Not Recommeded to take Organic Chem Lecture and Lab Separately?

[escape3]

Hi guys, I need an opinion on something. I'm going to take Organic Chem at a college at home (I know some sources say it's bad to do this, but my premed advisor says it's okay) but I was thinking of only taking the lecture component and taking the lab portion at my original university next school year. I wanted to give myself maximum time to study for the exams and last summer I already had a W from Orgo 1. Also my original university have labs as grade boosters but this isnt the case at the summer school. But is it not recommended to take them separately if it seems less rigorous than taking them together, or not recommended taking them at 2 separate schools?

Thanks for any advice

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[escape3]

it's that the B will look worse than it would have during the academic year because adcoms will assume you had extra time to study and still couldn't get an A.

do they really scrutinize THAT much...?

 

[plumhill]

I actually have a similar question. At my university, Orgo lecture and lab are two separate classes (both are offered in the spring and the fall). I was thinking of taking the O-chem I lecture during fall semester, O-Chem II and Lab I in the Spring, and O-chem lab II during summer semester. I wanted to do this because I'm taking a really intense microbiology class that has lab 3x per week, which I need for my major and it conflicts with all of the O-chem lab times -_-

 

[HipChick]

Gets As. Do well, ace your other classes. Kill the MCAT, Nd it won't matter. I take classes when I can where I can. It's one class at a different college.

 

[justadream9]

.

 

[GeorgiadisMD]

Thats strange how your Ochem class is separate from the lab. The only class like that in my school is Gen Chem. I honestly dont think that you will have a problem if you did them separately. There really isnt much to an O chem lab. It might look bad though because it might seem that you are not able to handle a rigorous course load, and that is what I would get an expert opinion on.

 

[2ndCareerMD]

To plumhill, too: It's not a matter of whether taking classes elsewhere or in the summer is "bad," it's whether it's worse than taking them during the academic year. It won't be a major detriment to your record if you're an otherwise solid applicant, but organic chemistry is the pre-medical "weed out" course. Take it at your home university if you can.

Agree with Docbert. No matter where or when you take this class, you need to do well.
From my experience:
I took Orgo I lab 6 years after taking Orgo I lecture. I also took it after Orgo II Lab & Lecture.
For me, it was just a box to check.

I took Orgo I as an undergrad and got an A-. I didn't need the lab or Orgo II to graduate, so I didn't bother. After working several years, I decided to change careers and wroked to finish my pre-reqs. Orgo II (lecture & lab) as well as Orgo I lab were taken at a community college (received As).

Taking Orgo over the summer will be difficult because you have fewer weeks to cover the same amount of material. If you already have a W you really need a plan for how this time will be improved. My personal advice: get up early, treat this like a job. Go to the library and study as soon as the doors open if you can't focus at home. This includes weekends. Do all homework. Work extra problems, especially before tests. You know the drill. Good luck!

 

[KnuxNole]

It's actually quite common. Organic chemistry lab is not required for many professions that otherwise require a course in organic chemistry.

Same with my undergrad. Both were 3 credit classes that you can take separately. I was a Bio major, and it wasn't required to take the lab portion, but for the professional health degrees, they almost always require the lab part. And because of the long lab hours, it tends to be a ***** to fit in.

 

[HipChick]

taking orgo over the summer will be difficult because you have fewer weeks to cover the same amount of material. If you already have a w you really need a plan for how this time will be improved. my personal advice: Get up early, treat this like a job. Go to the library and study as soon as the doors open if you can't focus at home. This includes weekends. Do all homework. Work extra problems, especially before tests. you know the drill. Good luck!

this

 

[Big N Tasty]

I actually have a similar question. At my university, Orgo lecture and lab are two separate classes (both are offered in the spring and the fall). I was thinking of taking the O-chem I lecture during fall semester, O-Chem II and Lab I in the Spring, and O-chem lab II during summer semester. I wanted to do this because I'm taking a really intense microbiology class that has lab 3x per week, which I need for my major and it conflicts with all of the O-chem lab times -_-

You'll be fine. At my university, Orgo I is its own 4 cr hr class and Orgo Lab is a 2 cr hr class with its own lecture and then the lab component. I split it by taking Orgo I in the fall and the lab last spring. Ain't no thing homie. What if somebody didn't have room for the lab and lecture in the same semester. There's not penalization for that. It's like that for any prereq. You wouldn't be punished for taking chem before physics, or vice versa.

 

[theWUbear]

It's not recommended to take organic chemistry at a less rigorous institution than your home university.

It doesn't really matter. There are a million things the ADCOM looks at. The relative difficulty of the college at which you took organic chemistry <<<<<< (is significantly less important than) your grade, your gpa, your mcat, your EC's, your rec letters....you get the idea.

 

[ScholarStud]

do they really scrutinize THAT much...?

No.