Taking Biology 113 Without the Chemistry Prerequisite
	© Stephen T. Abedon
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	last updated on Tuesday, September 2, 1996

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introduction ---

I get a number of requests by prospective biology 113 students that I waive their chemistry prerequisite. Their reason typically is so that they may get a jump on their major's courses, which they would fail to achieve if they were forced to skip biology 113's single annual offering in the Winter quarter on the Mansfield campus. There are, however, a number of problems with this approach (as outlined below) and they center around chemistry being an important prerequisite to biology. However, the bottom line is this: It may be worthwhile for a student to attempt to try biology 113 without the prerequisite so long as that student is highly motivated to study the material, above and beyond that presented in the classroom, and so long as that student realizes that taking biology 113 without first taking the chemistry prerequisite is essentially taking a chance, and that the odds are not in their favor. To those of you who have considered these caveats, are willing to work hard, and are aware that, especially without the chemistry prerequisite, they simply may not make it through the course with their GPA intact, I am not categorically opposed to supplying the opportunity. However, first read on below.

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historical analysis ---

For 1996 I admitted three people to biology 113 who had little background in chemistry. One of those students dropped, a second stayed with the course but used their Freshman Forgiveness on this course. The third managed to make it all the way through both biology 113 and biology 114, but this person received a D+ in biology 113 and a C- in biology 114. This was despite this person already having taken, at a different school, a number biology courses which did not require a chemistry prerequisite. In other words, past experience is consistent with a strong correlation between a lack of a chemistry prerequisite and dismal performance in biology 113.

In 1997 I had an one exceptional student for whom I waived the chemistry prerequisite. This individual had taken and done outstandingly well in non-majors biology 101 course. This person did very well in biology 113, also, though with noticable stumbling over the more chemistry intensive topics. Conclusion: If you are really good, and additionally have a strong background in biology, it certainly is possible to do well in biology 113.

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chemistry and you ---

Chemistry comes very early in biology 113 (as, indeed, it does in most if not all introductory biology texts), and though much of what is subsequently taught is built upon this chemistry base, you should get a good idea of whether you are in over your head very early in the quarter. But if it is not worth it to you to risk dropping the course, then answer the following questions: Did you have a good chemistry course in high school, one in which you did very well? And, are you sufficiently motivated to pick up a college chemistry text today and either confirm that you already understand that material covered in the first quarter of an OSU chemistry course, or are willing to learn that material prior to the start of biology 113? If your answer to either question is no, then you probably should not try biology 113 until you have the chemistry prerequisite under your belt.

Note that even achieving the chemistry prerequisite to biology 113 only goes so far in preparing one for the chemistry presented in biology 113. This is because the organic chemistry upon which biology 113 extensively draws is, unfortunately, not presented in the chemistry prerequisite series until after the first quarter, which is all that constitutes the chemistry prerequisite to biology 113. Furthermore, many majors allow students to not complete their chemistry series. While I recommend that all individuals interested in biology complete there inorganic (general) chemistry series, ideally the chemistry 121-123 series and in the best of worlds prior to their taking biology 113, I have nevertheless prepared a primer in organic chemistry for those individuals taking biology 113 who lack a background in basic organic chemistry.

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your background in biology ---

What kind of background in biology do you have? If you have never been exposed to the molecular basis of life, that will effectively count as a strike against you in your ability to keep up with the material, with a lack of preparation in chemistry a second strike.

Remember, biology at its core is a manifestation of physics, chemistry, and the dynamics of populations with most of the physics channeled through chemistry and mechanics (the latter not being a topic covered in biology 113/114). Since all of these subjects are at least passingly mathematics intensive, there is strong tendency to teach biology at the high school level in a manner which somehow overlooks physics, chemistry, and, often for political reasons, evolution as well. This leaves most high school biology courses a poor preparation for both the content and the rigor of a majors college biology course. An additional strike against many students of biology 113 consequently stems from this dissonance between their expectations of what biology, the science, is all about, and reality.

As a consequence, I recommend to students who have a poor or not extensive background in the biological sciences that they take a preparatory course in biology, such as biology 101, prior to their committing to a majors biology course. If the first exposure to a real biology course is biology 113, and you have preconceived notions as to just what biology is all about and how hard it ought to be, you may be setting yourself up for a bad experience in biology 113.

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summary ---

In summary, there are three things which the average student will find to be a significant advantage to their prospering in biology 113: (i) A strong background in chemistry, (ii) a realistic and reasonably rigorous exposure to biology in either a good preparatory high school course, an introductory for non-majors college biology course, or, even, reading and self-study, and (iii) an appreciation that biology 113, as an introductory major's science course, is just not terribly easy even for the those who are most prepared.

I hope these ideas help you to make an informed decision. I will not bar you from taking biology 113 without the prerequisite, assuming, of course, that the course is not already filled up with qualified individuals. And I am more than willing to continue this conversation in another medium if that would be helpful.

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Contact Dr. Abedon (abedon.1@osu.edu) with suggestions, criticisms,
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