 Welcome to the science department at the North Carolina School of Science and Math. My name is Amy Scheck and I am the Dean of Science. Now that you are accepted to NCSSM, you are faced with a tempting chocolate box of courses where you can synthesize molecules, shine lasers, or cross fruit flies. There are many more elective choices than you can possibly sample in your two years here. That's okay. We can't teach you everything you need to know and we want you to leave here hungry for more in college. So what do you need to know right now? You will take courses in chemistry and physics and biology while you are here. I will place you into your core chemistry and physics courses where you will get a solid foundation in these subjects. After you've completed the core, you may take elective courses. Because most of you have already had high school biology, we don't require a course survey course. Rather, you may choose from a variety of specialized biology courses. Now, here's where you need to pay attention. You need to think carefully about which single science is your priority for your junior year. Why does this matter? You will likely use this to satisfy prerequisites for upper level electives and because we honor that choice. For example, if chemistry is your priority, you will take chemistry in your junior year. Your second science might be biology or it might be physics. That will be determined by availability. As a senior, you could take environmental chemistry or organic chemistry because you have met the prereq. Alternatively, you may designate biology as your junior year priority. For example, if you take molecular genetics as a junior, you have met the prereq for immunology in your senior year. If you designate physics as your junior year priority, your core physics satisfies the prereq for senior year courses such as modern physics or optics. Think about your priority science. Read the course catalog. Plan ahead for one science. Accept that you will leave NCSSM with a solid foundation in laboratory sciences, but there's no way anyone can optimize all the courses we offer. Some of you are thinking, I already had this course. Why do I need to take it again? Can I exempt it? There are two answers. First, at NCSSM, we think we offer an enriching, in-depth, hands-on experience that will be new to you. Rather than checking off the courses done, we want you to live it, be open to the course. Second, you might be able to exempt a graduation requirement. If you think you qualify for an exemption, read the course catalog carefully and follow the directions. Welcome to NCSSM. This is the experience of a lifetime. Here you will live and work together with students who care deeply about learning.