Chemistry Blues

[SparklyFresh]

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I dropped Gen Chem I this semester, partly because it was at night and interfered with work, and partly because I COMPLETELY underestimated it and bombed the first two exams. I remember back in high school that it was one of the few classes I did poorly in (I just don't get it!).

I've seen a lot of people on here talk about study guides for chemistry to take the DAT. My question is this... is it possible to not only learn the info but become proficient enough to do well on the DAT for someone who just doesn't seem to get it? I'm pretty worried, I'll be taking the DAT after Organic I is over. Will this be enough? I'm not even sure if this question makes sense.. I guess I'm just wanting to hear from people who struggle in chemistry as well... did you score okay on the DAT? 😕

 

[dentalWorks]

I dropped Gen Chem I this semester, partly because it was at night and interfered with work, and partly because I COMPLETELY underestimated it and bombed the first two exams. I remember back in high school that it was one of the few classes I did poorly in (I just don't get it!).

I've seen a lot of people on here talk about study guides for chemistry to take the DAT. My question is this... is it possible to not only learn the info but become proficient enough to do well on the DAT for someone who just doesn't seem to get it? I'm pretty worried, I'll be taking the DAT after Organic I is over. Will this be enough? I'm not even sure if this question makes sense.. I guess I'm just wanting to hear from people who struggle in chemistry as well... did you score okay on the DAT? 😕

Well, I am not one who struggled with GC, but thats because I learned my lesson years ago from Physics 1 and 2.

IMO, GC is learned the same way physics is learned. Understanding the science (foundation), and applying it to alot of problem solving (practice). For me, I used to relay pretty heavily on my GC text book. What I did was, I read every chapter before the lecture, that way, I was able to take better notes (because I understood the professor better), and when I came home that day, I re-wrote my lectures (to re-fresh concepts). And I did most of the examples / practice problems in the text for that chapter..... Sometimes, mastering GC is a time consuming business, but its one of the hoops you gotta jump through for dentistry 🙁

Just to make you feel a little better, DAT's GC is easier than the actual course. The problems are more simple.

 

[SparklyFresh]

Well it's good to know that the DAT will be a bit more basic than the course. I guess nothing beats studying and practice! Thanks for the advice.. I'll definitely be alloting more study/prep time towards that class the next time around.

 

[John Durian]

It's a pretty bold move to take the DAT without a strong grasp of the Chemistry section. It's 1/3 of your TS score overall.

I would recommend you buckle down and take/do well in the chem section before taking it. Good luck!

 

[SN1]

Well, I am not one who struggled with GC, but thats because I learned my lesson years ago from Physics 1 and 2.

IMO, GC is learned the same way physics is learned. Understanding the science (foundation), and applying it to alot of problem solving (practice). For me, I used to relay pretty heavily on my GC text book. What I did was, I read every chapter before the lecture, that way, I was able to take better notes (because I understood the professor better), and when I came home that day, I re-wrote my lectures (to re-fresh concepts). And I did most of the examples / practice problems in the text for that chapter..... Sometimes, mastering GC is a time consuming business, but its one of the hoops you gotta jump through for dentistry 🙁

Just to make you feel a little better, DAT's GC is easier than the actual course. The problems are more simple.

I just have a question, NOT trying to interrupt of course.

Would you think it is possible for someone who had zero to little knowledge in general or organic chemistry and still do well on the DAT just by studying DAT materials?

 

[HillsNayyr]

I just have a question, NOT trying to interrupt of course.

Would you think it is possible for someone who had zero to little knowledge in general or organic chemistry and still do well on the DAT just by studying DAT materials?

No. If you have never taken organic then a review of the subject is going to be like reading a foreign language. Taking the DAT before taking the courses tested on it is flat out dumb in my opinion. Also, speaking as someone who has taken orgo 1 and 2 and the dat, the organic section isn't a cake walk.

 

[dentalWorks]

I just have a question, NOT trying to interrupt of course.

Would you think it is possible for someone who had zero to little knowledge in general or organic chemistry and still do well on the DAT just by studying DAT materials?

hard for me to say... since I was a good chemistry student before the DAT preparation.

Perhaps someone whos done it before can shed some light on this topic. My guess is, yes its possible if you can sit down and self-learn chemistry from text books first. The study materials out there (like chads, KBB, dat destroyer) ASSUME that you have a GC foundation, and they do a good job reviewing the major concepts but I don't believe they teach you GC from scratch.

 

[SparklyFresh]

It's a pretty bold move to take the DAT without a strong grasp of the Chemistry section. It's 1/3 of your TS score overall.

I would recommend you buckle down and take/do well in the chem section before taking it. Good luck!

I absolutely agree. I will have gen chemI and II, and organic I done by the time I'm ready to take it.. can I risk taking the DAT without orgII or should I wait it out?

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

I absolutely agree. I will have gen chemI and II, and organic I done by the time I'm ready to take it.. can I risk taking the DAT without orgII or should I wait it out?

If you're not a chemistry kinda person, I would wait it out. If you are a chemistry person and do well in Organic I, you could take the DAT without it. Honestly, the only thing that I remembered that was covered by the DAT from Organic II was some more reactions and NMR/mass spec. You could definitely learn those on your own if you can have the determination.

 

[dentalWorks]

I absolutely agree. I will have gen chemI and II, and organic I done by the time I'm ready to take it.. can I risk taking the DAT without orgII or should I wait it out?

Orgo is more forgiving than GC when it comes to DAT. Orgo 2 is also an easier topic to self learn especially if have good Orgo 1 foundation. I always think of orgo 1 as the foundation for carbon chemistry, and orgo 2 is where you actually apply that knowledge into the different reaction groups.

You will get mixed answers regarding this:
some folks will tell you a good portion of thier orgo questions came from reactions of orgo 2... others will say it was mostly orgo 1.

My test, If I remember correctly had a pretty even mixture of reactions from both orgo 1 and 2

 

[SparklyFresh]

Orgo is more forgiving than GC when it comes to DAT. Orgo 2 is also an easier topic to self learn especially if have good Orgo 1 foundation. I always think of orgo 1 as the foundation for carbon chemistry, and orgo 2 is where you actually apply that knowledge into the different reaction groups.

You will get mixed answers regarding this:
some folks will tell you a good portion of thier orgo questions came from reactions of orgo 2... others will say it was mostly orgo 1.

My test, If I remember correctly had a pretty even mixture of reactions from both orgo 1 and 2

Awesome.. thanks!

 

[SN1]

What kind of questions do the DAT test you for organic chemistry. I come from a CC and I feel like my teacher isn't preparing me enough(I am in Orgo II). I know every school teaches organic chemistry differently but our tests are basically 10-11 questions where each question has a reactant and we have to show the mechanisms, drawing arrows, electrons, to get to the product. I feel like it is almost like an art class Some mechanisms have 2-3 steps and some has 10-12 steps. Maybe one or two questions on concepts like naming ketone, alcohol, or ester.

Here are some examples:

http://img218.imageshack.us/i/img0439u.jpg/
http://img822.imageshack.us/i/img0438aa.jpg/
http://img850.imageshack.us/i/img0440i.jpg/

we literally would have like 10-11 questions like that where he would give us a reactant and a catalyst and we have to know what type of mechanism it is by showing all the steps to get to the product.


I might be crazy for asking this but I m just curious if this is what you do in organic chemistry.

 

[Msmouth]

I absolutely agree. I will have gen chemI and II, and organic I done by the time I'm ready to take it.. can I risk taking the DAT without orgII or should I wait it out?

I wouldn't dream of taking the DAT without a strong grasp of chem.
I'm just going back to school for the first time in years. I am finishing gen chem 1 and will probably be exempt from the final. (patting myself on back)
You have to spend a lot of time on it. In the beginning I did hours of problems/calculations and then a light bulb went off. Once you get the basics up to Stochiometry, then the rest is cake, in my opinion. Most of the calculations are dimensional analysis or plugging numbers into formulas. I would invest in a tutor or team up with a classmate that just gets it. You can get it too, just spend a lot of time and do a ton of homework.