Eh, my class average was a D in organic, and a lot of them worked very hard. But hard work alone does not entitle you to an A. You must actually know the material. My professor was excellent, it was just difficult material that many students simply could not master. I largely credit that to the nature of organic chemistry. There are no tricks, there is no simple way to do it. You either know it or you don't, unlike many college subjects nowadays. This throws people used to getting partial credit for trying and A's for effort for a serious loop. You need to study not just hard, but also well, if you intend to excel in organic. That involves an enormous commitment of both repetition and time, two things college students are loathe to commit for the most part. I think that is the primary reason organic is so important to admission committees- the commitment level required for success is a degree above that of most other courses.
I got an A in organic 1 and 2, with two separate professors, in two classes that had averages that were in the D range. The material was masterable, but few put in the effort.