So I'm playing catch-up with prerequisites, anyone have any tips?

[Conflagration]

Hello everyone! I was wondering if you all could give me tips as to how to handle a really busy schedule...

So, a little about me- I've been vacillating between whether or not to try for vet school or not. I'm fickle by nature and I am behind by a lot when it comes to pre-requisites and my GPA is not very competitive right now... (Junior, ~3.3 cGPA and sGPA, but an upward trend.)

In order for me to be a traditional applicant, I need to take three lab science classes. (Organic II, Genetics, and Ornithology). I'm keeping Ornith out of interest and I hear that the class itself isn't bad, and I need that biology elective credit.

I'm more worried about having Organic II and Genetics with their labs at the same time. Did any of you do that? How did you handle it?

I was a freshman when I had Organic I and I made a fat C in it because I truly wasn't prepared for it and I didn't give it the proper time that it needed. I've been reviewing the concepts and making sure they click before I waltz into Organic II and I'm taking it with a pre-pharm friend who's had her trouble with the class because sometimes having a buddy who knows you can really help.

So, how did you all handle having packed schedules and maintaining volunteering hours?
Any tips for Organic II or Genetics?
What helped you all get through the courses?

I want to apply as a traditional applicant (over the summer in June 2015). So, I'd be taking Micro, both Physics, Public Speaking (maybe?), and Biochem in such a way that I'll only have one or two classes to take in Spring '16 so I can satisfy that requirement for NCSU. (If you have suggestions for who looks at last 45 GPA or who weights the GRE more, that'd be awesome! I'll also apply for UF since that will be my in-state.)

Thanks again!

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[lhmhtd]

This past summer I took Organic 2, ecology, and developmental biology, and all 3 labs. It was pretty brutal and I had no social life. But I did it- and if I can do it, anyone can. Only you know what you can handle. I would say it's doable, but be prepared to work your butt off.

 

[Conflagration]

Woah, good on you @lhmhtd!

I commend that effort, that's crazy. This will be for a full semester; so I won't be under the time constraints of cramming these classes into 6/8 week rotations.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Did you use anything in particular for Organic 2 that you'd suggest to others?

 

[lhmhtd]

Thanks- I feel like if I can handle that, I can handle vet school. Hopefully.
Honestly, organic 2 stressed me out so damn much I had to have a beer or two to study so that I could calm down enough to concentrate. I thought it was quite a bit more challenging than organic 1, although everyone seems to think organic 2 is easier? It is much more detailed and there's about 10 different ways to make one product. For me, that was the hardest, because while I understood the concept, I would mix up which mechanisms did what with which reactants. I could have studied more, to be honest. I enjoyed developmental biology, so I studied for that class the most. Basically, practice, practice, practice until writing out the mechanisms becomes natural. I also bought a few of those help books- organic chemistry 2 for dummies and whatnot. They do a great job at simplifying everything. Good luck! You'll be fine.

 

[WildZoo]

@Conflagration May I ask why you are so set on being a traditional applicant?
If it were me, unless there are some extenuating circumstances, I wouldn't kill myself trying to finish all the pre-reqs in a short amount of time. Yes, a heavy course load can look good, but doing really well in all of those courses and also getting your experience hours looks better. And I guess I would be a little more concerned with maintaining my sanity. Just my two cents.

 

[that redhead]

Hello everyone! I was wondering if you all could give me tips as to how to handle a really busy schedule...

So, a little about me- I've been vacillating between whether or not to try for vet school or not. I'm fickle by nature and I am behind by a lot when it comes to pre-requisites and my GPA is not very competitive right now... (Junior, ~3.3 cGPA and sGPA, but an upward trend.)

In order for me to be a traditional applicant, I need to take three lab science classes. (Organic II, Genetics, and Ornithology). I'm keeping Ornith out of interest and I hear that the class itself isn't bad, and I need that biology elective credit.

I'm more worried about having Organic II and Genetics with their labs at the same time. Did any of you do that? How did you handle it?

I was a freshman when I had Organic I and I made a fat C in it because I truly wasn't prepared for it and I didn't give it the proper time that it needed. I've been reviewing the concepts and making sure they click before I waltz into Organic II and I'm taking it with a pre-pharm friend who's had her trouble with the class because sometimes having a buddy who knows you can really help.

So, how did you all handle having packed schedules and maintaining volunteering hours?
Any tips for Organic II or Genetics?
What helped you all get through the courses?

I want to apply as a traditional applicant (over the summer in June 2015). So, I'd be taking Micro, both Physics, Public Speaking (maybe?), and Biochem in such a way that I'll only have one or two classes to take in Spring '16 so I can satisfy that requirement for NCSU. (If you have suggestions for who looks at last 45 GPA or who weights the GRE more, that'd be awesome! I'll also apply for UF since that will be my in-state.)

Thanks again!

I'd recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language (Part II aligns more closely with orgo 2 but part 1 is great for foundational stuff). I took OC1 and OC2 over the summer and it was brutal but with a lot of discipline and dedication I made it through with Bs. It's really more about discipline and working hard than anything.

As for school selection, Minnesota and KSU are the two that come to mind with favoring last 45. NCSU is a bit of a reach for you right now, especially as you must have a 3.4c GPA minimum to apply (last I knew, anyway). Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Shepherd Lover]

I'd recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language (Part II aligns more closely with orgo 2 but part 1 is great for foundational stuff). I took OC1 and OC2 over the summer and it was brutal but with a lot of discipline and dedication I made it through with Bs. It's really more about discipline and working hard than anything.

As for school selection, Minnesota and KSU are the two that come to mind with favoring last 45. NCSU is a bit of a reach for you right now, especially as you must have a 3.4c GPA minimum to apply (last I knew, anyway). Just something to keep in mind.

Ditto on using Organic Chemistry as a Second Language. VERY useful book.

 

[equineconstant]

LSU only looks at last 45, iirc.

 

[Cephal0pod]

Conflag! Hello friend! Good to see ya.

1). Woohoo ornithology! Birds are great.

2). I made it through orgo 1 + orgo 1 lab and genetics + lab at the same time. All my limbs are still attached and my sanity is (mostly) intact. *twitch* In all seriousness though, protecting that GPA is important. Do be careful about taking on too much. I know that I definitely underestimated how much time ochem and genetics require.

3). Orgo 2 did come a little more easily to me than orgo 1 most days. However, I think this was because I had weathered the wowza-ochem-is-different-and-pretty-stinking-hard shock that everyone goes through first semester, and it did not feel as foreign to me anymore.

Best wishes!

 

[Conflagration]

@Conflagration May I ask why you are so set on being a traditional applicant?
If it were me, unless there are some extenuating circumstances, I wouldn't kill myself trying to finish all the pre-reqs in a short amount of time. Yes, a heavy course load can look good, but doing really well in all of those courses and also getting your experience hours looks better. And I guess I would be a little more concerned with maintaining my sanity. Just my two cents.

Well, for a few reasons-

1.) I have the free credit space to crank them out in a year and a half, so why not?
2.) My scholarship that I use to attend my university covers only the traditional four years.
3.) I'm not entirely sure what I would be able to do in a gap year that would bolster my application, since a weakness is that GPA.
4.) I've also had to take out federal loans, which being out of school for more than 6 months would force me to attempt to pay it back.

I'll keep LSU, Minnesota, and KSU in mind, thanks! I'll be OOS for them, not sure how many seats they have available for that.

Cephalopod! It's great to see you.

 

[SummerTheLynx]

Well, for a few reasons-

1.) I have the free credit space to crank them out in a year and a half, so why not?
2.) My scholarship that I use to attend my university covers only the traditional four years.
3.) I'm not entirely sure what I would be able to do in a gap year that would bolster my application, since a weakness is that GPA.
4.) I've also had to take out federal loans, which being out of school for more than 6 months would force me to attempt to pay it back.

I'll keep LSU, Minnesota, and KSU in mind, thanks! I'll be OOS for them, not sure how many seats they have available for that.

Cephalopod! It's great to see you.

Minnesota I know has like 50 seats open. Kansas state goes through around 1/5 of their OOS applicants each year (including coming off the wait list) and I think has like 65 seats or so open for OOS