Which Pre-req is the "weed-out" course at your Undergrad?

[Xenops]

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I would have to say either organic chemistry or physics. I wonder about the former though, because even though the main instructor for ochem 1 is hard, you can retake it from a different (and much friendlier) professor during spring semester. Does that still make it a weed-out class?

The algebra-based physics instructor is very difficult, whereas the profs for calculus-based, not so much.

 

[wonderdog]

As the title asks. I know it's Orgo for most schools, but for my school, it's actually Gen Chem 1. I'm curious as to what the weed-out courses are for other schools.

Believe it or not, Bio105

 

[wjs010]

I was pre pt and lacked only orgo to be able to apply to med school. Seeing as how nobody who graduated in kinesiology with me made the switch to medicine except myself, I'd say orgo was a maajor deterrent. People hear it and shriek.

 

[Darrka]

Physics can be tough given its confusing nature. Oddly enough, I'm flying through chemistry while putting a bunch of work into physics.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[cuculici1]

Don't mean to completely derail this thread, but out of those who end up taking the MCAT, is it reasonable to assume that most of them have survived the "weed out" process of the prerequisite courses? I was thinking about this the other day, basically was wondering if the average MCAT test taker can be considered a "successful" pre-med or just someone that has barely passed the prereqs.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Don't mean to completely derail this thread, but out of those who end up taking the MCAT, is it reasonable to assume that most of them have survived the "weed out" process of the prerequisite courses? I was thinking about this the other day, basically was wondering if the average MCAT test taker can be considered a "successful" pre-med or just someone that has barely passed the prereqs.

How do you define success? By passing or getting A's? The average MCAT taker is not an all A student, no. They did likely pass the pre-reqs.

 

[Midifelder10]

Physics I and II. Tough on steroids.

 

[bigdogrob4284]

Bio 1 at my school. Easily weeds out >50%. They design the pace and content-load of the course to be very tough.

 

[AsianPersuasion]

Mine would have to be Bio 1 and if you were floating on a sheet of ice the whole entire time, org chem will be the breaking point.

Edit: Even though they're tough, the class I definitely had trouble and really worked my ass off was gen chem. Ugh.

 

[Aerus]

Probably all of them at my school, but notoriously Chemistry and Physics. Organic Chemistry is actually bearable, depending on what professor you have here. There is one professor with test averages consistently in the 30's, though, so people avoid him.

 

[DRos28]

Physics I strangely enough.... I went to a small school and we were all mixed in with the physics and math majors. We lost about 75% of the class by second semester.

 

[goofball]

Physics and Organic Chem fo shizz.

 

[Procyon]

Shared between organic and gen bio here.

 

[sunflower18]

At my school, all of the relevant MCAT bio (minus physiology) is shoved into one semester, so that's a pretty tricky one for people. We don't have an intro bio sequence. And, of course, OChem is a big weedout.

I go to a small school... But about 250 students came in saying they were pre-med, and about 1 or 2 go to med school every year. Most take gap years, change their minds, or get rejected. Scary.

 

[5dwn7]

.

 

[SirCardiac]

Enormous state public university. The larger the population, the more that don't belong. It was good. I assure you.

Edit: good in a sense that I learned what I needed and it thinned out the applicant pool like a difficult class should.

I also attend a large state university. I don't know about the regular gen chem classes but the honors gen chem classes here are definitely quite difficult. After the first semester, about half the class of 90 dropped back to regular chem. As for orgo, I don't think that it's much of a weed out class. The curve is ridiculous here.

 

[scruggs92]

Probably all of them lol! OChem is definitely #1 though. My OChem 1 class started with about 50 people and ended with less than 30. In OChem 2, of those 30, there were about 25 left.

 

[katymalady]

Gen Chem --> O-Chem

At my uni, Gen Chem usually knocks out a sizeable chunk of pre-meds in their freshman year with harsh curves and tricky exams. O-Chem is when the material gets more challenging and is the last major weed-out "checkpoint," so to speak.

 

[cuculici1]

How do you define success? By passing or getting A's? The average MCAT taker is not an all A student, no. They did likely pass the pre-reqs.

I'm talking about the pre-meds that actually have a competitive GPA for med school.