I want to pre-study for orgo I and physics, ideas on how?

[zeppelinpage4]

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I'm going to be taking calculus based physics I and organic chemistry I next semester.

Only I am also taking genetics, physics lab + orgo lab and art history.

I might do some clubs and research on top.

Thus I want to pre-study for organic chemistry and physics during my summer. I couldn't sign up for the summer classes due to timing issues and I have a lot on my plate next semester.

Is there any way you guys could suggest for me to review/prepare myself for organic I and calc-physics I?

I was thinking of getting the text book early and reading the first few chapters.

Or if you could suggest a good review book for me to go through that would help before the class.

Any advice or help would be a big help, thanks guys. 🙂

 

[snorlax]

I think it's actually a bad idea to study ochem during the summer. If you're like me, you will eventually get sick of studying ochem during the school year, so if you spent your summer preparing for it, you will literally go crazy when it's time to study for your final.

For physics, I would just buy the textbooks and start doing problems right away. Skim each chapter and do as many problems as you can. It would be more worth your time to study physics than ochem because you will be more likely to retain the physics you learn and it will make the school year much easier. I don't think the same can be said about ochem, since professors typically make ochem easier than the textbook.

 

[EMS5]

Hmm..puff puff pass? That might make things go a little easier...don't take that quite so literally though, I just relax in the off-terms and wait for the next semester to get here

 

[JJMrK]

Review books only help if you are reviewing. In other words, you need to have already learned the material.

IMO: Relax this summer, keep your mind off of school, and go in ready to rock.

 

[loveoforganic]

I actually prestudied for organic because I badly needed a confidence boost after freshman year. Just bought the book beforehand and read all the concept chapters with intent to understand. Didn't really memorize much. Don't regret it at all, but definitely not doing any more prestudying since the goal was accomplished

 

[FloatOn]

Don't study ahead of time! Seriously, just use the summer to rest and re-energize for the upcoming semester. I took ochem I spring of my freshmen year so I was a little nervous about that. I tried skimming the textbook over winter break to see what to expect and it was made of such fail.

 

[addo]

If you decide to do this just get the textbook youre going to use in class and go over it. Im sure you have seen people walking around with the organic text that they use, but if you havent, email the professor you plan to take the class with and ask. Also ask up to what chapter youre going to cover during your first semester...its usually up to alcohols or NMR/IR. You can easily, without stress or getting sick of it, do like 1 chapter every two weeks or so, and the first ones go fast.
Relaxing and taking it easy during the summer is good advice, but if you really nail down some of the harder concepts youll actually have a much easier and less stressing time during the semester.

 

[justinbaily]

I actually think that it's a good idea to do some things for organic. Physics would be a waste of time because it isn't cummulative at all. I would go through the first two chapters of your organic book until you have a near-perfect understanding of Lewis structures, VSEPR/orbitals, resonance, ect. I.e., all of the things that you "learned" in first-semester general chemistry but did not actually internalize in any meaningful way. You'll be way ahead of the curve when your professor blows through the first two chapters in the first week of class because "it's all review".

 

[DrArete]

Memorize the book, word for word, in less than a hour.
Throw in Robbins while you are at it, get a jump on med school.
If you get bored, just memorize the phone book too.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJjAbs-3kc8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[shisimagum]

Reading mcat prep books is pretty good. It gives a basic summary of these courses so you are not lost when you go to class.

 

[Danlee07]

Main tips I can tell you: Make sure that your foundation is good.

For O Chem, know your Lewis acid/bases/orbitals really well. For physics, make sure your algebra & trig is GREAT so that you spend more time on just understanding concepts rather than getting stuck/making mistakes on problems.

 

[Corpsman Up]

Main tips I can tell you: Make sure that your foundation is good.

For O Chem, know your Lewis acid/bases/orbitals really well. For physics, make sure your algebra & trig is GREAT so that you spend more time on just understanding concepts rather than getting stuck/making mistakes on problems.

Completely agree about physics (I dont start ochem till the fall). Make sure your trig is tight for physics 1 as you will use it in like half the problems. Thats about it though, I wouldnt worry too much about prepping, I thought physics I was a very straightforward class where you just need to practice a lot of problems from the homework sets

 

[allie1361]

You'll probably regret not spending your summer relaxing if you worry too much about "pre-studying". Your brain needs a brake. Trust me, you don't want to burnout during orgo because it'll be impossible to retain the information. I have a feeling you will study enough during the semester. I studied so much that I was DREAMING about orgo reactions...you don't want to dream about that during the summer.

 

[Cytotoxic]

For Orgo, get Klein's books and go through them before/during your orgo courses:

Organic Chemistry as a Second Language
Organic Chemistry II as a Second Language

They're short, clear, and give you lots of practice problems with solutions.

 

[crossscreen]

For Orgo, get Klein's books and go through them before/during your orgo courses:

Organic Chemistry as a Second Language
Organic Chemistry II as a Second Language

They're short, clear, and give you lots of practice problems with solutions.

second this. they def helped.

 

[surftheiop]

For Orgo, get Klein's books and go through them before/during your orgo courses:

Organic Chemistry as a Second Language
Organic Chemistry II as a Second Language

They're short, clear, and give you lots of practice problems with solutions.

yeah those are nice.

For physics, review all your triangle trig and stuff if its been awhile since you have done that sort of thing

 

[Colonol Forbin]

You need to chill out and enjoy life

there is no need to 'pre study', that is one of the more ridiculous things i have ever herd....You';ll have plenty of time to learn the info during the semester

 

[surftheiop]

You need to chill out and enjoy life

there is no need to 'pre study', that is one of the more ridiculous things i have ever herd....You';ll have plenty of time to learn the info during the semester

You need to realize "one size does not fit all"

I personally would not pre-study foraclass, but thats probably because Im so lazy during summer.

For other people, if they aren't pre-studying they are going to be stressing about how hard the next semester will be. Its much better to pre-study than to sit around worrying about the next semester and not do anything about it.

 

[sustentacular]

Reading mcat prep books is pretty good. It gives a basic summary of these courses so you are not lost when you go to class.

+1

I took an mcat prep class prior to physics 1 and 2. I was surprised how much of the info I retained, didn't have to study much and ended up doing pretty well in the class*.








*I know, I know, cool story bro.

 

[clinicallabguy]

I'm going to be taking calculus based physics I and organic chemistry I next semester.

Only I am also taking genetics, physics lab + orgo lab and art history.

I might do some clubs and research on top.

Thus I want to pre-study for organic chemistry and physics during my summer. I couldn't sign up for the summer classes due to timing issues and I have a lot on my plate next semester.

Is there any way you guys could suggest for me to review/prepare myself for organic I and calc-physics I?

I was thinking of getting the text book early and reading the first few chapters.

Or if you could suggest a good review book for me to go through that would help before the class.

Any advice or help would be a big help, thanks guys. 🙂

I ended up pre-studying for Orgo II, because I was taking a condensed version in the second half of the summer (6 weeks long) and I was also working 30 hours a week. I'd heard that it was a bad idea to work during the condensed O chem, but didn't have a choice so I pre-studied instead. Looking back, it was a good idea and I'm glad that I did it. I did really well in the class. I also took Calc II 6-7 years after taking Calc I in high school (and I didn't learn it super well in hs). So the August before school I worked through the Calc I stuff. So it is possible.

If you're set on doing it, then make your expectations reasonable. You need to have some fun this summer for sure. That is your top priority. However, it is possible to get a leg up on a potentially overwhelming semester and have a fun summer. I don't understand why people think these two ideas are mutually exclusive. They weren't for me. Invariably every time somebody brings something like this up in a thread someone posts the "memorize Robbins while you're at it" comment implying that it's unrealistic or silly to pre-study. I don't think it's unrealistic or silly, however,

I would chose just one, O Chem or Physics, to pre study. Chose the one that you think is the most interesting. Then figure out your schedule. Determine how far you want to get, and how many days you have as well as what days you want to study and what days you want off from studying. See if it's realistic for you. Then stick to your schedule. It wouldn't take that much time each day to study a semester of physics or O Chem. I can't imagine it would take more than an hour or two a day for 5 or 6 days a week for the summer, and I think even that is a high estimate.

Just because you study during the summer does not mean you will burn out. However, you need to make sure that you balance it out with fun stuff during the summer or you might. Make sure to keep that in mind.

 

[morning]

LOL @ people reacting like the OP is asking if he should pre-study for Step I.

If you feel shaky in chem and physics, and a lot of people are, there's nothing wrong with getting an "Organic Chemistry For Dummies" type book and reading it. Just don't burn yourself out before you hit class. If ~15 hours of pre-reading a summer before you have a class you're scared about helps bump a B up to an A, it's more worthwhile for your prospects than whatever else you could be doing with those measly 15 hours.

 

[zeppelinpage4]

Thanks so much for the advice guys, I had no idea i'd get this much help/advice.

I definitely understand the need to rest and I probably should have mentioned in my first post. I was not going to do hardcore studying each day.

Like clinicallabguy and morning suggested, I was hoping to just get some basics down for each class beforehand, so I could spend more time on other activities during the semester.

I'll definitely get the physics text and try to get a feel for the first few topics. I'm a little more worried over physics than orgo.
I'll also try to review all those basics from gen chem about orbitals and acids/bases. The MCAT prep book will be worth a look, though I think i'll go to my gen chem text first.

I don't know I think my biggest issue is just that i'm not very confident in myself. I got very good grades this freshman year but it took a lot of work.
I'm willing to put that time in again but there's a lot of other things I would like to do outside of class.

Anyhow it looks like I could try to skim over the basics and try to get a feel for the background info. they would expect us to know coming in. I just finished taking Calc II so I think i'd be ok with trig stuff.

Also I had taken AP physics B, didn't do so great on the exam but I have some physics/math background built up at the moment.
Thanks again for the help and I hopefully I can get some studying in during the next couple weeks. 🙂