Is there a way to compensate for doing horrible in O-Chem?

[littlecalvaria]

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Like I mean C's in both semesters degree of horrible. I REALLY messed up this year (i'm a sophomore). I actually really studied for O-Chem II but I just never understood some of the concepts very well. Even if I studied for a week straight my friend who studied the night before would do better than me. This is the first class I've taken where even when I tried I couldn't do better. It's a real confidence killer 🙁

So I basically just have to look forward now. I have a bunch of bio classes I still need to take and I hope to do well in those, I'm finishing up Physics as well, probably going to get B's both semesters. I didn't do horrible in Gen Chem, got a C+ in part 1 and an A in part 2. As far as upper division classes go, which ones would you recommend I take in order to prove I can handle tough classes and that O-Chem was just a fluke?

 

[BBender716]

Yeah, don't apply to Rosalind Franklin. My orgo grade was the only thing that my interviewer was interested in

jk jk, I'm sure the rest of RF is very nice, my interviewer was just very strange.

 

[njbmd]

Like I mean C's in both semesters degree of horrible. I REALLY messed up this year (i'm a sophomore). I actually really studied for O-Chem II but I just never understood some of the concepts very well. Even if I studied for a week straight my friend who studied the night before would do better than me. This is the first class I've taken where even when I tried I couldn't do better. It's a real confidence killer 🙁

So I basically just have to look forward now. I have a bunch of bio classes I still need to take and I hope to do well in those, I'm finishing up Physics as well, probably going to get B's both semesters. I didn't do horrible in Gen Chem, got a C+ in part 1 and an A in part 2. As far as upper division classes go, which ones would you recommend I take in order to prove I can handle tough classes and that O-Chem was just a fluke?

You need to do the best that you can in the classes that remain. You can't go back and undo those grades but you can get the highest grades possible (As if at all possible) so that your overall uGPA isn't so low that you get screened out of most schools.

Likely, you will be able to do a good review of Organic Chemistry and be OK for the MCAT but knowing that this is a weakness going in will help you plan to put some extra effort in this area. No one is going to know how "tough" or how "easy" an upper division course will be for you. One man's "tough" is another man's "easy". Just keep those grades high. If OChem is the only coursework where you earned Cs and you have mostly As, those grades are likely not going to be too costly. In any event, move forward and prepare well for the MCAT.

 

[surftheiop]

Take BioChem and own it

 

[Longshanks]

^^
Get an A in biochem. That will help, though there are quite a bit different. Orgo tends to be more theory of chemical processes while biochem is a bit more physiological, so its definitely the easier of the two for your typical bio major. Alternatively, take the next course in the Orgo line.. which at my school was some organo drug design course. Our pre-med advisor always recommended it for people who didn't do well in orgo, however people tended to bomb that class then... so I went the biochem route.

Doing great in biochem though isn't going to replace orgo, but it should hopefully ease the damage.

 

[da8s0859q]

You need to do the best that you can in the classes that remain.

Take BioChem and own it

There you have it. Unless you're gonna retake those courses for averaging/replacement, whichever your school does (don't do that), it is what it is. Time to rock the rest of your coursework.

 

[Doctor246853]

Like I mean C's in both semesters degree of horrible. I REALLY messed up this year (i'm a sophomore). I actually really studied for O-Chem II but I just never understood some of the concepts very well. Even if I studied for a week straight my friend who studied the night before would do better than me. This is the first class I've taken where even when I tried I couldn't do better. It's a real confidence killer 🙁

So I basically just have to look forward now. I have a bunch of bio classes I still need to take and I hope to do well in those, I'm finishing up Physics as well, probably going to get B's both semesters. I didn't do horrible in Gen Chem, got a C+ in part 1 and an A in part 2. As far as upper division classes go, which ones would you recommend I take in order to prove I can handle tough classes and that O-Chem was just a fluke?

B>OChemisty= Admissions pissing of ur app and dancing around it. (true story)

 

[utah3219]

.

 

[riverjib]

You have a LOT of work to do!!! Some of that probably includes re-taking both gen chem and O chem, unless you get a 35+ on the MCAT. Good luck.

 

[da8s0859q]

B>OChemisty= Admissions pissing of ur app and dancing around it. (true story)

You have a LOT of work to do!!! Some of that probably includes re-taking both gen chem and O chem, unless you get a 35+ on the MCAT. Good luck.

OP, it's not that you don't have a lot to do -- like doing well in the rest of your classes, which kinda qualifies as "a lot" -- but be wary of comments like this. You've still got a great shot.