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NEWS
| OCTOBER 18, 2005
Student Life
Science council gives advice on class
schedules
Members aim to answer students’
questions on courses and professors.
By C
J Patton
The Shorthorn staff
Brandon Jones, Science Constituency Council president, kicked off
Science Week on Monday with “Class Select,” offering
advice to science students on which classes to take and how to choose
them.
The biology senior invited attendees to ask questions they might
have about professors, course work and research opportunities. He
insisted that if no one in the council knew the answer, they probably
know someone who does.
“I haven’t had every science professor from every course,
and neither have any of the other officers,” he said. “We
try — from friends, stuff we’ve heard, and from Pick-A-Prof
— to give them a direction.”
Jones said it’s likely that any question a student might have
has already been asked and answered by someone else who would be
willing to help.
Jones said science professors differ significantly in their method
of teaching, and a bit of helpful information can go a long way
to determining which professors to take. He said students may help
themselves pass a class by choosing a professor who offers online
notes via WebCT, as Jones did.
“Case in point: I’ve been very busy this semester, and
I was able to study for the test the night before — I hadn’t
even opened the book — and get an A,” he said.
Biology senior Andy Coffey, the organization’s newsletter
editor, gave tips to students interested in research, steering them
toward classes that can boost a GPA.
“When you’re going to do research, don’t sign
up for ‘Research,’ sign up for ‘Directed Study,’
” he said. “With ‘Directed Study,’ you get
a grade. For ‘Research,’ it’s pass/fail. I learned
that the hard way.”
Jones and Coffey agreed that the hardest courses in the college
are Genetics and Biochemistry. They said an A was possible in these
classes but very difficult to get.
“If you have an A in either of those classes here, it’s
a really, really good thing,” Coffey said. “I hear that
both those classes here are renowned for being ‘Holy crap.’
”
He said some professors are unhelpful and should be avoided if at
all possible; however, he said students who might have ended up
with one of these professors shouldn’t lose hope because it
is always possible to earn an A with a little extra work.
“You basically have to put your notes and book in something
waterproof and take them with you when you take a shower in the
morning,” he said.
Coffey and Jones also fielded such topics as how to fluff your GPA.
“Just being a lab assistant is a 4300 level,” Jones
said. “It’s a walk in the park. It’s just a free
A.”
Jones said everyone in the constituency council is happy to help
students with questions about professors or class work. He said
anyone interested in the organization or looking for help with their
courses can approach those in the council.
“We pretty much try to be there and be available at any [council]
meeting,” he said. “If they want to come up to us after
the meeting, great.”
Jones said the event, and Science Week in general, is about getting
science students connected with the college and more informed about
the opportunities available to them. A lot of incoming students
have concerns, he said, and he wants to provide a place for them
to come.
“We’re just trying to help people out because people
helped me out my first semester,” Jones said.
CORRECTION
In this story, the quote by biology senior
Andy Coffey regarding the difficulty of the university’s Genetics
and Biochemistry courses as compared to others in the nation should
have stated, “I hear that both those classes are renowned
for being ‘holy crap’ hard.”
Clarification: This story should have stated
that the course Directed Study requires departmental approval.
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