Science College Courses after a Long Break - Bad Idea?

In My Humble Opinion
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Has anyone resumed taking math or science classes after a long break? Was it extremely difficult to get back in the swing of things? Can you share your experiences with this? Did you end up really loving or hating them?

Because of work, I currently have the option to start taking classes for free. I received my BA from this university about four years ago, so technically I could complete another degree if I wished using my old core classes - I was thinking about switching it up and going for a science-based degree. My first degree was in the humanities; I’m currently working in the editing/design field. Math and science are not my strong points. I’d like to see if I could do it though and improve on that, and a lot of the interesting fields require a basis of science/math that I don’t have. (For instance, I’d love to take ecology classes, but to take the really interesting ones here you have to have a heavy background in bio/chemistry).

However, because of AP classes, I exempted out of all the calculus and science courses I needed in college. So I haven’t had a math or science class in almost 8 years. I did well in them at the time, but that was quite a while ago when I was in a constant student mindset. The last bad thing is that because of my first degree, I cannot go back and take the calculus classes because technically I already have them (even if I remember nothing.) So if I did have to complete the higher courses, I’d be thrust into a level assuming a math background that I just don’t have anymore.

Would it be dumb to expect someone like me to be able to handle these level of courses? What level of math is expected in college biology and chem classes? I am confident in my algebra abilities, but it’s been so long since I’ve studied calc. Also, when I did take advanced classes in HS to exempt out of college classes, the science part was in physics, so I don’t have an advanced chem/bio background at all.

A major con that I can think of is that since I’d be piggybacking this on my other degree, if for whatever reason I failed them miserably, if I apply for grad school in the future (a possibility but not certain), the extraneous science classes would look really bad on the transcript. Also because of only being able to take one class at a time, it’d take me almost two years to get the basics down before I could take the interesting classes. That’s not an incredibly long time, but it might be more gratifying just to take other humanity/language classes for personal enrichment. Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated!

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To my recollection, basic algebra will get you through most of it. P-Chem requires some calculus and some upper-level biology dips into statistics here and there.

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Can you audit the classes you comped out of? That would be one way to refresh your memory.

As far as gap in time between high school math and college math – I completed my last high school math class when I was 15. I didn’t go to college until I was 29 so I had a 15 year gap when I finally worked up the courage to start those math requirements. Yes it took a lot of work, and massive amounts of practice but I did just fine.

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I can’t imagine some extraneous science courses at which you failed miserably being a deal-breaker if you apply to grad school in a field in which the science courses were not terribly relevant.

Perhaps this is a failure of imagination on my part.

I also can’t imagine that you can’t go take a calculus course or two if you need one–but maybe that’s also a failure of imagination on my part. Certainly it would be worth your time to talk to someone at the college you are thinking of taking these classes at to investigate.
Hmm, oh, I just re-read the OP and realized that you got your degree only 4 years ago from the same college. They may in fact be less sympathetic under those situations than if you were more of a non-traditional student.

But science courses vary a lot–especially from department to department. In my experience, physics were the most math heavy, but if you weren’t an engineer, you might not have to take the calculus based physics. Chemistry was less math-y (though, yes, I recall P-chem) and I never took biology.

Statistics could well be useful–and would probably be available independently of calculus.

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Consider informally auditing the introductory classes (i.e. do not actually register). If they are large, just sit in the back and quietly take notes. If they are small, do the same, but introduce yourself to the professor afterwards and explain your situation. If you are not displacing a paying student, many (but not all) professors will let you sit in if you remain inconspicuous.

Best of luck in your studies. You are wise to take advantage of free education.

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Five years after graduating with a BA in creative writing, I started a postbacc premed program, in which I am taking a bunch of basic science classes -calc (not a science), chem, physics, orgo, bio- to prepare myself for the MCAT and, hopefully, medical school.

I love it.

I’m not sure why you think you can’t take calculus again, unless it’s a rule your company has, that it won’t pay for classes you’ve already taken. I took calculus in high school and in college, but it was so long ago I took it again in the post-bacc program. Especially if you took it a long time ago, it should be no problem taking it again.

And, even if you can’t take calc, entry level science classes generally don’t require it. Physics required that you at least be taking calculus at the same time, and sometimes the professor would use calculus to explain something in class, but it was stated up front that we wouldn’t be expected to do calculus on exams. General chemistry required a lot of math, but only algebra (there were points where calculus would have helped, but like physics, it was never required).

Bio needs very little math, and in the words of my orgo professor, if you know how to count to eight, you know enough math to do organic chemistry.

You say that, at only one class at a time, it would take you two years to get to the really interesting stuff - in my opinion, even the basics are interesting. Sometimes it seems kind of obtuse (I want do be a doctor, do I really need to understand Molecular Orbital Theory? According to doctor’s I’ve talked to - no.) but it’s still cool.
As a returning student, it does take a while for your brain to get back in gear - it did for me, anyway. Plus, the sciences demand that you study them every day, and what you learned today builds on what you learned last week, and will form the basis for what you learn next. For me, as a writing major, I could write a poem in the hour before class and be ok. Now, if I only studied the hour before the exam, I would be screwed.

But I am definitely a fan of the sciences, especially as a returning student.
I hope this helps!
love
yams!!

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After five years they let you reset everything and take any class, but I am impatient. I would like to take statistics also, just because even though I don’t work with it directly, my workplace does use a lot of statistics. So I think that could be interesting! And I could bother the statisticians across the hall, heh.

I will look into auditing the classes though, Contrary and Bolt the Nut, I had forgotten about that. That would probably be really helpful! Thank you for the suggestions. And I’m glad it worked out for you so well, Contrary. I guess it’ll just take a lot of hard work! And thanks for the tips on math requirements, Cosmic Relief, I appreciate it! I can definitely do algebra.

yams!!, that’s really inspiring! I hope you rock the MCAT when you take it. I definitely believe you when you say you have to study for the sciences every day, I can see how they would require so much more preparation than the written humanities. I think I can commit to that though - I don’t have kids or anything that would take away study time. Plus I’d really like to be a science nerd.

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Funny question. I have a friend who is taking some science courses in hopes of getting a teaching certificate, and she’s struggling. She has a bachelor’s degree in music that’s about 35 years old, and now finds herself taking physics, chemistry, biology and one other class I don’t remember. She just got a D on a physics test and is really having a tough time (the other classes aren’t as bad). I think I would be in the same boat.

I, too, comped out of all my math and science classes in college. So I haven’t studied chemistry, physics, or calculus since high school. I think they would kill me.

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yams!! said everything I wanted to say. I took a bunch of science pre-reqs for nursing about 6-7 years after my last college hard science/math class, and it was hard but invigorating. By the time I actually started my nursing degree, I was completely comfortable with the science stuff again. If you have the time and willingness to study hard and keep at it, you’ll be surprised at how great learning this stuff feels. O-Chem was one of the best class experiences I’ve had in my whole life, because getting into the material and really understanding it is so rewarding. But I studied for at least an hour every single day, often two or more. Start with one class at a time and go from there.

ETA: Sigmagirl–she’s been out of the sciences for decades and she’s suddenly taking three lab classes at once? Ye Gods, I’d be getting D’s too! That’s an awfully heavy courseload, even for someone who likes science. Note to anyone else: Don’t do this unless you’re absolutely sure of your science/math skills!

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I got an A.A. in “I don’t know what I want to do with my life, but probably something in the Humanities” 15 years ago, and last year went back to do the Science pre-reqs for nursing. I was NEVER as good a science/math student as a humanities one, and I’ve done just fine.

Intro to Chem requires nothing more than arithmetic and the barest smidgen of pre-algebra. (That is, you have to grok what a variable is because you have to fill in blank spaces sometimes.) I did have to learn (re-learn?) Cross Multiplying, but so did everyone else. Of course, I had a really fantastic teacher, so I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same experience I did.

We did no math at all in Intro to Biology, except to count the ATP’s at each stage of cellular respiration.

I took College Algebra, as my old credits were too old to transfer. I did pick up a copy of Forgotten Algebra first and made it about half way through before the placement test. I placed higher than College Algebra, but it was the only class I could get a seat in, and I wanted to get the credit over with. As it turned out, it was the perfect placement for me - not too easy, but not too hard, either. I ended up with an 89.6, and the arglefrastin’ teacher wouldn’t bump me up to an A (90%). Grr.

Also took Anatomy and Physiology, no problem. Am now in A&P II and Microbiology, and I’m loving both of them! They’re not super easy like English always was for me, but they’re not gradebusters, either.

According to my lab partner the Chem major, you might want to retake or review Calculus before Inorganic Chem, if you go that route, but otherwise, algebra will serve you fine.

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I did a geology degree (including the required year each of physics and chemistry, plus calculus and geophysics) 20+ years after high school. I took a placement test upon entering and needed to take a semester of beginning algebra before I could take the required College algebra, trig (pre-calc) and calculus.

Was it hard? Yes. I have never considered myself a math/physics person but I worked hard and did very well. I especially struggled with physics as I had never taken a physics class before, and I chose to take a calc-based class.

I think once you start it will come back quickly. I’m not that smart and it was fairly easy for me to learn.

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So it sounds like as long as I apply myself, I should have a fighting chance (and try not to be intimidated by all the bright 18-year-olds). That’s good to know. Just taking one class can’t hurt, I guess! If I hate it I can just… not take more.

And Boscibo, if you completed a geology degree with all those requirements, I’d say you’re pretty darn smart! But I’m glad it worked out for you.

Thank you everyone for the replies!

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I went back to school 12 years after being a high school drop out, and aced multiple calculus & linear algebra courses as well as a decent mark in discrete mathematics without difficulty as part of working on a BS in computer science. What I did is I took one course that as equal to grade 12 math before taking the university level math courses to refresh myself on the fundamentals.

Don’t worry, take a refresher & apply yourself.