Chemistry and Organic Chem at same time?

[blank260]

Anyone take chemistry and organic chemistry at the same time during a semester? I'm finishing up on my biology this summer and will be doing calculus, chem, orgo chem, and physics during fall and then again in the spring. Just wondering if anyone has tried something similar to this or if this course load is gonna be to much for me...

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[RXsocal]

Anyone take chemistry and organic chemistry at the same time during a semester? I'm finishing up on my biology this summer and will be doing calculus, chem, orgo chem, and physics during fall and then again in the spring. Just wondering if anyone has tried something similar to this or if this course load is gonna be to much for me...

I'm assuming you're taking CHEM and OCHEM as a repeat because CHEM is a pre-requisite for OCHEM. If you're doing this as a repeat and you're absolutely confident you will do well in all your classes go for it. You're schedule looks tough. MY schedule was tough...but not as tough as even yours. Kind of makes me suspicious of you being a troll. In any case, good luck.

 

[pharmgirl2409]

Anyone take chemistry and organic chemistry at the same time during a semester? I'm finishing up on my biology this summer and will be doing calculus, chem, orgo chem, and physics during fall and then again in the spring. Just wondering if anyone has tried something similar to this or if this course load is gonna be to much for me...

I'm only speaking for myself, but organic chemistry was very time consuming. Physics can also be a pain. If you have a million problems to complete it can take forever. I don't know that I would recommend taking all of these courses in one semester. It may be manageable, but since you're trying to get into pharmacy school, you need the best grades you can possibly get. I wouldn't rush and cram all your classes into one semester, because each requires a good amount of time to devote in order to do well. The biggest thing I learned while taking pre-reqs is don't rush. space your classes out in a reasonable manner so that you can give each one your best effort.

 

[blank260]

No, they are not repeats. I'm just trying to enroll into UH pharmacy program next Fall. Fall of 2010. And I haven't been able to take those. As I would like to take OCHEM next summer, UH site says they don't allow any math/science classes to be taken the summer prior to entry.

http://pharmacy.uh.edu/fs/pharmd/prerequisites.php

http://pharmacy.uh.edu/fs/pharmd/admissions.php
under number 1.

 

[farfromperfect]

Anyone take chemistry and organic chemistry at the same time during a semester? I'm finishing up on my biology this summer and will be doing calculus, chem, orgo chem, and physics during fall and then again in the spring. Just wondering if anyone has tried something similar to this or if this course load is gonna be to much for me...

it's up to you if you can handle it or not. i took gen chem I and orgo I in the fall of 08 (my sophomore year of college) and made an A in gen chem I and B in orgo I. i made an A in both the labs for the gen chem I and orgo I as well.

i applied for pharm school in the spring and got accepted. i was taking gen chem II and orgo II and the labs as well and mades Bs in the lectures and As in the labs. gen chem is not a pre-req for orgo at my school.

basically, its up to you if you can handle it and do well in the classes or not. nobody can tell you can or cant. however, it can definitely be done and not too far fetched. i do remember a lot of ppl telling me i wont be able to handle it though and even the counslors advised to finish gen chem first and then orgo in my 3rd year of college, but i knew i could take those classes together and do well and i did.

as long as you put in the effort and dedication, things will work out in the end

best wishes and good luck

 

[RXsocal]

No, they are not repeats. I'm just trying to enroll into UH pharmacy program next fall. Fall of 2010 and I haven't been able to take those and as I would like to take OCHEM next summer. UH site says they don't allow any math/science classes to be taken the summer prior to entry.

Oh no, I was in your same situation last year. Therefore, I had to wait a year to apply. AS long as you can somehow complete Ochem 1 by this fall semester, the Adcom would be okay with that. It would raise eyebrows if they see you are trying to pound in so many chem classes in so little time. Good luck!

 

[Passion4Sci]

You can't take Chemistry before taking Organic Chemistry.

Even if you could, that'd be a very foolish thing to do.

 

[blank260]

Well damn... I just realized gen chem 2 is a pre req and I have to do that first. Now I have no idea what I should do. I'm taking Bio 1 right now for the first part of the summer session and was gonna do bio 2 for the second part of the summer. Should I do a chem class in the 2nd part of summer and chem 2 in the fall and possibly orgo 1 and 2 in the spring? or is orgo 1 a prereq for orgo 2 and won't be possible?

 

[pcproduct]

Well damn... I just realized gen chem 2 is a pre req and I have to do that first.

duh

Now I have no idea what I should do. I'm taking Bio 1 right now for the first part of the summer session and was gonna do bio 2 for the second part of the summer. Should I do a chem class in the 2nd part of summer and chem 2 in the fall and possibly orgo 1 and 2 in the spring? or is orgo 1 a prereq for orgo 2 and won't be possible?

O Chem 1 is most likely required before you can take 2. Even if allowed, you may not want to do both at the same time. There's so much foundation built up in O Chem 1 that's needed for success in O Chem 2.

Why are you trying to knock out so much at once?

 

[OChemist]

ah, I knew someone that did this, he did well, he just spend a lot of time studying. Ochem is different from chem 1 anyways. Just sit down with the organic book and read it, marry it and spend a lot of quality time with it. It's very time consuming.

 

[diastole]

You can't take Chemistry before taking Organic Chemistry.

Even if you could, that'd be a very foolish thing to do.

General chem isn't a pre-req for Organic Chemistry at some schools. And I think they are different enough that you could do well at both without taking it all in sequence.

 

[diastole]

Well damn... I just realized gen chem 2 is a pre req and I have to do that first. Now I have no idea what I should do. I'm taking Bio 1 right now for the first part of the summer session and was gonna do bio 2 for the second part of the summer. Should I do a chem class in the 2nd part of summer and chem 2 in the fall and possibly orgo 1 and 2 in the spring? or is orgo 1 a prereq for orgo 2 and won't be possible?

It looks like you are going to have to either apply for 2011 or apply to a school that allows you to take a summer course before enrolling in the fall. The problem with your schedule isn't so much the difficulty but the labs. Depending on the school, the labs can take hours and hours of work and you are going to have three. Before you try a schedule like that, ask around and find out how long it takes to finish a lab report. Depending on the answer, you may find that you aren't going to have much time to make yourself a well rounded applicant by getting pharmacy experience or doing other ECs. The other danger is if the coarse load turns out to be too tough, you will end up having lower grades in four important pre-reqs.

Have you attempted a tough schedule like that before? If the answer is no, maybe you want to ease up a bit.

 

[tommyVoltage]

I don't think a school will accept you now with no chemistry classes on your transcript, so don't try to shove them all in. Are you going to have time to also do Microbiology and the other prerequisites the school requires? I would just wait until Fall 2011 to apply.

 

[Passion4Sci]

General chem isn't a pre-req for Organic Chemistry at some schools. And I think they are different enough that you could do well at both without taking it all in sequence.

That's surprising to me. I realize that they are not really the same-same and it wouldn't be as disastrous as, say, Calculus without Algebra, but I would've been sunk in OChem without any background at all in Chemistry. Mostly on the labs, I think.

 

[OChemist]

the person I know was doing this a repeat, and of course his chemistry is really strong so yeah... unless your doing this as a repeat, I dont recommend it. Dont disregrat my post above.

 

[tahi193]

I took Molecular Bio, Physics I, Organic II and Anatomy/Physiology with the labs last fall and managed a mix of A and A- in everything. It's definitely possible to take that much science at once if you have the time but I don't recommend doing it. It was by far the most consuming semester of my life but I think I learned some good things about time management.

I suppose you can always sign up for a heavy load and drop something if you see things are going to be too tough. Just be mindful of the drop dates. You wont regret taking your time with the pre-reqs though. Rushing through them is not worth making bad grades.

 

[bluesickle]

General chem isn't a pre-req for Organic Chemistry at some schools. And I think they are different enough that you could do well at both without taking it all in sequence.

Is it one of those classes where it's a pre-requisite but the school doesn't enforce it? At one community college, I could have taken biochemistry and molecular biology without fulfilling any of the pre-requisites first.

 

[cschellh]

You can't take Chemistry before taking Organic Chemistry.

Even if you could, that'd be a very foolish thing to do.

Nah, I don't agree there =)

I got an override to take them both together in the Fall and I did very well overall. I got an A in gen chem and a B+ in orgo... and there was very little overlap between the two subjects in my opinion.

I did really well in gen chem 1 -- so my teacher let me have an override which they only do for students that do really well at my school-- to have them both at the same time.

I didn't think it was too bad at all.. and definitely not foolish- as it helped me to get done a lot quicker

BUT- it depends on you and how well you can do w/ such strongly science intensive semesters. It's not going to be easy by any means- but it is DEF doable!

Good luck!

 

[diastole]

Is it one of those classes where it's a pre-requisite but the school doesn't enforce it? At one community college, I could have taken biochemistry and molecular biology without fulfilling any of the pre-requisites first.

I just know that some people have said that there isn't a pre-req at their schools for Organic Chemistry. And people have claimed that they have done it. I'm not sure if it is a lack of enforcement or not.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Don't have much to add, besides that I think that course load would be far too much for me to handle, even if I didn't have to work. I'd probably start burning out on memorization overload.

It would be very handy to have your Gen Chem I & II class out of the way, even if it is not a prereq. If you have some of the concepts (redox reactions, basicity, electronegativity) down cold, it will help you in O Chem.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Nah, I don't agree there =)

I got an override to take them both together in the Fall and I did very well overall. I got an A in gen chem and a B+ in orgo... and there was very little overlap between the two subjects in my opinion.

I did really well in gen chem 1 -- so my teacher let me have an override which they only do for students that do really well at my school-- to have them both at the same time.

I didn't think it was too bad at all.. and definitely not foolish- as it helped me to get done a lot quicker

BUT- it depends on you and how well you can do w/ such strongly science intensive semesters. It's not going to be easy by any means- but it is DEF doable!

Good luck!

Appreciate your opinion on this.

Indeed, there are some people here who have 5 children, work 40 hours a week, take care of their infirm husband, raise a little of dogs and still get a 3.75 sGPA from a 4 year school.

I am not so academically gifted, especially in science, so it took me a great sight more time to knock out an A in Orgo I and II than it did for you, and there's nothing wrong with that.

We don't know OP's aptitude in science, and we don't know how well OP manages his/her time studying. For many students that I work with in the labs, taking Orgo before Gen Chem would've sentenced them to a lower grade. Many variables are at play here, so let's suffice it to say that unique experiences are unique!

 

[cschellh]

Appreciate your opinion on this.

Indeed, there are some people here who have 5 children, work 40 hours a week, take care of their infirm husband, raise a little of dogs and still get a 3.75 sGPA from a 4 year school.

I am not so academically gifted, especially in science, so it took me a great sight more time to knock out an A in Orgo I and II than it did for you, and there's nothing wrong with that.

We don't know OP's aptitude in science, and we don't know how well OP manages his/her time studying. For many students that I work with in the labs, taking Orgo before Gen Chem would've sentenced them to a lower grade. Many variables are at play here, so let's suffice it to say that unique experiences are unique!

I agree! I think a lot of people would struggle.. and I won't say that I didn't have to study a lot. But I did really well overall I'd say w/ my chem grades being GC1=A- ; GC2=A ; O1=B+ ; O2=A

So- it definitely depends on each individual person, you're definitely correct there. I guess the best advice would be that you know yourself, and you know what you can handle. Some students can take them together and do extremely well (4.0's), whereas others really struggle to get C's. OP- as said, you know yourself better than anyone.. but it's definitely not unmanageable =)

I also agree w/ the person about 2 comments above- as long as you have EN, basicity nailed down- that is really the biggest component of gen chem in regards to orgo.

Good luck in your decision!