Doing/did okay in every class... but pretty much failed gen chem?

[DocYogar]

I have done and am doing okay/well in every single class... except general chemistry. Here are some examples of my grades:

Biology: B+
Calculus B+
Genetics: A
Microbiology: A
Organic Chemistry: B+
Physics: A-
English: A
Statistics: A
Pharmacology: A
Molecular Endocrinology: A-
etc.

The problem:
Gen Chem: D

Is this just too bad to even be considered? My GPA is okay (>3.5). I took Bio, Calc, and Gen Chem as a freshman and they are understandably all lower than the rest of my grades, but gen chem is a major outlier. It's really frustrating that medical schools don't know who your professors are. My gen chem professor was known as one of the toughest chem professors in the whole university. Even he (the professor) acknowledges it. He admitted that he was disciplined early in his career for being too tough on students.

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[DermViser]

Is General Chemistry really that difficult? Don't most teachers go by the book?

 

[giraffesuptop]

Pretty certain a D is not acceptable for a prereq grade. You need to retake and get at least a C. Your gpa is still >3.5 so you're good for now

 

[Osteoth]

Retake and be ready to explain why you failed that course.

 

[efle]

Another retake vote here. Life is unfair, you can get the world's worst professor who fails everybody for fun, but med schools will still expect to see you replace that with a better grade and explain why the first time around was not successful (and don't blame the prof; better to say it was too early in your college career and you were still learning how to study for STEM or some such).

 

[rachel993]

how did you do on the physical sciences section of the MCAT?

 

[DocYogar]

how did you do on the physical sciences section of the MCAT?

Haven't taken the real thing yet, but got 12 on the practice. I will be taking the 2015 test eventually.

 

[DocYogar]

Is General Chemistry really that difficult? Don't most teachers go by the book?

The problem is when they don't go by the book, only explain things once, and then if you ask for help tell you that "you should have studied more".

 

[DermViser]

The problem is when they don't go by the book, only explain things once, and then if you ask for help tell you that "you should have studied more".

Yes, which is when you start using other resources like Youtube, the rest of the Internet, Solutions manuals, etc. when the teacher won't spoon feed you.

 

[efle]

Yes, which is when you start using other resources like Youtube, the rest of the Internet, Solutions manuals, etc. when the teacher won't spoon feed you.

Just want to add the TAs and fellow students to this list - I've repeatedly had better experiences at TA office hours / study groups than at professor office hours.

 

[DermViser]

Just want to add the TAs and fellow students to this list - I've repeatedly had better experiences at TA office hours / study groups than at professor office hours.

Yes forgot that too as well. TAs, study groups, formal tutoring session for the course run by the university. There are many resources to succeed. Students need to get used that. Your professor won't always spoonfeed you the information. You have to know and be willing to go for help, preferably before you are failing.

 

[DocYogar]

Do medical schools average the two grades (the retake and the original)? What happens if your semester 2 grade was higher than your semester 1 grade?

 

[efle]

DO application does grade replacement (only shows the second grade), MD application does grade averaging. So, even if you pull off an A, you'll end up averaging out to a 2.5 GPA between them. Luckily your GPA isn't too dragged down by that.

They like to see upwards trends - getting a better grade second semester won't totally absolve you, but doing well in a few higher level chem/biochem classes will help assure them it was a one time fluke.

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Yes, which is when you start using other resources like Youtube, the rest of the Internet, Solutions manuals, etc. when the teacher won't spoon feed you.

Why pay professors to teach if they are unwilling to help you out at all? I don't see the reason for professors if all they do is tell you to go read the textbook....

 

[DermViser]

Why pay professors to teach if they are unwilling to help you out at all? I don't see the reason for professors if all they do is tell you to go read the textbook....

Professors aren't paid to teach. They're paid to do research and bring in grants to the university in their research area. Teaching General Chem I the most basic of courses is a waste of their intelligence.

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Yes, which is when you start using other resources like Youtube, the rest of the Internet, Solutions manuals, etc. when the teacher won't spoon feed you.

And it's not really "spoonfeeding" unless he is asking for direct answers. If he wants the professor to explain a concept, well, that's what he should be paid to do.

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Professors aren't paid to teach. They're paid to do research and bring in grants to the university in their research area.

I don't understand that. Why do professors teach then?

 

[DermViser]

And it's not really "spoonfeeding" unless he is asking for direct answers. If he wants the professor to explain a concept, well, that's what he should be paid to do.

Except he's not.

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Except he's not.

Why? lol

 

[DermViser]

I don't understand that. Why do professors teach then?

Again the deal is they do research and bring in grant money to go up the research tenure ladder. Teaching is a side responsibility and more as course director.

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Except he's not.

Why are universities not divided so that professors can keep to themselves in their labs, investigating issues and pursuing research, while graduate TAs actually do the teaching?

 

[Tawantinsuyu]

Why are universities not divided so that professors can keep to themselves in their labs, investigating issues and pursuing research, while graduate TAs actually do the teaching?

Actually I guess that's what it really is haha

 

[Boolean]

Why are universities not divided so that professors can keep to themselves in their labs, investigating issues and pursuing research, while graduate TAs actually do the teaching?

At many universities this does happen.

 

[What's Up Doc]

Professors aren't paid to teach. They're paid to do research and bring in grants to the university in their research area. Teaching General Chem I the most basic of courses is a waste of their intelligence.

That's a pretty big generalization. Very few of my professors (if any, actually) do anything but teach. Obviously research is their main job at bigger universities (I go to a pretty small school), but there are a lot of schools where that's not their main focus, so unless you know where OP goes to school, there's a good chance that his teachers are paid to teach.

 

[DermViser]

That's a pretty big generalization. Very few of my professors (if any, actually) do anything but teach. Obviously research is their main job at bigger universities (I go to a pretty small school), but there are a lot of schools where that's not their main focus, so unless you know where OP goes to school, there's a good chance that his teachers are paid to teach.

I'm referring to large, high ranked (top 100) national universities, specifically professors in the sciences.

 

[tantacles]

Professors aren't paid to teach. They're paid to do research and bring in grants to the university in their research area. Teaching General Chem I the most basic of courses is a waste of their intelligence.

To be fair, they are paid to teach. They often receive what is called "soft money" to teach. Hard money comes from grants. Granted, the soft money is often a lot less than the professors make from the hard money, but they are still paid specifically for this responsibility.

 

[DermViser]

To be fair, they are paid to teach. They often receive what is called "soft money" to teach. Hard money comes from grants. Granted, the soft money is often a lot less than the professors make from the hard money, but they are still paid specifically for this responsibility.

Ok, I'll be more specific. Their ability to move up the academic tenure ladder to full professor relies much more on bringing in grants, writing and getting publications accepted, etc. vs. actual teaching.

 

[tantacles]

Ok, I'll be more specific. Their ability to move up the academic tenure ladder to full professor relies much more on bringing in grants, writing and getting publications accepted, etc. vs. actual teaching.

Accurate statement.

 

[DermViser]

And it's not really "spoonfeeding" unless he is asking for direct answers. If he wants the professor to explain a concept, well, that's what he should be paid to do.

No. That's not only what spoonfeeding is - it's not just directly giving answers. It means telling you everything you need to know without you having to go thru other resources.

 

[DocYogar]

College is a service. I have purchased the ability to learn and have access to resources to help me succeed. I think I made the mistake of calling him a "professor". His title is actually "lecturer" and he doesn't do any research anymore. All he does is teaches.

 

[kesdjmarouse]

Pretty certain a D is not acceptable for a prereq grade