Summer Organic Chem I and II

[BryanEC07]

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Hey, I'm a college freshman right now at Elmira College. I took General Chem and Bio 1 and 2 this year and I want to get organic chem out of the way. I'm a bio major. I love all the bio classes and labs, but I'm not that fond of chemistry yet I still do well. What do you guys think of taking organic chemistry 1 and 2 with lab over the summer??? I would be taking it at Stony Brook University and probably volunteering at the hospital on weekends. I would be only doing the class and nothing else, like working. I might take biochemistry 1 and 2 pass/fail during the next school year.

Thanks, Bryan

 

[Biryani]

I think that's a great idea. I took orgo over the summer--and found with the smallar class size resulting in more teacher-attention, --organic chemistry was manageable. It was also nice not to have my attention divided among other subjects--which i'm sure you'll appreciate as well. Good luck.

 

[DoctorInSpace]

I did the same thing, taking Organic I and II with the labs over the summer, but I was post-bacc at the time. It moves quickly, but it isn't impossible. Sounds like a good use of your time.

Good luck

 

[DORoe]

Summer orgo is fine but i would suggest holding off on it for a bit i mean you are only a freshman. The reason i say this is because orgo is a part of the MCAT and if that material is fresh in your mind then it will be easier to study for it and you will most likely remember more.

 

[DD214_DOC]

I should have taken it in the summer.

 

[BryanEC07]

Thanks for the quick replies. I really just want to get organic chem out of the way and the summer sounded like a safe enough plan, plus Stony Brook is a good school. I was thinking about taking biochemistry during my sophmore year if I did o-chem over the summer, maybe take it pass/fail... It seems like an interesting class, and there were only four kids taking it this year, same with analytical. However, the teacher is this French-Canadian guy, really a hardass who has a European style of teaching. Kind of like he expects you to know everything even though you never took the class before, plus he's my advisor
🙁 . Please offer any advice you guys have!

Thanks, Bryan

 

[Robz]

I took both orgo I and orgo II over the summer. The harest part for me was getting back into the swing of orgo after a year off from it. I found that taking it in the summer with only one or two other classes allows you to spend more time on it. I slightly worried at the time cause someone said that adcoms don't like people taking orgo during the summer but I found that to be false. My first couple of interviews most people were impressed and made a statment about my A's in organic and biochemistry. Made me feel like all those stinking hours with my model set and living in the library during the summer were worth it.

 

[PublicHealth]

It's certainly possible but I would not recommend it. Thirty weeks of organic chemistry smashed into 10 weeks is a LOT of material. For people who like to learn the material over a longer period of time (probably better for long-term retention, a.k.a. MCAT), take organic I and II during the regular academic year. You may actually get a better grade this way, too.

 

[osteo emt]

anytime u have a tough class, ie. o-chem, its good to take it in the summer. u can focus strictly on that one subject w/o other classes stressing u out. u need to do good in this class and doing well in this subject looks good. Ochem takes up alot of time, so do what i did and take them in the summer, it may feel like all u do that summer is ochem but its worth it when u see your grade. also, make sure u take them back to back and dont wait a semester. i dont think it matters that much to have ochem fresh in your mind for the mcat, when i took the mcat there was very little ochem, not to say there wont be some but u can get what u need to learn from review courses and books, in other words what u need to know in the way of ochem isnt even close to all you learn in both courses. good luck