I have put of Organic Chem until now, my junior spring semester, and I'm terrified. Can anyone offer tips of things I can touch up on during winter break to make it less painful?
Tips for prep of organic I
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Be a master of:
- drawing resonance structures
- knowing which atoms are more electronegative and be able to compare very similar molecules and rank them by acidity/basicity
- Review orbitals and know how much of a double bond or triple bond is s-character and how much is p-character
New Concepts
- Stereochemistry is a topic many struggle with and would be good to get ahead in
- When you do tackle mechanisms, do countless practice problems.
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Thanks Dave. I went to Khan and look at resonance because I actually had no prior exposure to that (is that normal?) and it made sense.
Can anyone suggest any good books? I leave the country Thursday for the remainder of the break and will have plenty of time to read, but no internet.
Can anyone suggest any good books? I leave the country Thursday for the remainder of the break and will have plenty of time to read, but no internet.
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Get this book (image is linked to amazon page)
The only chapter worth reading before you start class is the acid-base chapter. It's a very quick read. The first four chapters is review of general chemistry topics that pertain to organic chemistry. In fact, the first few weeks of organic chemistry is really a review of gchem.
But acid-base properties are so important that it's worth thoroughly understanding them now. It will probably serve you well on the MCAT and even in medical school.
The only chapter worth reading before you start class is the acid-base chapter. It's a very quick read. The first four chapters is review of general chemistry topics that pertain to organic chemistry. In fact, the first few weeks of organic chemistry is really a review of gchem.
But acid-base properties are so important that it's worth thoroughly understanding them now. It will probably serve you well on the MCAT and even in medical school.
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I skipped lecture twice and I felt behind for the rest of the semester DON'T DO IT.
I used this whenever I could!
Get this book (image is linked to amazon page)
The only chapter worth reading before you start class is the acid-base chapter. It's a very quick read. The first four chapters is review of general chemistry topics that pertain to organic chemistry. In fact, the first few weeks of organic chemistry is really a review of gchem.
But acid-base properties are so important that it's worth thoroughly understanding them now. It will probably serve you well on the MCAT and even in medical school.
I used organic chem as a second language and loved it, also check out demystifying organic chem. I bought orgo for dummies but never opened it once
Additionally, theres a youtube series of this guy who records his lectures
http://www.youtube.com/user/freelanceteach
used that a few times as well.
don't fear orgo I. I was so worried about it before I took it and wound up liking it and doing better in it than gen chem. Everything makes sense and the topics followed one another, whereas I felt everything in gen chem was pick and choose whatever the professor felt like at the time
good luck!
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That would be my only advice - PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
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how comprehensive a review is kaplan's mcat orgo review book?
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stay up on the material, I can not stress that enough. Make note cards after every lecture and review them if you have a few minutes.
Khan academy is brilliant....it got me through Orgo 1.
If your textbook has a solutions manual, buy it. It will help you greatly.
Khan academy is brilliant....it got me through Orgo 1.
If your textbook has a solutions manual, buy it. It will help you greatly.
Just to repeat what others have said from a slightly different view (it really is that important)
1) Do not fall behind.
- The way my orgo 1 class was taught it seemed pretty straightforward at first, and it was. So its easy to be lulled into being too comfortable with the class. But the class does pick up and start to be more difficult, and what I always thought, fun.
2) Review what you learn
- If you want to put in the extra time go over the book before class, even if it makes no sense after you read. I feel it helps to be exposed to some new idea, (if its complicated) be confused by it when you read it, have your confusion cleared in class, and learn it. And after class go over notes. Orgo really is like a new language, so it takes some time to get used to and the more time you spend with it the easier things get. (hence the method I explained of going over the material three times before you even study for an exam)
3) Practice, practice, practice.
1) Do not fall behind.
- The way my orgo 1 class was taught it seemed pretty straightforward at first, and it was. So its easy to be lulled into being too comfortable with the class. But the class does pick up and start to be more difficult, and what I always thought, fun.
2) Review what you learn
- If you want to put in the extra time go over the book before class, even if it makes no sense after you read. I feel it helps to be exposed to some new idea, (if its complicated) be confused by it when you read it, have your confusion cleared in class, and learn it. And after class go over notes. Orgo really is like a new language, so it takes some time to get used to and the more time you spend with it the easier things get. (hence the method I explained of going over the material three times before you even study for an exam)
3) Practice, practice, practice.
Thanks for the book recommendations. I went to bn and bought a copy of Organic Chemistry as a Second Language ($35). Im going to end up taking the MCAT before orgo II so if anyone has any advice on that I'd like to hear as well.
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