How To Survive Gen Chem?

[hunterjumper98]

Hey everyone! I just started a new semester at UGA and signed up for Gen Chem I again after having to take a W last semester. I am honestly at a loss on how to do well in this class. We just took out first test yesterday, and I got a 53 despite studying my butt off. I also felt that I knew most of the problems on the test, but apparently I thought wrong... I did all of the practice problems provided and attended every single lecture. I am just so discouraged... However, the professor did say that this test is only worth half of the other tests, so that students may make a comeback and do well in the class.

For those that have made it out of Gen Chem I alive, how did you study for the tests? Also, what did your studying sessions consist of and for how long did you study? Did you use a tutoring service?

At this point, any advice would be very appreciated! 🙂

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[CubsFan44]

Make sure you are doing your practice problems in a test-like environment. If you have to use your notes to work yourself through the problem, you haven't mastered the material yet. That's what I've always done for classes like gen chem

 

[wengerout]

Hey everyone! I just started a new semester at UGA and signed up for Gen Chem I again after having to take a W last semester. I am honestly at a loss on how to do well in this class. We just took out first test yesterday, and I got a 53 despite studying my butt off. I also felt that I knew most of the problems on the test, but apparently I thought wrong... I did all of the practice problems provided and attended every single lecture. I am just so discouraged... However, the professor did say that this test is only worth half of the other tests, so that students may make a comeback and do well in the class.

For those that have made it out of Gen Chem I alive, how did you study for the tests? Also, what did your studying sessions consist of and for how long did you study? Did you use a tutoring service?

At this point, any advice would be very appreciated! 🙂

Hey! I went to UGA and took Gen Chem there. My first recommendation is get tutoring ASAP, my personal recommendation being science guyz. I attribute my A- in Gen Chem 1 to them solely.

I'm not sure if it's different now but when I took it we used webassign so I redid the HW problems until I could do them in my sleep and understood the concepts behind them.


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[dentalstudent2021]

The first thing you need to do is read your notes and try to understand and learn the concept. ONLY after this should you practice HW problems. For me what I did wrong was, I tried to memorize how to do problems in a certain way and when the professor asked the question in another way, I was at a loss. This was due to a lack of complete understanding of the concepts. Understanding the concept first is an important step.
Also, while learning the concepts, you can try 1-2 problems just to check that you are actually learning the material.

 

[Universitygeek]

How are your other grades? Is it only gen chem you're struggling in?

 

[deleted675533]

If necessary, treat your Gen Chem 1 class like a full time job. Study the chapter before class and try to master the material on your own. Going to lecture should just be to clarify the difficult concepts. Do as many practice problems as possible and when you're studying for your tests make sure you study every concept that your professor covered - not just what was on the homework/study guides. Before you take the test, you should know the material well enough to teach it, so get in a study group and teach! You'll help out your partners and you'll cement the information in your brain. Also, depending on what resources are available at your university, utilizing TA's, Chem tutorial labs, and professor office hours can be extremely helpful.

 

[rk1229]

Get Chad's Videos asap. I took both semesters of Gen Chem in one summer and Chad literally saved my grade.

 

[RYost234]

Also taking Gen Chem 1,

Read the textbook chapter and work on some of the problems in the textbook before you go over the chapter in class

I did very well on my first test and I attribute the majority of it to reading the textbook/doing textbook problems prior to going over the chapter in class

 

[mroerdh22]

If necessary, treat your Gen Chem 1 class like a full time job. Study the chapter before class and try to master the material on your own. Going to lecture should just be to clarify the difficult concepts. Do as many practice problems as possible and when you're studying for your tests make sure you study every concept that your professor covered - not just what was on the homework/study guides. Before you take the test, you should know the material well enough to teach it, so get in a study group and teach! You'll help out your partners and you'll cement the information in your brain. Also, depending on what resources are available at your university, utilizing TA's, Chem tutorial labs, and professor office hours can be extremely helpful.

This is the perfect advice, and I tutor Gen Chem!

 

[1070752]

What do you guys consider gen chem? Is plain inorganic chemistry included in your gen chem (eg symmetry operations, crystal behaviour, MO, etc)?

 

[deleted675533]

What do you guys consider gen chem? Is plain inorganic chemistry included in your gen chem (eg symmetry operations, crystal behaviour, MO, etc)?

I mean, depending on your school/professor there is a lot of overlap between gen, organic, and other chemistries, but to me gen Chem is just inorganic chemistry. I'm not sure exactly what qualifies it to be so.

 

[TheDentalPrincess]

I went to UGA as well and was pre-dental with a non-bio/chem major (Your professor's last name wouldn't happen to begin with S, would it?...)

The first semester I took during the summer and it was totally fine. The second half of General Chem? Honestly, I withdrew the first time. My test scores were like yours. Second time I stayed in the course even though I should have withdrew. Even though I studied long and hard, it wasn't effective. The test format was killing me. Since I wasn't a science major, I just graduated without finishing the chem series at UGA. I retook Chemistry at another state school in the summer the year after graduation and did well with nowhere near the level of work I put into at UGA. Now I'm in Organic I, taking Organic II this summer and applying to dental schools. I have two jobs and my grade in Organic is a high B, and increasing. To think I might get an A- or even higher in this course is a dream because after UGA chem I was sure I would need to choose a new career.

If I had seen wengerin's advice back then I may have taken it but I still might have been too broke to afford tutoring. I tried some and they were asking $40/hr and I knew I would need much more than that...

 

[Universitygeek]

I went to UGA as well and was pre-dental with a non-bio/chem major (Your professor's last name wouldn't happen to begin with S, would it?...)

The first semester I took during the summer and it was totally fine. The second half of General Chem? Honestly, I withdrew the first time. My test scores were like yours. Second time I stayed in the course even though I should have withdrew. Even though I studied long and hard, it wasn't effective. The test format was killing me. Since I wasn't a science major, I just graduated without finishing the chem series at UGA. I retook Chemistry at another state school in the summer the year after graduation and did well with nowhere near the level of work I put into at UGA. Now I'm in Organic I, taking Organic II this summer and applying to dental schools. I have two jobs and my grade in Organic is a high B, and increasing. To think I might get an A- or even higher in this course is a dream because after UGA chem I was sure I would need to choose a new career.

If I had seen wengerin's advice back then I may have taken it but I still might have been too broke to afford tutoring. I tried some and they were asking $40/hr and I knew I would need much more than that...

Isn't organic chem supposed to be harder than gen chem or at least that's what I've been told?

 

[TheDentalPrincess]

Isn't organic chem supposed to be harder than gen chem or at least that's what I've been told?

What you consider harder may depend on where your strengths lie. I wouldn't say organic is easy (not at all...) but for me it's more accessible than inorganic/gen chem; I just make sure to know the underlying concepts and practice. I'm not a natural with numbers and formulas which are heavy in gen chem. The gen chem sequence at my undergrad was also designed as a weeder for pre-med/pre-dent/pre-pharm students, of which there are an extremely large number of freshman year.

 

[deleted675533]

Isn't organic chem supposed to be harder than gen chem or at least that's what I've been told?

It really depends on the person, but many people think organic is harder. Depends on the teacher and the student. That being said, both are doable! My university has a brutal chemistry department (Most classes require a 94 or 95 for an A) and there are students who do well, including many pre-dents. It's possible, just hang in there!

 

[DDSER1]

Study....


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Lol I remember when I was a struggling second year student and I asked my friend in dental school what the best way to get good marks is, and he replied, 'you wanna know the secret? Study.'

 

[klownzo]

My boy chad has your back

 

[Faux]

Isn't organic chem supposed to be harder than gen chem or at least that's what I've been told?

I failed gen chem 1. Organic wasn't anywhere nearly as hard and came fairy quickly for me after the first exam.

Got A's in all my chemistries after the failure, but didn't put nearly half the time into organic as I did gen chemistry.

The thing with organic chemistry is that once you have a foundation, you're golden. You can make educated assumptions about how reactions turn out once you have a foundation. Organic 2 was really straight forward after that. While in gen chem, every chapter is completely new material.

 

[Universitygeek]

It really depends on the person, but many people think organic is harder. Depends on the teacher and the student. That being said, both are doable! My university has a brutal chemistry department (Most classes require a 94 or 95 for an A) and there are students who do well, including many pre-dents. It's possible, just hang in there!

94 or 95? At my university it's only like an 86. That sounds rough . . .

 

[Beezlebub]

Deactivate facebook. Do practice questions.