J asked 3 years ago
Hello,
I am an incoming freshman planning to major in econ and/or neuroscience. I am taking CHEM 210/211, ENGLISH 125, STATS 250, and SOC 102 (Health and Medicine). I am also planning on doing UROP. I was thinking of switching out of SOC 102 to do UROP, but I’m not sure if I should keep SOC and take STATS at a later time instead. Which schedule makes more sense? Also, how many hours should I plan to do UROP so that I’m not overwhelmed? Please let me know if you have any other comments on my schedule. Thanks in advance.
Leen answered 3 years ago
Thanks for your question!
Your schedule looks good, and I agree with your thoughts on switching out of SOC 102 to do UROP. In terms of valuable experience and timing, it would be more beneficial for you to gain the research experience early on and take SOC 302 as a junior/senior. SOC 302 is also Health and Medicine and more geared towards the MCAT, which may benefit you more at a later time. In addition, studying for CHEM 210/211, STATS 250, and ENGLISH 125 will take up a lot of your time, so opting out of SOC 102 would allow you to focus more on those courses.
As for UROP, I would suggest partaking in 6-9 hours, which is about 2-3 credits, putting you at a total of 15-16 credits. Depending on what research project you choose, the exact amount of hours may differ, but anything less than 9 hours per week should put you in a good situation. Of course, this is my suggestion and you may find yourself able to do more hours or need to do less, so I would advise you to do what you are capable of and do not be afraid to switch things around if you feel overwhelmed! I know that you have a few weeks before having to choose a project, so I would be mindful of how much time you spend studying per week in the first couple of weeks and plan for a project that still allows you to maintain that effort in your classes.
I hope that helps! Feel free to send us any more questions.
Leen, PMH Advisor