Pchem death

[Gloves]

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I think Pchem is going to destroy me haha. I got my first exam back, and one kid broke the curve really badly and I did worse than average. I don't want to wimp out, but at the same time I think it's going to really damage my numbers. Would you withdraw and hence go into part-time status (I'd be at 12 credits...) or would you just stick with it?

I'm leaning towards sticking with it but it might be one of the worst decisions I ever make

 

[getright]

Are you sure that 12 credits is really part-time?

 

[orthomyxo]

Are you sure that 12 credits is really part-time?

I'm pretty sure it's anything less than 12, so I think you'd be good.

 

[Gloves]

I'm pretty sure.
My other option is the P/NC it

 

[Gloves]

I'm positive I can get a higher GPA in another major I actually enjoy like history or biology... something not math intensive. I'm okay at math but the other kids are just better at it (at a top 20 - lotsa prodigies walking around)

 

[PremedGunner]

v

 

[Gloves]

I was thinking about DO actually. I'd pick that over carribean by a long shot

I studied like 12 hours for the first exam probably. I got all the conceptual parts right, but the math killed me. I honestly cannot do better than a B- in that class (I know my limits). And that's assuming doubling the amount of studying. The professor said the course gets harder too as it moves into quantum.

Probably switching to bio, where I should have been all along 😀

 

[hiyaman]

What topic are you guys on right now if you're not on quantum mech?

Are you on thermo? Is it the calculus that's killing you?
Is your teacher a hard ass?

Pchem is a tough subject, not a lot of people enjoy it in my experience. If you don't think you can do better then you should drop the class, don't risk getting a bad grade. Also you should've probably studied more, or reviewed your integrals or w.e.

I remember for pchem, I probably studied no less than a full week prior to the exams. I went to every office hour because I needed them lol, especially in quantum mech.

Quantum mech is probably the hardest topic out of pchem.

Thermo is as easy as it's going to get. Although Kinetics is fairly easy too, stat mech is whatever..

Are you chem major or chem E?

My most stressful time was during quantum mech, I had a professor that had a really bad reputation.

 

[Gloves]

I was a chemistry major. We were doing kinetics, which I fully understand conceptually but then on the exam there were math theory questions too. Like questions that had nothing to do with chemistry. Then there were very complicated rate questions that required extensive derivation with some of the more obscure integrations. Its pure hell. I can't handle it while maintaining a good GPA. It's too much!

 

[Gloves]

I'm in the process of switching to a molecular/cell bio major now. I can do a lot better, and enjoy it too 😀

I liked organic though. Thats why I did chem for my major. I didn't think pchem would be such a big hurdle.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

What will you get out of it if you do take it? Doesn't sound like it will do you much good if you are going to get a C. I'd drop and stick with 12 units, which is full time.

 

[Astarael]

Can you really just switch your major like that? P Chem is third year material, so I would think that you're pretty entrenched in chemistry by this point. My suggestion is to take it pass/fail if you can and get yourself a book that explains the math behind everything. As much as I hated it, the P Chem book written by McQuarrie and Simon is great because it has 14 or so mini-chapters meant just to give you the math skills that you need for solving problems. That said, if you can't take it pass fail and if you can switch easily, I would understand wanting to switch. Once you hit quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics the math gets at least two times harder when compared to kinetics.

 

[hiyaman]

There's probably no problem switching between some type of biology major from chemistry, bio major and chem majors take most of the same classes up until third year, at least that was the case in my experience.

 

[Gloves]

Yeah update, withdrawing from both lecture and lab, switched to bio major (and I won't be TOO far behind). Technically part time. If it ever comes up in interview, I'll just explain how I got my ass handed to me because I didn't fully understand what I was enrolling in 😛

 

[hiyaman]

Pchem lab is pretty fun, I got to play with a lot of lasers.

 

[TwoPaddles]

I think Pchem is going to destroy me haha. I got my first exam back, and one kid broke the curve really badly and I did worse than average. I don't want to wimp out, but at the same time I think it's going to really damage my numbers. Would you withdraw and hence go into part-time status (I'd be at 12 credits...) or would you just stick with it?

I'm leaning towards sticking with it but it might be one of the worst decisions I ever make

Dude pchem is definitely doable. Keep an interest of the subject. It requires A LOT of hardwork though. I did horrible on my first exam as well. But I worked my way through and it paid off. I got like a 31 on the ACS, even though the national average was a 22/40..I think that's what helped me the most 😀

 

[HawaiiHereICome]

Yeah update, withdrawing from both lecture and lab, switched to bio major (and I won't be TOO far behind). Technically part time. If it ever comes up in interview, I'll just explain how I got my ass handed to me because I didn't fully understand what I was enrolling in 😛

This is a more common story than you know. Just take some upper division biology classes and do well on the MCAT to show the ADCOMs that you're smart.

 

[Gloves]

thanks for the reassurance 😛

 

[bobow98]

Damn, I just got my first pchem test back. 7 points below the median, 5 below average. I'm dyinggggggg someone save me. LoL.
Please let me survive with a B+ this semester.