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So I overheard the mean of the first physics exam was in the 60s!!
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68 to be exact - WTF?

I was under the impression that Ron didn't curve. I'm really surprised, it was a lot of repeated questions with identical answers. I think if you did the old exams, you could get 40 points just by reading answers and without looking @ a question.
 
Maxprime said:
68 to be exact - WTF?

I was under the impression that Ron didn't curve. I'm really surprised, it was a lot of repeated questions with identical answers. I think if you did the old exams, you could get 40 points just by reading answers and without looking @ a question.
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That mean is surprising when you compare the difficulty of this years exam with last years first exam (the mean was in the high 80's or low 90's last year), I think they were equally "easy" compared to the rest of the exams. As MP said, there were several repeated questions on this exam (as there was on last years first exam), so if you studied the past exams, you got some really easy points. In retrospect, this just shows how good of a teacher Rueckner was, and how disconnected currect students are with Ron's teaching style. Unfortunately, the material does not get any easier.
 
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I just think announcing the mean days before we see our actual grade belongs in the days of Dickens!! Really not very impressed!!!

The examination was difficult, however it is obvious there are a lot of people struggling with the course, and I can not say I am particularly surprised.
 
My TF emailed ours to us individually - I also know that my TF's students scored something in the mid 70's on average. I was under the impression that Ron doesn't curve, which means we can't relax if we want an A (94-100) - sucks.
 
I just heard the mean through the grape vine.
 
Well - bio was easy . . . :roll: Any ideas on the curve? Solutions won't be posted for at least A WEEK! :( (so said my TF)
 
Maxprime said:
Well - bio was easy . . . :roll: Any ideas on the curve? Solutions won't be posted for at least A WEEK! :( (so said my TF)
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i reckon the mean would probably be 68...out of 200.

compared to past exams, this one's out of line. fewer repeat questions. more abstract choices, more memorization intensive, less wiggle room for incorrect reasoning.

despite this, some people still left the room early - either they must have had a great test or they gave up trying. i'm inclined to believe in the former.
 
There were a lot fewer repeat questions. I can't remember many of the questions I was on the hence for, but speaking with friends afterwards - I think I got lucky on some thinking/guesses . . . or they're wrong too. I hope we get them back relatively quickly (doubt we will).
 
What is the benefit between doing the harvard post-bac and some other post-bac?
 
paramoron said:
Only you can answer that question. Depends on your own academic situation, your financial resources, whether or not you're working, and everything else. Most of the relevant information for the Harvard HCP and the other programs are all up on the web. Call the advisors and talk to them, that's the only way you're going to get the answers you're looking for.
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Agreed - post-baccs are a very personal decision. Go to the one that will give you the best chance of getting into med school (whatever path that means). I know it's a general answer and it sucks, but it's very true.

Personally, I think HCP favors more competitive individuals. Don't read into that - I don't mean more competitive in an application or smarter or whatever - I mean people that love going all out in pure competition. (I'm at war with 2/3 of my professors and I will win)
 
Maxprime said:
Personally, I think HCP favors more competitive individuals. Don't read into that - I don't mean more competitive in an application or smarter or whatever - I mean people that love going all out in pure competition. (I'm at war with 2/3 of my professors and I will win)
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When MaxPrime says competitive, it's more like the students are motivated to do well. Competition among students is not so much an issue as it is against the professors. Courses are not curved so this fosters greater cooperation.

However, professors demand a high level of performance, and when combined with the you're-on-your-own nature of this program, this requires endurance and determination. The fact that Boston's weather sucks is no big help either.

You are thrown right into the water at day 1 - are you able to bootstrap out of this? People who succeed in this program are not necessarily the brightest premeds; they are resourceful and restless. But then again, this may be true for premeds anywhere, not just HCP.
 
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solipsis said:
When MaxPrime says competitive, it's more like the students are motivated to do well. Competition among students is not so much an issue as it is against the professors. Courses are not curved so this fosters greater cooperation.
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This is true, our class is virtually non-competative. From reading the physics messageboard it seems the current first year class is upset with the professors teaching style, which is a valid arguement. However, there is no place for profanity or ridicule of your classmates. There are much better ways of dealing with your frustrations that anonomously venting your anger on message boards, especially harsh criticism towards the TF's or the professors. Last year we had the same problems with harder exams than the past, etc, etc. The only way to overcome your frustrations is to take advantage of the resources available to you. Complaining about how you didn't get repeat questions on exams, etc. will not make the subsequent material easier. Needless to say if your class continues to be as combative as the message boards display, you have a long 2 years ahead of you.


People who succeed in this program are not necessarily the brightest premeds; they are resourceful and restless.
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Bingo.
 
I am not sure what MaxPrime is on about - I am not at war with any professors, or TFs in fact I have found them very accomodating to concerns or questions about grading, information, etc.

I think the competition I see here, is people competing with themselves. This course is hard, it takes an awful lot of effort, and people are applying themselves like they have never before.

I am kind of disappointed about the comments on the Physics message board - admittedly the physics class is very hard, there is a bit of a fiasco about the grading of the last exam (which they are handling well). There are many people do well in that class, which ones you ask? The ones who are working the hardest!!!
 
I am going to start at HES next year, but right now I am deciding what classes to take this spring. Would taking genetics, anatomy, physiology, or microbiology help me to prepare for the MCAT at all? Or does the biology class over there go into enough depth on these subjects? Please let me know if any of these classes would be worth my time. Thanks!
 
dr_cheeks said:
I am going to start at HES next year, but right now I am deciding what classes to take this spring. Would taking genetics, anatomy, physiology, or microbiology help me to prepare for the MCAT at all? Or does the biology class over there go into enough depth on these subjects? Please let me know if any of these classes would be worth my time. Thanks!
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I'm slightly confused... if you are able to take any of the advanced biology courses that you mentioned above next semester, doesn't that mean that you have already taken a general biology course? Usually schools require a bio 101 type class as a prerequisite for those classes mentioned. I cannot speak for the biology class at HES, but as far as which of those classes would be helpful for the MCAT, I'd say all of them except anatomy (that becomes important in med school). As my screename would imply, I'm slightly partial to microbiology :) On my version of the MCAT, it was very heavy on molecular genetics and immunology passages, both topics that are usually covered in some fashion in a general microbiology course. :luck:
 
microgin said:
I'm slightly confused... if you are able to take any of the advanced biology courses that you mentioned above next semester, doesn't that mean that you have already taken a general biology course? Usually schools require a bio 101 type class as a prerequisite for those classes mentioned. I cannot speak for the biology class at HES, but as far as which of those classes would be helpful for the MCAT, I'd say all of them except anatomy (that becomes important in med school). As my screename would imply, I'm slightly partial to microbiology :) On my version of the MCAT, it was very heavy on molecular genetics and immunology passages, both topics that are usually covered in some fashion in a general microbiology course. :luck:
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I'm not at a 4-year college anymore so I would just take the classes at a CC. I have taken introductory biology and chemistry, which would count as prereqs, though I haven't taken premed level chem or bio. Genetics and anatomy actually don't have any prereqs. Would taking classes at a CC be worth my time even though they aren't advanced courses? I was thinking that taking physiology and genetics would be my best option, however I really wanted to take micro but wasn't sure if it was important. Maybe I'll reconsider. Thanks.:)
 
Iain said:
So I overheard the mean of the first physics exam was in the 60s!!
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This exam's grading was a DISASTER. I urge you ALL to submit your exam (My TF told our entire section to).



SUBMIT YOUR EXAM IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!
 
Edit...
 
Edit.
 
i haven't taken physics yet. what is different about ronald's teaching style versus rueckner? is he hard because he's cryptic, or is he hard because he takes it to the next level like fixsen does? thanks.
 
solipsis said:
i haven't taken physics yet. what is different about ronald's teaching style versus rueckner? is he hard because he's cryptic, or is he hard because he takes it to the next level like fixsen does? thanks.
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Ron likes to explain things with graphical relationships and complicated algebraic manipulations of every formula, which is very different from how the book teaches. In lecture you end up trying to understand the math he's using to express the physics, rather than the actual physics. Rueckner follows the the book better than Ron in lecture, and explains the concepts (the book is excellent by the way) clearly. He also does a lot of problems on the board in lecture, following the same way to solve them as the book teaches, without the complex algebra, graphing, etc. Some people really like abstract way Ron teaches, but a majority do not. A lot of that has to do with the fact Ron has not taught a full course before, whereas Rueckner has been teaching it for awhile.
 
Perfect example of why I don't like Ron's teaching style: On the second lecture (kinematics in 2D), he spent the entire class (3 hours!) proving and dealing with independence of x & y motion. Then he said, "vector addition is in your book and you'll need that too". The entire rest of the freaking course requires vector addition on every problem!
 
Bio exam comes back tomorrow . . . the suspense builds.
 
UT won - that's all that matters. :D I'm holding out hope that another Mack plea to the voters will get us in the national championship.

The hub-bub is at full strength in Ron's class - he's already asking for feedback. I appreciate his request for comments and I hope that people will be provide useful feedback instead of just bitching & whining. What's the deal with this class? Unless there ends up being zero curve, I don't see why everyone's in such a panic.
 
Maxprime said:
UT won - that's all that matters. :D I'm holding out hope that another Mack plea to the voters will get us in the national championship.

The hub-bub is at full strength in Ron's class - he's already asking for feedback. I appreciate his request for comments and I hope that people will be provide useful feedback instead of just bitching & whining. What's the deal with this class? Unless there ends up being zero curve, I don't see why everyone's in such a panic.
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The panic is because unless they've changed the syllabus from last year or told you other in lecture, there is no curve in the course.
 
Bio Exam

Median: 142/200
Mean: 135/200
 
First Exam:
Physics mean 68
Bio mean 68
Ochem mean 94 :)

Ron and Bill really don't want you to become doctors.

(Although I suspect Logan will have his way with us Tuesday on Exam #2) :smuggrin:
 
imagine john humpalot III, a resident of the southern applachian mountains who practices mendelian genetics on his sisters. he never was a bright kid, but as the universe would have it, he took premed classes at the college of hard knocks. he did barely enough to get by - enough that his state medical school accepted him from the waitlist.

you rolled your eyes because you've always set a high standard for yourself. you excelled in everything - but you just didn't do premed for undergrad. it wasn't interesting enough. somewhere along, you changed your mind.

johnny's an MD now, still discovering the laws of assortment for himself. still dipping his hands in a bag of sperm, as our professor has said.

and here we are, getting whipped-lashed by premed courses.
 
Sundarban1 said:
First Exam:
Physics mean 68
Bio mean 68
Ochem mean 94 :)

Ron and Bill really don't want you to become doctors.

(Although I suspect Logan will have his way with us Tuesday on Exam #2) :smuggrin:
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Logan still teaches ochem?

I was surprised that Fixsen's differences between minus and full letter grades were so large.

GenChem first test average was really high - I think 78. I'm curious to see what the new physics mean is after the re-grade - I'll get 2 points back at most.

Any ideas on how many A's Fixsen normally gives out?
 
Sundarban1 said:
First Exam:
Physics mean 68
Bio mean 68
Ochem mean 94 :)

Ron and Bill really don't want you to become doctors.

(Although I suspect Logan will have his way with us Tuesday on Exam #2) :smuggrin:
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Sundarban1, your avatar touched my heart.

Jays2cool4u :cool:
 
Sundarban,

Your avatar makes me...angry! I give your Redskins credit for a job well done; however, the most important part of the season, the last 8 games, has just begun, so we shall see who plays the best down the stretch.
 
Maxprime said:
Logan still teaches ochem?

I was surprised that Fixsen's differences between minus and full letter grades were so large.

GenChem first test average was really high - I think 78. I'm curious to see what the new physics mean is after the re-grade - I'll get 2 points back at most.

Any ideas on how many A's Fixsen normally gives out?
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This is Logan's first year teaching Organic Chemistry. He was the head TF for general chemistry a couple of years ago. For those taking orgo next year, you are very lucky to get Logan; he is phenomenal.
 
BobLJ99 said:
This is Logan's first year teaching Organic Chemistry. He was the head TF for general chemistry a couple of years ago. For those taking orgo next year, you are very lucky to get Logan; he is phenomenal.
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Yeah - I was excited to hear that. I've only heard good things about him. How'd the orgo test go?

I think that Tucci has done a very good job with his class - those who don't have Fixsen consider Tucci their best lecturer (well, tough title to beat our Ron). Tucci does a great job filling 3 hours properly.
 
fixsen wins content-wise, but he could do better with the administrative aspects of the course.

tucci is almost the opposite. the way the course is organized: the notes, the handouts, podcasts, extra review - everything is designed for your success. but he cannot beat fixsen's lectures. no way.

now combine both and you'll have an uber professor.
 
solipsis said:
fixsen wins content-wise, but he could do better with the administrative aspects of the course.

tucci is almost the opposite. the way the course is organized: the notes, the handouts, podcasts, extra review - everything is designed for your success. but he cannot beat fixsen's lectures. no way.

now combine both and you'll have an uber professor.
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Yeah - tucci is much more hands-on, Fixsen leaves the ball in your court. (Then he expects you to explain how the ball got into your court, how it was made, and if it is harboring any recessive x-linked traits). :)
 
solipsis said:
tucci is almost the opposite. the way the course is organized: the notes, the handouts, podcasts, extra review - everything is designed for your success
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Well, the course is organized by Israel, the Head TF, not by Tucci.
 
Hello
I was wondering to those of you that have completed the program or are currently in it if many students take advantage of the sponsorship? And is there anyway to wave the fee?
 
Hello...I was wondering to those of you who have completed the program (and now are in med school) and to those of you currently at HES...did you take advantage of the sponsorship? and is there anyway to wave the fee?


Also if the program is open enrollment why do you need to interview to get accepted?

Thank you
 
CuriousStar said:
Hello...I was wondering to those of you who have completed the program (and now are in med school) and to those of you currently at HES...did you take advantage of the sponsorship? and is there anyway to wave the fee?


Also if the program is open enrollment why do you need to interview to get accepted?

Thank you
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Most of the people here posting are still in the program, including myself. Be clear that there are two avenues that students can take when deciding to take classes at the extension school; you can take the classes open enrollment, or you can apply to the Health Careers Program, neither which require an interview. However, one important difference between open enrollment vs HCP is that you cannot qualify for sponsorship if you are not accepted to the HCP. In other words you cannot just take 2 classes here as an open enrollee and pay the $500 fee for sponsorship.

Once you are accpeted to the program, sponsorship is not guarenteed, you must meet the academic requirements that the program lays down before you (this is all well outlined on the website). I've never heard of or read anywhere that the sponsorship fee can be waived. You'd have to call Bill Fixsen or Owen Peterson to get details.
Good luck.
 
AnotherPreM said:
Well, the course is organized by Israel, the Head TF, not by Tucci.
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Israel is going to make a great prof - everyone loves his reviews. I also think that, for how young he is (as a prof), Tucci is also going to be a fantastic prof.

I do hear that Ron is wonderful in section (I think someone on here said that to begin with).
 
Slightly off topic - but 2 post-bacc student represented Harvard in a polo match against Yale last week. It is reported that it was the first time Harvard has beaten Yale at any level of polo in approximately 40 years.
 
Iain said:
Slightly off topic - but 2 post-bacc student represented Harvard in a polo match against Yale last week. It is reported that it was the first time Harvard has beaten Yale at any level of polo in approximately 40 years.
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So, how was the chemistry exam? I think the material covered was gases, thermo, and electronic structure. Did you guys see any funky mixture problems? We had one last year. Hope everyone stomped the exam!
 
BobLJ99 said:
So, how was the chemistry exam? I think the material covered was gases, thermo, and electronic structure. Did you guys see any funky mixture problems? We had one last year. Hope everyone stomped the exam!
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You got up at 845am and your first thought was how was the exam in the class I'm not even in??? Try fixing your own problems first (like your selectively malfunctioning cell phone), then worry about other peoples problems. :smuggrin:
 
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