Got a C in Orgo 1, should (can) I move on to Orgo 2?

[OREdwardsJR]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I got lazy after I got a good start off in Orgo 1. Long story short, I pulled a C in the class. Orgo 1 has a large wait list and Orgo 2 is open. Honestly, I didn't learn much about mechanisms but I guess I can self-study during the break since I don't have much to do.


My question is: how much of Orgo 2 is built upon what you learn in Orgo 1? It's not that I struggled to understand the concepts in Orgo 1, I just got lazy as I said. Would it be wise to take Orgo 2, microbiology, or any other science classes or should I wait a semester to retake Orgo 1? Keep in mind that I want to take the MCAT in the Summer of 2014 (before the new MCAT is released)

 

[5lippy]

There's a lot of overlap. All of your synthesis problems and mechanisms will rely on principles that you learned in Orgo I. w/o a strong background, you're likely to suffer. I have TA'd Orgo I and Orgo II in consecutive semesters, and I can see the same students struggle as they progress from I to II. Also, Orgo II is naturally more difficult because there is much more material. It's easier to fall behind, especially if you have to worry about relearning Orgo I mechanisms/rxns/reagents.

Also, Orgo II stuff is all over the MCAT, so it is necessary that you know it.

 

[Marika11]

Also, Orgo II stuff is all over the MCAT, so it is necessary that you know it.

Actually I'm pretty sure orgo is a very small part of the mcat. Like 1-2 passages small.

 

[Anathema]

It can be up to 4 passages which is a considerable amount.

 

[mcloaf]

It can be up to 4 passages which is a considerable amount.

x2. Assuming you won't need much orgo is setting yourself up for failure. If it's on the AAMC topic list you need to know it.

 

[HughMyron]

I got a C in one term of Orgo and a high A in the following term. Really, Orgo is all about the professor you get. Some professors are just nasty people.

 

[1stmeds]

I got lazy after I got a good start off in Orgo 1. Long story short, I pulled a C in the class. Orgo 1 has a large wait list and Orgo 2 is open. Honestly, I didn't learn much about mechanisms but I guess I can self-study during the break since I don't have much to do.


My question is: how much of Orgo 2 is built upon what you learn in Orgo 1? It's not that I struggled to understand the concepts in Orgo 1, I just got lazy as I said. Would it be wise to take Orgo 2, microbiology, or any other science classes or should I wait a semester to retake Orgo 1? Keep in mind that I want to take the MCAT in the Summer of 2014 (before the new MCAT is released)

Orgo 2 in my opinion was not so much harder as it rather covered a lot more material. Its not harder in the sense that all the new mechanisms you learn are really based on the fundamentals of the reactions learned in Orgo 1. but it is a lot more material, and the way we learned it, you had to hit the ground running, so I wouldn't say there was time for catch-up during the semester of orgo 1 material, especially if you are having a heavy workload outside of orgo.

orgo is definitely on the mcat, but whether you get sections on orgo 1 material only, orgo 2 only, or a mix of both is a grab bag. so you should take the orgo 2 before the mcat because why risk not knowing material. and, on top of that, i will say that orgo (for me anyways) was the easiest section of all the science on the mcat, and not nearly as complicated as we learned in class.

if still undecided, read/skim ahead over your break to exam the mechanisms covered in orgo 2 and if you feel you can't make up what you covered in orgo 1 over the break, consider retaking it, not only so you can get a better grade but also get a better foundation for orgo 2 (as well as place yourself in a position to perform better in that class as well as the mcat).