Taking Chemistry Over? AHH!

[leejqs]

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I just transferred to another school, but found out today through the chemistry department that both semesters of my general chemistry will not transfer over because my previous school didn't participate in the national chemistry exam.

I made an A in both semesters and even asked if I could just get an "override" into organic, without actually getting credit for general chemistry.. but the chemistry department is being very stern.

So question is, is it better if I take general chemistry over again at my new university, or possibly take organic at another school, one semester during the summer, the other... I'm not sure when? Haha, I wish they would just let me have an override into organic..

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Morsetlis]

I hope you realize you're getting double the A's for "different" classes that are completely the same.

 

[FloatOn]

Just take gen chem again and get A's in them.

 

[Hoody]

Just take gen chem again and get A's in them.

agreed. pad that GPA.


does stink that you will have to waste a whole year over taking gen chem before you can waste a year taking organic though. Perhaps you can take organic at another college, like you mentioned.

What is your major? Often times you can skip some pre reqs to sit in on other classes as non degree seeking....but I'm not sure that would apply to you.


Could you test out of the gen chems?

 

[SOcash]

I agree. This sounds like a great opportunity to go back over content you've already done for an easy A.

 

[leejqs]

I agree. This sounds like a great opportunity to go back over content you've already done for an easy A.

I guess this is the plan! I think taking it over, although time consuming, will be really beneficial in the long run.. I hope so. My new university is much more rigorous than my previous university (hence the strict transfer policies), so taking it over really seems like the best option.

Thanks for the input everyone, I appreciate it.

😀

 

[Wolfman89]

Easy A's are never a bad thing.

 

[Hoody]

I guess this is the plan! I think taking it over, although time consuming, will be really beneficial in the long run.. I hope so. My new university is much more rigorous than my previous university (hence the strict transfer policies), so taking it over really seems like the best option.

Thanks for the input everyone, I appreciate it.

😀

Just think of it as MCAT prep... 👍


GL to you.

 

[lorenzomicron]

I just transferred to another school, but found out today through the chemistry department that both semesters of my general chemistry will not transfer over because my previous school didn't participate in the national chemistry exam.

I made an A in both semesters and even asked if I could just get an "override" into organic, without actually getting credit for general chemistry.. but the chemistry department is being very stern.

So question is, is it better if I take general chemistry over again at my new university, or possibly take organic at another school, one semester during the summer, the other... I'm not sure when? Haha, I wish they would just let me have an override into organic..

Thanks for any suggestions!

I'd say try your best to get to take organic by testing our or something or taking it at a different class. An easy A from a retake is a worthless waste of time.

 

[Marcus Brody]

Yet another pushover pre-med letting admins tell him/her what to do. 🙄

You get an override form, go to the orgo prof's office and you tell him to sign it. Taking chem over again would suck.

 

[jla314]

ask to take the gen chem final exams from your new school to prove to them that you know your stuff, then skip retaking and go straight to orgo. you are paying your university to waste your time otherwise imo.

 

[mybubbles14]

Unless you need it for your major or some school requirement...why not just take orgo over the summer somewhere else? Give or take where you pick to take it, that could be an easy A as well. Lots of people at my school took orgo at easier schools and got As whereas they would've struggled for a B- back at our home institution.

 

[JuneT]

If you take ochem 1 in the summer at another school will your current school let you take ochem 2? If ochem 1 is the only prereq and it transfers you might be able to save the time retaking gen chem.

 

[Van Chowder]

I had a similar scenario. Except it was for Biology I.
Thats when the major choice went from Biology---->Nutrition.
Different schools ( within the same school).
I dont know though. I got two A's in Gen chem, but would shoot someone in the foot if they made me retake it.

Follow your heart.

 

[boaz]

It would be a shame to waste a year to retake gen chem for such a nonsensical reason...

If you must take organic elsewhere (even just 1 semester), do it at a school that is at least as reputable as the one you're at now. Otherwise it may look to the adcoms like you're trying to get an easy way out of a hard class.

 

[leejqs]

Well I've done some research, and I can try to take the "chemistry placement exam" at my school, and try to test out of and get credit for both semesters. However, at transfer orientation, it was noted that rarely anyone passes the placement exam, because the chemistry peeps make it pretty hard.

I'm not so sure that my previous school prepared me to pass this exam.. but I feel I should take it anyways, to at least try and exempt one semester! I didn't get those A's for nothing!

I've looked at taking organic at other schools in my state, but I really don't want to take it at a school that is less reputable than my school now. Other things are coming into play here (the lease on my apartment is until the end of July, so I'd benefit most from being at my school over the summer).

Worst comes to worse, I don't place out of any semester of gen chem.. but that may be a blessing in disguise. If I can't pass the placement exam, what makes me think that I could do well on the general chemistry questions on the MCAT?! I may need to just take Gen Chem I over the summer, then Gen Chem II in the Fall. That doesn't sound like too bad of a setback.. does it? 😳

 

[mybubbles14]

Well I've done some research, and I can try to take the "chemistry placement exam" at my school, and try to test out of and get credit for both semesters. However, at transfer orientation, it was noted that rarely anyone passes the placement exam, because the chemistry peeps make it pretty hard.

I'm not so sure that my previous school prepared me to pass this exam.. but I feel I should take it anyways, to at least try and exempt one semester! I didn't get those A's for nothing!

I've looked at taking organic at other schools in my state, but I really don't want to take it at a school that is less reputable than my school now. Other things are coming into play here (the lease on my apartment is until the end of July, so I'd benefit most from being at my school over the summer).

Worst comes to worse, I don't place out of any semester of gen chem.. but that may be a blessing in disguise. If I can't pass the placement exam, what makes me think that I could do well on the general chemistry questions on the MCAT?! I may need to just take Gen Chem I over the summer, then Gen Chem II in the Fall. That doesn't sound like too bad of a setback.. does it? 😳

I doubt MCAT gen chem would be as difficult as any placement test. You're probably right that they make it intentionally hard. I had the same problem in high school. I was trying to transfer to a different school and they were going to make me retake 2 math courses and spanish I because I didn't pass their "placement" exam despite getting As in those 3 courses. Needless to say that was the deciding factor against attending that school.

Either way I'd go for the placement exam like you said...you don't have anything to lose. Do they have strict requirements for registering? My school had "pre-reqs"/requirements but unless you needed permission to register for a particular class (ie. had to contact the professor for a registration code) people commonly just did their own thing. In large classes like orgo they didn't go through and check everyone's placement.