Chem 1 did nothing for me.

[rrt]

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Just as the title says, Chemistry 1 did nothing for me. I had a first time instructor with a horrible accent. I was the highest grade in the class with a 78%, which will be increased to a A. GPA wise, it helped, but I really didn't learn much. In fact, I am hard pressed to take Chem 2 because my counterparts really gained a strong foundation taking the class from professors with tenure at the college. Mine was adjunct... I normally don't see anything wrong with these professors, but I feel I am a strong student, and really put in the effort time wise with my studies. I was taking the final and couldn't help but think... Man, I am not ready for this.

I take lab with people that have the full time professor (my lab prof) as their lecture professor. The stuff they have memorized, and in their working arsenal amazes me. Most of it is stuff my lecture prof said we didn't need to know, because in the profession we would always have a book ready with that type of information. The final was department made, so it hurt us there.

On a side not, I took:
Chem 1 (A) and lab (B)
Physics 1 (A) and lab (B)
English 1 (A)
Voice 1 (B)

My wife has been having complications for the last 2 months of this pregnancy, and we are just about ready to have this baby!!!

I work full time at night, and my father passed away this semester.

I feel I did wonderful with my circumstances, but I also feel Chem is such an important subject to know.

What would you guys do???

Thanks,
RRT.

 

[theseeker4]

Just as the title says, Chemistry 1 did nothing for me. I had a first time instructor with a horrible accent. I was the highest grade in the class with a 78%, which will be increased to a A. GPA wise, it helped, but I really didn't learn much. In fact, I am hard pressed to take Chem 2 because my counterparts really gained a strong foundation taking the class from professors with tenure at the college. Mine was adjunct... I normally don't see anything wrong with these professors, but I feel I am a strong student, and really put in the effort time wise with my studies. I was taking the final and couldn't help but think... Man, I am not ready for this.

I take lab with people that have the full time professor (my lab prof) as their lecture professor. The stuff they have memorized, and in their working arsenal amazes me. Most of it is stuff my lecture prof said we didn't need to know, because in the profession we would always have a book ready with that type of information. The final was department made, so it hurt us there.

On a side not, I took:
Chem 1 (A) and lab (B)
Physics 1 (A) and lab (B)
English 1 (A)
Voice 1 (B)

My wife has been having complications for the last 2 months of this pregnancy, and we are just about ready to have this baby!!!

I work full time at night, and my father passed away this semester.

I feel I did wonderful with my circumstances, but I also feel Chem is such an important subject to know.

What would you guys do???

Thanks,
RRT.

Talk to the good professor about auditing the class next term, or about simply sitting in all the lectures and taking the tests for no credit. If you explain to him or her that you got an A in general chemistry already but don't feel you learned enough, they should be more than willing to let you sit in.

Or, if you think you can learn everything on your own, wait a semester to take Chem II and self-study the chem I material on your own.

Congrats on the new baby who is coming! I was working 40 hours a week, taking p-chem and calc III, and took the MCAT the semester my wife developed preeclampsia and our son was born at 32 weeks, so I know how much influence that can have on your studies! Good luck.

 

[ShoTyme]

First off, congrats on the baby. 👍 As far as chemistry, you have everything you need. You have a textbook. Contained within is all the information necessary for you to become proficient. Peruse the book at your leisure and work the problems. Most people do not take the time to actually read the books. If you do, you should be fine. Good luck.

 

[EternalKnight]

(Long time lurker, first time poster)

You certainly have a lot going on, but I agree with ShoTyme that you already have the tools you need to learn the material. I'm finishing up Chem 1 online, and though I don't think I will do an online science class again, I feel like I know the material decently well. I've gone through the problems, read each chapter twice, and supplemented chapters with online videos I found through Khan Academy or youtube.

The only concept that I really struggled with was orbital hybridization, but after watching a couple youtube videos, the concept clicked.

http://www.khanacademy.org/

 

[DrMidlife]

+1 to khanacademy.

Chem 1 topics come up all the time for me - stoichiometry, molecule shapes, what's the charge & composition of an acetate ion, electronegativity, etc. Ochem was really hard for me but it would have been impossible if I hadn't done really well in chem 1/2.

Memorization isn't important in practice but it'll make or break you in med school. So your chem 1 professor threw you under the bus.

Problem is: med school professors will throw you under the bus too. Unfortunately you have to "go meta" and be aware of what you need to learn and how & why. Generally in the prereqs I found that I needed to be able to work boatloads of problems without looking things up, to get to where I'd sufficiently mastered the material.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Beandog]

First off, congrats on the baby. 👍 As far as chemistry, you have everything you need. You have a textbook. Contained within is all the information necessary for you to become proficient. Peruse the book at your leisure and work the problems. Most people do not take the time to actually read the books. If you do, you should be fine. Good luck.

This, and Khanacademy

Establish residence at your local coffeehouse with earbuds and the problem section of your chem book.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Definitely agree with the others. You've got the basic tools, depending on your timeline and level of self-discipline, you can work on developing the skills the students from the other class have. Khan academy is one suggestion, just going through a textbook is another, work problems from a problem book and shore up weak areas, borrow a students notes from the other class, or even ask to sit in the other class.

Then of course, look into the profs and try to get a good one for chem 2.

 

[chidoman]

.

 

[UpwardTrend]

I'm not sure it you're planning on getting Berkeley Review books for you MCAT review. I would definitely get BR for Gen Chem 1 if I were you. Also, I hear alot of plugs for Khan but freelanceteach is my favorite. Good luck with the little one.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Holy Anal. Take your A and move on. If you really need to know it, you'll see it later. In chem 2, or O-chem, or studying for the MCAT, or in biochem in med school, or in pathophy or renal. If you haven't seen it again by then, you don't need to know it.

 

[Nate9862]

chem 2 is all lewis structures and algebra. It's so different from chem 1 you shouldn't worry. I used to be a chemistry tutor. What everyone had problems with was algebra. Learn algebra well before hand, that's prob the most important thing IMO.

Yep. I completely agree. Don't shy away from Chem II because you had a rough semester with Chem I. Plus, remember: these are freshman level classes; even with a ****ty professor you should still easily be able to get an A.