<p>I have always wanted to major in biology, no matter what college I attend. However, I took AP Chemistry in my junior year of high school (I am now a senior) and I did not enjoy it whatsoever. I struggled through the class, and did not understand most of the content. This was the first and only class I have had so far that i just didn't understand. I am worried about majoring in bio because of the chemistry classes that are required. However, my parents want me to stick with the major and not change it at the last minute. I am planning to take a chemistry class at a local college in the summer to see if I can handle it. My teacher wasn't the best, so that could be part of it, but I am not banking on that being the main reason. Any advice OR comments about how difficult chemistry is in college? This will help me immensely as I need to pick a major before I decide on a college.</p>
<p>THANK YOU :)</p>
<p>If you had a tough time with chemistry, wait till you get to physics (although sometimes people do enjoy physics better.) As far as I know, chemistry is much more difficult in college simply because the AP curriculum is actually DUMBED DOWN. What did you hate about chemistry. You said you did not understand the concepts, did you put the time into studying the textbook. It can be tough with a bad teacher, but give it another chance and try to find the beauty in it. Chemistry is a very conceptual class, so it is important that you can visualize or conceptualize everything in your head before you get to problem solving.</p>
<p>A lot of people struggle with gen chem. They toss a ton of complicated concepts at you (that are hard to relate to other things you’ve learned). It is tough to keep up with. A lot of the concepts I didn’t feel terribly comfortable with untill I saw them the second or third time or heck when I had to teach them as a TA.</p>
<p>Your parents want you to “stick with it?” You’re still in high school. Many people don’t even declare a major until their 2nd year of college, let alone have it set in stone their senior year of high school. There’s nothing ‘last minute’ about potentially changing your mind right now. If it’s something that you find you don’t want to do, it’s better to come to that decision now than it is to make the decision after already starting college.</p>
<p>What do they mean ‘stick with it?’ You haven’t even started it yet.</p>
<p>That said, chemistry does get more difficult in some respects, but it gets easier once you understand the basics. I took in intro chemistry class last spring, and although I got an A in it, some of the concepts were difficult to grasp initially. I’m in general chemistry right now, and although the material is much more difficult, I’m having a far easier time with it.</p>
<p>I just wanted to say that, in my experience, many biology majors hate chemistry. If they loved chemistry, they’d be majoring in chemistry. I still don’t understand o-chem, and I was a biochemistry major in undergrad.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it. You’re not alone.</p>