Taking O-Chem at a CCC?

[Toadesque]

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i go to a cali. CC and I was a bit concerned about having to take O-chem at a CC. Since it's considered a pretty difficult class and probably looked at quite a bit by med schools, would it hurt me if I take it at a CC? honestly i don't buy the non sense that CC's are easier since it depends on the professor, not the college but whatever just my opinion and probably not shared by med schools.

Also the sad part about my app. is that I didn't do so well in the crappy intro classes but I did better in the more difficult classes. I got a C+ in Gen Chem 1 and a C+ in Intro Physics lol but this last semester i got an A in Gen Chem II and an A in Genetics. I have gotten all A's in all my biology courses but the non bio classes haven't been so kind to me. I got a B- in college algebra haha and in Chem lab I have gotten C's both semesters (it's a joke honestly I really hope this doesn't hurt me too much when applying).

On an unrelated note, I'm taking O-chem+lab, physics+lab, and pre-calc next semester. how possible do you think a 3.9+ would be?

 

[gametime66]

the fact that you have been getting C's in your med school pre-reqs will look extremely bad. I personally would retake those classes. Also i highly do not recommend taking ochem at a CC. i believe med school strongly frowns upon that. CC does teach at a significantly easier level. comparing university to unversity the teaching is only slightly different IMO. besides, ochem really isn't bad as it is perceived to be. to do well in ochem, you just need to study hard. i personally though ochem was easier then general chemistry.

hope this helps

 

[camaras2480]

i go to a cali. CC and I was a bit concerned about having to take O-chem at a CC. Since it's considered a pretty difficult class and probably looked at quite a bit by med schools, would it hurt me if I take it at a CC? honestly i don't buy the non sense that CC's are easier since it depends on the professor, not the college but whatever just my opinion and probably not shared by med schools.

Also the sad part about my app. is that I didn't do so well in the crappy intro classes but I did better in the more difficult classes. I got a C+ in Gen Chem 1 and a C+ in Intro Physics lol but this last semester i got an A in Gen Chem II and an A in Genetics. I have gotten all A's in all my biology courses but the non bio classes haven't been so kind to me. I got a B- in college algebra haha and in Chem lab I have gotten C's both semesters (it's a joke honestly I really hope this doesn't hurt me too much when applying).

On an unrelated note, I'm taking O-chem+lab, physics+lab, and pre-calc next semester. how possible do you think a 3.9+ would be?

It sounds like you are doing your entire degree at a CC. If this is the case, I'd stay there, there is no need to leave. You are taking orgo with a course load, and that with physics and calc. This is totally acceptable.

Only the top tier really seems to care about this CC business. Not to say that other schools don't notice it, but they are of course far more lenient. You'll be fine if you get that 3.9+ you are hoping for.

I agree with the previous post that orgo is easier than gen chem. It just seems to make a bit more sense. Also, Physics II (i'm guessing it is II) is generally easier than Physics I. Calc is a math thing. I'm not sure how you will do, seeing your math background does not seem very successful.

As far as retakes, I'd consider retaking the chem labs that are Cs. You don't need to retake C+s. But this will all depend on how you do in orgo. If you get A's in both semesters of orgo, people will see maturity, and can look past your gen chem grades.

 

[Toadesque]

Thanks for replies

Oh and I'm definitely transferring, only plan to do 2 years here and then take my upper division classes at a UC.

I do find it kind of stupid though that they would frown at me getting C's in the easy classes but getting A's in the harder classes doesn't seem to help. Why?

 

[camaras2480]

Thanks for replies

Oh and I'm definitely transferring, only plan to do 2 years here and then take my upper division classes at a UC.

I do find it kind of stupid though that they would frown at me getting C's in the easy classes but getting A's in the harder classes doesn't seem to help. Why?

Transferring to UC 👍

It does help - it just helps even more to not have a bunch of Cs lol. Sometimes retaking some Cs shows that you care. But on the flip, adcoms do understand that retaking takes time and doesn't help your GPA much. Therefore, if you 4.0 the rest of your 2 years, you can live with the weak pre-reqs. The consequence is that the number of schools that will interview you will drop.

 

[Toadesque]

But wouldn't my overall GPA and science GPA be the only thing that matters? I did some calculations and by the end of year 2 and if I get around a 3.8 or greater during those 2 semesters, my GPA will be around 3.55. And hopefully if I do well at the 4 year uni and raise my GPA up even higher, why would they care about some dumb intro to physics class I took in my 1st year at a CC?

 

[tjquinn]

They care about those intro classes because... they are intro classes. If you cannot do well in freshman level introductory classes, then how are you going to do well in significantly harder and more in depth graduate level classes? I believe this is their rationale.

Also, people who claim that university level course work is significantly harder/ridiculous than community college level course work probably never went to a community college. I have made the comparison on other boards (being a CC transfer student), and I can tell you that my university (University of Washington) was far easier than my community college, which is technically a junior college now,(Bellevue College). The fact is, people at community colleges screwed up sometime in their educational path, or they are struggling financially. Consequently, these people typically have a certain drive that the direct transfer from high school to university student's don't have. Furthermore, at least at my community college, there is no curve. You get a 55% in organic chemistry, you fail. If everyone gets that score? they all fail. Conversely, at the University, I got a 33% on one organic chem test which ended up being an A since they average was 16%. Whatever difficulty is present at the university level is countered by the curve system.

Tjquinn

 

[Toadesque]

They care about those intro classes because... they are intro classes. If you cannot do well in freshman level introductory classes, then how are you going to do well in significantly harder and more in depth graduate level classes? I believe this is their rationale.

That would apply except I'm trying to say if I do well in more difficult courses, why would they care about the easier ones? Even though I haven't taken any upper division courses yet, I think Gen Chem II and Genetics were both moderately difficult classes and I'd like to think they carry more weight than Intro Physics and Gen Chem I. And if I manage to do well in O-Chem I'm sure that would be more than enough to prove the C+'s in those two other classes were just flukes.

And just for the record, I didn't really screw up in HS which is why I'm at a CC. It's just that I know how expensive med school is so going this route saves money and also bc my parents are currently spending a lot of money putting my older brother through med school so we have to find ways to save as much as possible.

 

[tjquinn]

That would apply except I'm trying to say if I do well in more difficult courses, why would they care about the easier ones? Even though I haven't taken any upper division courses yet, I think Gen Chem II and Genetics were both moderately difficult classes and I'd like to think they carry more weight than Intro Physics and Gen Chem I. And if I manage to do well in O-Chem I'm sure that would be more than enough to prove the C+'s in those two other classes were just flukes.

And just for the record, I didn't really screw up in HS which is why I'm at a CC. It's just that I know how expensive med school is so going this route saves money and also bc my parents are currently spending a lot of money putting my older brother through med school so we have to find ways to save as much as possible.

If you are able to do well in the upper division classes they may forgive lower grades in intro classes, but what happened in the intro classes? You should be prepared to talk about it on supplemental essays, or during interviews as it is peculiar (if you are able to succeed in the higher level classes).

As for screwing up in HS, notice the other reason I listed were financial problems. I don't mean to presume you were a screw up (as I was), but honestly, if I was not poor/struggling to make ends meet and I did not screw up in HS, I would not have gone to a community college.

 

[JJMrK]

To be honest with you, I would wait until you are at a 4 year institution to take o-chem. You want to maximize your chances for a successful application cycle, and taking it at a UC can only help you.

 

[camaras2480]

That would apply except I'm trying to say if I do well in more difficult courses, why would they care about the easier ones? Even though I haven't taken any upper division courses yet, I think Gen Chem II and Genetics were both moderately difficult classes and I'd like to think they carry more weight than Intro Physics and Gen Chem I. And if I manage to do well in O-Chem I'm sure that would be more than enough to prove the C+'s in those two other classes were just flukes.

And just for the record, I didn't really screw up in HS which is why I'm at a CC. It's just that I know how expensive med school is so going this route saves money and also bc my parents are currently spending a lot of money putting my older brother through med school so we have to find ways to save as much as possible.

By the way, just FYI, Gen Chem II is not considered any easier or harder than Gen Chem I to an adcom. Genetics is a step up, but it is still no biochemistry or molecular biology type class.

 

[camaras2480]

To be honest with you, I would wait until you are at a 4 year institution to take o-chem. You want to maximize your chances for a successful application cycle, and taking it at a UC can only help you.

Yeah definitely. I thought he was taking it at UC, since he mentioned he is transferring to UC, and plans on taking Orgo/Physics/Calc next semester. I'm guessing this is at UC.

 

[Toadesque]

lol no the title of my topic is about taking o-chem at my CC! i don't think i would even able to transfer to a UC if I didn't have O-Chem done already but if I could then I'd definitely do that.

 

[camaras2480]

lol no the title of my topic is about taking o-chem at my CC! i don't think i would even able to transfer to a UC if I didn't have O-Chem done already but if I could then I'd definitely do that.

haha yeah, and i got all confused when you said you are transferring lol. But I think you have gotten the idea - take it at UC if possible, if not, then so be it. it won't keep you out of a medical school.

 

[PDtoMD]

Also, people who claim that university level course work is significantly harder/ridiculous than community college level course work probably never went to a community college. I have made the comparison on other boards (being a CC transfer student), and I can tell you that my university (University of Washington) was far easier than my community college, which is technically a junior college now,(Bellevue College).

Tjquinn

Having attended a CC and transferred to an Ivy institution, I agree with you thoroughly.

The bias against community college prerequisites in this application process is just that--a bias that has little basis in fact.

I can understand viewing courses taken at top 20 institutions as more rigorous than those taken at colleges elsewhere in the country (even with this, there are exceptions).

Still, viewing community college academic rigor as lesser than 3rd and 4th tier private four-year colleges is unjustifiable. There are a lot of very smart people going to community colleges because of the low costs.