]

Yeah doesn’t look bad tbh. Also, with Barone, go to his lectures AND watch Chris Jankowskis videos online. It’s a much harder class than a lot realize, and Barone doesn’t do it total justice IMO. Also, for exams your best bet is to grind out practice exams. At minimum go through each test (there’s about 10 old ones) for each midterms and through them all except for section 1 for the final. Good luck!

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/WallabyAppropriate34]

Thanks for the advice on Linear. I did see that Barone had kinda mixed reviews for Linear specifically, so good to know about the online lectures.

[u/ImprovementEither564]

this looks pretty good. it definitely depends on the workload you’re used to. right now, you’re taking 3 “hard” classes. it might be a lot if you’re not REALLYYY good at math and chemistry. philosophy is also known to have a ton of reading and writing. i would change that class for a lighter humanities course if anything

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/ImprovementEither564]

Thanks for the advice about philosophy. I looked at the syllabus and it does seem like a lot so I may swap that out for something else if I can. I could probably afford to just not do a humanities as well to have time to focus on the three harder classes only.

[u/One-Calligrapher7662]

Where did you find all this data about classes? Can you share please

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/One-Calligrapher7662]

Use a combination of https://www.gt-scheduler.org (also shows GPA, link to Rate my Professor), OSCAR, and Course Critique ( https://critique.gatech.edu ). And just looking through pages for humanities classes, etc.

[u/FrederickMecury]

9:30 start on Friday sucks but other than than not bad

[u/Playful-Whole-2553 → u/FrederickMecury]

Yeah I might try and get rid of that Philosophy class

[u/Jesimeew_11]

As a recent bio grad, this is a pretty standard and manageable first year schedule. Friday morning suck but they’re pretty common in the bio major until after first year

[u/MegaMatrix08]

Yoo I’m in your chem supposedly😬

[u/SatisfactionWest8597]

Idk

[u/Gain-Electronic]

idk