<p>I am currently a freshman at Berkeley prepping my classes for this summer and sophomore year. I am planning to take a Chem1A equivalent class at a community college this summer. I was advised to take Chem1A at Berkeley to prepare for later chem classes such as 3A and also for potential pre-med purposes so I am also planning to take Chem1A in the fall semester at Cal. I struggle a lot with chemistry and I know that Chem1A is brutal in the fall (I do not have to option of taking it in the spring due to major deadlines/do not have to option of taking it over summer at Berkeley) so my hope is that taking Chem1A at a community college over summer then the same course at Berkeley will make the Chem1A not as difficult and allow me to focus equally on other classes and not solely on Chem. </p>
<p>Is this a realistic expectation or am I just wasting my time by taking it at a community college over summer/retaking it at Cal?</p>
<p>If I take Chem1A at a community college, do you think will it be a LOT easier then when I take it at Cal or just give me a little bit of a boost?</p>
<p>Please let me know!</p>
<p>I mean…I took a beginning chem class in cc but it was the “easier” version at that cc and I took at berkeley too. So I’m guessing the “harder” version at that cc would be somewhat similar to the one here at berkeley. just take it at a cc. it doesn’t really matter. if you really want to be ready for chem 3a, then just take midterms when they’re posted on your friend’s bspace. or you can read along with them from the syllabus during the semester. honestly, you can either read OR go to lecture and do well. so i recommend reading the book so that you get all the info you need to know, do practice problems from their syllabus, etc. there’s not too much work to keep up, especially if u take minimum units when u enter.</p>
<p>I think you are just wasting your time, tbh. </p>
<p>No doubt, Chem 1A is a lot of work and conceptually difficult for people who have never taken chem before. However, there are a TON of resources on campus like the professor’s office hours, the GSIs office hours, SLC drop in tutoring, SLC study groups, and the list goes on and on. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do well if you put the time and work into it. I think your summer will be better spent relaxing and/or looking ahead to the topics that will be covered in a textbook or online.</p>
<p>is chemistry w1a equivalent to chemistry 1a? </p>
<p>It’s the online course over the summer.</p>
<p>[UCB</a> Online Schedule of Classes: Search Results](<a href=“http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=13&x=24&p_term=SU&p_course=W1A&p_dept=CHEM]UCB”>http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=13&x=24&p_term=SU&p_course=W1A&p_dept=CHEM)</p>