<p>My GPA this semester was pathetic as I pulled C's in both Calc. and Chem. My final GPA was a 2.93 with 3 A's, a B, and the two mentioned C's. Should I use the grade replacement opportunity program and retake both Calc and Chem next semester. This may put me a semester behind in science, but I can always make that up over the summer. I am very upset and dissappointed because I see my career goals slipping away so quickly. Just looking for any advice in general.</p>
<p>You are not applying to medical school this year.......or next year....or the next year. Your time is better spent evaluating why you had trouble keeping up the GPA........not enough study time, poorly prepared before entry, over commited with activities.....soo much fun??? With a C in calc what is the next level of math you need and with your C in chem are you prepared for the next level? That is the real question. Have you considered a tutor for the next semester?</p>
<p>Well, I really understand the material in Calc I. The highest I need to go for my major is Calc II, so its not too bad. The thing is, I aced high school calc but found it difficult to do well on tests in college, even when I knew all the material and felt I did very well. I am not bad at chem either, had an 84 going into the final, got a C on the final, and a C in the class.</p>
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but found it difficult to do well on tests in college, even when I knew all the material
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<p>I am reading your words but not understanding. Two classes of different types where you knew the material where you believed that you had done well. Hmmmm This doesn't sound very realistic to me. I don't doubt that your belief is true.....maybe you are in denial. The HS calc grade doesn't mean anything. Your exam scores in college sound consistent.....not like you did well on most and failed one. Something else is wrong for you, I suggest you spend time finding out what it is.</p>
<p>What? My test grades were 84,88, 64, 66. There is no denial here. I should be able to ace these tests, but for some reason my grades aren't where I want them. Who knows? In chem, it all came down to a bad grade on a heavily weighted final.</p>
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I am very upset and dissappointed because I see my career goals slipping away so quickly. Just looking for any advice in general.
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<p>I am taking you at your word. I am not trying to give you a hard time. I am sure you thought you were doing well. As to the 84 & 88......was was the mean? Did that put you in the middle of the results? Your first two exams were close and then the drop to 64. Now on the final which was the 66 unless you provide more info hard to remark. Was this cumulative? Was it more heavily material from the final sections and a little cumulative? Either you missed concepts or didn't study as much......or the mean jumped up and you got left behind. I don't forsee a higher result next term in Chem......it is usually a continuation.....what did you miss on the exam? What concepts?</p>
<p>Actually the Calc scores went like this 84,64,88,66 in the order I received them. I am not sure of my grade on the final. In chem, the topics I was unsure of were Gas Laws (when to apply each one), calorimeter problems, and electron geometry.</p>
<p>pV=nRT..........OK. You seem to know what you are weak on. How would you go about getting the material now? Is there a tutoring center in the dept? Did you have trouble working the lab that covered gas laws? I can understand that you had trouble. A plan to avoid this in the future is imperative. Did you have friends in the course? Any friends w/ the same problems??? </p>
<p>You need to get a plan for next semester. If you have problems in Chem now this will become worse next term and then you are shaky for the future in med school. How many students were in your lecture/lab? Did you have a recitation section? How complicated were you lab write ups?</p>
<p>hey, I seem to be having the same problem as you are too indy. general chem seems to be a killer everywhere. The problem is that the teacher is trying to see if you can apply what you learned in class and in the textbook to problems on the test. There will be questions that are more complicated than the ones done in hw and in class. Some of these questions require cumulative knowledge that you really shouldn't forget. if your teacher returns tests back to you, you should go back and see what you missed and see how the question was presented. was it just only a pV=nRT problem? or did it have some twist to it? </p>
<p>it's pretty depressing when I see my friends actually acing the test that I'm getting B's on when we are going to be pursuing the same major (CHemE with premed). If I can't do well in general chem (I have no idea what I'll end up with, probably B+ or A- (if lucky) after curve) should I forget about higher level chemistry (pchem, orgo, and chemE courses specifically)?</p>
<p>Well, PV=nRt is a simple equation and the problems should be simple enough. You just plug in the given information. However, these questions are worded completely differently on the tests and gives me trouble somehow. I plan on repeating chem and calc, doing better, and fixing my GPA. If it takes a semester extra to graduate, then so be it.</p>
<p>Hey I am not saying the problems are easy.......I just remember some gas law stuff. Who at your school has advised you? Are you the first medical person in your family? I am not sure if repeating is the best use of your time and money. I can think of other strategies that might be more effective for you.</p>
<p>What do you do in the summer? Do you live near your college? Do you live near any good college? You might consider retaking the courses in the summer. In second semester of this year......what are you currently planning to take? </p>
<p>Have you worked out your schedule for the time prior to your MCAT? What medical school is your dream school? What state are you from?</p>
<p>OMG i am in the exact same boat.
GEN CHEM=hell.
what school r u from? I go to Boston Univ....I am taking this time during winter vacation to rethink my career goals as well...i may switch in to the School of Management (Business School) SIGH</p>
<p>I'm getting scared now... I'm heading in to the 2nd semester of sophomore year and I have yet to take chem. It's a weeder course at my school like I'm sure it is at most and it's unbelievably tempting to just take it during the summer at a CC instead.</p>
<p>If you guys are already complaining about gen chem, what are you going to do when you get to orgo?</p>
<p>orgo is supposedly easier than gen chem.</p>
<p>Riiiiiight....</p>
<p>Good luck to you guys. One B in gen chem won't ruin your chances (I would know hehe):)</p>
<p>right, I was pulling your leg. but here at my school it is rumored that organic chemistry is actually easier than introductory biology. I heard this from several people who took the bio and orgo concurrently the past semester. Anyways, is there much crossover between orgo and general chemistry? ie, do concepts in general chemistry get used a lot in orgo?</p>
<p>it has always been to my knowledge that it depends on what type of learneryou are....gen chem has more math which is an immediate turn off for many...however it is ususally basic alegbra with perhaps a lil precalc....orgo seems to be more about memorization and spatial conceptualization...also the sheer volume of material that must be ingested is what makes it more difficult...</p>
<p>They told us on the first day that 95% of what you learn in gen chem won't be used in organic chem. They were right. So there's hope for all of you guys who suck at gen chem after all.</p>
<p>It is covered heavily on the MCAT though so you'll want to retain something from gen chem.</p>
<p>Organic Chem....structures and mechanisms. I think that it is totally a different beast.....people love it or hate it.</p>