Terrible Semester: Where to go from here?

[Lachrymose]

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I apologize for this post being excessively long.

Hi guys, prior to this semester (sophomore fall) I had around a 3.45 cum GPA which was around target for most DO schools. However this semester has truly managed to kick my ass. Prior to sophomore year I had a B- in Calc I and a C in physio as my only terrible grades.

This semester, I was doing 17 credits and research. I did horrible in most of my classes (except two general graduation requirement classes totaling 5 credits) and barely managed to get a 3.0 this semester. There wasn't a single moment this semester that I wasn't doing work or took a break, so it wasnt like I was slacking. The worst of it all was receiving a C in organic chemistry despite studying for 30-40 hours a week for it and somehow getting a B in Bio.The only thing I can attribute taking time away from studying is research which I only went to for around 10-12 hours a week anyway.

I truly want to improve for next semester so that my dreams for DO school aren't completely ruined. I'm taking relatively challenging classes that are supposedly easier classes next semester but I am still taking the continuation of a disorganized lab sequence that is very badly regulated. Furthermore, I don't know how to go about studying for organic chemistry after receiving this C. I've heard Orgo II is better than Orgo I but I do not want to rely on that.

What should I do from here on out? Should I retake any classes I received a C in over the summer(this is all I'd be able to afford and it's only two classes)? Should I study organic 2 over winter break in the hopes of learning the material better before class starts?

 

[NontradCA]

I wouldn't worry about retaking Ochem 1 right now and by the sounds of it, not even worry about Ochem 2. Give yourself a break until Spring starts because it seems like your stress is affecting your grades. I say this because 30-40 hours is A LOT for a course, even Ochem. What you need to do IS have time for breaks and have periods where you do nothing at all. When you were getting poor grades did you not reflect on your habits or speak with your teacher or tutor?

 

[Lachrymose]

I wouldn't worry about retaking Ochem 1 right now and by the sounds of it, not even worry about Ochem 2. Give yourself a break until Spring starts because it seems like your stress is affecting your grades. I say this because 30-40 hours is A LOT for a course, even Ochem. What you need to do IS have time for breaks and have periods where you do nothing at all. When you were getting poor grades did you not reflect on your habits or speak with your teacher or tutor?

I went to my professor's office hours and they didn't help at all and the TA's for the course didn't really help me very much. I did reflect on my grades and tried to rectify my mistakes by working far harder this semester than any other semester before this. I don't understand what more to do 🙁

 

[NontradCA]

I went to my professor's office hours and they didn't help at all and the TA's for the course didn't really help me very much. I did reflect on my grades and tried to rectify my mistakes by working far harder this semester than any other semester before this. I don't understand what more to do 🙁

Well then I suggest you relax over the break and not worry bout the Spring for now. Once spring comes, change your study habits-smarter, not harder. I think you were studying too much to be honest. 30-40 hours is ridiculous for one class. You also need time to recover and not exercise your brain. Not to sound cheesy, but its true...it needs rest as well. I don't think retaking Ochem is a good idea for right now. Focus on doing well in Ochem 2 next semester.

What I felt most helpful with Ochem was doing problems, your time would probably be better spent doing them instead of reading. I would suggest getting a text with a solutions manual. I'd recommend Mcmurray 8th edition if your class text does not have a solutions manual.

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

I did well in organic chemistry when I took it and I used to tutor organic chemistry for two years. What I learned from tutoring was that the people who studied very hard for the class but did poorly just were not studying effectively. These were usually biology majors, who were used to rote memorization as opposed to learning the concepts and applying them. These students would spend countless hours memorizing arrows of a mechanism and putting them on a notecard, as opposed to understanding and identifying what the nucleophile and an electrophile in a reaction are and how those two things interact. So, when it came time for the test, because the molecules were different, they were unable to understand how to depict the correct mechanism.

I think that organic chemistry requires a significant time commitment, because it is a hard class but it definitely sounds like you put in the time. I agree with the other poster that you should not retake organic chemistry I yet. Take organic chemistry II, get an A, and then if you need to, go back and retake Ochem I if you need to.

As a heads up to you (and this is in no way to discourage you, its just my opinion), I thought that ochem II was harder than Ochem I simply because of the number functional groups covered and the reagents in each chapter. In Ochem I, the first half of the course is dedicated to bonding, nomenclature, kinetics/thermodynamics, stereochemistry, and the second half is spent on 3-4 functional groups (depending on where you take the course), alkanes, alkene, alkynes, alcohols/ethers. In Ochem II, every chapter is over a new functional group and some things get cloudy because there are just so many reagents to know (carbonyl chemistry). So, I just say this to you so you don't go in there thinking that it will somehow be easier than Ochem I.

I think that you should take some time off and relax. Do not commit to research next semester. You can do all the research in the world and still not get into medical school if your grades suck. Also, if you are aiming for DO, research is not a deal breaker for a large majority of them. Here is a link that I think will be helpful to you when you do decide to review Ochem. I used it back in the day when I took Ochem and it helped me immensely.

Ochem I: http://chm233.asu.edu/material.html
Ochem II: http://chm233.asu.edu/material.html

 

[Balantidiumcoli]

What I learned from tutoring was that the people who studied very hard for the class but did poorly just were not studying effectively. These were usually biology majors, who were used to rote memorization as opposed to learning the concepts and applying them.

Yep... I had to learn that the hard way as well last year. Hoping the new study habits paid off this semester (should find out today)

 

[Balantidiumcoli]

Yep... I had to learn that the hard way as well last year. Hoping the new study habits paid off this semester (should find out today)

And it did. 😀

Seriously though OP, you should listen to IH8ColdWeath3r's advice. It's not just about how 'smart' you are, it's also about how well yous study and knowing how to study.

 

[MedPR]

And it did. 😀

Seriously though OP, you should listen to IH8ColdWeath3r's advice. It's not just about how 'smart' you are, it's also about how well yous study and knowing how to study.

It's also about how smart you are.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[TriagePreMed]

I did well in organic chemistry when I took it and I used to tutor organic chemistry for two years. What I learned from tutoring was that the people who studied very hard for the class but did poorly just were not studying effectively. These were usually biology majors, who were used to rote memorization as opposed to learning the concepts and applying them. These students would spend countless hours memorizing arrows of a mechanism and putting them on a notecard, as opposed to understanding and identifying what the nucleophile and an electrophile in a reaction are and how those two things interact. So, when it came time for the test, because the molecules were different, they were unable to understand how to depict the correct mechanism.

This is so true that it hurts. While I was taking the class, I was tutoring my friend. She did HORRIBLY in the class because she went about things the way you say. I tried pushing her over and over to learn mechanisms and rules attached to it, but she couldn't "get it." When it came time to synthesis problems, it was a nightmare. I gave her the same exact problem 5 times in subsequent days and she couldn't get it right.

 

[Balantidiumcoli]

And it did. 😀

Seriously though OP, you should listen to IH8ColdWeath3r's advice. It's not *just* about how 'smart' you are, it's also about how well yous study and knowing how to study.

It's also about how smart you are.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

Forget your glasses?

 

[MedPR]

Forget your glasses?

It's also about how smart you are.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

It's also about how smart you are.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

Troll alert.


OP- go over some basic psych material. Memory is a funny thing and you could spend a lot of time studying and not remember it. Sleep and rest are important.

As the other member said, learn the mechanics and logic behind the concepts. Until you feel that you could teach them to someone who knows nothing of chemistry, you haven't mastered the knowledge. This will bite you n the mcat =] give yourself some rest and keep working hard! You can do it!

 

[MedPR]

Troll alert.


OP- go over some basic psych material. Memory is a funny thing and you could spend a lot of time studying and not remember it. Sleep and rest are important.

As the other member said, learn the mechanics and logic behind the concepts. Until you feel that you could teach them to someone who knows nothing of chemistry, you haven't mastered the knowledge. This will bite you n the mcat =] give yourself some rest and keep working hard! You can do it!

I couldn't teach gen chem to people, yet I rarely got gen chem questions wrong on AAMCs.

Not everyone needs to fit stereotypical models of comprehension to actually comprehend the material.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

@fluidityt, you must understand that MedPR is one of those members who rarely, if ever, thinks that he is wrong. You can just sense his arrogance when he types. He will make a GREAT doctor one day, and an even better attending to the residents that he goes on to teach if he ever chooses to.

Nobody is saying that in order to comprehend material, one needs to fall into stereotypical models of comprehension. What I and the other member are saying is that, if you approach material with the mentality that the concepts that you are learning need to be taught to someone who has no knowledge of the subject, this will undoubtedly help you. Why do you think that an overwhelming majority of members on SDN recommend tutoring subjects to other students so that the material becomes engrained in your head come time to take the MCAT.

You don't even need to be tutoring someone else, you could study the material and pretend that you are talking to some imaginary person who is in front of you who has never taken the subject before. You will quickly notice where there are gaps in your knowledge base when you do this.

@MedPR, have you heard the saying.... see one, do one, teach one? if you haven't, you will once you finish medical school and start residency. Theres a reason that saying came about.

 

[MedPR]

@fluidityt, you must understand that MedPR is one of those members who rarely, if ever, thinks that he is wrong. You can just sense his arrogance when he types. He will make a GREAT doctor one day, and an even better attending to the residents that he goes on to teach if he ever chooses to.

Nobody is saying that in order to comprehend material, one needs to fall into stereotypical models of comprehension. What I and the other member are saying is that, if you approach material with the mentality that the concepts that you are learning need to be taught to someone who has no knowledge of the subject, this will undoubtedly help you. Why do you think that an overwhelming majority of members on SDN recommend tutoring subjects to other students so that the material becomes engrained in your head come time to take the MCAT.

You don't even need to be tutoring someone else, you could study the material and pretend that you are talking to some imaginary person who is in front of you who has never taken the subject before. You will quickly notice where there are gaps in your knowledge base when you do this.

@MedPR, have you heard the saying.... see one, do one, teach one? if you haven't, you will once you finish medical school and start residency. Theres a reason that saying came about.

I'm not saying that teaching doesn't improve comprehension.. It does. I'm saying that it is possible to fully comprehend something without ever having taught it or even being able to teach it.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

I'm not saying that teaching doesn't improve comprehension.. It does. I'm saying that it is possible to fully comprehend something without ever having taught it or even being able to teach it.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

👍

 

[kinokoboy]

Well here's my grades for this semester:

O-chem 1: A
Physics 2: A


OH YEAH!!!!

 

[IslandStyle808]

I apologize for this post being excessively long.

Hi guys, prior to this semester (sophomore fall) I had around a 3.45 cum GPA which was around target for most DO schools. However this semester has truly managed to kick my ass. Prior to sophomore year I had a B- in Calc I and a C in physio as my only terrible grades.

This semester, I was doing 17 credits and research. I did horrible in most of my classes (except two general graduation requirement classes totaling 5 credits) and barely managed to get a 3.0 this semester. There wasn't a single moment this semester that I wasn't doing work or took a break, so it wasnt like I was slacking. The worst of it all was receiving a C in organic chemistry despite studying for 30-40 hours a week for it and somehow getting a B in Bio.The only thing I can attribute taking time away from studying is research which I only went to for around 10-12 hours a week anyway.

I truly want to improve for next semester so that my dreams for DO school aren't completely ruined. I'm taking relatively challenging classes that are supposedly easier classes next semester but I am still taking the continuation of a disorganized lab sequence that is very badly regulated. Furthermore, I don't know how to go about studying for organic chemistry after receiving this C. I've heard Orgo II is better than Orgo I but I do not want to rely on that.

What should I do from here on out? Should I retake any classes I received a C in over the summer(this is all I'd be able to afford and it's only two classes)? Should I study organic 2 over winter break in the hopes of learning the material better before class starts?

First thing. PUSH YOUR CREDIT LOAD DOWN! If you are planning to take the same credit load, you will be making the same mistake even with retaking your classes. Try to take 12-14 credits next semester and see where this takes you.

Second thing. Did you get help with the material from the professors or TA?. If not, you better try going this route. Even speaking to people helps in retention of the material.

Last thing. Know your self. Just people there are people on this form taking 20+ credits, you should not be doing the same. Everyone is different so try to see how you best study and what kind of work load you can handle. Good luck.

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

Well here's my grades for this semester:

O-chem 1: A
Physics 2: A


OH YEAH!!!!

troll.....did the same thing on someone else's thread where they were discussing a bad grade. As another member said on the other thread, you know a few reactions and some stuff about light and optics. Go enjoy a cookie.

 

[MedPR]

Well here's my grades for this semester:

O-chem 1: A
Physics 2: A


OH YEAH!!!!

You took two classes, congrats.

 

[Lachrymose]

Thank you everyone for all your advice! I will definitely relax over break. I'm taking easier classes next semester so I doubt it will be as bad as it has been this semester.

Thank you IH8ColdWeath3r for posting those links! If only I had seen them during orgo I, i may not have had such a hard time.

I actually never once memorized a reaction, I tried to understand it in orgo I. However, I probably didn't do as many practice problems as I should have and that may have led to my grade. I'm going to follow all the advice given on this thread and hopefully it will yield a better result in orgo II.

 

[MedPR]

Thank you everyone for all your advice! I will definitely relax over break. I'm taking easier classes next semester so I doubt it will be as bad as it has been this semester.

Thank you IH8ColdWeath3r for posting those links! If only I had seen them during orgo I, i may not have had such a hard time.

I actually never once memorized a reaction, I tried to understand it in orgo I. However, I probably didn't do as many practice problems as I should have and that may have led to my grade. I'm going to follow all the advice given on this thread and hopefully it will yield a better result in orgo II.

There aren't any reactions to memorize in Orgo 1.

 

[JGimpel]

There aren't any reactions to memorize in Orgo 1.

Be honest, you rocked one of those "I'm di-ene" shirts in your undergrad too, right? You are right, there are absolutely no reactions to memorize in Orgo 1 and even less in Orgo 2 😀

If a student can make an effort to understand a mechanism and can walk into their professor or TA's office and say that you understand parts A through C but can't get how C went to D, you'll be a lot better off than the person who walks in and just says "I don't get it" over and over again.

Good luck; and may the odds be always in your favor!