Summer Orgo

[Kochanie]

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I had planned on taking at least two quarters of it during the summer because I did pretty bad my first quarter and am no longer taking them my sophomore year. I know I can get A’s in the summer (same school/same professor), but I heard that I shouldn’t take it?


Most of the reasons people tell me include “resting” during the summer along with the money.


Both of those reasons aren’t good enough to me....


Is there any disadvantage with admissions?

 

[medicalmnt]

imo taking weed-out classes in the summer or at an easier school is like hitting 3pointer after the buzzer
you can make it or miss but it doesn't matter

If I were you I'd take my gen-eds in the summer to raise my GPA as much as possible before applying and take it again during the Fall/Spring
A lot of schools say its "highly recommended" students take required courses in the regular school period.

 

[Kochanie]

The only problem with that is I need Orgo to take higher level Biology, so I have to take at least the first quarter (which is a requirement for Biochem, which is a requirement for everything else).

 

[kyamh]

At my school, most students regretted taking Orgo during the summer and many performed poorly enough that they retook the curse in the fall. I was a summer TA so I saw quite a few students pass through. The problem is that most students find it difficult to adjust to a totally different format for a course that some students find difficult under normal circumstances. It is a very different feeling to take a single course, every day, with a lab or even two every week. Focusing on the same material type hour after hour is difficult and you don't have the luxury of mulling content over in your head until it 'clicks'.

Note: at my school the summer term was much shorter than a normal semester. Lab courses were taught for two hours each day for 1.5-2 months with two labs per week. Other schools may not condense the time so extremely.

 

[Kochanie]

At my school each course is 3 weeks and lab is twice a week.

 

[nemo123]

At my school, most students regretted taking Orgo during the summer and many performed poorly enough that they retook the curse in the fall. I was a summer TA so I saw quite a few students pass through. The problem is that most students find it difficult to adjust to a totally different format for a course that some students find difficult under normal circumstances. It is a very different feeling to take a single course, every day, with a lab or even two every week. Focusing on the same material type hour after hour is difficult and you don't have the luxury of mulling content over in your head until it 'clicks'.

Note: at my school the summer term was much shorter than a normal semester. Lab courses were taught for two hours each day for 1.5-2 months with two labs per week. Other schools may not condense the time so extremely.

Ours was the same. Orgo during the summer was really intense during the summer for us. My friends had lectures from 9-1 everyday and then had labs twice a week from 2-6 with no lab lecture. They also had quizzes every other day for lecture.

That being said, the positive about taking orgo during the summer was that my friends were done with it after 10 weeks as opposed to being done with it after 1 year.

Anyways, OP, there is no disadvantage to taking orgo during the summer as long as you do it at your home institution or a school of equal rigor.

 

[Derpz]

imo taking weed-out classes in the summer or at an easier school is like hitting 3pointer after the buzzer
you can make it or miss but it doesn't matter

If I were you I'd take my gen-eds in the summer to raise my GPA as much as possible before applying and take it again during the Fall/Spring
A lot of schools say its "highly recommended" students take required courses in the regular school period.

There anything to substantiate this or is it just another SDN myth? Granted I can see it not being ideal but is an applicant that pulls A's all summer really going to be looked down upon in any way assuming their MCAT is in line w/their overall GPA?

I feel like solid justification for taking it, in OP's case it's a pre-req for other upper level courses, seems a valid reason to pursue it over the summer

 

[Kochanie]

I feel like summer Orgo is so much better. I have ONE class to focus on (+ ec's) and thinking about/doing work in other classes won't affect me.... I hope... It also means I don't have to take Orgo + lab next year with harder courses.

 

[Kochanie]

There anything to substantiate this or is it just another SDN myth? Granted I can see it not being ideal but is an applicant that pulls A's all summer really going to be looked down upon in any way assuming their MCAT is in line w/their overall GPA?

I feel like solid justification for taking it, in OP's case it's a pre-req for other upper level courses, seems a valid reason to pursue it over the summer

Do you think that summer Orgo could get in the way of my research project?

 

[kyamh]

Do you think that summer Orgo could get in the way of my research project?

If you were planning on working on your project over the summer, hells yeah.

 

[mehc012]

If you were planning on working on your project over the summer, hells yeah.

Nah, 1 class and 1 job? Totally doable.

I dunno what all the fuss is with summer courses. I found them easier because they were condensed enough that I still remembered everything by the end (not the material, the prof's emphasis, which is more important while studying).
I wouldn't go more than 3 summer courses at once, or more than 1 job, 1 summer course, if you want to pull that 4.0 (you do.)

 

[Contr0lz]

hmm on this same note... would it be ok to take orgo 1&2 over the summer if I were to take biochem 1 and 2 during the regular school year. This wouldn't raise any eyebrows right?

 

[basketcase0a0]

I took orgo lab but not orgo lecture over the summer and it was one of the better decisions I made as an undergrad. But I wouldn't take the lecture over the summer because that's a lot of material to condense and it is EXTREMELY easy to fall behind, and not only could that jeopardize your GPA but also your understanding when it comes to the MCAT. But to each their own, if you think you can do it then you probably can. You know yourself better than an anonymous internet forum does, I guarantee you that.

 

[feli_owl]

I'm taking organic chemistry 1 and 2 this summer. I am taking my MCAT next spring and want to take biochemistry before it (and my school doesn't allow me to take biochemistry without orgo 1 and 2). From what I've heard, it's manageable. In fact, some students say that they are glad they did it because it's only one class to focus on instead of organic on top of a full course load. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

 

[Kochanie]

My main concern in my research project. I brought up summer Orgo with my PI and he didn't even question it... Obviously the weeks before and after will be MORE intensely concentrated on my project, but still....

 

[Kochanie]

Also, I don't question whether or not I can pull A's in summer Orgo, I am just concerned med schools will look at my D (yep) during the school year and assume I had an easier time in the summer?