Need advice !!!

[medchica]

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So I'm taking OCHM part 2 in this 4 week summer course and its not going well. We have had 2 exams and I failed both of them( theres 3 more to go and she drops the lowest). I got an A in the first part of ochm so this is a huge shock 4 me, but I took it a year ago. Anyhow, I'm debated on whether I should withdraw or keep going and see if I do better. The withdraw deadline is next friday and we have an exam that thursday, so I dont know ifs worth seeing if i can do better on our next exam. IM freaking out right now ! I've never gotten grades this bad, it makes me feel horrible. 🙁 Thanks for any advice !

 

[Quaero]

So I'm taking OCHM part 2 in this 4 week summer course and its not going well. We have had 2 exams and I failed both of them( theres 3 more to go and she drops the lowest). I got an A in the first part of ochm so this is a huge shock 4 me, but I took it a year ago. Anyhow, I'm debated on whether I should withdraw or keep going and see if I do better. The withdraw deadline is next friday and we have an exam that thursday, so I dont know ifs worth seeing if i can do better on our next exam. IM freaking out right now ! I've never gotten grades this bad, it makes me feel horrible. 🙁 Thanks for any advice !

Have you talked to your professor? He/She might know way better how you would do in the class.

 

[longwhorn]

If you have failed two exams I would drop for sure. A "W" is far easier to explain than an "F". I feel for you though, Ochem 2 would be a nightmare in a mini-mester. I got a solid A in Ochem 1 and I'm in the 11 week Ochem 2 right now, class is no joke. I couldn't imagine packing this class in any shorter of a time span.

 

[longwhorn]

This shouldn't even be a debate, you need to drop the class. Theres no way you're coming back from failing two exams in Ochem 2. Everything builds in that class and if you don't master one set of reactions, you're doomed with the next ones.

 

[sonia1177]

You need to find out seriously what it is that you are doing wrong. I'm having a hard time understanding how you earned An A in Orgo 1 but are currently failing Orgo 2. If there is a chance you might fail it, then yes, go ahead and withdraw. It's better than a bad grade on the transcript. Or talk to your Professor and see what he/she says you can do about bringing your grade up. But what is it that you are doing differently or what is it that you are not doing correctly?

 

[medchica]

You need to find out seriously what it is that you are doing wrong. I'm having a hard time understanding how you earned An A in Orgo 1 but are currently failing Orgo 2. If there is a chance you might fail it, then yes, go ahead and withdraw. It's better than a bad grade on the transcript. Or talk to your Professor and see what he/she says you can do about bringing your grade up. But what is it that you are doing differently or what is it that you are not doing correctly?

To be completly honest I have this foreign proff, who I have a really hard time understanding. Shes horrible at explaining things. I can't follow her lectures and therefore when I go home 2 study I have to look 2 the book because of my failed understanding. Everytime someone asks her a question she'll basically snap at u and look at u like ur stupid.(I ve done this many times). And I'm not just saying this b/c Im doing bad, we have 20 people in our class and a majority are failing. Her exams are really weird too, when it comes 2 wording-- A majority of her test is multiple choice, and she has like 2 mechanism problems.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I'm actually taking OChem2 summer session right now. Class is packed into 6 weeks. No tests yet to calibrate how I would do but I feel I have a very strong grasp of the material because of the extensive reviewing I have to do for the MCAT. Am I delusional? There will be 2 exams and 1 final.

Anyone else had an easier time in OChem after having studied for the MCAT?

 

[sonia1177]

To be completly honest I have this foreign proff, who I have a really hard time understanding. Shes horrible at explaining things. I can't follow her lectures and therefore when I go home 2 study I have to look 2 the book because of my failed understanding. Everytime someone asks her a question she'll basically snap at u and look at u like ur stupid.(I ve done this many times). And I'm not just saying this b/c Im doing bad, we have 20 people in our class and a majority are failing. Her exams are really weird too, when it comes 2 wording-- A majority of her test is multiple choice, and she has like 2 mechanism problems.

I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps you should consider dropping the course and taking it with another Professor. But I think you will have to mostly teach yourself for the majority of Organic Chemistry classes and go to lecture and the Professor for reinforcement. Most learning takes place when you are sitting somewhere comfortably reading the book and drilling lots and lots of problems. Honestly,I couldn't rely only on the Professor when I took the class, I used the book to teach most of it to myself and had some help from the tutor along the way. Then I went to class to hear the lecture, which reinforced what I was learning. How about when you take it next time (that is if you choose to withdraw), do the Problems and read the material multiple times (atleast 3-4 times). This should help. And personally, I feel that to some degree, Orgo 2 is harder because its A LOT more mechanisms and spectroscopy isn't the easiest thing to grasp at first. I remember not getting problems the first time I did them or forgetting everything right after I did it because all of it just kind of blurred together since there was so much information to keep in my head. From experience, the only way around this is to do problems so many times to the point where you can instantaneously get them without memorizing. If you take the course again, just be sure you take it with a Professor who is good and who you can understand and keep doing the problems again and again until you feel like you are eating, sleeping, drinking, and living Organic Chemistry. This course nearly took over my life (like all the science Prereq's do lol) when I took it and I understand that it is difficult. Having a Professor who you can not understand could only make it worse. Did you try talking to the Prof? and before you take the class, just preread the material and learn most of it before you go in. This way nothing will be unfamiliar and you'll hit the ground running.

 

[medchica]

thanks for ur advice ! it was really helpful. I think im gonna drop but I already have 1 other W so do u think med schools will kill me for this ?

 

[Evergrey]

Yes. Shotgun to the head. 😀

..

No, you'll be fine 🙂

 

[sonia1177]

thanks for ur advice ! it was really helpful. I think im gonna drop but I already have 1 other W so do u think med schools will kill me for this ?

They might want an explanation but it shouldn't harm you too much in the long run. Just aim for the stars and work super hard to earn A's in all your classes. Remember your experience in this class and also keep in mind that "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it" (Albert Einstein). So try to change whatever it was that wasn't right. Only you know what was or was not working. I wish you Good Luck!