Which Organic chemistry should I take?

[listener23]

Next semester I will be taking organic chemistry. My school offers 2 different version of the class (one for chem majors and on for bio majors). As a bio student i have the option to take either one. According to my pre-med adviser both courses prepare you equally for the MCAT. Around campus the one for chem major has a reputation of being much harder but it is taught by professor I do research under. Ive worked closely with professor these past two years on During the end of last semester he said he would love to have me as one of his students outside of working in the lab but wouldn't have any hard feelings if i picked the bio based course instead ( although he says he wouldn't take it personally I feel he would take it very personal). This Prof. is also known for writing the best letters of recommendation ; and avoiding his class will weaken his view of my overall character. He even said he would help me through which ever one I pick.

Facts about each class:

Orgo for Bio majors :
1. Currently has over 180 students enrolled in the class ( more students leads to bigger curves)

2. It is easier yet still prepares you equally for the mcat (an easier class means in January 2014 when i start studying for the mcat i wouldn't have to focus as much on school work.)


3. It is filled with Bio majors ( Bio majors tend to preform worst in chem classes than chem majors. )

Orgo for chem majors:

1. Current only has 39 students enrolled (students tend to avoid this class at all costs.).



2. Its filled with chem majors; chemistry majors at my school are notoriously known for being stronger academic performers than bio major due to more rigorous corses ( for example: a chem major must take calculus based physics , while bio majors has the option of taking a non calculus based physics)

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[Ashley1989]

Next semester I will be taking organic chemistry. My school offers 2 different version of the class (one for chem majors and on for bio majors). As a bio student i have the option to take either one. According to my pre-med adviser both courses prepare you equally for the MCAT. Around campus the one for chem major has a reputation of being much harder but it is taught by professor I do research under. Ive worked closely with professor these past two years on During the end of last semester he said he would love to have me as one of his students outside of working in the lab but wouldn't have any hard feelings if i picked the bio based course instead ( although he says he wouldn't take it personally I feel he would take it very personal). This Prof. is also known for writing the best letters of recommendation ; and avoiding his class will weaken his view of my overall character.

Facts about each class:

Orgo for Bio majors :
1. Currently has over 180 students enrolled in the class ( more students leads to bigger curves)

2. It is easier yet still prepares you equally for the mcat (an easier class means in January 2014 when i start studying for the mcat i wouldn't have to focus as much on school work.)


3. It is filled with Bio majors ( Bio majors tend to preform worst in chem classes than chem majors. )

Orgo for chem majors:

1. Current only has 39 students enrolled (students tend to avoid this class at all costs.).



2. Its filled with chem majors; chemistry majors at my school are notoriously known for being stronger academic performers than bio major due to more rigorous corses ( for example: a chem major must take calculus based physics , while bio majors has the option of taking a non calculus based physics)

Don't do it. Ochem is death, Ochem for chemistry majors is double death. The professor you research under will get over it.

 

[rfvbnmju]

Ochem is not death..but then again I am bias as a chem major who also took adv organic chem...

Just pick which ever one you feel you'll do good in.

 

[tomi65463]

I agree with Ashley, I start o chem this fall and it takes a lot if time to do well in it at my school. Take the one for bio majors, sounds like it will make your life a lot easier.

 

[Ashley1989]

I'm finishing up Ochem III right now so I might be a bit biased myself, but not a day goes by where I don't want to beat my head into the wall. Or the desk.

OP, if you're not a chem major you don't belong in the Ochem for chem majors. To take a class like advanced ochem to impress a professor in playing with fire. Don't do it.

 

[physguy]

Take it for bio majors. If you have a way of taking an easier ochem course and don't take it, you're shooting yourself in the foot. Its a terrible, difficult class.

Unless you're particularly fond of memorizing gigantic sums of things which can easily be looked up on the internet in the real world.

 

[JohnQuincyAdams]

If you take his class and bomb, you won't get a good letter anyways. Take the easier one and make up a good excuse for why you can't take his.

 

[Strudel19]

Bio major ochem!

 

[listener23]

Bio major ochem!

Please explain your reasoning.

 

[Juxxtaposition]

If you take his class and bomb, you won't get a good letter anyways. Take the easier one and make up a good excuse for why you can't take his.

What looks better: taking an easier class and getting an A, or taking the harder class and getting a B- (and a professor who you work with daily and who will be writing an LOR for you knowing it)?

 

[Umyo]

Take the easier one.

You will regret it if you don't.

 

[michaelrack]

you have 2 options:

1. Take ochem for bio, make sure and get an A, and in a few years you will have an application for med school similar to thousands of other premeds

or

2. Take the harder ochem, work hard and get at least a B+, get a strong letter of rec, and you will have a good app for med school.

(you would probably want to avoid option 2 if you think you are not capable of earning at least a solid B).
If you have the ability to get a decent grade in ochem for chem majors, I would recommend this option, even if is more work for you.

 

[listener23]

.

 

[michaelrack]

clear downwards trend

My Past Chem grades:

Intro to chem (Class) - A Intro to chem lab - B
Gen chem I (class)- A Gen chem I (lab)- B
Gen Chem II (class) -B Gen chem 2 (lab) - C

Did you get low grades in lab due to clumsiness, or because you had trouble understanding the material?

 

[listener23]

Did you get low grades in lab due to clumsiness, or because you had trouble understanding the material?

I didn't understand the material. It was different stuff from the class.

 

[listener23]

Update: I took the easier organic chemistry and i currently have an A in both lab and lec section. Should i feel guilty and start to question my abilities?

 

[masaraksh]

Update: I took the easier organic chemistry and i currently have an A in both lab and lec section. Should i feel guilty and start to question my abilities?

be happy, get the A, then when you study orgo for MCAT make sure you know whats in the prep books. The easier class will be good for the med prereqs and it is good to have a high sciGPA.


i'm actually a little bitter that some pre-meds get the easy track, since I'm a chem major and have taken 5 semesters of hard orgo in undergrad. but whatever

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Be happy with the A, especially after those Gen Chem grades.

 

[Mavs88]

Update: I took the easier organic chemistry and i currently have an A in both lab and lec section. Should i feel guilty and start to question my abilities?

Hell no. Your transcript says "Organic Chemistry - A" and that's all any adcomm will ever care. Also, any O-chem you use from here on the MCAT will be more basic and you should be more than set for it.

 

[listener23]

Hell no. Your transcript says "Organic Chemistry - A" and that's all any adcomm will ever care. Also, any O-chem you use from here on the MCAT will be more basic and you should be more than set for it.

Are you saying MCAT orgo is easier because i find ochem extremely easy.

 

[Mavs88]

Are you saying MCAT orgo is easier because i find ochem extremely easy.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet and I don't know how in depth your class went, but if you are making an A "easily", you should have a good foundation at the least going into the MCAT studying phase.

 

[listener23]

Be happy with the A, especially after those Gen Chem grades.

One C in a 1 credit lab wont sink my science GPA. Harvard isn't the only Medical school you know.

 

[EvenStevens]

One C in a 1 credit lab wont sink my science GPA. Harvard isn't the only Medical school you know.

Its not the only one, but its the only one that counts.
/s

 

[PreMedOrDead]

One C in a 1 credit lab wont sink my science GPA. Harvard isn't the only Medical school you know.

Regardless of how different they are, two Bs and a C in intro chem isn't usually a sign you'll do well in Organic, and below a 3.5 cGPA hinders applications a lot. So I stick by, be happy with your A.

And yes, MCAT organic is generally (in my experience) much easier than college organic, but it depends on your class.

 

[listener23]

Regardless of how different they are, two Bs and a C in intro chem isn't usually a sign you'll do well in Organic, and below a 3.5 cGPA hinders applications a lot. So I stick by, be happy with your A.

And yes, MCAT organic is generally (in my experience) much easier than college organic, but it depends on your class.

Two A's and a B in pervious chem courses with completely different teachers suggest the person is generally good at chemistry.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Two A's and a B in pervious chem courses with completely different teachers suggest the person is generally good at chemistry.

As you see in that fact I'm dominating my current orgo

My apologies, my eyes glanced over teh first column in my haste. I only read the B, B, C.

But still, an A in orgo is good. You can study for orgo on the MCAT if it's more difficult, and the high GPA will be invaluable when applying to medical schools.

 

[astromfs]

A.

Your grades in General Chemistry labs are not looking good for Upper Organic Chemistry labs.

 

[listener23]

A.

Your grades in General Chemistry labs are not looking good for Upper Organic Chemistry labs.

As i just stated i currently have an A in orgo lab section. So that means organic is so different from generally you cant follow a trend

 

[PreMedOrDead]

As i just stated i currently have an A in orgo lab section. So that means organic is so different from generally you cant follow a trend

I was one of those people who took everything at the highest level possible (Chemistry/Engineering level, calc-based, honor's level, graduate level, etc), still got A's in them, but it doesn't matter except for your own preference. It may seem important to you now, but in the end, no one cares what class you took.

For the most part, ADCOMs will not even look at your transcript, just your c/sGPA and MCAT, maybe at a trend in your grades if they're really into it. Realize that some of these schools are getting 10,000-15,000 applications per cycle, they don't have time to look at your individual courses. Focus on getting the highest GPA you can. You seemed to have made the right choice.

 

[astromfs]

As i just stated i currently have an A in orgo lab section. So that means organic is so different from generally you cant follow a trend

Well, then you're answering your own question.