Biology FAQs

As long as you complete the full three-course series of General Biology (BIO120, 121, and 122) at IHCC, those credits should transfer to any four-year college. The transfer of Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology will depend on what school you transfer to after your time at IHCC. Please make sure to contact an admissions representative at that school to find out how/if your courses will transfer.

It would be in your best interest to take General Chemistry (and Organic Chemistry if you’re at Indian Hills for the full two years) along with General Biology. Some universities (such as the University of Iowa) require all Biology majors to have completed General Chemistry before they can enroll in higher-level Biology courses. If possible, it would also be suggested to take the highest math class(es) you can while at IHCC – again, some universities may require a certain level of math before enrolling in higher courses.  It is also a good idea to take Physics.

Contact an admissions representative or academic advisor at the college/university you plan to transfer to as early as possible. For larger universities (such as Iowa and Iowa State) the Biology Department will have an advisor that works specifically for that program – this is the best person to contact since they will know their university’s policies in-depth.

Take a tour of the colleges/universities that interest you and talk to students and faculty there to see if it’s a good fit for you.

When you get on that college/university campus, find their success center or whatever tutoring service they have – even if you don’t plan to use it, know where it is.

Before you transfer to that college/university, look at what research is being done there. When you get to that campus immediately try to join a research lab – even if you are cleaning dishes and/or not getting paid for your work. Getting started in a research lab will eventually lead to setting up experiments, which might lead to helping run experiments, which might lead to helping design experiments. These research experiences will be where you get to more fully apply and improve your understanding of science.

A foundation in biology will help in ANY other life science course like A&P, General Biology, or Microbiology; however, it is currently not a prerequisite for those classes.