Retaking orgo when got B- freshman year

[7985lesiawon]

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Hey guys,

I am a freshman at the University of Rochester and I took organic chem this past semester. I made a B-, so I'm wondering whether I should retake the normal orgo I and orgo II next year, or continue with orgo II this upcoming semester? Would it help to retake orgo I and get an A before taking orgo II, or should I go out on the limb and take orgo II this semester? Would med schools prefer to see me improving in orgo freshman year from semester to semester, or getting all A's sophomore year? I also got a B- in bio this past semester (it was a really rough semester, many factors that contributed to these unorthodox grades...). I don't want to risk any more B's, or my science GPA will go down too much. Advice?

Thanks!

 

[487806]

Hey guys,

I am a freshman at the University of Rochester and I took organic chem this past semester. I made a B-, so I'm wondering whether I should retake the normal orgo I and orgo II next year, or continue with orgo II this upcoming semester? Would it help to retake orgo I and get an A before taking orgo II, or should I go out on the limb and take orgo II this semester? Would med schools prefer to see me improving in orgo freshman year from semester to semester, or getting all A's sophomore year? I also got a B- in bio this past semester (it was a really rough semester, many factors that contributed to these unorthodox grades...). I don't want to risk any more B's, or my science GPA will go down too much. Advice?

Thanks!

What happened to general chem? Some schools do not accept ap credits or community college credits.

Don't retake a b-. I would save ochem for later.

 

[Dadcore]

Don't retake a B- unless you really have to - getting an A or A+ in Orgo II should somewhat balance it out

 

[7985lesiawon]

Agent B,

I apologize if I sounded arrogant, because that was not my intention. I used my AP credit and was exempt from taking Gen Chem 1. I still have to take Gen. Chem 2, which I am considering taking next semester instead of orgo II so that I can take orgo 1 and orgo 2 sophomore year. What do you mean by "save Ochem for later?"

Will it be manageable to get an A in orgo II if I got a B- in orgo 1?

 

[Anamine]

Agent B,

I apologize if I sounded arrogant, because that was not my intention. I used my AP credit and was exempt from taking Gen Chem 1. I still have to take Gen. Chem 2, which I am considering taking next semester instead of orgo II so that I can take orgo 1 and orgo 2 sophomore year. What do you mean by "save Ochem for later?"

Will it be manageable to get an A in orgo II if I got a B- in orgo 1?

Not likely, orgo II builds up from orgo I. You have to find out that you were do wrong in orgo I for you to do well in orgo II.

 

[487806]

Agent B,

I apologize if I sounded arrogant, because that was not my intention. I used my AP credit and was exempt from taking Gen Chem 1. I still have to take Gen. Chem 2, which I am considering taking next semester instead of orgo II so that I can take orgo 1 and orgo 2 sophomore year. What do you mean by "save Ochem for later?"

Will it be manageable to get an A in orgo II if I got a B- in orgo 1?

I didn't imply you're arrogant, just curious. As you stated, it's a good idea to take gen chem in the next semester. By "save ochem for later", I meant take it next year. You don't have to retake orgo 1, but if you're confident, go for it. It helps improve your GPA if you get an A in the retake.

Not likely, orgo II builds up from orgo I. You have to find out that you were do wrong in orgo I for you to do well in orgo II.

I disagree. Sure orgo II depends on orgo I, but if OP is willing to work hard, he can get an A in orgo II even though he got a B- in orgo I.

 

[stargate16]

I got a B in orgo 1 and A in orgo 2. I found orgo 2 easier in fact, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[lobo.solo]

Don't retake, do better in o-chem II and other classes.

 

[Barcu]

Don't retake, do better in o-chem II and other classes.

This. Don't retake.

 

[An MD Hopeful]

R u premed? I thought med schools require us to take a full year of gen chem even if we have AP credit...

 

[NigelVermooth]

For most schools you need not take a year of general chemistry necessarily, just a year of inorganic chemistry, so I suppose OP could take gen chem 2 as well as an upper level inorganic class, and a few schools allow biochem to be used in place of the second semester of inorganic chemistry if i recall correctly. Also some schools may accept AP credit depending on how it appears on your college transcript.

 

[487806]

R u premed? I thought med schools require us to take a full year of gen chem even if we have AP credit...

Not true. Upper level classes are suitable substitutes for general prereqs

 

[BABSstudent]

Not true. Upper level classes are suitable substitutes for general prereqs

Like five of the medical schools I applied to required gen chem be taken at a university (no AP credit allowed). These same schools had a course selection thing on the secondaries to select which class was gen chem. maybe they would take higher level classes, but unless you are a chem major, that is going to suck. Good luck getting an A in Chem 493 when Chem 101 would have sufficed. You would also have to contact each school and find out if they will accept it. You probably need special permission.

 

[487806]

Like five of the medical schools I applied to required gen chem be taken at a university (no AP credit allowed). These same schools had a course selection thing on the secondaries to select which class was gen chem. maybe they would take higher level classes, but unless you are a chem major, that is going to suck. Good luck getting an A in Chem 493 when Chem 101 would have sufficed. You would also have to contact each school and find out if they will accept it. You probably need special permission.

No one said it's going to be easy. I was thinking that physical chem (which is essentially gen chem that is math-intensive) or inorganic chem (group theory) would serve as appropriate substitutes for gen chem. Of course, that's pretty difficult and requires a lot of work, but they can be managed if you're dedicated. Sure, Chem 101 is a better alternative than going through the painstaking effort with the risk of damaging the GPA, but the point is, Chem 101/102 are not required to be retaken (AP exempt), even in schools that don't accept AP credit. Succeeding in difficult classes is fruitful since it shows to med schools that you can handle difficult courseload.

 

[lobo.solo]

No one said it's going to be easy. I was thinking that physical chem (which is essentially gen chem that is math-intensive) or inorganic chem (group theory) would serve as appropriate substitutes for gen chem. Of course, that's pretty difficult and requires a lot of work, but they can be managed if you're dedicated. Sure, Chem 101 is a better alternative than going through the painstaking effort with the risk of damaging the GPA, but the point is, Chem 101/102 are not required to be retaken (AP exempt), even in schools that don't accept AP credit. Succeeding in difficult classes is fruitful since it shows to med schools that you can handle difficult courseload.

I have read around here that even if you have AP credits you can still take the classes in college. This hasn't been a problem for people who have been admired to med school,

 

[487806]

I have read around here that even if you have AP credits you can still take the classes in college. This hasn't been a problem for people who have been admired to med school,

Never said it's a problem. There are two things a student with AP credits can do: take the same intro classes or take harder/upper-level courses. That's the point I was making in my previous posts, so I'm not sure why there's a disagreement here. No one is being forced to take intro courses when they placed out, and no one is being forced to take upper-level courses. They are simply two options to choose. I am focusing on the latter, because the another member said a full-year of gen chem courses is required despite AP credits, which is simply incorrect.

 

[lobo.solo]

Never said it's a problem. There are two things a student with AP credits can do: take the same intro classes or take harder/upper-level courses. That's the point I was making in my previous posts, so I'm not sure why there's a disagreement here. No one is being forced to take intro courses when they placed out, and no one is being forced to take upper-level courses. They are simply two options to choose. I am focusing on the latter, because the another member said a full-year of gen chem courses is required despite AP credits, which is simply incorrect.

No disagreement at all. I was just providing another piece of info or alternative than to take an upper division class to replace the pre-req.