<p>I received a D in Orgo this semester. Should I retake the class? (If I have too, it'll have to be over the summer and then take orgo II in the fall urgh). It's not required for BME but it's a technical elective. Or should I continue with Orgo II and ace that class? Would it account for my bad grade in Orgo I? </p>
<p>What do graduate school see when they look at grades? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>In my opinion, retake the class.</p>
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<p>They will see: Organic Chemistry I D</p>
<p>It happens even to the best students. There are three ways to resolve this, and you listed two: either retake the class and ace it, or take O-Chem II and do well. The third is to not take any O-Chem again and if asked, give a reason for your performance.</p>
<p>Of the options, the best is if you take O-Chem II and ace it. If you retake O-Chem I, I would expect you to do well because it’s the second time you’ve seen the material, tests, and homeworks. Therefore, I’m not really sure if you aced it because there was some anomaly the first time you took it (e.g. a bad professor) or because you knew what to expect on the exams and homework. However, if you ace O-Chem II, I know that you mastered the material and that you did so based on merit and not through repetition. Assuming a D is enough to get you credit in your program, taking O-Chem II is also better for you because it allows you to earn credits towards your degree.</p>
<p>Of course, the downside of this plan is that if you take O-Chem II, it’s like going “all in” in poker. If you ace the class, it looks good, but if you get another D or even a C, it will look really, really bad. If you’re going to take the class, do whatever possible to make sure that you get an A (or at least a B).</p>
<p>Another option is to recognize your limitations and spare yourself as much pain and embarrassment as possible and take Org Chem II pass/fail so you can put it behind you. Also consider tutoring and an easy schedule so you can fully concentrate on the class.</p>
<p>I’m thinking about taking it over the summer along with the lab. So I can devote all my time to one class. Do you think that wise?</p>
<p>While you will be able to dedicate all your time to one class the class will be accelerated and you will therefor have less time to dedicate to it. I would retake the course if the grade will replace and not average with the D, and I would do so merely to fix the gpa ding. IMO, O Chem II was easier than O Chem I. Still, I think you will be better off retaking OChem I during a regular semester/quarter but off-track those who major in it or similar topics. In my studies I found that many of the on-track profs were too high-brow for me and spent a lot of time talking about their studies, moved too fast, or didn’t have enough time outside of class for dunderheads like me. The off-track profs might even be grad students, and I had good experiences with grad students teaching as they were closer to core part of the subject they were suppose to be teaching and were much more reachable by the students.</p>
<p>I ended up taking all of my non-core classes off track after a few bad experiences and ended up doing quite well because of this.</p>
<p>Here is our school policy: </p>
<p>“Note that once a student passes a course, only the first passing grade is counted in the GPA. Since a grade of D is passing, students who receive a grade of D and subsequently retake the course will not have the new grade included in the GPA except for courses requiring a minimum grade of C. In these courses all grades will count, up to and including the C.” </p>
<p>For me, this course doesn’t not require a minimum grade for C. So, is there any point in taking it again? </p>
<p>I’m horrible at multitasking, so I feel like I might do better in the summer anyway only with one class. I’ve taken a calculus class over the summer and I feel like I understood the material better because the class was in the morning and I stayed in school until I finished the chapters need for class. It pretty much worked for me. </p>
<p>Is there anything In Organic Chemistry I that I need to know for Organic Chemistry II? :/</p>
<p>Organic Chemistry II is basically all memorizations because it assumes you remember basic stuff from Organic I… But I can’t be sure if Organic chem II is necessarily harder than I.</p>
<p>Depends what is your major and what you planning as a career.</p>
<p>Medical-related?..yep, repeat the course ASAP and get an A or B.</p>
<p>Not related to your career?..still retake it, but even a C will do.</p>
<p>I don’t plan on going to med school.</p>
<p>My major is BME and I want to go into Biomaterials or nanotechnology. </p>
<p>Should I just take different tech electives then for my field? I don’t need Organic Chem (it was only supposed to be for Premed majors) and forget about taking Organic Chem ever again?</p>