General Chemistry II Difficult?

[xprodigy92]

I know there's going to be someone who says this class was easy, but I'm taking General Chemistry II in a summer session with lab. We are covering Equilibrium, Acids and Bases as well as Titrations and all that fun stuff. I'm currently about 5 points above the class average which is usually in the 70's. I have an 80 average to be exact. I had an A in General Chemistry I but this class is very difficult. Is it because it's a summer session or is it just difficult material?

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[aSagacious]

I'd say it's about the same difficulty as gen chem I. It also largely depends on how well your high school chemistry course prepared you as well as your specific school, instructor, etc. The fact that it is a condensed version over the summer doesn't help... but I, as a general rule, tended to do better in my summer courses simply because I was taking fewer courses. It certainly is not an excuse for doing worse than in gen chem I.

 

[CodeBlu]

Acid/Base chemistry etc. is not the easiest... however... taking it in the summer vs. the regular school year doesn't make a difference.

The material will be of the same difficulty. They don't teach a different henderson-hasselbach equation in the summer than during the year.

Keep chugging along and try to get that A.

 

[xprodigy92]

My big issue is the guy I have awards no partial credit and my first professor did so. If your answer is wrong and the work is wrong, you receive no credit. I tend to get at least one 15 point problem wrong which can really screw me.

 

[aSagacious]

My big issue is the guy I have awards no partial credit and my first professor did so. If your answer is wrong and the work is wrong, you receive no credit.

Good practice for the MCAT .

 

[xprodigy92]

haha that's exactly what he says!

 

[aSagacious]

haha that's exactly what he says!

great minds...

 

[Tapepsi]

Assess your studying methods. Gen chem for me was just a math disguised as a science. For me, doing well in both I and II required doing a lot of practice problems. Don't just look at an equation, say "Okay I get it", then move on.

 

[Ost3oclast]

Hey man,

I'm also taking Gen Chem 2 in the summer. The only reason its difficult for me is because they move extremely fast and it is a little tough to soak everything up. I've never taken chemistry (other than the summer Gen Chem 1 course I just finished). Practice problems are the way to go. I got an A in Gen Chem 1 and I'm on track to get an A in 2 as well. On top of this I have a 4 hour drive to school and back everyday (2 hours one way). I hold down 2 part-time jobs at home as well. Plus I have a 5 month old daughter.....If I can still find time to cram all my chem practice in....so can you! On top of the practice problems, review your course material EVERYDAY after class.! good luck!

 

[postbacpremed87]

It really depends on the instructor and when you are taking it. I am taking it this second summer session and with physics 2...argh. The class average on the first two tests were 64, 63 respectively. I am right at a low A (92). I made a 98 in Gen Chem 1. I think people who had solid A's in Gen Chem 1 tend to go down a few percentage points in Gen Chem 2, but still get A's...on average. The material is slightly more challenging despite what people say.

I know there's going to be someone who says this class was easy, but I'm taking General Chemistry II in a summer session with lab. We are covering Equilibrium, Acids and Bases as well as Titrations and all that fun stuff. I'm currently about 5 points above the class average which is usually in the 70's. I have an 80 average to be exact. I had an A in General Chemistry I but this class is very difficult. Is it because it's a summer session or is it just difficult material?

 

[EphemeralRose3]

I thought that Gen Chem I was a lot easier than Gen Chem II. In Gen Chem II, I felt that it needed a lot of practice problems done as well as solid conceptual understanding. Plus, you need to know Gen Chem I like the back of your hand in Gen Chem II. In Gen Chem I, I relied on my instincts to follow through problems, and I didn't do a lot of practice problems. Like, it was simple for me to find the g.f.m. of NaCl and calculating molarity and molality.

 

[Elbarto150]

I had Gen Chem 2 during a summer session and found it to be VERY difficult. Fortunately, having just completed advanced organic, I can say that it was personally the hardest class I have ever taken. Yes, it helps for the MCAT, but don't start thinking that classes only get worse.

 

[NightGod]

Yeah, I definitely found Chem II to be harder than Chem I. Chem I is rote memorization and a bit of plug and chug equations, whereas Chem II requires a lot deeper understand of the concepts to be able to determine the proper path to take. Our chem professor's favorite saying at the start of the year was "Same effort as Chem I = one letter grade lower". To get an A in Chem I, I basically had to show up for the final and spell my name right on the test, for Chem II I had to show up and get mid 80s or better (actually ended up curving to 100).

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

It was cake on a bun on a sandwich with ice cream on top.
I didn't have any problems with it. I actually found I to be harder, but mostly due to an insanely hard teacher who's class avg was a 73 after a 8 point curve. I was one of the better students and passed with a B. II was much easier for me. Everything flowed well and taking in at as 6 week summer course with the lab (the only classes I took) I had more focus on the subject and managed to get an A+ in both the lecture and the lab.

 

[blackarrowmoose]

its VERY hard to say what your going to think of general chemistry II. Why? Because theres so many factors that go along with judging "difficulty". I personally found it easier than Gen Chem I just because it involved more calculations and less theory (which im inclined to prefer), however, i had classmates whom did worse in II from I. In all honesty just do your best, study as hard as you can, and hell i studied my ass off and i still got a B, but when i found out the class average was a C i was happy.