organic chemistry

[luckyxsmurf]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

According to the prereqs for the entering class of 2007, 4 schools require 1 year of ochem (indiana, michigan, oregon, and berkeley).
I finished the 1st semester of ochem with a C+ this spring and I was wondering if I should complete the series. I asked my adviser if it would look better if i completed the series, and he said, "only if you do well". I've heard that the 2nd part of ochem is a lot harder than the 1st part and very few students do better on the 2nd session than the 1st. I don't want to risk lowering my gpa.
What do you guys think? What would/did you do?

 

[JMU07]

I got a C+ first semester too. Second semester I got a B-, so, there you go. I hated ochem.. I never studied so much for a single class and still, got a C+. For me, the second half was a little easier, I don't really know why. And since our final was cumulative over the whole year, I had to go back and basically re-learn first semester. Only then did it all click and make sense. If I could do it again I'd probably re-take the first semester before moving on.

 

[danielallen2008]

how bad does it look if I got a D, and a D+ in organic chem both semesters and then retook them both and then got a B and a A (lab) first semester and a B+ and a A (lab) n the second semester, Im really freaking out because they significantly affect my overall GPA

 

[aDubs]

I would recommend that you take the second part of Orgo if you are looking to go to one of those 4 schools. If not, there's no harm in taking the second part, which I also found alot easier than the first orgo course.

Better to take it than not to and regret it!

 

[seminolefish]

I agree with the above poster. Organic 2 was much easier because there were not as many concepts introduced. Organic 2 is memorization of certain reactions really. I thought it was way easier. I supposedly had an evil teacher that people thought was Satan reincarnate but I thought he was good and I did well...got an A-. He was evil in that I had a 90.1 but he gave me an A-. But I like organic so my opinion is slightly biased. Chemistry is interesting you just have to apply yourself. So take it.

 

[FL Opt Girl]

What I don't understand is why many opto schools require biochemistry but not organic 2, when organic 2 is a pre-req for biochemistry. 😕

 

[JMU07]

What I don't understand is why many opto schools require biochemistry but not organic 2, when organic 2 is a pre-req for biochemistry. 😕

I KNOW. That doesn't make sense to me either!

 

[aDubs]

that is what you call killing 2 birds with 1 stone lol.

 

[Habitual Rx]

What I don't understand is why many opto schools require biochemistry but not organic 2, when organic 2 is a pre-req for biochemistry. 😕

Not the case at most Canadian schools 😀

 

[luckyxsmurf]

thanks for all of the input guys!!
i guess i'll take the plunge into another semester of ochem!

 

[sportsdude00]

I agree with the above posters, orgo 2 is MUCH easier than the first.
It is still a lot of work, but more memorization. If you are having trouble, I recommend getting this study guide:
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chemi...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214023244&sr=8-2
Good luck!

 

[FL Opt Girl]

that is what you call killing 2 birds with 1 stone lol.

Hehe, yeah, I guess so! 🙂
I think orgo 2 is probably easier than orgo 1 as well. It is a lot more memorization of mechanisms and a lot less processes that you have to be able to apply to a range of problems. I took the second semester a year after taking the first, and still was able to do pretty well in the class (although I did work really hard at it😎).

 

[BroD]

What I don't understand is why many opto schools require biochemistry but not organic 2, when organic 2 is a pre-req for biochemistry. 😕

Some schools like mine don't require you to have 2 semesters of OChem, just one.

 

[Giina]

I don't think orgo 2 is necessarily easier than orgo 1; I think by that time you're so used to the difficult crap from orgo 1 that your study habits have improved to compensate for the difficulty. I got an A in orgo 1 and a B+ in orgo 2. I think orgo 1 seems harder because it's like a huge smack in the face compared to your other classes, but once you get used to it and stick to a good study schedule it's not bad at all.