Sequence of pre-req courses

[Lizzi]

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Curious. The sequence of classes for the post bac program I am about to undertake in the fall has Organic Chemistry taken directly after Chem I instead of Chemistry II. If I can arrange classes, should I take the classes in a logical order Chem I , Chem II, Organic Chem I, Organic Chem II, Physics somewhere in there and Calculus?
For anyone who has taken Organic Chem already, would you have survived it if you had to take it immediately after Chem I?

I asked a counselor why and she said something like Chem I and Organic Chem I "are more qualitative, so the school believes it is easier to stick with this theme then to switch to quantitative which Chem II and Organic Chem II are." She and some students disagree with the concept, but it is a decent argument. For the sake of learning the material well which would be an ideal sequence? 😕

 

[NewmansOwn]

Curious. The sequence of classes for the post bac program I am about to undertake in the fall has Organic Chemistry taken directly after Chem I instead of Chemistry II. If I can arrange classes, should I take the classes in a logical order Chem I , Chem II, Organic Chem I, Organic Chem II, Physics somewhere in there and Calculus?
For anyone who has taken Organic Chem already, would you have survived it if you had to take it immediately after Chem I?

I asked a counselor why and she said something like Chem I and Organic Chem I "are more qualitative, so the school believes it is easier to stick with this theme then to switch to quantitative which Chem II and Organic Chem II are." She and some students disagree with the concept, but it is a decent argument. For the sake of learning the material well which would be an ideal sequence? 😕

I would take it their way, if you want the best possible recommendation letter from their premedical committee. This is not an entirely uncommon situation. The University of Maryland, I believe, also has the Orgos stuck between the two Chems. I am certain that, if your school has chosen such a path, they are teaching it in such a way as to facilitate smooth transitions between all four classes. I totally hear you -- orgo is worth being a little scared of, I think. But your school designed it this way for a reason and I would be very surprised if following their formula didn't benefit you.