What was the hardest prerequisite?

[kennyram401]

Which science class did you get the worst grade in? Please vote using the poll.

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[RunawayGrape]

Organic chemistry tore me a new one. Twice.

 

[freak7]

I really don't understand how the answer could be anything but organic chemistry.

 

[Panther_]

Orgo 1 was a nightmare

 

[pseud0]

Organic Chemistry I is easily the hardest class I've ever taken in my entire life. Especially considering i did it in a 5 week condensed version in the summer. Insane.

I didn't take Biochem though but judging from MCAT, it's much less abstract.

 

[eteshoe]

My biochem was my toughest pre-req class. Physics II yielded my lowest grade due to horrible teaching and some crazy departmental bs.

 

[pseud0]

Difficulty rankings easiest to hardest:

Bio 1
Bio 2
Chem 2
Chem 1
Phys 1
Phys 2


Orgo 2
Orgo 1

 

[Lawpy]

Physics was actually the most difficult for me (I took calculus-based physics). The concepts were rather counterintuitive, and it took some deep understanding to derive the formulas necessary for calculations.

Biochemistry is a good runner-up, mainly because I had to memorize a lot of metabolic pathways + regulation. And the questions on exams required higher-level thinking to do well.

Organic chemistry, general chemistry and biology prereqs were fairly straightforward.

 

[kennyram401]

I can handle some math in a subject. But memorizing everything in Biology is next to impossible for me, they can ask you anything.

 

[kennyram401]

Are you guys sure that you are voting for the class you got the worst grade in?

 

[pseud0]

Yes, got all A's besides Orgo (2 A-'s).

 

[freak7]

Organic chemistry,... fairly straightforward.

There are rules in O-Chem literally called "anti-[rule] rule" which contradict the original rule and they're both true.

 

[Lucca]

All of the labs were the worst. Just busy work, didn't really learn anything valuable, grading felt arbitrary and stupid, lab manuals were terribly written and the experiments were mostly boring.

No course was really all that hard. Upper division math and chemistry and biochemistry I had to take were harder than anything that was required

 

[freak7]

Are you guys sure that you are voting for the class you got the worst grade in?

Yes.

 

[Lawpy]

There are rules in O-Chem literally called "anti-[rule]" which contradict the original rule and they're both true.

yeah Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov and Zaitsev/anti-Zeitsev/Hoffman reactions are confusing stuff. i just went along with the mechanisms and some general chemistry. seemed to work for me.

really depends on the context these reactions are taking place and the types of reagents used. also, ochem rules really aren't absolute and have many exceptions, hence the confusion.

 

[pseud0]

All of the labs were the worst. Just busy work, didn't really learn anything valuable, grading felt arbitrary and stupid, lab manuals were terribly written and the experiments were mostly boring.

No course was really all that hard. Upper division math and chemistry and biochemistry I had to take were harder than anything that was required

Ehh I thought the Orgo labs were incredible. The teacher i had was dog**** but the actual substance of the labs were extremely interesting to me. BIO labs in term 1 sucked, but term 2 dissections were very interesting. Gen Chem labs sucked. Physics labs sucked and were basically pointless.

 

[kennyram401]

I think I am getting a bad grade in my Bio class becasue I borrowed an old edition of the book from the proffessor and did not read a few chapters. I am dropping the class because he says I will probably get a C in the class. I just want to know if its me or the class. I got a 32 on the first test then a 28 on the second test without the curve. Someone got a 45 and another person who has a degree in biology says that it is one of the hardest bio classes she has ever taken.

p.s. It is an intro class (Bio I)

 

[kennyram401]

Its not like I'm horrible at science. I got a B+ average in both the Astronomy classes I took in community college. I even have a tutor for the class, I think I can manage premed if I take the Bios last so I am a bit more seasoned.

 

[pseud0]

You might be in for some rough times taking Organic Chemistry at a 4 year college if you cant break a B+ in an astronomy class at a CC.

Trust me, bio is not the hardest class you'll have to take. It's pure memorization. The first two months of your Organic Chem I class will feel like learning Chinese.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Organic Chemistry, not b/c it was hard but bc it required me to totally adapt to new studying methods and it was a bad year.

 

[PB&Jam]

Organic Chemistry Lab specifically (it was a different class in our university) was the most difficult for me. Orgo lab was taught by a professor who had never taught that particular class before, lectures were infrequent and went over the very basic points of the experiments, however, quizzes and exams tested us on minutia that weren't mentioned in class (or the book) and weren't relevant to actually performing the experiment. The only thing that saved my grade was that the actual labs were worth a significant portion of the grade, and I performed well in them. The class was so ridiculous that out of my TA's 100 or so students across a few lab sections, only one got an A, and the final exam average was in the 50s, IIRC. The fact that I got an A- is still a miracle for which I thank the orgo gods every day.

 

[kennyram401]

You might be in for some rough times taking Organic Chemistry at a 4 year college if you cant break a B+ in an astronomy class at a CC.

Trust me, bio is not the hardest class you'll have to take. It's pure memorization. The first two months of your Organic Chem I class will feel like learning Chinese.

Let me guess, there are formulas and some math that you have to memorize. I can handle that. That is what I can lean on getting right on a test. But a chapter that as close to thousands of words in in and diagrams and having to only memorize a subjective few just isn't as easy.

 

[pseud0]

Let me guess, there are formulas and some math that you have to memorize. I can handle that. That is what I can lean on getting right on a test. But a chapter that as close to thousands of words in in and diagrams and having to only memorize a subjective few just isn't as easy.

What? I don't think you understand how Organic Chemistry works.

Your exam question will be "Please synthesize X compound starting with X compound and whatever reagants you want"

your answer will look something like this

 

[freak7]

Let me guess, there are formulas and some math

HAHAHAHA IF ONLY

 

[freak7]

What? I don't think you understand how Organic Chemistry works.

Your exam question will be "Please synthesize X compound starting with X compound and whatever reagants you want"

your answer will look something like this

No mechanisms shown, you get a 0 on the question.

 

[Lawpy]

Let me guess, there are formulas and some math that you have to memorize. I can handle that. That is what I can lean on getting right on a test. But a chapter that as close to thousands of words in in and diagrams and having to only memorize a subjective few just isn't as easy.

What? I don't think you understand how Organic Chemistry works.

Your exam question will be "Please synthesize X compound starting with X compound and whatever reagants you want"

your answer will look something like this

HAHAHAHA IF ONLY

In a nutshell:

 

[freak7]

In a nutshell:

I really wish that was an exaggeration...

 

[pseud0]

lmaooo honestly so true. The questions i got on the Orgo Exams were way harder than examples we did in class. and my Orgo teachers were the biggest dicks by far out of all the teachers I've encountered in my "academic career".

It's true what they say about it being a weed out class. I nearly had a mental breakdown before the last test in Orgo 2. Got an A- though anyway.

 

[libertyyne]

Its been a few years this is how I remember it:

Bio is like a history class- The history of life, you learn how life works through the lens of evolution, mostly memorization with the overarching theme of how it fits together.

Chemistry is a science class with 8th grade level math about the building blocks of matter around us. Basic stuff rules apply most of the time, but exceptions exist occasionally that need to be memorized

Physics is a science class with 12th grade level math on how matter interacts on a macro level. Rules always work. No exceptions.

Organic Chemistry is like trying to learn chemistry in Chinese where there are just as many rules as there are exceptions and you have to memorize a dictionary worth. It is completely rote memorization of high yield and then praying that the curve is forgiving.

If you are having trouble in Bio 101 I would reevaluate plans for medical school or reevaluate your study style. No one should ever get less then a B in that class, ever.

 

[Stagg737]

Undergrad biochem was my toughest by far. Not because I think the subject was harder, but because my undergard prof got her PhD in biochem from Harvard and treated us students like we were ivy league chemistry grad students. Pretty sure out of 30ish people only one person got an A and less than 10 people did better than a C. I remember my C- put me near the middle of my class.

On the plus side, biochem in grad school was a breeze after the hell we went through in undergrad.

What? I don't think you understand how Organic Chemistry works.

Your exam question will be "Please synthesize X compound starting with X compound and whatever reagants you want"

your answer will look something like this

As ridiculous as it sounds, more than a few of the biochem questions on exams were harder than this...

 

[pseud0]

Organic Chemistry is like trying to learn chemistry in Chinese where there are just as many rules as there are exceptions and you have to memorize a dictionary worth. It is completely rote memorization of high yield and then praying that the curve is forgiving.

Try not having a curve like my school. And its more than rote memorization imo, sure you have to memorize how each reagant will interact with various compounds, but the combination of compounds and reagants you get on the exam is random. You actually have to UNDERSTAND how it all works.

 

[kennyram401]

Well, there are three exams two of which I got a 32 and a 28 on ( 62 and 58 with the curve) and the exams are worth 20 points. Labs are worth 20 points, after finding out my grade last class I panicked and did not attend lab for the first time. A final presentation is worth 20 points. He also awards bonus points to those he feel deserves them and I go to all of his office hours. With that I think I might be able to get a B+ this class so I will tough it out. Thank you all for your support.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I can handle some math in a subject. But memorizing everything in Biology is next to impossible for me, they can ask you anything.

Physics has been my easiest course despite being calc based, but my degree is in math. Some people struggle with things like triple integrals.

 

[freak7]

I'm thinking it is important to pick a med school that does for the sake of my sanity haha

P/F bruh

 

[libertyyne]

Try not having a curve like my school. And its more than rote memorization imo, sure you have to memorize how each reagant will interact with various compounds, but the combination of compounds and reagants you get on the exam is random. You actually have to UNDERSTAND how it all works.

This might be a reason why I also did poorly in the class. I think the reason people do poorly in that class is because of lack of contextual comparison to anything else you have ever studied.
The class I enjoyed the most was definitely Genetics. math heavy with a biological focus.

 

[libertyyne]

Physics has been my easiest course despite being calc based, but my degree is in math. Some people struggle with things like triple integrals.

Calc based physics wasn't too bad. The great thing about physics is rules are rules, no exceptions. Especially newtonian lower level college physics.

 

[libertyyne]

Do most undergrad schools in america curve? Because my school (in canada) didn't but I'm thinking it is important to pick a med school that does for the sake of my sanity haha

I think Orgo was the only thing that was curved in my undergrad.

 

[libertyyne]

HATED GENETICS... but I can't tell if I just had a terrible professor or just the course wasn't my cup of tea

That is unfortunate. I felt like I actually learned something in that class and it required me to exert myself to a reasonable degree, unlike most other undergrad classes which were mostly easy with the exception of orgo.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Calc based physics wasn't too bad. The great thing about physics is rules are rules, no exceptions. Especially newtonian lower level college physics.

I think some people have a hard time with the counterintuitive concepts like separating horizontal from vertical motion, not to mention the calc. Personally, I think the calc-based class offers a more complete understanding of the physics, which can only help on the MCAT.

 

[WWolf646268]

I think o chem required the most work, but I don't think it was the hardest class I took. At my institution, the professors were great and I kept up on material and sought out help when I didn't understand something. It ended up being my favorite subject and I eventually became a tutor because at least for me, if I put in the time (which was admittedly a lot) I would understand it.

But my hardest prereq was probably Gen chem I - I didn't know how to study at the time and it seemed very conceptual and didn't build on itself as much as o chem. And you can't draw pretty structures! Just my opinion.

 

[Goro]

Even back when I was a UG students (and pre-med for all of ten minutes) Orgo was throttling the medical careers of tons of my classmates. It still is for yours.

Which science class did you get the worst grade in? Please vote using the poll.

 

[Meeehai]

and it took some deep understanding to derive the formulas necessary for calculations.

You're cute.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Physics 1!! It wasn't my worst grade, but it was definitely the most frustrating. The effort I put in wasn't paying off as much as I thought it should and discouraged me. Killed Physics 2 though.

Biochem lab was pretty terrible as well. I wanted to drop many times and then regretted not dropping many more times. Our professor taught us to use R and it didn't come easy for me. Most work I've ever done for so little units!

 

[libertyyne]

Physics 1!! It wasn't my worst grade, but it was definitely the most frustrating. The effort I put in wasn't paying off as much as I thought it should and discouraged me. Killed Physics 2 though.

Biochem lab was pretty terrible as well. I wanted to drop many times and then regretted not dropping many more times. Our professor taught us to use R and it didn't come easy for me. Most work I've ever done for so little units!

My jaw just dropped when you said they taught you R in biochem lab. You could have a 5 credit course in stats / programing just dedicated to learning r. Unless it was just some simple commands for running special packages.

 

[hellocakes]

I believe Physics II was my hardest pre-requisite. Deriving mathematical expressions and drawing pictures wasn't exactly my forte.


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[DiscusKeeper]

My lowest grades were an A- in phys II and gen chem I. I was at like a 92.3 in gen chem I. It was one of my first science courses, so I was still getting used to it at the time. Physics II was an A- because my teacher was an dingus and made the final cumulative for the year and so difficult that the average grade was a 40. Even with the curve, still brought me down to an A-.

In spite of that, the actual concepts in organic chem I & II were the hardest to grasp and definitely required the most work. Even though I got an A both semesters, I worked harder in Orgo for that grade than any of my other prereqs. Physics II is a close second in terms of difficulty, but it doesn't require nearly the amount of time studying that orgo does.

 

[Doggowar7]

Biochem, not because it was hard...professor was terrible

 

[theseeker4]

Gen chem was my lowest grade, but it was NOT the hardest course. Sometimes, those are two different things....

 

[BoroPreMed92]

For me it was Phys II. It was calculus based physics and I hadn't taken Calc since high school so I found it to be difficult. Organic one and two I thought had a lot of content but overall were the most straight forward for me, just required lots of practice. I did have an amazing professor for orgo though

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[FCMike11]

Genetics was the hardest at my uni. Physics was mind numbing to me though.

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