General Chemistry makes me feel like a certifiable idiot. Should I find another career plan?

[EngtoMedHopeful]

I have never entertained the thought of me being a stupid person until I began this general chemistry course, and the reality that it can only get more challenging from here is beginning to terrify me and turn me into an anxious wreck. My undergraduate GPA was a 3.92, but I was an English major and didn't take much science or math. I didn't think it would be virtually impossible for me to grasp science and math concepts, though. I've always had a lot of confidence in my ability to figure things out (especially things that your average 18 year old can figure out) until now.

I'm not sure if it's that I lack the proper foundation or that I'm just really not as smart as I once thought I was, but there is something about chemistry that I just cannot wrap my head around no matter how much time I spend with my notes and the textbook. I see a reaction formula, and my brain proceeds to basically shut down. I see terms like "acid" or "metal hydroxide," and I panic and just start writing down random element symbols and numbers and hoping for the best. I can't seem to get the terminology, nor the overall picture in terms of what the electrons are doing, sorted out in my head.

The weird thing is that I'm making an A in the class. This is more a function of my ability to figure out how to crack the professor's exams than it is an indicator of my actual understanding of the subject, though. I seem to be pretty good at selecting the right answer even if I don't fully understand the question. As for Mastering Chemistry homework, I've Googled a lot of answers. In lab, my partner is a chemistry buff who took AP in high school and allows me to copy his answers when I have no clue what in the world is going on. Otherwise, I probably would have failed most of my labs.

I'm concerned that, although I may come out in the end with an A, general chemistry is just going to continue to haunt me in the future, both in terms of how I'll perform in gen chem II and in terms of the MCAT.

Should I figure out something to do with myself? I feel like there's no way I can continue to delude myself that I'm fit to be a doctor when the world is full of people who major in chemistry, not to mention things like astrophysics and neuroscience, and meanwhile here I am struggling to comprehend watered down chemistry.

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[Being]

The more time you spend doing something, the better you get at doing that thing. You spent the last X years developing reading/writing skills. This helps you pick out the right answer based on subtle clues in the question (extremely valuable skill, by the way...), but doesn't help you grasp science/math concepts. You should expect it to be difficult at first as this is a pretty big shift in what you're asking your brain to do. The more time you spend trying to puzzle through this stuff, the better you'll get. Studies have shown that raw intelligence doesn't matter as much as people think, and the people who are good at a given thing have just spent a lot more time thinking about and doing things that require similar cognitive mechanics.

I believe in the saying "don't let school get in the way of your education." As such I think Googling and copying answers is fine, but make sure you reverse engineer the problem afterwards and figure out what you were supposed to have done. Then do a similar problem on your own and see if you can solve that. Don't just copy an answer and move on without understanding the concept - that will leave you up a creek when it comes to tests, future classes and the MCAT. If you have enough time, it would be better if you could ask your lab partner for a hint about how to approach a given problem, rather than just cutting straight to the answer. You have to figure it out for yourself anyways sooner or later.

I think seeing a tutor will be money well-spent for you. Also try Khan academy, etc, for basic overview of things. Having a good general picture of what's going on will help.

 

[Major]

OP

I can totally empathize with you on this.


I took Gen Chem. II during the summer, bombed the first exam and I remember calling my parents and saying "I'm not smart enough to become a doctor".


My father told me to basically quit having such a defeatist attitude. My mother suggested I get a tutor.


I got a Tutor, who explained things in a way that made everything totally clicked and eventually I started tutoring classmates in the evening study groups!

And I got the A!

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

I have never entertained the thought of me being a stupid person until I began this general chemistry course, and the reality that it can only get more challenging from here is beginning to terrify me and turn me into an anxious wreck. My undergraduate GPA was a 3.92, but I was an English major and didn't take much science or math. I didn't think it would be virtually impossible for me to grasp science and math concepts, though. I've always had a lot of confidence in my ability to figure things out (especially things that your average 18 year old can figure out) until now.

I'm not sure if it's that I lack the proper foundation or that I'm just really not as smart as I once thought I was, but there is something about chemistry that I just cannot wrap my head around no matter how much time I spend with my notes and the textbook. I see a reaction formula, and my brain proceeds to basically shut down. I see terms like "acid" or "metal hydroxide," and I panic and just start writing down random element symbols and numbers and hoping for the best. I can't seem to get the terminology, nor the overall picture in terms of what the electrons are doing, sorted out in my head.

The weird thing is that I'm making an A in the class. This is more a function of my ability to figure out how to crack the professor's exams than it is an indicator of my actual understanding of the subject, though. I seem to be pretty good at selecting the right answer even if I don't fully understand the question. As for Mastering Chemistry homework, I've Googled a lot of answers. In lab, my partner is a chemistry buff who took AP in high school and allows me to copy his answers when I have no clue what in the world is going on. Otherwise, I probably would have failed most of my labs.

I'm concerned that, although I may come out in the end with an A, general chemistry is just going to continue to haunt me in the future, both in terms of how I'll perform in gen chem II and in terms of the MCAT.

Should I figure out something to do with myself? I feel like there's no way I can continue to delude myself that I'm fit to be a doctor when the world is full of people who major in chemistry, not to mention things like astrophysics and neuroscience, and meanwhile here I am struggling to comprehend watered down chemistry.

You need to find a good tutor who can explain the material to you. Bring your most terrifying problem, explain why you're freaking out, and see if they can help you. I had many students like you when I was tutoring, especially in physics. A good tutor will diagnose your problem and teach you the material in a way that is non-intimidating and instructive.

Sometimes ph.D. candidates are the best tutors because they are still students but have mastered the basics.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Oh the memories. I got destroyed on gen chem and somehow I made a B. Everything else, including organic and physics, were a breeze in comparison. Don't give up.

 

[Mad Jack]

When I first took physics and chem, I had no idea what I was in for. Both courses were incredibly difficult for me, as I dropped out of high school before taking any sciences and completed algebra with a D. I was simply unprepared. As time went on and I took more courses in the sciences, I developed competence. Now it's all second nature to me.

Don't be upset that it isn't coming naturally- you are training your brain to work in a while new way and it will take time. Don't get upset that you can't run when you're still learning to walk. It's a process, and you'll get there eventually.

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

The thing I don't get is, yeah I spent my undergrad years doing a ton of reading and writing, but it's not like the freshmen in Gen Chem I have spent their past few years practicing chemistry themselves. Some of them may have, but most of them likely haven't. So it still seems to me as though I'm just dumb if everyone else seems to have no problem understanding the material.

I think I just completely bombed the exam we took today. I legitimately would be taken off guard if I scored above a 60. I studied for it for like 10 hours yesterday, too, in addition to studying several days beforehand. It's annoying because there were problem types on this exam that the professor never taught us to do in class, whereas his last two exams consisted only of problems we had seen examples of. In fact, a girl asked if we could do an example of one of the types of equations one class period, and he hesitantly said, "Yeah....I guess we can..." and then changed the subject.

I will have to go to the professor's office and ask him if we have any free tutoring services on campus since I don't have the funds to hire a tutor.

I do think part of my issue is that the information isn't being presented to me in a way that resonates with me. I downloaded a copy of Chemistry for Dummies and used it to teach myself the quantum model of the atom since the book was confusing me greater. Unfortunately, a lot of the material we cover in class isn't in Chemistry for Dummies.

 

[rangoon1984]

OP,

First off, there are other people struggling. For sure. Don't feel like you're the only one beating your head against a wall.

Secondly, my background is also very un-sciencey, and it took me a good 6 months to get into the swing of things. I've failed tests, gotten discouraged, doubted my intelligence to be a doctor, etc.

Thing is, the more you do this, and the more you practice, the easier it will get. Even if you don't completely understand what's going on (for me, this is often the case in physics), you learn to fake it til you make it. I had to revamp how I studied the material. I couldn't just read the book and make sense of it all - I had to make my OWN connections so I could develop a deeper understanding of the material. I can't just do the assigned homework problems, I need to do all the problems in the textbook.

If you keep working at it you will get there, you just have to be willing to stumble a bit first.

 

[Tommyguns89]

lol I had to struggle to get a B in CHE 1. Im taking CHE 2 now with a professor who is considered hard and I am killing it. Chemistry is something that takes a lot of practice. Eventually things becomes clearer and more intuitive as you go on even if the material gets harder. You have to keep in mind that most of your peers in that class are right out of high school and have recently taken relevant courses.

 

[Tommyguns89]

The thing I don't get is, yeah I spent my undergrad years doing a ton of reading and writing, but it's not like the freshmen in Gen Chem I have spent their past few years practicing chemistry themselves. Some of them may have, but most of them likely haven't. So it still seems to me as though I'm just dumb if everyone else seems to have no problem understanding the material.

I think I just completely bombed the exam we took today. I legitimately would be taken off guard if I scored above a 60. I studied for it for like 10 hours yesterday, too, in addition to studying several days beforehand. It's annoying because there were problem types on this exam that the professor never taught us to do in class, whereas his last two exams consisted only of problems we had seen examples of. In fact, a girl asked if we could do an example of one of the types of equations one class period, and he hesitantly said, "Yeah....I guess we can..." and then changed the subject.

I will have to go to the professor's office and ask him if we have any free tutoring services on campus since I don't have the funds to hire a tutor.

I do think part of my issue is that the information isn't being presented to me in a way that resonates with me. I downloaded a copy of Chemistry for Dummies and used it to teach myself the quantum model of the atom since the book was confusing me greater. Unfortunately, a lot of the material we cover in class isn't in Chemistry for Dummies.

Your professor is likely asking questions that test the same concepts,the info is just presented in a different type of problem. The chemistry department at my school loves doing that. You just have to understand the concept and then devise a plan of attack. Try to find a resource online, I found one linked to the book used in my class and it really helps in solidifying the underlying concepts.

 

[mavric1298]

A lot of it is understanding the ways we represent everything with models that are dependent on something deeper, but we've come up with a generalization that is easier to understand until you are ready to progress further. For example, you don't need to know the derivation of the schrodinger equation or that it only applies to single electron model models and we make approximations instead for multi electron systems, or the duality/wave function of electrons, when your dealing with basic chem, instead you can use the typical particle flying around a nucleus. Then as you progress you will need to turn that model into a more accurate electron probability cloud, etc. You really need to work on the foundations so as you work thru you can build and refine you understanding of each thing. Working on the periodic table, electrons, neutrons, protons, what the numbers mean is a good start, and you'll really need to understand it to move forward. It may take some time, but once things start to click, everything becomes easier (giant asterisks here)

 

[Being]

The thing I don't get is, yeah I spent my undergrad years doing a ton of reading and writing, but it's not like the freshmen in Gen Chem I have spent their past few years practicing chemistry themselves. Some of them may have, but most of them likely haven't. So it still seems to me as though I'm just dumb if everyone else seems to have no problem understanding the material.

So the key point I was trying to make but did a poor job of making is this: "people who are good at a given thing have just spent a lot more time thinking about and doing things that require similar cognitive mechanics."

Yes, these people are starting at square 1 with chemistry, just like you. However, in their lives, they have probably exercised a certain part of their brain more. For example, maybe as a kid you enjoyed reading while they preferred building things with legos. Throughout their lives, they may have enjoyed activities that require problem solving, quantitative reasoning, etc, while maybe you preferred exploring the human condition, emotions, psychology, etc.

Every waking moment, what you choose to do and think about matters. Your brain is constantly rewiring itself (a convenient feature known as neuroplasticity) to better suit the challenges you present to it. If your hobbies are playing chess and working on cars, a lot of the skills necessary for those activities are going to carry over and be useful in other aspects of your life without you even realizing it.

I hope you see my point. People doing well in your class may not have done more chemistry than you have, but over the course of their lives they have probably spent more time doing things that value the same underlying cognitive skills that chemistry values.

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

OP,

First off, there are other people struggling. For sure. Don't feel like you're the only one beating your head against a wall.

Secondly, my background is also very un-sciencey, and it took me a good 6 months to get into the swing of things. I've failed tests, gotten discouraged, doubted my intelligence to be a doctor, etc.

Thing is, the more you do this, and the more you practice, the easier it will get. Even if you don't completely understand what's going on (for me, this is often the case in physics), you learn to fake it til you make it. I had to revamp how I studied the material. I couldn't just read the book and make sense of it all - I had to make my OWN connections so I could develop a deeper understanding of the material. I can't just do the assigned homework problems, I need to do all the problems in the textbook.

If you keep working at it you will get there, you just have to be willing to stumble a bit first.

Ding ding ding! I took chem 1 twice and chem 2 three (yes, THREE, although the second time was not necessary - just wanted to take it with physics during my post-bacc) before finally "getting" it. That's some serious stumbling!

But no, you're not stupid if you've otherwise been able to easily grasp other subjects, and you feel totally lost when you get to chem. If you're more "right-brained," that might have something to do with your mental block. I'm extremely visual-spatial and creative, so physics came so much more easily to me. You can't see the moving parts of the problem with chemistry. It follows a set of seemingly arbitrary rules invisible to the eye, with no "real world" models to help you visualize a pathway to the solution. Furthermore, chem requires much more rote memorization than physics. If you don't have a solid grasp on the terminology, you can't even begin to understand the principles! Go back and memorize your nomenclature rules, the charges on ions, the periodic table groups and their general behavior, periodic trends, units and unit conversions, and those solubility formulas into your head if you haven't done so already. Do it now!!

You just have to figure out how to study in a way that jives with your learning style. For me, understanding the theoretical basis of the chemical principles was key. I created color coded illustrations (here and here and here are examples of my notes) for every concept we covered - a totally new way of learning for me! After you understand the principle, you must practice. And practice, and practice more. It will be annoying, and you'll hate it. I buckled down and completed so many problems sets that I finally began to see the "trends" in problem solving. If I could go back and do chem over, I would watch Chad's videos to get the overarching idea for each concept before reading the chapter. When I took chem, I found this book to be extremely helpful.

Good luck! Everyone feels like a freshman when they get to chem. You got this!

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

Okay, I get what you're saying Being. Thank you for clarifying.

The questions the professor asked without teaching them weren't him asking us to do things we had learned in different ways. They involved using these two formulas that he had introduced briefly without explaining how to go about using them. Our book didn't even explain how to use the formulas; it just stated that they existed without providing any examples. I tried finding an explanation of how to use them on my own while I was studying, but I just kept pulling up physics websites that were over my head, so I eventually gave up.

One issue I have, and this has always been the case as far back as I can remember, is that I think I pretty much completely lack spatial skills. I'm good with words and numbers for the most part, but when diagrams, charts, etc. come into play, my brain shuts down. I hated geometry in high school for the same reason and have issues with things like parking a car because I think I'm just terrible with spatial tasks. Unfortunately, it seems like mastering chemistry requires the ability to visualize structures spatially. I wonder if I could get my spatial skills tested or something because I legitimately think I have issues with them. I guess it wouldn't be of much use in the end, though. Probably not much I could do if the test did show a weakness.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

Okay, I get what you're saying Being. Thank you for clarifying.

The questions the professor asked without teaching them weren't him asking us to do things we had learned in different ways. They involved using these two formulas that he had introduced briefly without explaining how to go about using them. Our book didn't even explain how to use the formulas; it just stated that they existed without providing any examples. I tried finding an explanation of how to use them on my own while I was studying, but I just kept pulling up physics websites that were over my head, so I eventually gave up.

One issue I have, and this has always been the case as far back as I can remember, is that I think I pretty much completely lack spatial skills. I'm good with words and numbers for the most part, but when diagrams, charts, etc. come into play, my brain shuts down. I hated geometry in high school for the same reason and have issues with things like parking a car because I think I'm just terrible with spatial tasks. Unfortunately, it seems like mastering chemistry requires the ability to visualize structures spatially. I wonder if I could get my spatial skills tested or something because I legitimately think I have issues with them. I guess it wouldn't be of much use in the end, though. Probably not much I could do if the test did show a weakness.

I did a spatial visualization test online just recently. There are many on google for free.

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

I did a spatial visualization test online just recently. There are many on google for free.

Thank you. I'm going to see what I can find. Probably not the best time since I just took melatonin to help me sleep, but it'll be interesting if nothing else.

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

As I said. I simply don't understand how people are able to visualize structures and flip them around in their heads. I just can't. When people try to explain more spatial concepts to me, I usually wind up nodding along because my brain won't work that way, which is why I'm not sure a tutor would be of any use. Going to see if I can find any other tests.

http://i58.tinypic.com/1191qf5.jpg

 

[misseskwee]

Khanacademy basically saved my life in OChem, just sayin.

Also, as a chem tutor, I help people all the time who tell me the same exact thing, OP. You are not alone! I try to explain concepts to them by comparing them to real life examples that everyone can relate to, and it seems like it works on most of my students. I've seen the worst student with horrifying study habits as well change into motivated students, who try their best working out problems every single day, and end up with an A! Maybe ask help from a tutor or friend in the class!

BTW I felt the same exact thing when I took Physics and Calc. Felt like an idiot with a 48 and 49% on the first exams. Tried my hardest, stayed in school until the library closed almost every night to do problem after problem in the books with a solutions manual on hand. Seeked my professor's help and redeemed myself, basically. Ended up with As in Physics and an A- in calc. But ask me anything about those two classes, forget about it. I hated Physics, still do, and always will. Never clicked and even after MCAT studying [PS was my worst section even tho I was great in GChem areas ]. But my hard work and perseverance actually paid off!!! Don't give up!

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

As I said. I simply don't understand how people are able to visualize structures and flip them around in their heads. I just can't. When people try to explain more spatial concepts to me, I usually wind up nodding along because my brain won't work that way, which is why I'm not sure a tutor would be of any use. Going to see if I can find any other tests.

http://i58.tinypic.com/1191qf5.jpg

Don't be so hard on yourself. My greatest strength on the IQ test was block design (my mom was a school psychologist who tested out her IQ tests on me, haha), and I scored a 60 something percent. That test is ridiculously challenging!

For gen chem, you can definitely do well if you're not big on manipulating mental models! Physics and OChem might be more challenging, but you can definitely get through Gen Chem by memorizing the rules and understanding the logic behind the problems. Step A happens, Step B happens, then Step C happens, etc. Check out Chad's videos. His offers a lot of hints for solving problems that you might not find elsewhere. He also offers quizzes to help cement the concepts in your mind.

If you're looking for free help, Isaac at Isaacsteach explains concepts in an extremely clear and concise fashion. Watched quite a few of his videos for MCAT review.

 

[QofQuimica]

What are your algebra skills like? Gen chem is basically a glorified applied algebra class. You need to be comfortable with manipulating equations and solving for variables. The gen chem students of mine who struggled the most tended to have the weakest math skills. If your algebra isn't up to snuff, best to review it before going on to the second gen chem semester.

As far as the spatial skills part is concerned, that is a lot more relevant for organic chem than it is for gen chem. I strongly, strongly urge organic students to invest in a model kit. It's really hard for most people to understand stereochemistry without one.

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

What are your algebra skills like? Gen chem is basically a glorified applied algebra class. You need to be comfortable with manipulating equations and solving for variables. The gen chem students of mine who struggled the most tended to have the weakest math skills. If your algebra isn't up to snuff, best to review it before going on to the second gen chem semester.

As far as the spatial skills part is concerned, that is a lot more relevant for organic chem than it is for gen chem. I strongly, strongly urge organic students to invest in a model kit. It's really hard for most people to understand stereochemistry without one.

I have always performed wonderfully in algebra. Classes above algebra tended to be trickier for me, mostly because of the spatial skills thing. Before I moved on from algebra to geometry in high school, math was my favorite subject, though. I took honors algebra in high school and had over a 100 average. College algebra and statistics were jokes to me. Easiest A's I earned in undergrad.

I opened up the Isaacs TEACH YouTube channel in another tab. I have to head to chemistry lab now, but when I get home from class, I'm going to go through all of the videos starting from the very beginning. Hopefully it'll give me the foundation I need to understand concepts more clearly for the rest of the class and gen chem II! Right now, I feel like I'm missing a lot of pieces to the puzzle.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

As I said. I simply don't understand how people are able to visualize structures and flip them around in their heads. I just can't. When people try to explain more spatial concepts to me, I usually wind up nodding along because my brain won't work that way, which is why I'm not sure a tutor would be of any use. Going to see if I can find any other tests.

http://i58.tinypic.com/1191qf5.jpg

I hear what you're saying but I wouldn't get to hung on this in Gen chem, it's not necessary to do well.
When you get to OChem, it could be a problem but nothing a little ball-stick model kit can't take care of.

This shouldn't really hinder you, don't worry to much about it right now.
My guess is that your test score above is roughly average, that's good enough.

 

[Elizabeth89]

.

 

[LupaCupcake]

OMG you used google to find answers!!! No one here has ever heard of such a thing...*cough*

I had a professor tell me once that it is okay to use google to ensure your answers are correct as long as you understand why that is the answer and you can break it down once you have the answer. The internet is your personal study buddy if used correctly!

Just keep with it, you are doing well, you will be okay. It may benefit you to google "coping skills for anxiety". See, google offers you everything you need hehe

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

OMG you used google to find answers!!! No one here has ever heard of such a thing...*cough*

I had a professor tell me once that it is okay to use google to ensure your answers are correct as long as you understand why that is the answer and you can break it down once you have the answer. The internet is your personal study buddy if used correctly!

Just keep with it, you are doing well, you will be okay. It may benefit you to google "coping skills for anxiety". See, google offers you everything you need hehe

Pretty sure the traffic at yahoo answers spiked every time the MasteringChem hw was due. I dunno how upcoming generations are gonna learning anything with the wealth of solutions posted online these days, LOL.

 

[Rocketdog]

OMG...I'm not the only one on the planet who had the same problem in CHEM I >>>>>>> what a relief! You questioned your intellectual and intelligence capabilities, started to question your decision to become a Doctor? I'M sure I was the only one in the US with this problem. Isn't it nice to be surrounded by intelligent people who had many of the same problems who are interested in the same profession?

Throughout the journey remember this:

1. You aren't alone.....ever!
2. See number one.

Quitting is the only failure option. Since failure isn't an option, guess your'e stuck with us!!!!!

 

[mavric1298]

Anyone else been blessed with having to use ALEKS? The. Worst.

Gen chem doesn't really need spatial awareness, more just an understanding of what's going on. If you have an specific questions DM me and I can help. I find its more about finding and explanation that works for you. There are analogies to be made with each topic, and it's about working on finding one that works for you. Some need to visualize what's going on in their head, others want to see the patterns that the ideas explain, etc.

 

[Tommyguns89]

Anyone else been blessed with having to use ALEKS? The. Worst.

Gen chem doesn't really need spatial awareness, more just an understanding of what's going on. If you have an specific questions DM me and I can help. I find its more about finding and explanation that works for you. There are analogies to be made with each topic, and it's about working on finding one that works for you. Some need to visualize what's going on in their head, others want to see the patterns that the ideas explain, etc.

All of my mandatory chem HW is through ALEKS. It is a blessing and a curse. I often have to repeat topics that I know cold because of something stupid(using a molar mass for a calculation that was off by .1 grams). And when that happens on the assessment(which my professor gives a ton of) its the worst because you have to repeat all topics for which that topic is a prereq, even if you get those topics right on the assessment. It is maddening. But it also gives pretty good explanations when I'm lost.

 

[Tripower427]

I studied business during my first time through undergrad, now doing gpa repair and taking science preqs. My first semester back I felt the same way! I struggled through gen chem 1, but I studied all the time and stuck with it. I eventually started to see a better understanding, but it's not easy. Now I'm in gen chem 2 and got 104 on the first exam and 100's on all my quizzes so far... far cry from the 55 I got on my first gen chem 1 test! I'm a visual learner and not good at imagining processes in my head so I have to draw everything out. If you are having trouble with basic concepts Tyler Dewitt has some lectures that were helpful for gen chem 1... along with khan academy.

 

[EngtoMedHopeful]

Haha, fair enough on the Googling thing, but the thing is that I usually don't go back through and try to re-work the problem once I know the answer. I obviously should, but I'm usually so frustrated by that point and feel like I'll never have time for any of my other classes if I spend anymore time on chemistry.

I made an 83 on the test I was super concerned about. I'm somewhere between elated that I didn't fail and angry at myself because, "OMG. I'm a premed student. I CANNOT make B-'s on tests!!" It sounds like it was one of the highest grades in the class, though. My lab partner--the one who seems to know everything and anything about chemistry--accused me of cheating on the test because he made a 65. I guess the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

 

[heartsink]

If you can take the time to find practice problems you can't solve (that have the answer somewhere in the book) working through them while knowing what you should arrive at will give you the best insight into how to deal with a lot of this.

This reverse engineering type learning is how I got through a lot of physics and now I'm in chem 1 doing the same thing. I have a B.A. background as well so I know it's a different beast than we're used to.

 

[Dare2Dream]

If you ever find any concept confusing or just need a concise explanation, then make sure to check out khanacademy.com

It will cut through the confusion and make every concept easy to understand. In fact, it can really help watching the 5-10 minutes video on a concept before the instructor introduces it in class.

 

[QuentinT88]

I'm going to agree with everyone else. Chem is all about working problems. The more you practice, the higher score you'll get. If you do that you will be getting As in no time. But also make sure your getting the concepts

 

[68PGunner]

I'm going to agree with everyone else. Chem is all about working problems. The more you practice, the higher score you'll get. If you do that you will be getting As in no time. But also make sure your getting the concepts

It's the same thing for Organic Chemistry also once you get past the intimidation factor. It's all about moving the electrons.

 

[QofQuimica]

I'm going to agree with everyone else. Chem is all about working problems. The more you practice, the higher score you'll get. If you do that you will be getting As in no time. But also make sure your getting the concepts

It's the same thing for Organic Chemistry also once you get past the intimidation factor. It's all about moving the electrons.

Agree with both of these, with the added caveat that developing some retrosynthesis skills is necessary to do well in Organic II. You just can't memorize every possible synthesis out there.

 

[edgerock24]

What specifically do you find confusing in gen chem1?

 

[Pietrantonio]

You just have to grind through it the best you can. My chemistry department is not in sync with Lab and problem solving sessions. It's a lot of self study and hours of working problems. You can never do ENOUGH problems. As others have suggested, check out videos online, search Amazon for practice problem books, etc....but in the end, it just comes down to how bad you want it. Best of luck.

 

[EMDO2018]

I have never entertained the thought of me being a stupid person until I began this general chemistry course, and the reality that it can only get more challenging from here is beginning to terrify me and turn me into an anxious wreck. My undergraduate GPA was a 3.92, but I was an English major and didn't take much science or math. I didn't think it would be virtually impossible for me to grasp science and math concepts, though. I've always had a lot of confidence in my ability to figure things out (especially things that your average 18 year old can figure out) until now.

I'm not sure if it's that I lack the proper foundation or that I'm just really not as smart as I once thought I was, but there is something about chemistry that I just cannot wrap my head around no matter how much time I spend with my notes and the textbook. I see a reaction formula, and my brain proceeds to basically shut down. I see terms like "acid" or "metal hydroxide," and I panic and just start writing down random element symbols and numbers and hoping for the best. I can't seem to get the terminology, nor the overall picture in terms of what the electrons are doing, sorted out in my head.

The weird thing is that I'm making an A in the class. This is more a function of my ability to figure out how to crack the professor's exams than it is an indicator of my actual understanding of the subject, though. I seem to be pretty good at selecting the right answer even if I don't fully understand the question. As for Mastering Chemistry homework, I've Googled a lot of answers. In lab, my partner is a chemistry buff who took AP in high school and allows me to copy his answers when I have no clue what in the world is going on. Otherwise, I probably would have failed most of my labs.

I'm concerned that, although I may come out in the end with an A, general chemistry is just going to continue to haunt me in the future, both in terms of how I'll perform in gen chem II and in terms of the MCAT.

Should I figure out something to do with myself? I feel like there's no way I can continue to delude myself that I'm fit to be a doctor when the world is full of people who major in chemistry, not to mention things like astrophysics and neuroscience, and meanwhile here I am struggling to comprehend watered down chemistry.

Why are you making multiple accounts? You're obviously Elizabethx89. You make a thread every week about doubting your ability to do medicine. People have told you that you are great, and smart, which you are , but you still make threads like this.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

"The weird thing is that I'm making an A in the class. This is more a function of my ability to fi out how to crack the professor's exams than it is an indicator of my actual understanding of the subject, though"

If you are doing this, and Getting A's, you probably have a better grasp on the material than you think. Cracking the professors exam is like thinking like the professor (if that makes sense). The deep understanding of science concepts is developed over your academic career. I didn't really "understand" some of the most basic science concepts until I was able to apply them later on

 

[steezmonster]

I took general chem in high school, bombed it in my first year at university, took it again and beasted it. Have aced every sci class since then. I can not emphasize enough how much I relied on online videos to get through my first two year courses. Khan Academy, Freelance Teach and Chad's Review are all superb resources. Khan is great for chem and bio, Freelance Teach is the absolute best for physics and ochem and Chad is great at everything. Do not give up.

Another thing I suggest is truly FALL IN LOVE with science. During my last time retaking gen chem I fell madly in love with science. There was a point at which the coursework of biology and chemistry really connected. I couldn't stop learning from then on. I stopped looking at my coursework as courses and discrete subjects and started viewing everything thrown my way in every science class and beyond as NATURE. There was a deep connection to everything around me and science became my passion.

Final suggestion is to use a voice recorder to record lectures so you can review them at a later time. You will be surprised at how much you miss!! Science majors are far more rigorous then the English major but I'm 100% sure that the neurons in your brain are capable of firing in the right way to learn, understand and love this stuff. Get passionate! Go all out! Enjoy it!

This may be the most scatterbrained body of text I have ever produced.

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

I took general chem in high school, bombed it in my first year at university, took it again and beasted it. Have aced every sci class since then. I can not emphasize enough how much I relied on online videos to get through my first two year courses. Khan Academy, Freelance Teach and Chad's Review are all superb resources. Khan is great for chem and bio, Freelance Teach is the absolute best for physics and ochem and Chad is great at everything. Do not give up.

Another thing I suggest is truly FALL IN LOVE with science. During my last time retaking gen chem I fell madly in love with science. There was a point at which the coursework of biology and chemistry really connected. I couldn't stop learning from then on. I stopped looking at my coursework as courses and discrete subjects and started viewing everything thrown my way in every science class and beyond as NATURE. There was a deep connection to everything around me and science became my passion.

Final suggestion is to use a voice recorder to record lectures so you can review them at a later time. You will be surprised at how much you miss!! Science majors are far more rigorous then the English major but I'm 100% sure that the neurons in your brain are capable of firing in the right way to learn, understand and love this stuff. Get passionate! Go all out! Enjoy it!

This may be the most scatterbrained body of text I have ever produced.

Spot on advice! Those bits about viewing the sciences holistically and becoming passionate about exploration for the sake of understanding the world around you definitely reflected my post bacc pre-med experience. If I could go back in time, I'd visit my pre-med advisor freshman year (8 years ago... wow!) and tell her off for advising me not to take chem and physics at the same time. If you learn best by making connections between disparate pieces of information, you will grasp the fundamental principles of those subjects much more easily when you are introduced to them all at once. Chem II and Physics II were definitely complementary, particularly with regards to electrostatics and electrochemistry.