Can any recent Cal students tell me the difference between the two courses, besides the general fact that Chem 4A is a lot harder. How is 4A harder than 1A. Course work, lab, midterms, etc.?
If you have the option to opt out of Chem 1A b/c you got a 5 on the AP chem exam, please do so.
If Chem 4A is a must-take because you are interested in joining the College of Chemistry, then you gotta do what you gotta do and take 4A.
Looking back, I wouldn’t say the material for 4A was hard, but the pace of the class and expectations were unreasonable for typical 18-19 year olds. Some folks still do well and get A’s, but just get out of it if that is an option.
There is no reason to take 4A unless you plan to pursue Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. My College of Chem grad student friends’ favorite pastime is to watch the faces of freshmen as they go through their first 4A lecture.
Your other posts mention being a chemistry major. So 4A is required.
You can compare what is tested on the exams for 1A and 4A at https://tbp.berkeley.edu/courses/chem/ . A high enough AP chemistry score lets you skip 1A (depending on your major), but chemistry and chemical engineering majors are required to take 4A.