I’m currently a sophomore and I have just majored pre-med. I am currently taking Biology and Chemistry series (right now, it’s Chem II) and a calculus I class. I just started taking pre-med courses since last year in fall quarter with Bio I and Chem I. But the problem is is that I’m still struggling in Chemistry. I took Chem I last year without any prior knowledge (I never took chemistry before) and after the semester of taking that course, my grade for that class made my GPA dropped. So, I decided to take a break and not take Chem II during Winter Quarter this year (january-march) because I figured that I would do badly again. Now, it’s Spring quarter and I’m taking Chem II and fortunately, I feel like I could only grasp some of the concepts in chem but not all. I still struggle, though. My class and I are using this ALEKS program thing and my mastery is pretty low. I just need advice on how I can study for chemistry. I have been taking notes in class and I have been reading and taking notes from the textbook, but that’s pretty much it. Chemistry is the worst subject for me. I’m just terrible at it. It’s the math part of chemistry that screws me up. I get so confused and mixed up about conversions and all the equations that apply to certain problems. I really want to get into med-school and study in one area that i like that’s related to biology and I want to become a surgical doctor (I just find it to be the most interesting subject), but…after taking all this chemistry, I just feel like I could cry so much (i know crying doesn’t solve anything but i can’t help it)…it’s just that chemistry is really hitting me in the head pretty bad…I have gone to tutoring at my school’s campus and I have talked to the professor sometimes but I still struggle to understand how to do those freaking chemistry math problems.
According to your other posts (and reading between the lines of this post), you have a known weakness in math.
You’re not going to succeed in chemistry (or computer science) until you fix that. That’s on you. Do what you need to do to remediate that weakness. There’s no magic want to wave to fix your issues with math & chemistry. You need to do remedial work. If you don’t have a good grasp of the foundations of algebra 2 and trig, go take a remedial college algebra class and learn what you didn’t learn in high school. Chemistry requires a great familiarity with and comfort in using trig & algebra functions/equations to be successful.
Physics will also require good algebra & trig skills.
I recommend you stop taking any more chem classes, take the time to fix your math, then retake chem starting over again with the first quarter.
Medicine and medical school requires TONS of chemistry. (In fact, med school is more chem/biochem than it is biology).
"…I have gone to tutoring at my school’s campus and I have talked to the professor sometimes "
-“Sometime” will not work. You have to be going to any “tutoring” sessions and prof’s office hours on a REGULAR basis until you fuly understand evey single little bit of the chem. concepts. You have to go back in all of the chem. material and see which concepts you did not understand previously or forgotten by now. Bring these questions to your tutors / prof. All of the help provided to you at your college is paid by your tuition, lectures are only part of it. Use them all, use them all time until you get it.
Chem. should not be an obstacle, it is the easiest of the science classes for pre-meds. That is if it is studied CORRECTLY. The reason I know specifically about Chem. is that my D. was working as Supplemental instructor for chem. prof. She mentioned that many approach studying chem. from incorrect prospective, they struggle a lot. Gen. Chem does not need much memory, leave it for Orgo. You need to use math. She has helped many and they were amazed at the fact that correct approach makes such a huge difference.
If none of the help available on your campus makes any difference, you got to find the right person. Gen. Chem class should not prevent you from achieving your dream (although it may happen in some upper Bio classes or Orgo, no guarantee there).
BTW, your problem may not be chem. itself, you may lack sufficient math background. Only a good tutor can determine the gaps in your background.
In regard to TONS of chemistry, I am not sure about that. D. mentioned that she was so happy to finaly use her very strong chem. background in “kedney” studies. Yes, she was opposite of most others. Most in her Med. School class preferred heart/lungs studies, she loved to study kidneys because of her love for chem.
BYW, D. herself used all help availble in physics class. She was OK, but wanted to make sure that her understanding was correct. Physics prof. knew her by first name because of her frequent visits to his office hours. FREQUENT not sometime!! She got an A in physics, but she wanted to make sure that she would.
There is nothing wrong about using help on a REGULAR basis, you are paying for it by your tuition payments.
Yep, after putzing around orgo 1 and realizing I was way behind for orgo 2 I saw a tutor twice a week the entire semester.
I don’t see practice problems anywhere in there - that’s a big problem. Especially if you’re struggling with the “math” parts of intro chem. Assuming you’re not in some super duper advanced chemistry class, the math in intro chem is algebra1 stuff (I mean we’re talking about like ideal gas laws, voltaic cells, molality/molarity stuff, right?). The issue is - as you say - keeping things straight and organized. That only happens when you practice doing it. You think professional athletes just read and take notes on the game? No, they do drills - thousands of foul shots or swings in the batting cage, etc. Same thing here.