Bio or Physics Prep Year
By KAYLEE GONG ‘28
Amongst your first Exeter emails is likely a link to your prep year course requests. Which elective? Which sports? Which science course, biology or physics? Unsure incoming preps hesitate, and soon enough, each of us ends up in a class we aren’t sure whether we should have taken.
Throughout the diverse experiences of upperclassmen, many exclaim to take biology, but are they really correct? From the looks of it, physics students seem to receive advantages regarding their future science course selections. Especially with the amount of time dedicated towards sciences during your meager course selection freedom, it is crucial that a clear decision needs to be made: should you take biology or physics during prep year?
During most class transition periods of the day, a mix of sweaty and sleep-deprived preps scramble up and down the large Phelps Science Building staircase for their almost daily biology class. Heading to either the third or fourth floor, some groan with annoyance and dislike while other classmates eagerly rush up toward the state-of-the-art biology classrooms. As those students drop their phones in a basket by the door upon entry, a passionate teacher begins that day’s mix of Harkness and lecture. Amino acids, chromosomes, DNA, a blur of vocabulary and science fly between the teacher’s quick-paced explanation and the confusion plastered on a majority of the class’s faces.
A large argument that has filled upperclassmen’s advice is the extreme difficulty of 300 or higher biology courses. Senior Bella Jin, who took physics prep year, severely regretted her decision. “The difference between physics during prep or lower year is minimal. However, the difference between prep and lower bio is extreme and devastating,” she said.
Yet, various new lowers or uppers explain how 300 biology isn’t that hard. It’s difficult for an onlooker to gauge the true difficulty of each class across a spectrum of students with different skill sets, but one new upper explained, “I probably have around 40 minutes of bio homework each night, but when it comes to taking tests, I by far have to study the most for biology.”
In defiance, it is true that biology contains countless terms that each require a large portion of memorization. So, is that why it takes the longest to study for? Each unit contains vocabulary on top of wordier vocabulary on top of confusing and complex concepts.
In physics, instead of words and memorization, it is numbers. Velocity, free-body diagrams, frequency, and math. Equations and problems cover pages of tear-stained tests, the infamous ball-and-cup lab ruin report cards, and countless physics students complain about the detrimental effects of physics on their wellbeing and GPA.
An anonymous senior explained how ruinous her lower year 300 physics course was. “My college counselor named it the ‘big bang’ of my GPA, and it still traumatizes me to this day.” Especially in 300 physics, the students learn a sophisticated amount of information regarding electrical magnetic flux, frequencies, gravity, etcetera. However, the biggest caveat in the physics department is their math requirements.
Many students cannot take the 300 sequence due to the math requirement for completing MAT230. Instead, they have to take the 200 physics course and avoid the terror of 300’s extreme pace and overcomplicated depth. For those students, their options mainly focus on 200 biology to 200 physics or 200 physics to 300 biology. If you want a hard challenge, be aware and take the latter, but if it’s not worth all the struggles and stress of 300 biology, then follow the first option. Furthermore, those who take 200 physics prep year can double up on their science courses during lower year with 300 biology and the infamous “death chem.” As an avoidance from the even worse combination of 400 chemistry and US History upper year, many highlight this course path for prep physics justification.
Many other students also have the option of taking the 300 physics courses. As an easy way to increase the rigor of their transcript, some don’t regret clicking the 300 physics register button. However, a variety of lower 300 physics students exclaimed that they were too “cocky” when choosing their physics course. For their GPA’s sake, they wished they had just humbly taken the 200 physics course lower year instead.
With a whole load of different pros and cons, choosing which course is right for you might be as difficult as taking the course itself. To clearly judge, you must first differentiate the two courses. Biology and physics each appeal and fall to different sets of skills. One is heavily memory-based, while the other is much more mathematical and problem-solving-based. In the end, it is the individual’s personal preference and skill set.
Vocabulary or math? Memorize or solve? Do you want to challenge yourself and not guarantee an ideal final grade or keep an easier hold on that 11.0 GPA? Furthermore, what other courses are you taking besides in the science department? Do you want to focus your course selection toward a science-based path or just get those graduation requirements out of the way?
There are too many variables that factor into which option is the most beneficial for you. What is best for you is likely different from what is best for me and my opinion. It’s different from what your advisor may think. It’s different from what others around you discuss. This overarching conflict is about your ability to deduce what you want to gain the most from Exeter’s amazing science department. With either option, you will be pushed, learn more, and reroute your thinking. So, whether you are planning ahead or nervously regretting your past decisions, just remember that both options can hold their own ground, and choose the best for yourself.