Orgo Freshmen Year

[medboy18]

Hey everyone!

I will be a freshmen next year at Rutgers University. I intend to double major in chemistry and philosophy. I got a 5 on AP chemistry and will be taking the credits. I really want to learn organic chemistry because it plays a significant role in medical research. At the same time, the rumors about how difficult and time consuming organic chemistry can be, has me confused. What is your opinion on my possible schedule? Is it possible to do well in all those classes and enjoy my first semester as a freshmen?

1 Semester:
General bio with lab 6 credits
Organic Chem 1 4 credits
Psychology 3 credits
Honors Colloquim 1 credit
Seminar 1 credit

Total: 15 credits


Thanks in advance.

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[Mavs88]

I came out of high school as a really good student with a 3.8 GPA and many AP science classes. My first year of college was a disaster at a 2.3 GPA at the end of the year. I took Organic and made a D...i was shell shocked to say the least.

With all that said, I would advise you to take Ochem second semester if you really are not willing to retake the gen chem classes. This way, you can settle into college and really learn how to study and manage your time before having to get into a class like ochem.

If you are really confident with your time management and study skills, go ahead and do it, but I'd personally wait a semester.

 

[TheLastofUs]

If you got a 5 on AP Chem, you will be fine in Orgo don't believe the hype.

 

[medboy18]

I forgot to add that I am self studying orgo over the summer. This includes learning the concepts and doing practice problems.

 

[Kant]

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[Kishan93]

It depends on the school, I go to a school with a top 10 chem department and they advise everyone to retake Gen-Chem (I got a 5 on the test also). We covered a lot more in Gen-Chem than we did in AP Chem (We did a lot of orgo second semester (more than the pre-nursing orgo classes)) and it wasn't a walk in the park at all. I know a few kids who decided to skip ahead to Orgo because they had their credit and it didn't bode so well with them even with light schedules.

 

[medboy18]

Kishan93, what topics did you learn in General Chem that were not taught in your AP chem class??

 

[487806]

I came out of high school as a really good student with a 3.8 GPA and many AP science classes. My first year of college was a disaster at a 2.3 GPA at the end of the year. I took Organic and made a D...i was shell shocked to say the least.

With all that said, I would advise you to take Ochem second semester if you really are not willing to retake the gen chem classes. This way, you can settle into college and really learn how to study and manage your time before having to get into a class like ochem.

If you are really confident with your time management and study skills, go ahead and do it, but I'd personally wait a semester.

To each his own. There are definitely many factors involved in your freshman year debacle and orgo isn't one of them (despite getting a bad grade and having to retake in the future). My best guess is you didn't adjust to college fast enough and dived into hard courses when you felt unready.

OP, take organic chemistry in your freshman year. You'll do fine.

 

[Kishan93]

Kishan93, what topics did you learn in General Chem that were not taught in your AP chem class??

I'm currently undergoing my summer brain drain/grasp for sanity so I don't remember all of the "new" stuff, but heres what I do:

More advanced quantum mechanics (more of the physics and math behind it)
Coordination Complexes
Organic Chemistry:
Reactions (SN1,SN2, Dehydration, Hydration,RedOx,Saponification are only some of the few I remember)
Nucleophiles/Electrophiles
Naming (much more complex than the standard basic HS/AP level naming)
Isomerism (Enantiomers, Diasteromers, Geometric Isomerism.. etc.)

Theres some more stuff, I just can't remember it off the top of my head. If you can find a syllabus on the General Chemistry sequence at UIUC, it'll have anything I missed.

 

[Mavs88]

To each his own. There are definitely many factors involved in your freshman year debacle and orgo isn't one of them (despite getting a bad grade and having to retake in the future). My best guess is you didn't adjust to college fast enough and dived into hard courses when you felt unready.

OP, take organic chemistry in your freshman year. You'll do fine.

Yeah, I went on to add that if he feels he's confident and ready, then go ahead. I just know that if I could do it over again, I wouldn't have dived in...but to each their own!

 

[RedICEE]

People do it, it's manageable, but to excel be prepared to hit the ground running. Most need that transitional period of easier classes, not only to adjust to the new environment, but many have never truly had to seriously study before.

You know yourself best, but I'd take the first semester to have a little fun with the college experience and seek out all your campus has to offer outside of the classroom. If I did Org Chem first semester I know for a fact I would've suffered burnout.

 

[Plue00]

Hey everyone!

I will be a freshmen next year at Rutgers University. I intend to double major in chemistry and philosophy. I got a 5 on AP chemistry and will be taking the credits. I really want to learn organic chemistry because it plays a significant role in medical research. At the same time, the rumors about how difficult and time consuming organic chemistry can be, has me confused. What is your opinion on my possible schedule? Is it possible to do well in all those classes and enjoy my first semester as a freshmen?

1 Semester:
General bio with lab 6 credits
Organic Chem 1 4 credits
Psychology 3 credits
Honors Colloquim 1 credit
Seminar 1 credit

Total: 15 credits


Thanks in advance.

I'm just going to assume you're an average incoming student at Rutgers (not super smart, but also not super dumb). If you are just average, I'd advise against taking orgo your first year. Try taking it the summer before second year or second year.

Just want to clarify that I'm not saying anything bad about Rutgers. I could have said the average Yale student (not super smart, but not George Bush). Intelligence levels at every school and since I don't know how smart you are, that's the best advise I can give you.

 

[inycepoo]

I'm just going to assume you're an average incoming student at Rutgers (not super smart, but also not super dumb). If you are just average, I'd advise against taking orgo your first year. Try taking it the summer before second year or second year.

Just want to clarify that I'm not saying anything bad about Rutgers. I could have said the average Yale student (not super smart, but not George Bush). Intelligence levels at every school and since I don't know how smart you are, that's the best advise I can give you.

Aw yeah. *eyebrow movements*

 

[inycepoo]

It depends on a lot of factors, as most have mentioned. My school has freshman orgo, a class of 60 gunners (lol not really). It was a fun class because we were all adjusting to college and the like. There were a couple of people who took the regular orgo with mostly sophomores and came out fine. However, I clarify this by mentioning that my HYP institution is small, so even the regular orgo class tops out at 120, not the 400 you may find at Rutgers. This matters a lot in terms of the curve and competitiveness, so beware. But orgo freshman year is nothing unheard of; just make sure you do hit the ground running like most have said already, because you don't have the privilege of taking it with a bunch of equally clueless freshmen. I imagine that'd be a lot harder than what I had.

 

[neurotroph]

I took orgo freshman year after not taking chemistry since junior year of high school, and it ended well. Your schedule seems pretty balanced, so if you think you can handle it, go for it. Nobody can tell you how prepared you are but you.

 

[sunflower18]

My class does not offer a freshman organic chem class, nor are freshman allowed to skip the full year of gen chem EVER. so this is unheard of for me!!

Just some general advice, then. My biggest recommendation is to figure out a study system that works for you ASAP. my high school had no AP options, so maybe you already learned skills that can be transferred to college, but I know that I had to dramatically alter how I studied in order to succeed in my college classes. The sooner you figure out a system, the fewer bumps you'll have to iron out later

 

[Giantra Volta]

If I were you I'd actually consider retaking gen chem at your school. If you were strong in the subject, you'll likely perform well retaking the college courses. I did this with physics at my school (got a 5 on AP but retook in college and boosted my BCPM GPA with the courses). Regardless of what anyone says, grades are incredibly important for med school admissions, and making academic maneuvers like this can go a long way. Med schools won't be impressed if you take Orgo as a freshman because you are ambitious and get a mediocre grade - not saying this would necessarily happen to you, but just an fyi. Getting A's is what's important. Good luck!

 

[inycepoo]

If I were you I'd actually consider retaking gen chem at your school. If you were strong in the subject, you'll likely perform well retaking the college courses. I did this with physics at my school (got a 5 on AP but retook in college and boosted my BCPM GPA with the courses). Regardless of what anyone says, grades are incredibly important for med school admissions, and making academic maneuvers like this can go a long way. Med schools won't be impressed if you take Orgo as a freshman because you are ambitious and get a mediocre grade - not saying this would necessarily happen to you, but just an fyi. Getting A's is what's important. Good luck!

Arguably the most carefree 4 years of life, when the only main responsibility is to learn things for the sake of learning....wasted on retaking classes for that assumed "easy A" and not maximizing or testing true potential.

What a shame.

 

[inycepoo]

Also, med schools do look at difficulty of courses and judge. LizzyM says so herself. Sure, you can't make Cs, but adcoms do care. It's not too hard to realize the "maneuver" someone is pulling if they have AP credits on their transcript as well as the intro classes.

 

[dkpremed]

Also, med schools do look at difficulty of courses and judge. LizzyM says so herself. Sure, you can't make Cs, but adcoms do care. It's not too hard to realize the "maneuver" someone is pulling if they have AP credits on their transcript as well as the intro classes.

Having AP credit and the same course on college doesn't look bad a lot of colleges (including mine) require freshman to take chem/physics/bio even though they may already have the credit....some exceptions are made but they highly advise against it.

As a chem major who took chem1/2 freshman year and orgo1/2 second year I thought it worked out great. And honestly I would have ran out of chem classes if I did it any differently. But you are a double major so this won't be the case. Do what you want but don't think retaking an AP credit is a bad thing for any subject!

 

[Flashfan]

At my school they require chem majors to take Gen Chem so that they have a strong foundation. I had a 5 too but learned a lot in Chem 2. Since you plan to major in Chem I would talk to someone in the department to see how they feel about skipping ahead for majors.

 

[jram2323]

Hey everyone!

I will be a freshmen next year at Rutgers University. I intend to double major in chemistry and philosophy. I got a 5 on AP chemistry and will be taking the credits. I really want to learn organic chemistry because it plays a significant role in medical research. At the same time, the rumors about how difficult and time consuming organic chemistry can be, has me confused. What is your opinion on my possible schedule? Is it possible to do well in all those classes and enjoy my first semester as a freshmen?

1 Semester:
General bio with lab 6 credits
Organic Chem 1 4 credits
Psychology 3 credits
Honors Colloquim 1 credit
Seminar 1 credit

Total: 15 credits


Thanks in advance.

I think this is very doable. Prepare yourself though because in general, you will prob find college harder than high school. I had a 4 on AP Chem, and retook it simply b/c i didn't want to take orgo freshman year. I regret that decision. Looking back it would have saved me a lot of time.

 

[Lamel]

Having many friends at Rutgers and seeing what they have gone through for Orgo, I would not recommend it freshman year. Maybe take Physics instead if you really want to skip Gen chem. But Orgo first semester is going to be difficult.

My friends had to devote 75% of their study time to Orgo, and the rest went to other classes.

 

[Plue00]

Also, med schools do look at difficulty of courses and judge. LizzyM says so herself. Sure, you can't make Cs, but adcoms do care. It's not too hard to realize the "maneuver" someone is pulling if they have AP credits on their transcript as well as the intro classes.

Easier course load + high gpa >>>>>>> harder course load + low gpa

 

[inycepoo]

Easier course load + high gpa >>>>>>> harder course load + low gpa

Harder course load + high GPA trumps all.

 

[inycepoo]

Okay, I realize some schools don't allow you to skip even with AP. But OP has a choice here, and I am suggesting he take the intellectual risk, with the warnings given here. That is all.

 

[Mosa]

Hey everyone!

I will be a freshmen next year at Rutgers University. I intend to double major in chemistry and philosophy. I got a 5 on AP chemistry and will be taking the credits. I really want to learn organic chemistry because it plays a significant role in medical research. At the same time, the rumors about how difficult and time consuming organic chemistry can be, has me confused. What is your opinion on my possible schedule? Is it possible to do well in all those classes and enjoy my first semester as a freshmen?

1 Semester:
General bio with lab 6 credits
Organic Chem 1 4 credits
Psychology 3 credits
Honors Colloquim 1 credit
Seminar 1 credit

Total: 15 credits


Thanks in advance.

Just graduated from rutgers last may and going to NYU med next month. I'd say definitely don't do orgo freshman year. Organic chemistry material itself is not hard (I.e. the orgo tested on the mcat). However, orgo at rutgers is made very difficult by the professors. I suspect this is the case at most schools, but I can state from personal knowledge that this is definitely the case at rutgers. Why don't you just wait to take orgo sophomore year after you've eased into what actual college science courses are like (I accepted 35 AP credits at rutgers so I know what I'm talking about when I say AP science courses are not equal in difficulty to actual college science courses). Your freshman science schedule is actually very similar to mine except replace bio with chemistry (had AP credit to cover bio) and take out orgo. Because I double majored in bio and English, I also took and English class my first semester. Why don't you take a philsophy class to see if you actually do enjoy college level philosophy courses enough to double major. Just don't do orgo freshman year. You need time with a less notoriously difficult science course (such as bio, which you're taking) to get accustomed to the rigor expected.

 

[487806]

Harder course load + high GPA trumps all.

indeed, but such cases are rare

 

[inycepoo]

indeed, but such cases are rare

Not from what I've seen, so each to his own, I guess.

 

[bigdogrob4284]

Easier course load + high gpa >>>>>>> harder course load + low gpa

Agreed.