Can the Gen Chem sequence be taken out of order?

[rambo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Just wondering if I could take Chem2 prior to Chem1, because of the way courses are offered. I wanted to know if it builds on the first semester so much that taking it out of order would put me at a severe disadvantage.

 

[aparecida]

You do need to take it in order, IMO. You need to have the ions and their charges memorized, you need to get really good with stoichiometry, you need to understand molecular orbital and VSEPR theory, etc.

 

[tllajd]

It does build. You might be able to make it if you have a good foundation from high school or have taken a pre-Gen Chem class, but it might be rough.

I took a pre-Gen Chem college course and the level of the two were completely different.

 

[Fermata]

They do seem to build but I only really got it in the last couple weeks of the second semester.

101>>>201. Trust me. 😀

 

[nimer1456]

I TA genchem 2 and I would not advise you to take them out of order. Some of the material that is in genchem 2 assumes that you had genchem 1. If you have a good chem foundation from high school it wont hurt too much but your life would be easier in my opinion if you took them in sequence.

 

[Stitch66]

At my undergrad, Chem1 was a prerequisite for Chem2. Same for Organic.

 

[rambo]

At my undergrad, Chem1 was a prerequisite for Chem2. Same for Organic.

The ego-crazed chem professors here have entrance exams they hold for Gen Chem, which they hold WHILE OUT OF STATE STUDENTS AREN'T THERE. However, they didn't make any pre-reqs for organic, so I took that before Gen Chem. Now I'm transferring, and trying to make up ground. Man, all of my classes are out whack.

 

[aparecida]

Hmm. If you made it through two semesters of orgo without genchem, your ability is probably sufficient to handle taking genchem out of order IF you have a very strong high school chem background AND are willing to spend extra time teaching yourself stuff from genchem I if you find yourself needing it for II. Be aware that genchem II is quite difficult, on a par with orgo II in my opinion. But hey, genchem I would be a cakewalk afterward. It's up to you, I guess, to weigh how important it is to you, how much advantage you'd gain by doing it and whether it would outweigh the increased difficulty.