Is there a reason to complete Orgo 1/2 before taking Gen Chem 2?

[A Doctor Maybe]

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My school is telling me I have to take Orgo 1 and 2 before General Chemistry 2. Is there a reason for they made the sequence like this?

I can take Gen Chem 2 before Orgo 2 at another University during the summer and get it transferred to avoid this because I think it helps me better prepare for the MCAT timing wise, as Orgo 2 is less represented on the MCAT, which will let me start studying for the MCAT sooner.

Thoughts?

 

[Dr. Retractor]

That makes no sense. Is an adviser telling you this or are you actually unable to register for gen chem 2 without orgo 1/2?

 

[Gregarious_and_Hilarious]

That's odd, at my university (and several others I know of) they usually require a full year of gen chem before you start the orgo sequence

 

[radian313]

The lab techniques from or go 2 are high yield

 

[A Doctor Maybe]

You can take Orgo without completing both gen chems?

That makes no sense. Is an adviser telling you this or are you actually unable to register for gen chem 2 without orgo 1/2?

That's odd, at my university (and several others I know of) they usually require a full year of gen chem before you start the orgo sequence

It's literally a pre-requisite here. I can't sign up for Gen Chem 2 without completing Orgo 2. I think I'm going to take Gen Chem 2 at another University over the summer to avoid this...

 

[Mavs88]

That is really bizarre.

 

[medguy24]

Lol which college??

 

[ciestar]

This makes no sense.

 

[Aerus]

This is unusual but it won't matter. Gen Chem 2 isn't necessary to understand Organic Chemistry.


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[A Doctor Maybe]

Thanks all. I will proceed and take this class first at another Uni during the summer to avoid this!

 

[amazing tekkers]

I would forget everything from Gen chem if I took Ochem between the sequences.

 

[ciestar]

This is unusual but it won't matter. Gen Chem 2 isn't necessary to understand Organic Chemistry.


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That's the only fortunate thing. But it's still weird to take them out of sequence like that.

 

[frosted_flake]

Do not do that. Baaaaad idea

 

[knv2u]

That makes no sense. Is an adviser telling you this or are you actually unable to register for gen chem 2 without orgo 1/2?

It is possible and my school had a similar track.

My alma mater had two course sequences: a general sequence (1 yr. general chemistry followed by 1 yr. organic chemistry) and an advanced accelerated series - accelerated General Chemistry I, two semesters of accelerated /advanced organic chemistry, and then a class called thermodynamics and kinetics that was meant to serve as general chemistry II. The accelerated series consisted primarily of chemistry majors and most already had AP Chemistry. The OP could be in the accelerated track at his school.

 

[A Doctor Maybe]

Do not do that. Baaaaad idea

So basically go on my own and avoid my Uni's pre-med track? I REALLY want to go G Chem 1,2 and then Orgo 1,2.

 

[Lucca]

Everyone here goes GC I, II and then Orgo I, II and does just fine. I don't know why you would interrupt a sequence for no reason.....

 

[lumpyduster]

I think schools that do that have some weird rationale that sandwiching the orgo allows you to make that second gen chem course a more advanced inorganic course.

Some schools do it to get into organic earlier to try to get students to see its relation to the life sciences earlier and try to somehow retain chemistry majors (I saw one school say it saw the chemistry majors decrease in number but biology majors were increasing so they implemented this change). Letting students get past organic earlier also opened more options for biochemistry students.

I still don't get it. But whatever!

 

[bumpbumped]

It's different from the normal sequence, but if that's how your school organizes it, then I suggest you follow it. They might organize the curriculum in such a way that it makes more sense to do it that way.

I did an informal postbac at a school that did this (UMD). I retook Orgo I through them and took Gen 2. I can't remember the reasoning behind it, but it's a big state school, so I'm thinking it probably works out just fine for all the students who take that the sequence.