Organic I Grade

[farvabull]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I just need some advice from my "objective" sdn comrades. The final semester grades for my Organic I class here at the University of South Florida were recently posted and out of 197 kids, ONLY 2 got A's and 5 got A minuses with the normal number of F's and so on. Granted, i know that o-chem is somewhat of a weed-out course and will always spit out a large number of F's, but does this number of A's seem valid...or is it worth bringing to the attention of someone. In no way am i complaing about my grade (i am more than pleased), but does it seem right that only two kids managed to lock up a 4.0 for the course? Thoughts, thx.

 

[LizzyM]

Well, ~3.5% scored in the A/A- range. That shows that there isn't much grade inflation at your school. With any luck, the pre-med committee knows how little grade inflation there is in o-chem (and perhaps in other courses) and will mention this in the committee letter. (I've seen it done, can't remember if U So. Fl is one of the schools that does it.)

O-chem is a course that everyone takes and it is a course that is generally regarded as the most difficult for pre-med. The higher the grade the better but even grades of B (or less) can be overlooked if the rest of the transcript is stellar and the MCAT is strong.

 

[farvabull]

Well, ~3.5% scored in the A/A- range. That shows that there isn't much grade inflation at your school. With any luck, the pre-med committee knows how little grade inflation there is in o-chem (and perhaps in other courses) and will mention this in the committee letter. (I've seen it done, can't remember if U So. Fl is one of the schools that does it.)

O-chem is a course that everyone takes and it is a course that is generally regarded as the most difficult for pre-med. The higher the grade the better but even grades of B (or less) can be overlooked if the rest of the transcript is stellar and the MCAT is strong.

huh, i've never heard of that, sounds interesting...although i doubt they do that here considering my roommates organic I class averaged around a 17 % "A/A-" yield. Ah well, the luck of the draw shouldn't matter that much in the long run, especially if u study.

 

[LizzyM]

huh, i've never heard of that, sounds interesting...although i doubt they do that here considering my roommates organic I class averaged around a 17 % "A/A-" yield. Ah well, the luck of the draw shouldn't matter that much in the long run, especially if u study.

It sounds like your roommate's class was, on average, brighter and/or more industrious, or had a better instructor, or the test was too dang easy that semester OR the test was being "recycled" and the answers were in circulation. Sobering thought. You can't even compare scores within schools and among schools is even more dicey.

 

[g3pro]

why the hell are you fretting over one class? Organic chemistry is barely even needed for medical school, it's just a stepping stone for biochemistry. WTF is wrong with these pre-meds.

 

[farvabull]

why the hell are you fretting over one class? Organic chemistry is barely even needed for medical school, it's just a stepping stone for biochemistry. WTF is wrong with these pre-meds.

I'm definitely not fretting, just curious as to what normal averages were and so on, because i found this rather odd for my school at least. Also, i'm sure you've never compared youreslf, your classes, or your stats in general to another person, class, school, etc.

 

[g3pro]

This idiotic notion that organic chemistry is special in the eyes of ADCOMs is what caused a distribution like this: 6 or so people getting 100% on each exam when the average was around a 40%. There was a 30 percentage point difference between the top scorers and the next few people. 👎

Our grading procedure was standard for highly ranked schools: 10% get A's, 25% B's, 40% C's, 25% D's and F's. Nothing special. It sucks, but it's just a class.

 

[riceman04]

I'm definitely not fretting, just curious as to what normal averages were and so on, because i found this rather odd for my school at least. Also, i'm sure you've never compared youreslf, your classes, or your stats in general to another person, class, school, etc.

I think you will find that at many schools organic chem profs. are the most bitter (some are nice though). The mean at my alma mater is set around a "C/C-." And very very few people get A's in that hard a$$ orgo class.

 

[riceman04]

This idiotic notion that organic chemistry is special in the eyes of ADCOMs is what caused a distribution like this: 6 or so people getting 100% on each exam when the average was around a 40%. There was a 30 percentage point difference between the top scorers and the next few people. 👎

Our grading procedure was standard for highly ranked schools: 10% get A's, 25% B's, 40% C's, 25% D's and F's. Nothing special. It sucks, but it's just a class.

Where did you attend undergrad?

 

[MrTee]

This idiotic notion that organic chemistry is special in the eyes of ADCOMs is what caused a distribution like this: 6 or so people getting 100% on each exam when the average was around a 40%. There was a 30 percentage point difference between the top scorers and the next few people. 👎

Our grading procedure was standard for highly ranked schools: 10% get A's, 25% B's, 40% C's, 25% D's and F's. Nothing special. It sucks, but it's just a class.

Yeah, where did you go to college? I've never heard of such a skewed distribution for A's in any university.

 

[g3pro]

UIUC. I suppose if you went somewhere such as Yale for undergrad, it would be more like 90% of the class gets A's, and 10% get B's. 😀

It's not a skewed distribution at all. "A" means excellent, "B" means good, "C" means average. And it's reflected in the grade distribution. I can't believe that a school wouldn't have this sort of distribution. 😕

 

[LizzyM]

This idiotic notion that organic chemistry is special in the eyes of ADCOMs ....

It IS special. It separates the wanna-bes from the interviewees.

It may not be fair, it may seem like a crock but it is the way it is.

Life's a bitch. Now go study those carbon ring compounds.

 

[g3pro]

It IS special. It separates the wanna-bes from the interviewees.

It may not be fair, it may seem like a crock but it is the way it is.

Life's a bitch. Now go study those carbon ring compounds.

That's not how it is at all, don't give in to the superstition. There are far more important things in your academic career than organic chemistry.

(I hope you're sarcastic...)

 

[LizzyM]

No, I'm not sarcastic. I've seen adcoms in action and an Organic Chem grade will be used to forgive a subpar BCPM (he's got a 3.3 but Organic A/A-) and to punish someone with an otherwise ok average (BPCM is 3.5 but Organic B/B-). No other grade is held up to such scrutiny. This applies to being invited for interview. It is not an issue with respect to offers.

 

[g3pro]

No, I'm not sarcastic. I've seen adcoms in action and an Organic Chem grade wil be used to forgive a subpar BCPM (he's got a 3.3 but Organic A/A-) and to punish someone with an otherwise ok average (BPCM is 3.5 but Organic B/B-). No other grade is held up to such scrutiny. This is applies to being invited for interview. It is not an issue with respect to offers.

The bullsh*it is hitting the fan in this one. You've seen ADCOMs in action? oh please, do tell!

Organic chemistry is not held up to high scrutiny. It's one of the useless courses on the prereq list, but everyone requires it for proper introduction into biochemistry. Why do you think that organic chem II is now considered "persona non grata" in favor of welcoming biochemistry for that second semester. Yes, organic chemistry I is important, and it gives an idea to ADCOMs how the applicant might function in biochemistry, but if you have actually taken biochemistry as an undergrad, that grade will trump any organic chemistry.

If you think that a great organic chemistry I grade is going to make up for a sub-par BCPM, you are dead wrong.

 

[LizzyM]

g3pro, I know adcoms. I've been watching and working with them for 5+ years. They love Organic Chem. Biochem is not even on the radar screen because not everyone takes it. Organic is believed (right or wrong) to be the hardest course in college and a good yardstick by which to compare candidates because everyone takes it.

 

[SEUPATTY]

I got a C in orgo I, and still got into medical school, its not the end of the world. If you feel that bad about it, take orgo II and get an A or B in it, then take Biochem and ace it, thats what I did. Prove that you don't let one grade get you down, that will show the adcoms how ready you are for medical school. Good luck! 🙂

 

[g3pro]

g3pro, I know adcoms. I've been watching and working with them for 5+ years. They love Organic Chem. Biochem is not even on the radar screen because not everyone takes it. Organic is believed (right or wrong) to be the hardest course in college and a good yardstick by which to compare candidates because everyone takes it.

I know my fair share of ADCOMs, personally and professionally, and they couldn't care less about organic chem in light of all the other pre-reqs and undergrad classes. Biochemistry is by far harder than organic chemistry.

 

[ShyRem]

I know my fair share of ADCOMs, personally and professionally, and they couldn't care less about organic chem in light of all the other pre-reqs and undergrad classes. Biochemistry is by far harder than organic chemistry.

NO LIE. I found biochem FAR FAR FAR more difficult than many other classes - including PChem (which I found relatively easy). I rank biochem up there with advanced calc and abstract algebra. On the other hand, it all depends on where you take it. I've seen ridiculously simple biochem classes at well-known state universities (with ok professors), and outrageously difficult biochem classes at a little no-name institution (and the no-name biochem professor is absolutely outstanding - one of the best professors I have EVER seen).

 

[AllSmiles66]

so would you all think it would be silly to retake a C from ochem 1 before moving on to ochem2?

 

[g3pro]

I think you should retake it. A 'C' in any prereq is not good....

 

[Scarletbegonias]

yes, it seems normal.
Also, about organic chem having relevance to medicine and pre-med type things, I really felt like taking organic chem contributed to my understanding of cell biology. In fact, I think it has more relevance to biology than gen chem or physics in a lot of respects.

 

[SEUPATTY]

so would you all think it would be silly to retake a C from ochem 1 before moving on to ochem2?

yes 🙂 like I said before, just do better in orgo 2 and biochem, don't waste your time obsessing over one grade. relax, it will be o.k., trust me, i've been in your shoes...