300 level courses...

[emilina22]

any one here finish or has taken 300 level courses...i dunno but im worried about them....are they harder or alot harder than 200....

am i being really dumb to think that theyre super hard?

 

[arunma]

I think the 300 level courses are actually easier. That's my experience in the natural sciences, anyway.

 

[ValiantForTruth]

It really depends on the class and the teacher. My freshman year I took a senor level class and it was my easiest that year. Last year I took some 300 level classes and didn't find them any harder than the 200 level classes.

 

[kittysbecute]

I've never taken a 200 or a 300 class, since I go to community college now...

 

[EbonNelumbo]

I took psychology 401 (human interaction research) which was amazing...intensive case-studies, but amazing, a biology 300 class (entomology, very good, but the professor was rather crude so I dropped, with good grades though), psychology 370 (personality, very good) psychology 381 (BEST CLASS EVER!! Abnormal psych, VERY easy), psych 340 (cognition...taught by the named hardest professor at the university...dropped it twice due to intimidation), english 485 (metaphysical poetry, very good...chaucer era mainly, intensive but fantastic), psychology 485 (behavior modification...VERY hard...but good. It was being taught as a 585 class at the same time, so it was graduate level...)

I prefer upper division because I think the professors are happier to be teachings more intellectual things, and not dealing with immaturity as much.

 

[Ellesar]

I took a 3000 level (my school has a different system) chemistry class last year and I thought that it was challenging. I'm taking another 3000 level chem class this year so I'll see how that goes.

 

[Airicon]

generally, the higher the number the harder the course, but you get smarter as you get older and have more experience, so it is doable. I'm sure you'll be fine!

 

[redheadskiangel]

I have taken some 300 level courses. They didn't seem all that much harder than any other course. I think that it depends on the teacher and the course. It's nothing to stress about.

 

[apumic]

yeah...definitely agree w/ the others here. upper division (300 and 400 level) coursework is mostly more about being more specific and focused than it is about difficulty. I wouldn't really say it's necessarily that much harder, but frankly, it depends on the class!
Some 400-level classes are killer while others are a breeze to take!

 

[emilina22]

thanks guys...your ocmments did help alot!!!

 

[aigiqinf]

Like in math... what would be a 400 course?
Pax et bonum,
James Crowe

 

[arunma]

Like in math... what would be a 400 course?
Pax et bonum,
James Crowe

Here's a list of 400 & 500 level math courses I've taken (they're basically the same thing at my school):

Complex Analysis
Differential Geometry
Biological Networks (math class on biology)
Advanced Calculus
Numerical Analysis
Linear Algebra
Algebraic Geometry
Probability and Statistics

 

[aigiqinf]

Here's a list of 400 & 500 level math courses I've taken (they're basically the same thing at my school):

Complex Analysis
Differential Geometry
Biological Networks (math class on biology)
Advanced Calculus
Numerical Analysis
Linear Algebra
Algebraic Geometry
Probability and Statistics

Well at my community college calculus (Which contains 1-3) and differential equations are 260-280 classes... no 300-400 classes offered (at least in math)

Pax et bonum,
James Crowe

 

[arunma]

Well at my community college calculus (Which contains 1-3) and differential equations are 260-280 classes... no 300-400 classes offered (at least in math)

Pax et bonum,
James Crowe

When I was a couple years older than you, I took courses at a community college as well. They also did not offer 300-400 level math classes, but only offered up to the 200 level. In advanced mathematics, differential equations and multivariable calculus are generally considered to be trivial. In fact, calculus isn't used quite as often as one would think in higher level mathematics (which isn't to say that it's not necessary). The "advanced calculus" course I mentioned covers topics in calculus that aren't covered at the 200 level.

Of course, if someone of your age were to take a 200 level calculus course, you would be quite comfortably well ahead of the pack.

 

[MrsSeptemberPenguin]

Then upper level courses do tend to be harder (but there are exceptions). The thing that makes them easier is the fact, that most of the upper level courses you take apply directly to your major. Therefore, they are something that interests you, and makes it seem easier.

 

[arunma]

Then upper level courses do tend to be harder (but there are exceptions). The thing that makes them easier is the fact, that most of the upper level courses you take apply directly to your major. Therefore, they are something that interests you, and makes it seem easier.

There's also the rather interesting phenomenon of students tending to get significantly better at things after seeing them enough times. I've noticed this as I've been studying for my PhD qualifier the past few months. The qual is essentially a test of everything I learned as an undergrad. And I've noticed that while I didn't understand many concepts when I took undergrad courses, I'm now starting to understand them extremely well.

In many of the natural sciences, you tend to learn most of what you know during your first two or three semesters, and the second two years is mostly just specialized topics. Since these last two years are essentially review, I think this may be why many people tend to do better.

 

[aigiqinf]

When I was a couple years older than you, I took courses at a community college as well. They also did not offer 300-400 level math classes, but only offered up to the 200 level. In advanced mathematics, differential equations and multivariable calculus are generally considered to be trivial. In fact, calculus isn't used quite as often as one would think in higher level mathematics (which isn't to say that it's not necessary). The "advanced calculus" course I mentioned covers topics in calculus that aren't covered at the 200 level.

Of course, if someone of your age were to take a 200 level calculus course, you would be quite comfortably well ahead of the pack.

Well we have to see if the exemption I need goes through, if not I have a lot more hoops to jump through, and I'll have to foot the bill.
Pax et bonum,
James Crowe

 

[keyz]

I took a 300 level course my freshmen year. It was thicker, but not impossible or unbearable.

 

[aigiqinf]

I took a 300 level course my freshmen year. It was thicker, but not impossible or unbearable.

Which Freshman year? lol

 

[morningstar2651]

any one here finish or has taken 300 level courses...i dunno but im worried about them....are they harder or alot harder than 200....

am i being really dumb to think that theyre super hard?

Like everyone else is saying, difficulty depends on the subject, the teacher, and the course materials. Some of the hardest classes I've taken were 4 credit classes at the 100 level.

The teacher of a 300 level course should have higher expectations from their students than in a 200 level course. Also, 100 level courses are usually more general, and the courses become more and more specific as the level increases.

I'll probably be graduating in May, and I've been taking at least one 300 level class a semester for the past year.