Gen Chem

[bisulfite]

I just received a B+ in gen chem at top 25 university and I can't help but be somewhat dissapointed as gen chem should be an easy class. I know I coulda've studied a lot harder, instead I focused more on my non-science classes. I know that a B + is a solid grade, but nowadays admissions is extremely competitive and you need all the A's you can get because it only gets much, much harder.

I know that my grade was extremely close to an A-, and I'm wondering if I should maybe petition the class to possibly bring my grade up. Is this is a good idea or should I just be happy with my B+?

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[MossPoh]

Don't petition. All it makes you do is look like an annoying student, and I think it would only burn bridges. Whether it is an easy class is dependent on the school. Many places I've been to have it as a weeder course. Just work hard and get an A the next time. The last thing we need is another neurotic premed flipping out about a single grade.

 

[akademiks1989]

Think about a B+ as a blessing and leverage.

First off, if you have a 4.0 or nearly perfect GPA, what do you have to show the adcoms that you have to improve? With a B+, you can show an upward trend in grades later on. But with all good grades, you might have a bad semester or two, and what do you have, a downward trend. That will not look good.

Also, it is your first semester I assume, and college level science is different from most high school level. So you are either adjusting or the material was tough. As the above poster said, most gen chem classes are weeder courses. Nonetheless, adcoms like to see improvement the most..

Just improve, but don’t be too caught up in getting perfect grades. But getting A's closer and closer to app time, from what I've gathered here, is the best thing to do. If you can, get them now. If you can't, don't sweat it.

 

[TPROrgoTutor2]

Gen chem was harder for me than OChem, Biochem, or A-Chem.

 

[kapil_MD]

Gen chem was harder for me than OChem, Biochem, or A-Chem.

really? So organic is actually easier?

 

[Arc]

^^^
Did you have a rough time with the Organic Nomeaclature section in Gen Chem?

 

[youngnflyy]

To me, organic chemistry was harder than any of the other classes I've taken in my undergrad career. I've heard that Biochem is even worse though, so it really depends on the person, and how difficult your teacher makes it. As far as the original poster goes, I'd accept the B+ and move on. There is no sense in getting riled up over a B+. It won't keep you out of medical school, unless the rest of your grades are C's and D's!

 

[brianmartin]

A lot of people (including myself) find gen chem to be very tough. A B+ is a nice grade and there is no reason to worry

 

[TPROrgoTutor2]

^^^
Did you have a rough time with the Organic Nomeaclature section in Gen Chem?

Not so much to know in nomenclature.

And no, for most organic is harder. For me, organic was much much much easier.

 

[tdkneo]

really? So organic is actually easier?

Im taking ochem next semester so i hope it's easy .....people say that the ways to understand ochem are dependence on the ways the brain visualizes, so the rumor is if you do good in gchem, then you wont do good in ochem.......but if youre bad with gchem, then ochem should be easy.........what do you guys think?

 

[JimJamJimmy]

Organic is easier than General simply because everything you learn in Organic builds up and connects. In General Chem, I would learn about Electrochemistry one week - my favorite part of General Chem - and the next week I'd be on Coordinate Chemistry; there was no direct connection.

However, in Organic, everything builds up on everything else. One week you learn about the Synthesis and Structure of Alcohols, the next you learn the Reactions, and so on and so on. So yea, I found Organic to be much easier to wrap my head around than General Chem.

As for that whole "If you're good in G-Chem you won't be good with O-Chem and vice versa"...complete bull****. I got A for all of General Chem and I'm 95% sure I'm getting an A in Organic so yea.