How can I properly learn Chemistry?

[Eyeofthestorm1]

Hello, I am currently a Junior in high school. I don't want to be a doctor, but I do aspire to be a research scientist at a pharmaceutical company. I took Honors Chemistry (Inorganic) last year and it was an absolute nightmare. I got -C's/C's on every test first semester. I did better when we got to the real Chemistry 2nd semester, but not much (C+'s/B-'s). Throughout the entire year, the class average was always 90%+. I always tried to go for help, but the teacher always said that she was too busy. I kept bringing up the idea of a tutor, but she refused to help me and claimed that I did not need one. I watched videos, but that did not make a big difference in my grades. Something was missing and I couldn't figure that out. I did not have any one who I could form a study group with because I didn't have any friends. (I'm kind of a loner, but that is beside the point).

The only times I ever got A's on tests were for Stoichiometry and acids/bases. I got B's in both semesters of the class.

My teacher wouldn't even consider letting me into AP Chem despite my career aspirations (they have not changed within the past year). I think it was because of my grade. However, her words to me went as follows: "I think that if you took AP Chemistry, it would ruin the love for the subject that you hold right now." My old teacher is the AP Chemistry teacher.

I can hate Inorganic Chemistry the rest of my life and that won't matter. The preparation for the Chemistry I want to spend my life doing is what matters. I realize this now and I am banging my head against the wall that I didn't go to administration and fight the recommendation. Seniors cannot take AP Chemistry at my school.

In my other science classes:
Current: Honors Physics- I am one of the top students. I have to work hard to maintain this, but not even a tenth as hard as I did for my sub-par grades in H. Chem.
Current: AP Biology- I was the top student last semester. (My teacher told me.) Bio just comes to me much easier than any of my other subjects. I think it is because I sit there and think about how it applies to real life all the time.
10th grade- Anatomy and Physiology- I absolutely loved this class. I think I ended this class with a 98%.
(Other science courses I've taken: Biology 1, Health and Medicine, and Astrophysics.)
2017-2018 I am signed up for: AP Physics C, AP Environmental Science, Medical Innovations. and Earth Science.
I've also noticed that I have learned more Chemistry siting in my Bio classes than I ever did in H. Chem. The same thing is about to happen in Honors Physics. I don't know why this is.

Sorry for the length of this. I just really want to develop some sort of a plan for me to tackle Chemistry and I want to give this another shot now. Something was not clicking in my first year of Chemistry. I'm not letting my 4 year dream fly out the window because of this.

My biggest fear right now is hitting that college chem class and having the same experience as I did previously.

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[Turkishking]

Repetition is key.

 

[FlameBroiledDoc]

Try investing in The Great Courses, specifically their High School level offerings. If what you're looking for isn't on sale, sign up for their e-mail list and it will be on sale soon enough. If their videos can't get you through the stuff you're struggling with, you might not be destined to be a chemist. There's no shame in that.

 

[Toutie]

Try investing in The Great Courses, specifically their High School level offerings. If what you're looking for isn't on sale, sign up for their e-mail list and it will be on sale soon enough. If their videos can't get you through the stuff you're struggling with, you might not be destined to be a chemist. There's no shame in that.

You can also get many of the Great Courses at your local library.

 

[aristrutz523]

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[wutwutwut]

I am graduating with a degree in chemistry in two months but when i first took chemistry in high school I was terrible at it! I was in a similar boat though in that I wanted to be good at it because I found it interesting, so I worked really hard at it. Like someone said earlier the biggest thing is you need to do A LOT of problems, but it isn't just doing problems you need to attempt the problem and then check your answer and if it is wrong look up the solution and analyze where you went wrong. If you get it correct still look at the solution and reinforce how to do the problem.

Also what works in my experience is trying to categorize problems and see the patterns. If you do enough problems this will become easier, but it is really hard to do when you are first learning. But every time you do a problem try to relate it to a problem you have done previously, and analyze how it is the same and how it is different. I think it also is important to mention the saying "study smarter not harder," so it is important to not only put in the work in but also make sure you are using your time in the right way (although it still takes a lot of work sadly).


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