retaking orgo....round 3...

[kenzmed]

I need some honest advice!! This is my second time taking organic 2 and it's looking like I'm going to get a D again..(still have the final left) The first time I took it was last summer and I had a lot of family issues that impacted my performance. I'm seriously discouraged because organic just doesn't click for me and I've tried it all, I feel like I study for hours and I am confident with the material but then end up bombing the exam. I am currently a junior planning to take a gap year and I'm trying to figure out if I should possibly retake it over the summer or maybe wait until next semester but my schedule will also be very heavy so I don't know if I want to overwhelm myself with too much. Will taking orgo 3 times be a red flag for adcoms? I don't want to give up but I am very discouraged at this point. Any advice helps..

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[RespectTheChemistry]

You are right that it's not a wise decision to take it during a busy semester when it's a subject you find very challenging.

Would a different professor help perhaps? Is there someone other science majors would recommend?

Have your experiences been good with summer science courses in the past? Some people don't care for the compressed time frame and other people do better when it's the one thing they're focusing on. It varies from person to person.

I highly recommend Organic Chemistry Tutor (free YouTube channel) for concept help.

 

[kenzmed]

You are right that it's not a wise decision to take it during a busy semester when it's a subject you find very challenging.

Would a different professor help perhaps? Is there someone other science majors would recommend?

Have your experiences been good with summer science courses in the past? Some people don't care for the compressed time frame and other people do better when it's the one thing they're focusing on. It varies from person to person.

I highly recommend Organic Chemistry Tutor (free YouTube channel) for concept help.

I actually took organic over the summer for the first time and the timeframe was so stressful and it was so hard to keep up. I might try a different professor next semester but I feel like the pressure is on to get an A in the course since it would be my third time taking it..

 

[drstranger]

I need some honest advice!! This is my second time taking organic 2 and it's looking like I'm going to get a D again..(still have the final left) The first time I took it was last summer and I had a lot of family issues that impacted my performance. I'm seriously discouraged because organic just doesn't click for me and I've tried it all, I feel like I study for hours and I am confident with the material but then end up bombing the exam. I am currently a junior planning to take a gap year and I'm trying to figure out if I should possibly retake it over the summer or maybe wait until next semester but my schedule will also be very heavy so I don't know if I want to overwhelm myself with too much. Will taking orgo 3 times be a red flag for adcoms? I don't want to give up but I am very discouraged at this point. Any advice helps..

Any other D's? and what is your current GPA and sGPA? it's not great but you could still get some looks from DO schools, if you get an A.

 

[fluorescent colors]

I need some honest advice!! This is my second time taking organic 2 and it's looking like I'm going to get a D again..(still have the final left) The first time I took it was last summer and I had a lot of family issues that impacted my performance. I'm seriously discouraged because organic just doesn't click for me and I've tried it all, I feel like I study for hours and I am confident with the material but then end up bombing the exam. I am currently a junior planning to take a gap year and I'm trying to figure out if I should possibly retake it over the summer or maybe wait until next semester but my schedule will also be very heavy so I don't know if I want to overwhelm myself with too much. Will taking orgo 3 times be a red flag for adcoms? I don't want to give up but I am very discouraged at this point. Any advice helps..

1. Khan Academy is a very good resource for many courses including Ochem 1 and 2. You can access this by going to their website or by going to YouTube and typing in Khan Academy.

2. Organic chemistry as a Second Language is a very helpful book. You can use it to supplement your textbook.

3. There are also other YouTube videos for students taking Ochem.

 

[kenzmed]

Any other D's? and what is your current GPA and sGPA? it's not great but you could still get some looks from DO schools, if you get an A.

Nope, this is the only D I have on my transcript. My current GPA is a 3.3 with an upward trend and my sGPA I haven't calculated yet but I've gotten a mixture of A/B/Cs on most my science courses. I'm thinking about maybe doing a DIY post bacc to increase my GPA after graduating but I am really aiming to apply to mostly DO regardless.

 

[kenzmed]

1. Khan Academy is a very good resource for many courses including Ochem 1 and 2. You can access this by going to their website or by going to YouTube and typing in Khan Academy.

2. Organic chemistry as a Second Language is a very helpful book. You can use it to supplement your textbook.

3. There are also other YouTube videos for students taking Ochem.

I'll look into these, thank you!

 

[Goro]

I need some honest advice!! This is my second time taking organic 2 and it's looking like I'm going to get a D again..(still have the final left) The first time I took it was last summer and I had a lot of family issues that impacted my performance. I'm seriously discouraged because organic just doesn't click for me and I've tried it all, I feel like I study for hours and I am confident with the material but then end up bombing the exam. I am currently a junior planning to take a gap year and I'm trying to figure out if I should possibly retake it over the summer or maybe wait until next semester but my schedule will also be very heavy so I don't know if I want to overwhelm myself with too much. Will taking orgo 3 times be a red flag for adcoms? I don't want to give up but I am very discouraged at this point. Any advice helps..

Can you take a W?

If you do well in other courses, this will be far less of an issue than your attempting to bulldoze your way through instead of taking a W. That calls judgement into question.

 

[Osminog]

It would perhaps be best to just apply to the DO schools that don’t require Orgo 2 or allow you to replace it with Biochem... assuming your sGPA is over 3.0 at this point.

 

[kenzmed]

Can you take a W?

If you do well in other courses, this will be far less of an issue than your attempting to bulldoze your way through instead of taking a W. That calls judgement into question.

Unfortunately, the deadline has already passed so I’m not able to withdraw but on the bright side I was able to pull my grade up to a C. I will probably have to retake it at some point anyways since a C isn’t that great either..

 

[kenzmed]

It would perhaps be best to just apply to the DO schools that don’t require Orgo 2 or allow you to replace it with Biochem... assuming your sGPA is over 3.0 at this point.

I didn’t know you could replace it with biochem. I definitely have a sGPA over 3.0, I just have some rough history with the chemistries but I’ll definitely look into the schools that don’t require orgo 2.

 

[Goro]

Unfortunately, the deadline has already passed so I’m not able to withdraw but on the bright side I was able to pull my grade up to a C. I will probably have to retake it at some point anyways since a C isn’t that great either..

Do NOT retake a C! Just do better in future courses..

 

[RapidEyeMovementLearning]

I struggled with Orgo and found biochem significantly easier and more interesting. Also look into taking it a different school if you have the option... DO schools usually won't care if it's at a CC and that will be a lot easier than your alma mater probably. I did this and it was never brought up.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Do NOT retake a C! Just do better in future courses..

While I will say this is generally true, I cannot help but disagree in the case of say getting a C in Orgo 1. Orgo 2 (and Biochemistry if you are good) will build on many key principles (nomenclature, stereochemistry, rxn mechanisms, synthesis etc) estalished in Orgo 1. If you arent solid on those, you will founder in Orgo 2.