bunninies

Okay guys, I think i will take the linear algebra this semester and differential next semester. I wish I could squeeze in as much math as I could but I need time for research. I'll see how it goes if I squeeze in topology and geometry with linear before I drop it. Thanks!

Thanks. Should I not take differential equations then? I am not going to take real analysis, because I heard it's the most impractical math class for chem majors. Keep in mind that by biophysics I mean structural biology - involving crystallography or spectroscopy - not things like electrophysiology or computational work.

It's focused on Knot Theory. According to the syllabus, we use measurements called 'knot invariants' which include Alexander and Jones polynomials. Seifert surfaces will also be covered. There's also a lot of reference to biology and chemistry, but since it's a math course it probably won't be totally applicable. Should I also take probability and statistics? Is differential geometry preferred to either topology or differential equations?

I'm a senior planning to apply to a biochemistry/biophysics program (for fall '15), but I'm trying to squeeze in math courses. I've taken Calc III but did horrible (2.7). That was my only math course. I'm taking Topology and Geometry right now, but I would also like to take Linear algebra and Differential equations. If I want to take linear then I'd probably have to take 5 courses this semester or next semester and overload myself. I'm just wondering if math is very important for a biophysics/chem focus, and your take on which course is preferred. Or I could drop topology and geometry...

Since I go to a LAC, all the chemistry majors take the same coursework. There are few concentrations. I am not even a biochemistry concentration. There are people who want to go study biochemistry in grad school and are in an organic lab or inorganic chem lab. Why do I think I like pchem/inorganic? Tell me if I'm shallow, but I enjoy my pchem and inorganic classes a lot. But I decided to "settle with" biochem because I didn't do so well in the former due to personal issues. I also really love physics lab, and understanding how spectroscopic techniques work, but didn't start research as early as I should have. I think the techniques and the machines used the pchem lab are much more interesting. I plan to take a lot of math, some advanced physics, and group theory and pchem in my senior year. No biology except for an advanced biochemistry. I will try to plead my case to my prof and see about the summer after graduation to do volunteer research. You are right, I think I will have to try the lab out first.

Thanks for your responses. What if I enter a graduate school with the intent to do biochemistry research, but decide to do inorganic or physical chemistry? (Is that how rotations work?) My inorganic professor said he went into grad school wanting to do bioinorganic chemistry or something medically related, but found out he liked physical chemistry / green science / nanoparticles instead.

Hi, I'm going to be doing a summer and a year's worth of biochemistry research during my senior year. However, for chemistry graduate school I would actually like to join an inorganic or physical chemistry lab.. I'm wondering if this would be a disadvantage to top programs or even decent ones. I'm just worried that because I have no research experience in synthetic lab (other than lab courses), the admins will not want to take me in. I attend a small LAC and expect good LOTRs. I don't plan on entering grad school right after undergrad, because I have to make MONEY for my family! (in biotech, hopefully) The problem is that I've been wanting to go to vet school which looks at biology-related research favorably, so I kind of botched things up. My advisor and inorganic professor say whatever you research in undergrad doesn't really matter as long as you did research. But this worries me because biochemistry uses very different techniques and solvents from organic/inorganic. With that said, could I be accepted into programs like Cornell or Columbia or UNC? Probably not Berkeley or MIT?