Organic Chem

[hokiedds]

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A number of people have told me that specific undergrad classes, OChem I and II especially, are viewed as more important by ADCOMs. Is this true? Does this mean that if you do especially well in organic, it helps you alot, or conversely, if you didnt do well its going to hurt you more than doing badly in some liberal arts class?

 

[ufblondi]

probably depends on the school...when I talked to the dean of admissions for UF's school she told me they look really hard at the physics grade as they know its extremely hard here.

 

[Pikeyman]

Forget this whole "whill-they-look-more-into-Orgo".

And just suck it up and ace Organic I and II.

It's not hard as people make it to be.

 

[hokiedds]

pikeyman...fyi, I did ace both Organic I and II and you're right, it isnt that hard if you dont mind working hard and doing lots of practice problems

 

[Moni]

You're right pikeyman, plus it seems silly that they would look at just two classes when you have been taking four years of classes. Organic, although not easy, was definitely not the the hardest subject that I took.

 

[IcemanDDS]

You're right pikeyman, plus it seems silly that they would look at just two classes when you have been taking four years of classes. Organic, although not easy, was definitely not the the hardest subject that I took.

Organic, especially part II, just takes a lot of TIME. I've spent far more time studying organic than any other subject I've ever had, and I'm still not acing it. Maybe its different for others, but that's my experience.

 

[asalazar]

probably depends on the school...when I talked to the dean of admissions for UF's school she told me they look really hard at the physics grade as they know its extremely hard here.

UF physics is supposed to be a killer. What year are you ufblondi?

 

[dexadental]

About the physics: I was told the complete opposite, and haven't even taken a physics course (take my first this summer)...and I'm applying this year. She basically told me its one of the least looked upon classes on your application, because believe it or not, the majority of applicants she said don't even have their physics done...as it isn't on the DAT. I thought this made alot of sense...she did stress that organic chem was the grade they look at the most...and biochem.

 

[dental poopie]

You're right pikeyman, plus it seems silly that they would look at just two classes when you have been taking four years of classes. Organic, although not easy, was definitely not the the hardest subject that I took.

REALLY?

What in the world was then?

 

[ufblondi]

I'm finishing up my third year right now...

dexadental...that is interesting that she told you that...I would think that physics was the least looked at as well, but I asked her how bad it would look if you did bad in phys 1 ( as in a d+ 🙁 darnit, I guess I should have gone to discussion and done the practice problems!!) and if I took another physics sequence that was a little bit lower in level..she pretty much told me to repeat the class I had already taken because they know how hard it is here. Blah....I don't want to retake it 😡

 

[ufblondi]

oh yah...ae you taking 2053 this summer? I am considering retaking it then as the professor is one who teaches at santa fe and she got really good reviews there..I'm hoping maybe she will be a little easier..or she could be really hard 😕

 

[dexadental]

Im doing physics 1 this summer, applying to dental school in May. Hope it goes well, I don't mind physics really.

 

[JakeMUSC]

Everyday during my organic class, my professor would say, (in a nerdy, know it all voice), " Any of you who plan on going to medical or dental school, will not be accepted if you make a C. Forget about it. The schools look really closely at that."

So....I guess there might be some truth at that, but I guess it doesnt take a genius to know that a C in ORG doesnt look good.

 

[bor0000]

i wonder if they so recommend biochem, does it mean that it's a really good idea to take biochem and get an A in it, as opposed to taking some bio class instead? it is possible for me to do so, even though the neurobiology&behavior class is recommended for my major and it is indeed much easier than biochem. And this class is a prereq to a grad level neurobiology class. While if i take a biochem class, i am then just left with taking more biochem classes, which isnt fun at all...
as for physics, this is one where i messed up really bad. i got b+ in the mechanics part, which was a rather easy course, the class average was also a b+. but in physics2(where class avg was a b-) i failed(got a D). i then took a supplemental exam at the end of the summer and got a B+, so on my transcript i have both D and B+, and it brings my average down, because when calculating gpa it's like 8credits of c/c+. i havent taken any physics classes since. and i guess it would really help if i were to take quantum mechanics and do better in it... but im not going to because my schedule is full with math classes, and i guess math classes dont really help, even though some of those classes have class averages of C.

 

[Pelotari]

i wonder if they so recommend biochem, does it mean that it's a really good idea to take biochem and get an A in it, as opposed to taking some bio class instead? it is possible for me to do so, even though the neurobiology&behavior class is recommended for my major and it is indeed much easier than biochem. And this class is a prereq to a grad level neurobiology class. While if i take a biochem class, i am then just left with taking more biochem classes, which isnt fun at all...
as for physics, this is one where i messed up really bad. i got b+ in the mechanics part, which was a rather easy course, the class average was also a b+. but in physics2(where class avg was a b-) i failed(got a D). i then took a supplemental exam at the end of the summer and got a B+, so on my transcript i have both D and B+, and it brings my average down, because when calculating gpa it's like 8credits of c/c+. i havent taken any physics classes since. and i guess it would really help if i were to take quantum mechanics and do better in it... but im not going to because my schedule is full with math classes, and i guess math classes dont really help, even though some of those classes have class averages of C.

...what type of Physics courses are you all taking? Algebra-based (i.e. for Medical / Dental / Vet), or Calculus based (i.e. engineering, physics majors)? Back in my college days (when we used to strike stones to make fire), I took the latter. Now I'm re-taking these but in the Med/Dent/Vet curriculum. Any idea what Dental Schools want to see? In other words, will they be more "impressed" if you take engineering vs. med/dent/vet? Any preference?

 

[drengineer]

I'll tell you this much that physics is one of the easiest classes you'll ever take. It's virtually impossible to fail the class. But who am i to say? I aced my physics and almost have a physics minor too (but i won't go the extra mile of taking the one last required class to complete the minor coz it will be a waste of time).
I had to take calculus based physics coz it's required for Comp. Engineering.

 

[RaiderNation]

At many schools they will require you to take calculus as a pre-req to algebra based physics, which I think is pretty ******ed.

 

[bor0000]

...what type of Physics courses are you all taking? Algebra-based (i.e. for Medical / Dental / Vet), or Calculus based (i.e. engineering, physics majors)? Back in my college days (when we used to strike stones to make fire), I took the latter. Now I'm re-taking these but in the Med/Dent/Vet curriculum. Any idea what Dental Schools want to see? In other words, will they be more "impressed" if you take engineering vs. med/dent/vet? Any preference?

i took calc-based physics. it really makes a difference only if you want to take further courses in physics(less important if you plan to try math, phys. chem). i think most important by far is to get an A, in whatever course you choose. You may ask the students at your school, what they think, if you're good at math, then who knows whats easier.

 

[bor0000]

I'll tell you this much that physics is one of the easiest classes you'll ever take. It's virtually impossible to fail the class. But who am i to say? I aced my physics and almost have a physics minor too (but i won't go the extra mile of taking the one last required class to complete the minor coz it will be a waste of time).
I had to take calculus based physics coz it's required for Comp. Engineering.

yeah sure. minors in physics are often given with no merit... physics majors take abstract algebra and analysis and pde... then they take the upper level physics courses. no offence, but any school where comp. engineering is considered tougher than physics or math is a rancid ttt.

 

[bor0000]

back to biochem:
i read in the premed forum that taking gradlevel courses is not considered as tough as upper level undergrad courses. are they implying that if i take 2 300-level courses in biochem: metabolic biochem and biochem of macromolecules, it would look tougher than if i take 2 biology courses-one a 300-level neurobio course and another a 500-level seminar type neurobio course? i believe that the 300-level bio course is much much easier! it's also about memorization, but obviously the volume is much less than in biochem. on the other hand the 500-level course is based mostly on participation and on writing a paper. i dont think i could even pull an A in that course. But i thought it could be made up by getting a great recommendation since the same prof teaches both courses. On the other hand i could get 2 A's in the biochem courses, but im afraid that i would spend too much time studying those courses and i doubt i could even get any good recommendations, since the tests are even multiple choice in those courses...

 

[drengineer]

bor0000, dude, i already have a math and a chem minor and that's the sole reason why i don't want to get a physics minor.
And i do agree with you to an extent, minors are of no use! Physics minor can't be compared to what those physics majors have to go through. But then... engineers have to be good at both physics and math otherwise they won't be good engineers. agree with me or not? if not... go talk to an engineer face to face.
Now back to biochem.

 

[maisuree]

I did really bad in both organics. the first one i got C+. the second one i got a C. Even I passed them, I still don't know what's going on in organic. I had been putting so much time into this class, still not helping. 🙁