Rutgers BIOL 115: General Biology I
BIOL 115 (01:119:115) is the first semester of Rutgers' general biology sequence for life-science, pharmacy, and pre-health majors, covering cell biology, biochemistry, energetics, genetics, and molecular biology. It runs with two lectures and a weekly problem-solving workshop where students work in teams.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Rutgers University. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
BIOL 115 is heavy on volume and integration: a large vocabulary of molecular and cellular processes that exams expect you to connect, not merely recall. The workshop format means falling behind on preparation shows up immediately, and the exams reward students who can reason through a process (like a metabolic pathway or genetic mechanism) rather than just name its parts.
What you'll cover
- • Cell structure and function
- • Biochemistry and macromolecules
- • Cellular energetics and metabolism
- • Cell division and the cell cycle
- • Mendelian and molecular genetics
- • Gene expression and regulation
The BIOL 115 study guide
How to study for Rutgers BIOL 115, step by step.
- 1
Prepare for every workshop
BIOL 115's team workshops assume you've done the reading and prep. Falling behind costs you in the workshop immediately and compounds into the exams, so keep the weekly prep on schedule.
- 2
Study processes, not just terms
Exams reward reasoning through a pathway or mechanism, not naming its parts. Practice explaining how a process works end to end (metabolism, the cell cycle, gene expression) in your own words.
- 3
Connect the molecular vocabulary
The term load is large, but the terms link into systems. Build concept maps that connect structures to functions and processes, rather than studying isolated definitions.
- 4
Work genetics problems by hand
Punnett squares, pedigrees, and molecular-genetics reasoning need to be performed, not recognized. Do each practice problem twice: once with notes, once without, a few days apart.
Today
Today's BIOL 115 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for BIOL 115. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is BIOL 115 hard at Rutgers?
It's demanding on volume and integration: a large vocabulary of molecular and cellular processes that exams expect you to connect rather than recall in isolation. The workshop format also punishes falling behind on prep.
How should I study for BIOL 115 exams?
Study processes end to end rather than memorizing isolated terms, build concept maps that link structures to functions, and work genetics problems by hand. Keep up with the pre-workshop reading.
Is BIOL 115 required for pre-med at Rutgers?
Yes. The BIOL 115/116 general biology sequence is the standard first-year requirement for life-science and pre-health students. Confirm against your program's requirements.
More Rutgers courses
CS 111: Introduction to Computer Science
CS 111 (01:198:111) is the first course for Rutgers CS majors and minors, taught in Java. It covers programming fundamentals (variables, loops, arrays, recursion, and basic object-oriented concepts) through autograded programming assignments and high-stakes exams.
CS 112: Data Structures
CS 112 (01:198:112) is the second core CS course at Rutgers, covering linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, hash tables, and graphs in Java, along with algorithm analysis. It's a prerequisite gate for nearly all upper-level CS courses and a key input for declaring the major.
CS 205: Introduction to Discrete Structures I
CS 205 (01:198:205) is Rutgers' discrete math course for CS majors: logic, proofs, sets, functions, relations, and combinatorics. It's the theory backbone for later courses like algorithms, and it runs alongside the programming sequence.
MATH 151: Calculus I for the Mathematical and Physical Sciences
MATH 151 (01:640:151) is the calculus course for math, physics, CS, and engineering tracks at Rutgers, covering limits, derivatives, applications, and the beginnings of integration at a more rigorous level than MATH 135. It feeds directly into MATH 152.