Retaking General Chemistry

[redoctagon]

Hey everyone, I don't post often so I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I'm a junior, pre-med at a Top 20 university (if that makes any difference). I took Chemistry my freshman year at an accelerated level and got destroyed in Chem 2 with a C-. I understand that means I'll have to retake it to "pass" it. However, I really don't want to retake it at the advanced level, since I don't think my grade would be that much better in a second attempt. So, I'm considering taking it at a lower level (most students take this sequence) over the summer. The problem is that if I do this, I'd have to potentially take the whole sequence (all 3 quarters), due to the rules of the chem department, and I'd be essentially repeating the whole chem sequence at a lower level than my first time.

To recap, I have 2 options. I can either retake the 1 quarter of chemistry I did poorly in and risk doing poorly again. Or, I can retake the whole sequence over the summer at a level that I am almost guaranteed 3 A's. However, I'm worried med schools might view this poorly since I'd be taking 3 chem classes at a level lower than I took my freshman year. On the other hand, the GPA benefits might outweigh that risk. What would you advise, and why?

As a final bit of context, I have a significant though not perfect upward trend since my freshman year, with a science GPA about 3.48, which is around the average for students from my school admitted to med schools (according to the pre med office). My GPA is expected is to rise regardless, hopefully to a 3.55 or 3.60 by the time I graduate. All input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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[de Ribas]

Hey everyone, I don't post often so I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I'm a junior, pre-med at a Top 20 university (if that makes any difference). I took Chemistry my freshman year at an accelerated level and got destroyed in Chem 2 with a C-. I understand that means I'll have to retake it to "pass" it. However, I really don't want to retake it at the advanced level, since I don't think my grade would be that much better in a second attempt. So, I'm considering taking it at a lower level (most students take this sequence) over the summer. The problem is that if I do this, I'd have to potentially take the whole sequence (all 3 quarters), due to the rules of the chem department, and I'd be essentially repeating the whole chem sequence at a lower level than my first time.

To recap, I have 2 options. I can either retake the 1 quarter of chemistry I did poorly in and risk doing poorly again. Or, I can retake the whole sequence over the summer at a level that I am almost guaranteed 3 A's. However, I'm worried med schools might view this poorly since I'd be taking 3 chem classes at a level lower than I took my freshman year. On the other hand, the GPA benefits might outweigh that risk. What would you advise, and why?

As a final bit of context, I have a significant though not perfect upward trend since my freshman year, with a science GPA about 3.48, which is around the average for students from my school admitted to med schools (according to the pre med office). My GPA is expected is to rise regardless, hopefully to a 3.55 or 3.60 by the time I graduate. All input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

It's a little confusing, but all prerequisites have to be taken with a C or above. If any prereqs are lower than C, then you have to retake.

Usually if you did poorly in other science classes, taking higher level courses might be a good option, but with required core prerequisites you have to have C or above.

For most MD/DO school 2 Gen Chem and 2 Orgo Chem courses with labs are required.

 

[HomeSkool]

You know the old saying: if at first you don't succeed, it's a bad idea to do the exact same thing over again (I think that's how the saying goes, anyway). You said you got a poor grade in Chem 2 at the accelerated level and you think you'd fare no better doing it that way a second time, so I think the answer is clear: don't take it at the accelerated level a second time. Take the lower-level courses, and if anyone asks why you did it that way, tell them you felt you should change your approach since your first attempt was less than ideal. Flexibility in the face of challenge is a virtue, my friend, and so is the ability to recognize your own limitations and mitigate their effects.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

I think OP's question is "Retaking only the class he got a C- in at the accelerated level" vs. "retaking all three gen chem classes at the regular level, even though in the first two he got a good grade"

So the struggle is "don't retake if you won't get a good grade" vs "don't retake classes you did well in"

 

[HomeSkool]

I think OP's question is "Retaking only the class he got a C- in at the accelerated level" vs. "retaking all three gen chem classes at the regular level, even though in the first two he got a good grade"

So the struggle is "don't retake if you won't get a good grade" vs "don't retake classes you did well in"

I think what we're hearing is that there is a gen chem requirement, and the normal way is to take it as three separate courses but there's also am accelerated option that crams all the material into two courses.

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[AttemptingScholar]

I think what we're hearing is that there is a gen chem requirement, and the normal way is to take it as three separate courses but there's also am accelerated option that crams all the material into two courses.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

OP already took accelerated, and I infer got a grade that should not be retaken for the first one. OP is wondering if it's okay to break the "don't retake good grades" rule in this case. I'd say probably?

 

[de Ribas]

OP mentions several things: Accelerated level, advanced level, lower level, whole chem sequence, etc.

Without additional info it sounds confusing. I never heard General Chem to be offered on different levels, different speed and sequences.

Everywhere I have been, I have seen Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II (both with labs). You could retake any course whenever you wanted and how you wanted at the same or different college.

Otherwise, I am not familiar with the course system OP describes.

 

[de Ribas]

OP is wondering if it's okay to break the "don't retake good grades" rule in this case

What good grade? I only see OP mentioning C-. It is not accepted, therefore must be retaken.

 

[deleted804295]

OP mentions several things: Accelerated level, advanced level, lower level, whole chem sequence, etc.

Without additional info it sounds confusing. I never heard General Chem to be offered on different levels, different speed and sequences.

Everywhere I have been, I have seen Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II (both with labs). You could retake any course whenever you wanted and how you wanted at the same or different college.

Otherwise, I am not familiar with the course system OP describes.

I think I mentioned this to you in a previous thread but many Universities around the nation are restructuring their chemistry sequences to be more friendly to Pre-Meds where 4 semesters are condensed down to 3. These new sequences are very fuzzy to begin with and to be honest it shafts many pre-meds who were shoved into this system by advisers without being notified about its potential drawbacks.

To OP:
You would do best by contacting the head of the chemistry department, an adcom for your University's med school, and your chemistry professor. Nobody on SDN will be able to help you with these crappy condensed sequences because A) not many people know about it and B) they are very new. Although I am also in one of these sequences I cannot help you much because I am relying on information from my own professors, advisers, dean, and adcoms from my University's med school. I also haven't gotten to the point where I've gotten below a B but speaking to peers who failed out, many of them retook gen chem 1 and 2 at a community college over the summer and started O chem 1 fall semester of their sophomore year.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

What good grade? I only see OP mentioning C-. It is not accepted, therefore must be retaken.

OP got a C- in GenChem2 and doesn't mention his grade in CenChem1. I'm assuming it's a good grade, or OP wouldn't be so worried about the consequences of retaking it.

 

[redoctagon]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I knew that the details of the question are confusing, so I apologize for that, but a lot of it is due to the quarter system. In case anyone is still wondering, I took accelerated Gen Chem over 2 quarters rather than the normal gen chem sequence which goes over 3. I did well the first quarter and awful the second quarter. So instead of retaking Advanced Gen Chem 2, I was asking if I should take Regular Gen Chem 1-3. It seems that the majority of people are saying yes this is a good idea, so that is my plan now.

 

[redoctagon]

OP mentions several things: Accelerated level, advanced level, lower level, whole chem sequence, etc.

Without additional info it sounds confusing. I never heard General Chem to be offered on different levels, different speed and sequences.

Everywhere I have been, I have seen Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II (both with labs). You could retake any course whenever you wanted and how you wanted at the same or different college.

Otherwise, I am not familiar with the course system OP describes.

I used some of the words interchangeably. There is an accelerated sequence that runs over 2 quarters (which I took, and did poorly in the second quarter of), and there is a normal sequence taken by the majority of pre-meds, which runs over 3 quarters. I can either retake the second quarter of the accelerated sequence, or all 3 quarters of the normal sequence. My school also has one other sequence because they love to make things complicated, and advisors always encourage pre-med freshman to take the more difficult sequence that ultimately screws them over.

 

[amerepedestrian]

I retook Gen Chem I (C) and got an A in that class as well as Gen Chem II. Rarely do I ever suggest “buckle down,” as a real solution, but in this case, if you really want to be a doctor, it’s by far your best option. Get a tutor. Plan your schedule well such that you only have 1 other really difficult class. Figure out what you’re missing, and fix it. This weakness can be alchemized into a strength if you’re willing to do the work.