<p>So here's my predicament. I passed out of Chem 1A by pulling a 3 on the AP Exam. My major is currently Nuclear Engineering but I am also looking into Civil and Mechanical Engineering if it turns out I don't like what I'm doing right now. I'm not required to take Chem 1A anymore and haven't touched Chemistry since Junior year. I'm considering retaking Chem 1A to rebuild a foundation in Chemistry and leave the pre-med route open (highly unlikely, but nice to have) but my only option would be to take it during summer 2010. If I were to take it during summer, it would mess up my plan of taking Math 54 and Physics 7B. Should I retake Chem 1A or would it be a waste of time/ potentially tarnish my GPA?</p>
<p>Math 54 or Physics 7B would be a better use of your time. I was thinking just like you did and decided to take Chem 4A even though I had a 5 on my AP chem exam when I took it in my high school senior year. Big mistake. Yes, you do technically review some fundamental concepts, but it goes at a very quick pace (I assume it’s gonna even quicker during summer) and the difficulty of the course simply blows. Since you don’t have to take it, take advantage of that because Berkeley chemistry can be punishing even if you know a lot of stuff already.</p>
<p>Independent study? 3 on AP Chem is pretty bad. It will prob come and haunt you later, I would suggest that you work to fill in some holes/review before it hit you in the future. Now, do you really have to take the class? That depends on how much control you have. Personally, I would just independently study the stuff and not worry about midterms/hw. But some people don’t have the control for that.</p>
<p>agree with independent study</p>
<p>[webcast.berkeley</a> | UC Berkeley Video and Podcasts for Courses & Events](<a href=“http://webcast.berkeley.edu%5Dwebcast.berkeley”>http://webcast.berkeley.edu) for archived chem1a lectures</p>