Choosing where to take Orgo

[Garry11]

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Hi guys,
My question is this: I am currently in a school where science is know to be extremly hard. I'm registered to take Organic in the fall, it is know in my school that nobody gets higher than a C...Should I take it in a different college, where I'll probably get a higher score or sick it out here and catch a C or C+. Do dental schools look down on students taking classes out of there school? I am a non degree in the college I attend.

Thanks

 

[UMDeeMan]

go wherever you can to get that A. gpa is a major factor although others will try to tell you different. Just get the A.

 

[DDSSlave]

Agreed. Between getting a C at your school vs an A at another, go for the A. You want a good Sci GPA first and foremost.

 

[Calculus1]

I too agree, I got A's in orgo at the Univ of Arkansas. Probably not the hardest school in the country for that, I still got a 25 on the DAT for that section. It doesn't matter where you take it as long as it helps your GPA. I'd rather get an A and have some explaining to do than get a C and not get a chance to explain.

 

[Kathan]

Taking organic chemistry at your own school will show that you got guts to stick something out. If you take it at you home school and fight to get a C+ I'm sure you will learn more and do better on the DAT. I got a C in organic like everyone else at my school that passed. Consequently, when I took the DAT yesterday I got a 21. I was happy I took it at my home school and learned so much more than if I took it else were.

 

[HBomb]

I'm going to have to disagree with Kathan here. I wasn't going to jump in because Calc and DDSlave already had answered what I thought was the appropriate answer. Go the the place that'll give you the better grade. Your GPA matters. A C does not look good, no matter what you DAT score is. You want both a good grade and good score. It'll show better correlation, meaning it shows you're a hard worker and a good test taker. But I can't imagine any adcom looking into the matter that much. They'll initially screen off GPA and DAT score, and that's what's most important here.

The only exception here is that if you go to another school, get the A, but get a far less inferior OChem education, then it's not worth it. But if the education is the same, then go for it, by all means, get the higher GPA.

 

[dane4695]

Take it at your school and get an A. I've been told many times that "its impossible to get an A in X class" yet it's doable. If you get an A in a class where everyone is getting a C, you'll probably kill the DAT and probably have to study less when the time comes.

 

[UMDeeMan]

o chem is o chem no matter where it is taught. go to the place where you will get the A. From what i've read in other threads, adcoms don't maticuously (sp?) look at each individual grade, as one postee wrote, the go straight to "GPA, DAT, Sci GPA." If you have a low GPA, then the flags go up and then look at the individual grades. If you have an average gpa (3.5), then they won't even bother. You could take it at a CC and it wouldn't even matter.

As far as the quality of education, you have no idea how class X teaches at school x compared to class x at school y. and just because a class is tougher to get an A in doesn't mean you are learning more or being better prepared for the DAT. So get some advice from o chem students that have taken the course at all the option schools for ochem and make your decision. it's still all about the A.