? for those who has taken Chem & OChem

[2bdntist2]

I'm taking Chem I now, I still have to take O Chem I&II. I was told that O Chem is alot more fun than Chem I&II. I also heard that OChem has no relation to Gen Chem. How true is all this. The reason I ask is because I'm planning to take Gen ChemII and OChem I in the fall together to get these last pre-reqs done. I need some opinions on if this is really doable.

Thanks in advance

2bdntist2

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[kokobean]

is that even allowed? I thought gen chem was a prereq for o chem?? anyway, Organic chem is totally different from general chemistry in many ways, but I found that you still used some basic chem knowledge here and there.

Things like isomers, spectroscopy (ir, nmr)..

i think o chem was pretty hard even WITH the prereqs, so i can't even imagine how difficult it would be taking both a gen chem class and an o chem. I wouldn't recommend doing it that way.

 

[2bdntist2]

At alot of colleges, when you are a guest student their pre-reqs for classes don't apply to you.

2bdntist2

 

[lindandy]

O chem is alot more memorization while gen Chem is more math. in Gen Chem 2 you learn quite a bit about bases, acids and pH that is compounded on in OChem. You may be ok without, but what is your hurry? Get a good grade in Gen Chem, then be prepared to study in OChem, at my school and to what I understand elsewhere, its a weedout class.

 

[bionerd]

I found G-chem to be more mathematical/logic-using whereas O-chem requires LOTS of memorizations about steps and reactions and structures...At my school, O-chem is also a weed-out class. I think 20% of the people dropped out during 1st quarter, then another 20% during 2nd quarter, and then--oh the horror--50% during the last quarter. Well, most of those who dropped decide to take summer school but who knows what happened to them?? So if you're super duper at memorization, then I think maybe you can pull it off. But then again, nothing is worth torturing yourself like that

 

[bkwash]

gchem is an overview of the major branches of chemistry (inorganic, organic, physical, analytic) It also will introduce you to basic principles needed in o-chem. It depends on what type of person you are as to whether it will be easy. O-chem requires more memorization and the concepts are more abstract...

 

[Hardbody]

I'm taking Chem I now, I still have to take O Chem I&II. I was told that O Chem is alot more fun than Chem I&II. I also heard that OChem has no relation to Gen Chem. How true is all this. The reason I ask is because I'm planning to take Gen ChemII and OChem I in the fall together to get these last pre-reqs done. I need some opinions on if this is really doable.

Thanks in advance

2bdntist2

Yes, they are both way different. Obviously gen chem is a pre req to O-Chem for a reason, but having said that you will not use much of what you learned from gen chem in O-chem. Make sure that you go over hybridization before you take O-Chem. This is something that is usually talked about in Gen Chem 2, but is fundamental to understanding the very basics in O-Chem. It is pretty much the easiest concept you will tackle in gen chem 2. The rest of gen chem 2 is pretty much quantitative

 

[INFNITE]

my orgo course did review the most important gen chem concepts during the first week of class. Just to let you know, orgo is NOT fun....but that's just my opinion, and I'm a math oriented person (engineering major).

 

[Doogie Howser]

my orgo course did review the most important gen chem concepts during the first week of class. Just to let you know, orgo is NOT fun....but that's just my opinion, and I'm a math oriented person (engineering major).

i also am a math oriented person, although i'm not an engineering major, i have taken all the math courses that an engineer would take (math minor). I thought that ochem, although not math related, required much of the same things that math requires, like understanding and applying broad concepts rather than memorizing everything like bio made you do.

ochem isn't that hard as long as you put the time into it early. It pays off to not memorize the mechanisms to reactions, but rather understand them. That makes everything so much easier because instead of having to memorize 30+ reactions for an exam, you can look at the reactants and be able to deduce what happens with the reaction.

honestly, all ochem is is a class that is a measure to see how much time you are really willing to put into a class. The class and the material isn't that hard if you are willing to put in the time. The more time you put into it, the better understanding of mechanisms you have, the better you will do.

 

[cba]

I loved Organic Chemistry but hated General Chemistry. I found them to be very unrelated.

 

[DDS:)]

I loved Organic Chemistry but hated General Chemistry. I found them to be very unrelated.

Agreed. I think Gchem and Ochem are unrelated.

To OP: if u can put in the effort and time, go for it.

 

[2bdntist2]

Thanks everybody, this really helped alot.

 

[JohnDoeDDS]

OChem is defintely not fun! ITs not just the fact that you have to memorize. Its that you know you are memorizing useless info! Plus it not all memorizing you have to do much more thinking in terms of synthesis complex compound, remember where each group directs etc...


Anyway I believe a strong knowledge in gen chem will help you in orgo.

 

[Envision]

I found Ochem to be a lot more fun than gchem by a long shot. although i do not think you need gchem as a background for ochem, i wouldnt suggest you taking both at the same time (if that is even allowed), bc there both weedout classes. gl.