Frustration

[PandaEyes]

Hey, everyone. I'm a 2nd year undergraduate student in pre-pharmacy, and I was actually wondering if I should drop Organic Chemistry I. I already received a C in Gen Chem II and a C+ in Gen Bio II, and I feel that if I don't get at least a B+ in Orgo I, I won't get into my school's prepharmacy program (guaranteed admission to my university's pharmacy school). What's incredibly frustrating about this course is that I actually did get serious about school this year (last year, I was still having trouble adapting to college and studying hard for my classes), but it still apparently isn't enough. I got a C on my last midterm, and I have a midterm tomorrow that I just don't feel prepared for. Even though I think I get the concepts and I begin studying at least about 2 weeks before the midterm, I take one practice exam from my professor and feel screwed.

Does one W look bad for pharmacy applications? I sometimes wonder if a gap semester may be better for me (in which I would just work or volunteer as a pharmacy technician).. :/ I feel completely burned out and tired. In addition, if I stay in Orgo I, I have to take it with Molecular Biology (since it's traditional at my school to pair both of them - I have no idea why). I've heard that Mol Bio is going to be even harder than Orgo I, and I don't know if I can handle both classes at once.

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[delano2000]

Hey, everyone. I'm a 2nd year undergraduate student in pre-pharmacy, and I was actually wondering if I should drop Organic Chemistry I. I already received a C in Gen Chem II and a C+ in Gen Bio II, and I feel that if I don't get at least a B+ in Orgo I, I won't get into my school's prepharmacy program (guaranteed admission to my university's pharmacy school). What's incredibly frustrating about this course is that I actually did get serious about school this year (last year, I was still having trouble adapting to college and studying hard for my classes), but it still apparently isn't enough. I got a C on my last midterm, and I have a midterm tomorrow that I just don't feel prepared for. Even though I think I get the concepts and I begin studying at least about 2 weeks before the midterm, I take one practice exam from my professor and feel screwed.

Does one W look bad for pharmacy applications? I sometimes wonder if a gap semester may be better for me (in which I would just work or volunteer as a pharmacy technician).. :/ I feel completely burned out and tired. In addition, if I stay in Orgo I, I have to take it with Molecular Biology (since it's traditional at my school to pair both of them - I have no idea why). I've heard that Mol Bio is going to be even harder than Orgo I, and I don't know if I can handle both classes at once.

A few Ws will not kill you. I am pretty sure that the majority of applicants have received a W at some point in their collegiate life. You obviously do not want to accrue numerous withdrawals but one will not kill you. I had to withdraw from OChem II (due to an injury to my eye) but I redid it in the summer and still got invited for interviews. You must be able to explain each W though.

I would not go the gap route as it may be a little harder to explain. However, if you feel that you absolutely will not be able to cope with the courses this semester, you could consider withdrawing but be prepared to explain why you withdrew from all your courses and your response cannot be "the classes were too hard". Gaining work experience and/or volunteering will be a good option if you must withdraw. It's only gonna get harder the higher up you go in your studies.

 

[rxlea]

Seems to me like you need to change your approach to school/learning. Maybe you need to change the way you study or take notes. If you are getting C's because you are having trouble understanding the material, then you need to rethink what you are doing. If you are getting C's because you cannot handle that many courses (or you are burned out or whatever), then rethink your time management and ability to prioritize. Many people have taken a break. If you take a break and do something meaningful (like working as a tech), it looks much better than if you take a break and do nothing. If you DO need a break, then do what you mentioned- get some work experience. You might also want to throw in some additional EC's or something (to keep you busy). A couple of W's won't hurt you but remember that you cannot always just bail yourself out that way. Pharmacy school is rigorous and it is important to the adcoms that accepted students will be able to handle that.

 

[PandaEyes]

I've been trying to manage my time with something called the Unschedule, which allows me to schedule all the fun activities in my life and fill in 30-minute chunks of work. How many hours should I study a week? Are 20 enough for all classes, including orgo?

I actually did drop orgo today, but I do realize that I can't just drop when things get tough. This was just a situation in which even though I actually tried to focus and study, it apparently wasn't enough and I felt absolutely overwhelmed. I feel like I'll be much happier taking it in the Spring and that my GPA will still be high enough to get admitted into my university's prepharmacy program.

 

[mandydp6]

I've been trying to manage my time with something called the Unschedule, which allows me to schedule all the fun activities in my life and fill in 30-minute chunks of work. How many hours should I study a week? Are 20 enough for all classes, including orgo?

I actually did drop orgo today, but I do realize that I can't just drop when things get tough. This was just a situation in which even though I actually tried to focus and study, it apparently wasn't enough and I felt absolutely overwhelmed. I feel like I'll be much happier taking it in the Spring and that my GPA will still be high enough to get admitted into my university's prepharmacy program.

Well I guess you had already answered you own question then!
I hope you have a better experience with it in the spring. I can understand the frustration of putting hours and hours of studying and effort in and still not performing well. My strong GPA did not, in any way, come because I was a "quick learner" or a "brain". Every semester I've had to use tutors, professor's office hours, study groups - all on top of sacrificing almost any free time I may have had. These are things I would definitely recommend to you next semester if you're still struggling (the tutor and study group part - not the no free time part lol).
It sucks, but I will hopefully be able to say soon enough that it was all worth it if I can start pharmacy school next fall
Good luck!