Afraid that I hurt myself pretty badly? (O-Chem problems)

[Exalya]

I'm not bad at Organic Chemistry. In fact, I'm very good at it, if the issue is doing basic problems... but my professor's problems are a whole new ballgame. I come into every test feeling prepared to take on anything, and he puts something on that test that I don't even know what to do with.

I have a good record otherwise, and an interesting one. I'm 19 now with over 100 units under my belt. I'll graduate a few days after I turn 20 next year. Husband was in Iraq, came out of poverty, ran away from home... I have a personal statement that places me squarely in the category of "crazy life story." My GPA did suffer when I ran away from home when I was 15, and right now I'm sitting with a 3.5. I aced genetics, gen chem, all my biology classes, I have 88 clinical hours in the ER, hundreds of hours as a research laboratory technician, volunteered for the red cross, and a couple hundred hours teaching kids at an observatory. After this summer I will be a certified auctioneer (long story). I'm confident I will do well on the MCAT in May... but my O-Chem worries me. I got a C- in O Chem I. I'm putting my heart into O-Chem II, but I have to be prepared to dedicate my life to this subject for the next couple months and come out with maaaaaybe a B. So... this is my worry.

Is O-Chem going to hurt me THAT much? Or does the rest of my application make up for it? If I don't get into medical school this time I plan on getting a master's in genetics (which I love) and try again, but... I would really like to get in the first time.

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[MilkmanAl]

You''l be fine with a B in organic 2. However, if you want med schools to give you credit for organic 1, you'll need to retake it and get at least a C. Your GPA is below average for matriculants, so you'll need to get an impressive MCAT score (32+ or so) and have strong EC's, essays, LOR's to be competitive. Those things are well within your control, so make it happen!

 

[Exalya]

... I have to retake it? I didn't know the minus in C- made a difference.

 

[Mobius1985]

Some schools won't like to see that C- in a prerequisite. You might be fine at a lot of places, if you get a B in Orgo II. You might be fine if you take Biochem and get a good grade, even if you get another C in Orgo II, as success in an upper-level course can redeem a lower grade. But if you want to appeal to the largest number of med schools, you'd retake any prereq with a C or lower.

 

[calimed214]

... I have to retake it? I didn't know the minus in C- made a difference.

I would double check with the individual schools you want to apply to, but I am fairly certain that a C and a C- are not the same thing. If a school states that all prerequisites must be completed with a "C or better", then that means you're going to have to retake Orgo I.

 

[MilkmanAl]

If a school states that all prerequisites must be completed with a "C or better", then that means you're going to have to retake Orgo I.

Correct, and all schools I can recall require C's, not C-'s.

 

[Mobius1985]

I would double check with the individual schools you want to apply to.

I think this is the best idea.

At least two of the schools I applied to did not specify required grades.

 

[Exalya]

Okay... so do I even have a chance applying this year? I'll be applying before I have the time to retake o-chem I.

 

[MilkmanAl]

As long as you'll have the class retaken by the time you matriculate, you'll be fine. You don't have to have all the matriculation requirements met when you apply.

 

[Disambiguation]

May Friedel Craft's Reactions Be With You.

 

[erotangos]

I think you should retake O-chem I and postpone your application if you can. It must be tough to hear, because the thought of trucking through another year can be daunting. But think of it as a fantastic opportunity to show them that your O-Chem score does not reflect your true potential and to make sure nothing gets in your way when you do apply.