D's in Organic Chemistry Lab

[Sunny Sunshine]

I am really worried about this so I decided to ask you guys for your advice.

I earned B's in both Organic Chem I and II, but I earned a D in the lab. At my school there is only one 2 hour lab for both courses. The lab was a real nightmare. We did a lot of lab experiments, but the quizzes and exams were nothing like what we had learned in lecture or lab. Most people failed and had to retake several times before passing. According to the TA's, a D is the average.

I retook the lab the next semester while taking biochemistry and several other courses. I earned a B in Biochemistry and another D in organic chemistry lab... So I retook the lab a third time at a school 45 minutes away (during the summer). This school has 2 one hour labs for organic chem I and II, so I took both that summer. I earned an A in the first lab and a B in the second lab.

I have pretty good volunteer experience, clinical experience, and extracurriculars (past and current), but I haven't taken the MCAT because I kind of gave up on applying to medical school after the whole lab ordeal. However, I will take the MCAT in April 2010 because I've recently come to the conclusion that I will not be happy in life unless I at least try to follow my dream of becoming a doctor.

I graduated in August 2008 and now I teach middle school science. My overall GPA is a 3.5 including those 2 D's.

My question to you is: what do you suggest I do to offset the D's (other than take and do well on the MCAT)? Thanks for your help.

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[Tin Man]

The answer isn't particularly revolutionary. Just take more lab classes that focus on a similar material, and do well in them. Biochemistry labs, microbiology labs, whatever. The more lab classes you do well in, the easier it would be for the adcoms to deduce that the lab class you did poorly in was significantly more difficult than it probably should have been. But they can only know that if you prove you CAN do lab classes. Otherwise, they'll have an easier time just deciding you don't do well in lab, and from what I hear these days, that can be bad.

 

[Sunny Sunshine]

Thank you Tin Man for your advice

 

[BestDoctorEver]

I am really worried about this so I decided to ask you guys for your advice.

I earned B's in both Organic Chem I and II, but I earned a D in the lab. At my school there is only one 2 hour lab for both courses. The lab was a real nightmare. We did a lot of lab experiments, but the quizzes and exams were nothing like what we had learned in lecture or lab. Most people failed and had to retake several times before passing. According to the TA's, a D is the average.

I retook the lab the next semester while taking biochemistry and several other courses. I earned a B in Biochemistry and another D in organic chemistry lab... So I retook the lab a third time at a school 45 minutes away (during the summer). This school has 2 one hour labs for organic chem I and II, so I took both that summer. I earned an A in the first lab and a B in the second lab.

I have pretty good volunteer experience, clinical experience, and extracurriculars (past and current), but I haven't taken the MCAT because I kind of gave up on applying to medical school after the whole lab ordeal. However, I will take the MCAT in April 2010 because I've recently come to the conclusion that I will not be happy in life unless I at least try to follow my dream of becoming a doctor.

I graduated in August 2008 and now I teach middle school science. My overall GPA is a 3.5 including those 2 D's.

My question to you is: what do you suggest I do to offset the D's (other than take and do well on the MCAT)? Thanks for your help.

Did you take that orgo lab you failed at a state university in south FL?