Madison PalmieroSenior BIOSC major and pre-PA As I move through my final semester at Pitt, I have been taking some time to reflect on my educational journey thus far. I will begin by saying that I am not big on regrets; however, if I could go back to freshman or sophomore year, when I was planning out my future semesters, there are a couple things that I would do differently. If you still have a few semesters of classes left, keep reading for some hopefully helpful advice. I don’t know about you, but scheduling classes and thinking about my future can make me sick to my stomach. I dread the two times each year when I have to get on PeopleSoft and build my schedule for the next semester. I’m not sure why it makes me so anxious, but because of this, I like to get it over with as quickly as possible. So, my first tip is to take your time while planning out future semesters. It can be tempting to rush through it, but your future self will thank you if you take the time now to make a solid plan. I suggest using a semester planner such as the one pictured below to outline your general plan. If you have any questions, the Biology Advisors and Biology Peer Advisors are a great resource. Some things to keep in mind are the required classes for your major, pre-requisites for higher-level courses, and any extra courses you may need for graduate schools. After planning out your required major courses, you may find that you have a lot of extra room in your schedule. Of course, you will need to add in your required gen-eds, but there is more flexibility here. This brings me to my next piece of advice: consider pursuing a minor, certificate, or even a double-major. Majoring in biology can seem like a daunting task, and you may feel like there is no way you could squeeze in anything extra. However, when you look at the big picture, there is plenty of time to fit in your biology credits and still have space for something else. If there is something that interests you, pursue it! Pitt offers a wide variety of minors, many of which only require 15 credits, which is equivalent to 5 courses. If you are in your first year and have six remaining semesters, you could take one course each semester, and still have space left over. To name just a few minors offered, there is Sociology, Spanish, Philosophy, and Neuroscience. To see a full list of undergraduate minors offered by the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, click here. You can also find a full list of certificates, including American Sign Language, Global Health, and Sustainability. Knowing what I know now, if I could go back to sophomore year, I would pursue a Religious Studies minor. Clearly, this is not very applicable to biology, but I still believe it would be valuable. I think one of the most important things you can do while in college is broaden your perspective; and taking courses within a different field of study is a great way to do this. If you don’t feel a minor or certificate is right for you, I suggest using your required gen eds to introduce you to new topics. I think students often feel gen eds are a waste of their time, but I have found that if you choose the right courses, you can gain a lot of valuable information. When trying to decide which courses to take to satisfy the A&S requirements, I suggest choosing gen eds that sound interesting to you. Don’t choose a course just because you have heard it is easy; what is more important is being motivated to actually learn something from the class. Another tip would be to consider alternative ways to earn credits, such as being a UTA or participating in research. I have been a UTA for Organic Chemistry and am currently a UTA for Human Physiology, and I recommend it to anyone interested. It is a great way to get to know professors better, to practice leadership skills, and to review course material that may be helpful on a graduate admissions test or in a graduate program. Think about what class you would be interested in being a UTA for, and plan this into your schedule. With all of this being said, my last tip is don’t get too caught up in the details. You will likely have to make adjustments to your plan, as classes may fill up or only be offered at a time that does not work with your schedule. The goal of planning out your future semesters is not to have every little detail ironed out, rather, it is to help you make the most out of your time at Pitt. If you have any questions, feel free to stop by my office hour on Wednesdays from 2-3pm in Clapp L10.
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Pitt Bio BlogThe Pitt Bio Blog is maintained by the Department of Biological Sciences Advising Office. Posts are authored by our students Archives
January 2022
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