Can good grades in O-Chem counteract bad grades in general chemistry

[WSUCougar2012]

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I realize that nothing can really cover up bad grades in general chem, but I was wondering if doing well in orgo would help my chances. If doing well in organic won't help, what do you guys think would? I'm a Psych major so I'm not required to take any more upper-level chemistry classes. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[flip26]

Depends on how bad is bad...

Really, one pre-req grade can't make up for another. Don't count on an A in organic making up for a C in Gen Chem - it doesn't really work that way.

 

[meliora27]

Tangentially related, I have heard from a few people that adcom's sometimes really look at orgo grades over grades in other pre-reqs. Not sure if this is true or not, just throwing it out there.

 

[Handinhand]

If you're only in Gen chem I you can still bring it up with an A in II. That's what I did. I had a B in I and got an A in II. Adcoms aren't stupid though, and although O chem is considerably different from Gen chem the material covered in each is very different. Usually doing poor in Gen chem but good in Organic hints at some trouble with math, so maybe doing well in Physics AND O chem could distinguish a little doubt. From what I have heard (From the horses mouth and through the grape vine), it's more so about your GPA. Pre req classes are more so you're prepared for the MCAT, so it would be to your benefit to go back and crash through your old Gen chem book.

 

[Food]

I was hoping my As in physical chem 1+2, analytical chem, instrumental analysis, organic spectroscopy, inorganic chemistry, and polymer chemistry would counteract my freshman year Cs in organics 1+2.

And to no avail. Only interviewed 1 place. So you're screwed. sorry

 

[WSUCougar2012]

They are C's and I do have a problem with math as Diggidy mentioned. I guess I was trying to look for a way to show that my chemistry skills can greatly improve. Plus, the fact that the chemistry department is the weeder department at my school doesn't help either.

Food: Maybe the rest of your application sucked (essay, GPA, etc.), ever think of that?

 

[anbuitachi]

hahaha im screwed, im doing bad in organic =( was hoping my gen chem grades would balance it out but from the above poster i guess no amounts of A in other chems can balance a bad orgo grade

 

[WSUCougar2012]

I'm pretty sure that the poster's chemistry grades did not solely determine their performance in their application cycle, so I wouldn't worry about it, just do extremely well from here on out.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Schools will look more at a whole science GPA and whole GPA. Work on making those go higher, not about canceling out one class with another. That does not occur.

 

[cajunchrisbu]

They are C's and I do have a problem with math as Diggidy mentioned. I guess I was trying to look for a way to show that my chemistry skills can greatly improve. Plus, the fact that the chemistry department is the weeder department at my school doesn't help either.

Food: Maybe the rest of your application sucked (essay, GPA, etc.), ever think of that?

o0o i like this haha... it probably did suck

anyways a C in gen chem is not the end of the world. I had a C in gen chem I and a C+ in gen chem II. But decent (high grades) in the other classes and got into medical school just fine.

 

[Handinhand]

Yeah like I said the thing that matters MOST is your overall GPA. If you do bad in a few science classes, you can make up for it if you're a science major because you'll be graduating with a HUGE amount of Chem bio physics and math classes. If you're an English major, it's going to be a little tougher to raise up your BCMP. My counselor told me that schools look for your O Chem grades to determine your study habits/intelligence because that's notoriously the toughest 'pre-med' class. I don't really believe it though because that's so conditional to the student. What if some kid just really gets O Chem but gets a D in physics, that obviously won't pan out.

Food: it didn't take long looking at your MDApps to see why. 2 Cs in orgo I and II wouldn't put you at a 3.4 GPA, and having no strong ECs either puts you further down on the totem poll. You should keep that negativity away, some people that post here are way too impressionable to be seeing posts like that.

 

[cajunchrisbu]

some people that post here are way too impressionable to be seeing posts like that.

i agree with this...but come on... isn't that what makes it so much fun to post in here? haha always entertaining

 

[yowhatup]

i think that ad com's are particularly looking at your ochem grades... but in no way can your grades in ochem make up for your grades in general chem.. you have to remember that ad com's are looking at your application as a whole and how it compares to other applicants...

but again, ad com's will take the time to find your grades you make for Ochem in your application from what I understand... probably, imo, the most important course you will take in undergrad if you are serious about going to med school

 

[cajunchrisbu]

i think that ad com's are particularly looking at your ochem grades... but in no way can your grades in ochem make up for your grades in general chem.. you have to remember that ad com's are looking at your application as a whole and how it compares to other applicants...

but again, ad com's will take the time to find your grades you make for Ochem in your application from what I understand... probably, imo, the most important course you will take in undergrad if you are serious about going to med school

from my understanding.... no o chem, its not the most important class for undergrad.

First if it was it would have a heavier emphasis on the MCAT.
Second, you will not use ochem in medical school (from what I have been told)
Third, Biochemistry, Histology, Cell Physiology, Human Anatomy/Physiology are probably more important as far as medical school education is concerned. Because these are concepts that you will see again. In the basic science classes the first 2 years.

Now don't get me wrong, everything is important so you want to do the best you possibly can.

 

[Jerokin]

I made a C in general chemistry 1 and 2, how screwed am I now?

 

[serendipity513]

I can only relay what my situation was. But I had a B in Gen Chem and since my school lumped gen chem into one course and made us start o-chem in the spring of our freshman year, I was forced to take inorganic chemistry as my second semester of "gen chem" and got a C in that.

I did, however, have A's in both O-chem courses. (and just for full disclosure I got B's in both physics semesters, but had all A's in my major, which was biology).

Anyway, I didn't get in the first year I applied, but I got into two school this past cycle.

So I can't really say either way as I had to re-apply. But I didn't re-take gen chem or physics and I'm starting school in august...so evidently it's possible!