Taking Org I in the summer?

[studentdoktor]

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Hello people! I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment.

I am currently going to a 2-year college. I keep being told to take Org I and II at a university, but I wanted to organize my schedule to get them out of the way and move on. My current Chem professor decided to teach Org I in the summer before leaving his job, so I wanted to take his offer up. Thought maybe I could hold Org II for university.

Only problems are; it's a summer term, he's known as a difficult professor, I hear Org is a difficult class. So I'm not sure what to do. I'm not top in my class, but I'm not failing either. But I'm trying to pick things back up by using resources available, especially while I'm on break. But given that I am not doing exceptionally, I tend to get nervous of future outcomes.

So what should I do?

 

[feli_owl]

I am taking Orgo 1 and 2 over the summer as well. From what I have heard, it's definitely manageable. In fact, some students prefer it because there are no other classes to focus on during the summer. So you can put all of your time and effort towards Organic instead of worrying about orgo on top of other classes. Good luck in whatever you decide to do 🙂

 

[wtr24]

^^which is exactly why some admissions committees take summer classes with a grain of salt.

If all you have to worry about is Organic, then you should be able to do well.

 

[mehc012]

^^which is exactly why some admissions committees take summer classes with a grain of salt.

If all you have to worry about is Organic, then you should be able to do well.

Do they still take them with a grain of salt if you take multiple in a summer? I took 3 last summer and it would suck to have them all written off since it was actually a PITA to do 3 science courses in 8wks.

 

[Pacna]

Nobody takes summer classes with a grain of salt. Nobody cares how many credits you've taken.

GPA, GPA, GPA.

Yolo take the class.

 

[studentdoktor]

I'm just concerned because I'm told med schools require Org courses to be taken in university years. But I've also been told it doesn't matter. So I don't know what to think. 😛

Does "grain of salt" mean that the classes are going to seem worthless? I'm trying to make sure I do things correctly so that I don't have to retake anything or whatever.

I forgot to mention; I was actually planning on taking a second class as well. A very simple communications elective that's supposed to be about organization skills and whatnot.

 

[wtr24]

Let me be clear--I am not saying that classes taken during the summer certainly are worthless.

What I am saying is that when an admissions committee looks at your grades in certain 'staple' classes (organic certainly being one of them), the context can definitely be a factor in its meaning (i.e. did you take it at a community college, did you take it over the summer by itself, did you take it during a normal academic semester with a normal course load).

 

[gyngyn]

Organic is perfect for the summer. Nobody is sure why it's still a "requirement"and all we care is that you understand enough to do well on the MCAT. Competence can be be acheived in many ways and medical schools are realizing this more every year.

 

[studentdoktor]

I will try speaking with advisors and even some med schools I may be interested in. 🙂 I think the main one I am interested in (NYU) is okay with it. They certainly didn't explicitly state it being a problem.

Not sure if applying for transient student would help. Or maybe if I took a greater level course like Biochemistry or Pathophysiology (later on, obviously). I'm completely new to all of this, so I don't really know much of anything. 😵

 

[studentdoktor]

Wow! Thank you for that; that's almost alarming considering I was told that by one of my advisers... I was hoping to take the course with the same professor to get a good rec letter, but it seems I won't be able to. Not sure what to do when I'm getting misinformation even from my advisers. 🙁

 

[mehc012]

Wow! Thank you for that; that's almost alarming considering I was told that by one of my advisers... I was hoping to take the course with the same professor to get a good rec letter, but it seems I won't be able to. Not sure what to do when I'm getting misinformation even from my advisers. 🙁

Google. Everything.

 

[moisne]

Hello people! I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment.

I am currently going to a 2-year college. I keep being told to take Org I and II at a university, but I wanted to organize my schedule to get them out of the way and move on. My current Chem professor decided to teach Org I in the summer before leaving his job, so I wanted to take his offer up. Thought maybe I could hold Org II for university.

Only problems are; it's a summer term, he's known as a difficult professor, I hear Org is a difficult class. So I'm not sure what to do. I'm not top in my class, but I'm not failing either. But I'm trying to pick things back up by using resources available, especially while I'm on break. But given that I am not doing exceptionally, I tend to get nervous of future outcomes.

So what should I do?

Ochem - you either like it or don't like it. Best to take Ochem 1 and 2 in one go. Don't take breaks between them. This is the best advise I could give. Ochem 2 requires you to know basically EVERYTHING from Ochem 1.

 

[stlrams22]

That is a little too broad. Some schools have some strongly negative worded statements against summer science and summer CC. For example

"* Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two pre-requisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges."

SUNY Upstate

I would check their websites closely

Universities do this so they avoid losing out on tuition money, just a money game. Really sad since not everyone can afford overpriced university tuition.

 

[moisne]

Universities do this so they avoid losing out on tuition money, just a money game. Really sad since not everyone can afford overpriced university tuition.

No community college courses are much easier. They are typically easier than the regular classes in high school.

I took community colleges classes paid on behalf of my district since middle school. Super easy.

 

[stlrams22]

No community college courses are much easier. They are typically easier than the regular classes in high school.

I took community colleges classes paid on behalf of my district since middle school. Super easy.

Wrong. Class difficulty is more dependant on instructor than school. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim? My university classes were easier.

 

[moisne]

Wrong. Class difficulty is more dependant on instructor than school. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim? My university classes were easier.

If you have a weaker class (students) the teacher is not going to fail everyone. Most (and I say most) community college has a lower admission standards. Therefore, you will probably either be smarter or have a stronger foundation relative to the rest of the class.
Even if the instructor was tough, it would be way over the heads of many community college's students. The average will likely be curved.

Evidence?
I took the following classes at community college during middle school through high school and then tutored them at a university: algebra 2, physics, calculus 1, calculus 2.

I have lectured at an university for chemistry and I teach a chemistry at community college. I am the same but student performance vary. I have to curve the community college class more than the university class. So in this case, same instructor. You would get a higher grade at my community college class than at the university.

 

[mehc012]

If you have a weaker class (students) the teacher is not going to fail everyone. Most (and I say most) community college has a lower admission standards. Therefore, you will probably either be smarter or have a stronger foundation relative to the rest of the class.
Even if the instructor was tough, it would be way over the heads of many community college's students. The average will likely be curved.

Evidence?
I took the following classes at community college during middle school through high school and then tutored them at a university: algebra 2, physics, calculus 1, calculus 2.

I have lectured at an university for chemistry and I teach a chemistry at community college. I am the same but student performance vary. I have to curve the community college class more than the university class. So in this case, same instructor. You would get a higher grade at my community college class than at the university.

My prof always made the curves reflect ALL of his students...4yr, extension (night) classes, and CC classes. Made for some interesting grade distributions in each individual school!

 

[tantacles]

Organic is perfect for the summer. Nobody is sure why it's still a "requirement"and all we care is that you understand enough to do well on the MCAT. Competence can be be acheived in many ways and medical schools are realizing this more every year.

Favorite post.

Second favorite: When you stalk me and like posts in my school-specific thread.

 

[moisne]

My prof always made the curves reflect ALL of his students...4yr, extension (night) classes, and CC classes. Made for some interesting grade distributions in each individual school!

I'd like to have someone teach quantum to community college and engineers and use the same curve.

 

[studentdoktor]

I've heard those two arguments before so far. The idea that CC classes are looked at as less trying than university courses vs. the idea that it's all just for money grubbing.

But I suppose I won't take it yet, considering there is no urgency to take it. I just wanted to get the classes out of the way to clear the path for advanced courses (which seem more interesting). That, and it came with the benefit of my professor's letter. I think I'm being stubborn though, and maybe the cost outweighs... So I don't know.

It's going to be a long and boring year without science courses... Though I suppose it's a good time to strengthen my studying before taking challenges.

Will I have to explain the fact that I need to take certain prereqs to be able to go for my degree? I mean, I need Bio I, Chem I, and Physics I in order to apply for the majors. 😵

Unfortunately I wasn't aware of this predicament, so I am finishing Chem II, and may hold off on the others for the university.

 

[edgerock24]

If you have a weaker class (students) the teacher is not going to fail everyone. Most (and I say most) community college has a lower admission standards. Therefore, you will probably either be smarter or have a stronger foundation relative to the rest of the class.
Even if the instructor was tough, it would be way over the heads of many community college's students. The average will likely be curved.

Evidence?
I took the following classes at community college during middle school through high school and then tutored them at a university: algebra 2, physics, calculus 1, calculus 2.

I have lectured at an university for chemistry and I teach a chemistry at community college. I am the same but student performance vary. I have to curve the community college class more than the university class. So in this case, same instructor. You would get a higher grade at my community college class than at the university.

You took college courses while in middle school? You must be smart. Gotta give you that. But you also must have never touched a woman before either. Shoe in virgin status. No doubt.

 

[moisne]

You took college courses while in middle school? You must be smart. Gotta give you that. But you also must have never touched a woman before either. Shoe in virgin status. No doubt.

Yes you are right about never touching a woman. I'm female. 😛

Don't judge based on education how someone would look. Math and science just came easily to me. Life is fair bc my English teacher once told me I was the worst student who cared about their grade that she's ever had in her entire teaching career.

Edit: algebra 2 and physics are not college classes.

 

[mehc012]

You took college courses while in middle school? You must be smart. Gotta give you that. But you also must have never touched a woman before either. Shoe in virgin status. No doubt.

Plenty of people take Algebra 2 in middle school. They just usually take it with the HS students, not the CC kids.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Hello people! I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment.

I am currently going to a 2-year college. I keep being told to take Org I and II at a university, but I wanted to organize my schedule to get them out of the way and move on. My current Chem professor decided to teach Org I in the summer before leaving his job, so I wanted to take his offer up. Thought maybe I could hold Org II for university.

Only problems are; it's a summer term, he's known as a difficult professor, I hear Org is a difficult class. So I'm not sure what to do. I'm not top in my class, but I'm not failing either. But I'm trying to pick things back up by using resources available, especially while I'm on break. But given that I am not doing exceptionally, I tend to get nervous of future outcomes.

So what should I do?

I'm taking Orgo in the summer at my university. I know they don't "recommend" it, but I need it for about 10 more classes that I don't want to delay.

Also, I would avoid taking it at the CC, it makes it seem like you took it before entering university so you could get a better grade. If you took it during the year, that would be a different story.

To people who say it's easier, how? It goes much faster, there's so much to memorize, and etc.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Wrong. Class difficulty is more dependant on instructor than school. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim? My university classes were easier.

The fact that high school students go from being C-D students to B-A students? I don't even know a person who got anything lower than a B at the CC's in Chicago. Tutored my mom's friend (going into nursing) in Chemistry. She got through the test using "common sense" when it came to volumes, etc. I can't speak for all CC's, but in general they are easy here.

That's why my university requires students to retake any sciences classes they took/need for their major/prehealth. And often times they need to work harder and don't achieve the same grades.

 

[stlrams22]

If you have a weaker class (students) the teacher is not going to fail everyone. Most (and I say most) community college has a lower admission standards. Therefore, you will probably either be smarter or have a stronger foundation relative to the rest of the class.
Even if the instructor was tough, it would be way over the heads of many community college's students. The average will likely be curved.

Evidence?
I took the following classes at community college during middle school through high school and then tutored them at a university: algebra 2, physics, calculus 1, calculus 2.

I have lectured at an university for chemistry and I teach a chemistry at community college. I am the same but student performance vary. I have to curve the community college class more than the university class. So in this case, same instructor. You would get a higher grade at my community college class than at the university.

I can say at my community college the first thing our organic teacher told us was that she could give us all an A or all an F. From day one she made it very clear there was no extra credit, no curving, or any other "tricks" to get an A. Furthermore, our tests were never multiple choice unlike the university a few miles away in which their tests had ONE mechanism per test.

A school having lower admiions standards does not mean the students are dumb and the class will be "over their heads." By the time you get to organic you have passed chem i and chem ii so you have already demonstrated an ability to pass these types of classes. I think something that you partially touched, "stronger foundation" is one of two important factors for success. The other is motivation. I don't consider myself to be exceptionally gifted, but I work hard to get the grade I need.

As far as this curving, it is a load of education BS. Why curve at all? Design your tests to be rigorous enough so their is a standard a student must meet to get an A. Tests should be designed so an A is earned based on correct answers, NOT how bad others in the class did. My point being you shouldn't curve anyone's test.

Painting all community colleges with he same broad brush of inferior status is ignorant. The first community college I attended was close to where I grew up and was the only post-secondary institution within 90 minutes. Many students, myself included, went to this CC because it was more economical. Should we be banned from med school b/c of this? Not every smart person who is top tier med school material lives in big cities with access to universities. I think there is an equalizer to compare students called the MCAT. All my pre-reqs were at a CC and on the sciences section of the MCAT my percentile was between 85-96, not to bad for taking those easy CC classes.

You should do a Google search for schools most notorious for grade inflation, some of our most "prestigious" institutions make the list.

 

[stlrams22]

The fact that high school students go from being C-D students to B-A students? I don't even know a person who got anything lower than a B at the CC's in Chicago. Tutored my mom's friend (going into nursing) in Chemistry. She got through the test using "common sense" when it came to volumes, etc. I can't speak for all CC's, but in general they are easy here.

That's why my university requires students to retake any sciences classes they took/need for their major/prehealth. And often times they need to work harder and don't achieve the same grades.

This type of reasoning is 100% faulty. I graduated in the bottom 5% of my high school class. I wasn't a C-D student. I achieved mostly Ds, a few Cs, and plenty of Fs to balance out the Cs. Needless to say, my GPA was about as low as it could be and still graduate high school. I started community college a few weeks later, scored A's in both my summer classes. Graduated from the CC with a 3.5 GPA, more than doubled my high school GPA. Then I transferred to a university and graduated with a slightly higher GPA while taking much more rigorous classes. I would argue again that it is more instructor dependent than school. Many of the night classes at my CC were taught by professors from the university. Basically, I paid $80/credit at the CC for the same instructor that costs $425/credit at the university for several of my premed classes. Its no surprise universities and some medical schools discourage CC classes, just follow the money. A Grignard reaction is the same whether it is at Middle of Nowhere Community College or Yale or Princeton.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

This type of reasoning is 100% faulty. I graduated in the bottom 5% of my high school class. I wasn't a C-D student. I achieved mostly Ds, a few Cs, and plenty of Fs to balance out the Cs. Needless to say, my GPA was about as low as it could be and still graduate high school. I started community college a few weeks later, scored A's in both my summer classes. Graduated from the CC with a 3.5 GPA, more than doubled my high school GPA. Then I transferred to a university and graduated with a slightly higher GPA while taking much more rigorous classes. I would argue again that it is more instructor dependent than school. Many of the night classes at my CC were taught by professors from the university. Basically, I paid $80/credit at the CC for the same instructor that costs $425/credit at the university for several of my premed classes. Its no surprise universities and some medical schools discourage CC classes, just follow the money. A Grignard reaction is the same whether it is at Middle of Nowhere Community College or Yale or Princeton.

It may be the same, but the questions are 100% more straight-forward, in my experience. I got C's in Chemistry and I tutored people in CC's... CC professors don't need to try to separate the smart from the smart hard-workers. CC professors might actually want to test whether or not the student understands the material. If tests were not hard in my school, everyone could do very well and that would generate scores that are all very close.

The exams were literally one sentence multiple-choice questions. Worst-case scenario, you might have to plug in some numbers into an equation.

I have attention issues and by the time I finished reading our questions, I didn't even remember what it asked.

Not to mention what a large percentage that homework plays into your grade at CC's. Homework is essentially optional (not checked) or all-or-nothing here that might be a mere 10% tops. Either way, as long as everyone does the homework, you're still at the same level.

 

[stlrams22]

It may be the same, but the questions are 100% more straight-forward, in my experience. I got C's in Chemistry and I tutored people in CC's... CC professors don't need to try to separate the smart from the smart hard-workers. CC professors might actually want to test whether or not the student understands the material. If tests were not hard in my school, everyone could do very well and that would generate scores that are all very close.

Shouldn't the objective of any assessment (test) to check understanding of material? I have never had a science test that asked my opinion about a particular subject. Since when has a teacher at any level ever had the responsibility of separating the smart and hard working students? Generally, the hard working students are the smart students. I'm not really sure what your point is by that post. The MCAT is designed to separate students. If there is a class of 30 students and every single one understands 100% of the material, do they all deserve an A? Obviously they do. 30 students who are lazy and unmotivated, do the top 15% deserve an A? Absolutely not. It seems like your university is flawed if all they care about is separating students.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Shouldn't the objective of any assessment (test) to check understanding of material? I have never had a science test that asked my opinion about a particular subject. Since when has a teacher at any level ever had the responsibility of separating the smart and hard working students? Generally, the hard working students are the smart students. I'm not really sure what your point is by that post. The MCAT is designed to separate students. If there is a class of 30 students and every single one understands 100% of the material, do they all deserve an A? Obviously they do. 30 students who are lazy and unmotivated, do the top 15% deserve an A? Absolutely not. It seems like your university is flawed if all they care about is separating students.

Yep, I completely agree and that's where the rigor from my school and other schools comes from. It's a bit ridiculous... I know that it is not just CC's as my friend just told me "Oh she is at a B right now in the class, but asking question points will bring her up to an A" at a really good state school.

 

[mehc012]

I don't understand tests with multiple choice on them. My uGrad just...didn't have any, at least in the sciences. The Psych profs did in their intros, which is why those were slammed full of people trying to take those courses. I asked them once why they capped their classes (kept them really small, making them hard to get into), and they started complaining about how long it takes to grade for more than 30 people...which blew my mind because I already thought they were being lazy/shorting us by making their tests 100% multiple choice! At the end I was just shaking my head, thinking "the orgo profs manage to teach classes twice the size of yours and have tests that were 100% short answer, synthesis, and mechanism (with all of the alternate possible answers implied in that). You had to actually know the material in order to even grade it! You don't get to complain about how hard your grading is due to volume when you don't even make an effort to put together a decent test that serves some purpose other than being easy to grade.

 

[stlrams22]

Yep, I completely agree and that's where the rigor from my school and other schools comes from. It's a bit ridiculous... I know that it is not just CC's as my friend just told me "Oh she is at a B right now in the class, but asking question points will bring her up to an A" at a really good state school.

Grading and grade composition makes education so subjective. I could be a teacher who gives extremely rigorous tests, but only 60% of the overall grade is tests. The other 40% is homework. In my organic series, there was no HW, the entire grade was composed of only tests. The final exam was 1/3 of the final grade. Half the points were earned within a week b/c of the last test and final being so close. Also, my organic teacher either gave 10 pts for a problem or less than 3 (out of 10 max). There wasn't much room in between. She really liked giving 0 points on problems even for small mistakes. This is why i argue that regardless of the level of education, grades are so ridiculously subjective that comparing them accurately from school to school is nearly futile.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Grading and grade composition makes education so subjective. I could be a teacher who gives extremely rigorous tests, but only 60% of the overall grade is tests. The other 40% is homework. In my organic series, there was no HW, the entire grade was composed of only tests. The final exam was 1/3 of the final grade. Half the points were earned within a week b/c of the last test and final being so close. Also, my organic teacher either gave 10 pts for a problem or less than 3 (out of 10 max). There wasn't much room in between. She really liked giving 0 points on problems even for small mistakes. This is why i argue that regardless of the level of education, grades are so ridiculously subjective that comparing them accurately from school to school is nearly futile.

A lot of classes have no homework points. I've never had a class where homework actually made a difference in grades. Even if homework was worth 99%, there would be lots of variation in that 1% of exams.

 

[stlrams22]

A lot of classes have no homework points. I've never had a class where homework actually made a difference in grades. Even if homework was worth 99%, there would be lots of variation in that 1% of exams.

If homework was 99% of the final grade than tests would become meaningless.

 

[Lucca]

If you have a weaker class (students) the teacher is not going to fail everyone. Most (and I say most) community college has a lower admission standards. Therefore, you will probably either be smarter or have a stronger foundation relative to the rest of the class.
Even if the instructor was tough, it would be way over the heads of many community college's students. The average will likely be curved.

Evidence?
I took the following classes at community college during middle school through high school and then tutored them at a university: algebra 2, physics, calculus 1, calculus 2.

I have lectured at an university for chemistry and I teach a chemistry at community college. I am the same but student performance vary. I have to curve the community college class more than the university class. So in this case, same instructor. You would get a higher grade at my community college class than at the university.

Did you do lecture at a U and CC as an undergrad? Wow, how did you even convince them to let you do that?

 

[CollegeGirl94]

If homework was 99% of the final grade than tests would become meaningless.

See, you don't even realize the difference of grading on a bell curve does. Every premed knows it by heart here. If everyone got those 99 points from doing homework, the grades would be based on the last 1%. If Joe got a 54% he ends with a 99.54. If Ann got a 90, she ends with a 99.90. Once you determine means, standard deviations, and such there is a wide range of grades and the homework points don't matter. Yes, there will be those 2 students who don't do the homework and give a minor advantage to the other 150 students, but not really enough to make a difference.

 

[moisne]

Did you do lecture at a U and CC as an undergrad? Wow, how did you even convince them to let you do that?

No - not as undergrad. I started recitation for professors during undergrad but no lecture until grad school. CC after I finished and also taught high school. I suppose I am a non-trad.

(Ps. I learned so much by teaching)

 

[Lucca]

No - not as undergrad. I started recitation for professors during undergrad but no lecture until grad school. CC after I finished and also taught high school. I suppose I am a non-trad.

(Ps. I learned so much by teaching)

Yah I love teaching and I'm trying to get a TA position in my favorite classes. That clears things up, thanks 🙂

 

[stlrams22]

See, you don't even realize the difference of grading on a bell curve does. Every premed knows it by heart here. If everyone got those 99 points from doing homework, the grades would be based on the last 1%. If Joe got a 54% he ends with a 99.54. If Ann got a 90, she ends with a 99.90. Once you determine means, standard deviations, and such there is a wide range of grades and the homework points don't matter. Yes, there will be those 2 students who don't do the homework and give a minor advantage to the other 150 students, but not really enough to make a difference.

You are just playing with points. That is not educationally sound and in no way guarantees a student actually understands the material. I was completely unaware that my knowledge of the class's mean, median, and standard deviation was relevant to my understanding of science. That type of grading stupid to put it bluntly. Any educational system with integrity will assign a grade based on understanding, not based on scores from other students and placement. I do understand how a bell curve works and finding it to be the stupidest method to grade. Grades should equal understanding, not placement relative to others.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

You are just playing with points. That is not educationally sound and in no way guarantees a student actually understands the material. I was completely unaware that my knowledge of the class's mean, median, and standard deviation was relevant to my understanding of science. That type of grading stupid to put it bluntly. Any educational system with integrity will assign a grade based on understanding, not based on scores from other students and placement. I do understand how a bell curve works and finding it to be the stupidest method to grade. Grades should equal understanding, not placement relative to others.

No, I mean to comparing CC's/other schools to schools that operate like this. I wish it was still like high school, I'd always know where I stand.

 

[moisne]

Yah I love teaching and I'm trying to get a TA position in my favorite classes. That clears things up, thanks 🙂

What class? It will be so fun! If I did not always think at night "I still want to be a doctor", I would definitely go into academia. I love students.

 

[Lucca]

What class? It will be so fun! If I did not always think at night "I still want to be a doctor", I would definitely go into academia. I love students.

My aspiration right now is to work in an academic center in the future, I've been a chess teacher for a couple of years. Chemistry.

 

[moisne]

My aspiration right now is to work in an academic center in the future, I've been a chess teacher for a couple of years. Chemistry.

Yay! Chemistry is my second passion. It will be the mistress to medicine

 

[Stabley17]

This type of reasoning is 100% faulty. Then I transferred to a university and graduated with a slightly higher GPA while taking much more rigorous classes. I would argue again that it is more instructor dependent than school.

Getting back to why med schools often frown on CC classes, it's just as you say here, generally they aren't as rigorous. Now, it sounds like your experience was such that you received a very good education at your CC, but there's still a stereotype (i.e. true most of the time but not all the time) that taking classes at an associates level doesn't carry the same gravitas that they do at the bachelors level. They might, but those are exceptional cases and hence why med schools would prefer you avoid CC's.

As far as taking Orgo over the summer, I really would not recommend it, though for others it's great. My experience was that Orgo I wasn't too bad, but due to a cousin's wedding and me getting sick for part of the time in Orgo II, there was little room to catch up given the already extremely fast-paced nature of it. I feel like minor setbacks like these can turn into really large ones when taking an intense of course as Orgo is over the summer. It's not that I did terribly, but I really didn't meet my own expectations and that sucks.

 

[stlrams22]

Getting back to why med schools often frown on CC classes, it's just as you say here, generally they aren't as rigorous. Now, it sounds like your experience was such that you received a very good education at your CC, but there's still a stereotype (i.e. true most of the time but not all the time) that taking classes at an associates level doesn't carry the same gravitas that they do at the bachelors level. They might, but those are exceptional cases and hence why med schools would prefer you avoid CC's.

As far as taking Orgo over the summer, I really would not recommend it, though for others it's great. My experience was that Orgo I wasn't too bad, but due to a cousin's wedding and me getting sick for part of the time in Orgo II, there was little room to catch up given the already extremely fast-paced nature of it. I feel like minor setbacks like these can turn into really large ones when taking an intense of course as Orgo is over the summer. It's not that I did terribly, but I really didn't meet my own expectations and that sucks.

Rigorous was the wrong word, i meant upper level classes.

 

[drabberbadge]

Hello people! I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment.

I am currently going to a 2-year college. I keep being told to take Org I and II at a university, but I wanted to organize my schedule to get them out of the way and move on. My current Chem professor decided to teach Org I in the summer before leaving his job, so I wanted to take his offer up. Thought maybe I could hold Org II for university.

Only problems are; it's a summer term, he's known as a difficult professor, I hear Org is a difficult class. So I'm not sure what to do. I'm not top in my class, but I'm not failing either. But I'm trying to pick things back up by using resources available, especially while I'm on break. But given that I am not doing exceptionally, I tend to get nervous of future outcomes.

So what should I do?

DO NOT TAKE ORGANIC CHEM IN SUMMER
YOU WILL REGRET IT TRUST ME AND TAKE IT IN THE FALL/ spring

 

[studentdoktor]

Sounds like a plan then. 🙂 (I don't really need to take it now anyway, I just wanted to move forward.)

But as far as other courses and the risks of taking at CC's: Would it be bad to take courses such as Physics I and certain humanities at CC level, even though they're prereqs for the Bachelor's? 😵 I've pretty much done Chem I-II and Bio I. Physics will be the final science I'll need to really move forward for my Bachelor's.

 

[Mavs88]

You can't really say something is easier or harder at a CC without knowing the reputation of that particular CC. I used to attend a CC near a top 50 US public university...and our CC was notorious for having a far more difficult chemistry (chem i and ii, ochem i and ii) program. It was brutal.

 

[moisne]

DO NOT TAKE ORGANIC CHEM IN SUMMER
YOU WILL REGRET IT TRUST ME AND TAKE IT IN THE FALL/ spring

It depends. I took Ochem 1 &2 over the summer. I had a blast. Would repeat it in an heartbeat.