<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/education/edlife/26orgo.html?partner=rss&emc=rss[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/education/edlife/26orgo.html?partner=rss&emc=rss</a></p>
<p>Man, talking about yuk-yukking his experience to get published.</p>
<p>Haha, hadn’t seen that, thanks for sharing. Orgo is one of those “you get it” or “you don’t get it” subjects that is so foreign that there are few predictors as to who will or will not do well. I think in the minds of pre-meds, Orgo is dreaded/revered not just at Brown but anywhere that exists a sizable proportion of med school hopefuls.</p>
<p>I can attest that during my sophomore year, of the people I knew taking it, an even half split received A’s, the other half failed. That was also the crazy semester when I took Orgo (with lab), Genetics (with lab), Immunology, and Evolutionary Bio. I figured it would mostly be cold outside anyway, the sterile warmth of the SciLi was as good a place to hole up in. I survived to tell this tale, somehow miraculously passing the classes though years later at reunions my sanity is still called into question! :)</p>
<p>that’s quite funny indeed.</p>
<p>dontknowjack, I just judged you and revered you at the same time.</p>
<p>OK, Mr. Chemistry Major – you may think this article is laughingly ridiculous. But I’ve been hearing stories like this about organic chemistry for years. (said firmly tongue in cheek – although I really have been hearing stories for years. Perhaps this article will dispel the rumor that everyone gets all A’s at Brown.)</p>
<p>I particularly liked the bit about how he took the final in hopes of lowering the curve to help out everyone else. I also know someone who tried to do that, years ago.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think CH36 is quite hard, if for no other reasons than the classes we all tend to take alongside it and the sheer time commitment it takes, even if you are generally inclined to do understand and love the material, just to keep up. However, through hte lines, I read that the kid basically let the course intimidate him, decided he was uninterested and “checked-out” and probably lied/over-played the chemistry major (organic chemistry is systematic, and even though there are moments you “feel” something out, you always have reasons… I think this is more acidic because of this so I figured this would happen first, for example).</p>
<p>CH36 is a really interesting class that’s quite well-taught, but not everyone is going to love the material, and even if you do it takes a lot of time every week or a massive pile of intuition that very few people have, to pass and do well. A neuroscience concentrator really has no reason to fail that course other than letting it intimidate them and not doing the work.</p>
<p>I showed this to a few friends, including a few that failed orgo and we all though it was written really funny and made it sound a lot worse than it really is. It’s just that most people don’t want to study 2 hrs every day, more come test time, possibly more if you’re just not that kind of thinker. I know I didn’t, and I fell behind, and I ended up with a C despite the fact that my concentration ended up being Orgo and I knew then that I wanted to study orgo. It’s just that CS15 and Immunology take time too…</p>
<p>^ Agree with your points and assessments, MM. Particularly I remember many people being so intimidated that at some point they just gave up but still went through the motions hanging onto the class until the end. They were all highly capable and bright folks who ripped A’s in bio, inorganic, math, physics/engineering, and other science courses leading up to Orgo. The hype of this class being “make-or-break” for med school does factor in to exacerbate the self-induced pressure of already high-strung pre-meds. </p>
<p>In some ways I often wondered if doing poorly in Orgo was something of a fait accompli triggered by a waning interest in going pre-med and toughing it out through this lifestyle for the duration of one’s undergrad years and beyond. Many enter as pre-meds as can be expected for a place that draws a strong student body such as Brown, yet their interests may very well change and gravitate towards new passions. Hence the giving up on Orgo is like tacit affirmation of a new direction they truly wish to pursue. Maybe.</p>
<p>CS15 and Immunology alongside Orgo, sheesh, nevermind whatever the 4th class is, or even if there was a 4th class. How dare A.v.D. and P.M.K (does he still teach Immuno?) sap away precious time for doing yet another Orgo problem set!</p>
<p>This is only somewhat related to the thread, but I am an incoming student going for a bachelor of science.</p>
<p>My parents are getting really annoying, telling me that Brown will be a very easy school. Is that true? I know there’s tons of grade inflation there, but is it really easier than the other ivies, particularly in science and math classes? It’s bothering me because now I feel like if I do poorly in any class, my parents will be like, “See, you couldn’t even manage that class… At Brown! You really do suck.” Is there anything I can point them to show them that Brown isn’t a complete joke and that getting straight As really is no cakewalk? Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Perhaps your parents are trying to boost your confidence… just a guess… it’s definitely not a “very easy school,” in general. But I am certain that some things are harder than others, just like anywhere. Also, it depends on your motivation. Somehow, even if something is really hard for some people, if you are totally into what you are doing, you won’t notice how hard it is, because you are enjoying the work. Conversely, if something is really easy for some people, if you are unmotivated and can’t get yourself into the work, then it will be hard, no matter what. Your parents, as misguided as it appears to you (and to me too 
) might just be trying to be helpful. Sometimes we parents try very hard to support our children and it falls flat. They won’t tell you that you suck, though. And you will probably be just fine, as long as you do the work you are meant to do.</p>
<p>I’m visiting Brown tomorrow… and I’m planning on majoring in neuroscience, the pre-med track! Seems like there is a lot of opinions on this, and I’m not sure which one is true. But I think it just depends on your own experience. The Brown website says you CANNOT major in neuro if you ‘don’t want to take chem or math classes’. I was never a huge chemistry fan, but I will be able to trudge through it. (I hope) At least I love bio…</p>
<p>How can they think Brown is a JOKE? Its an IVY LEAGUE. It would impress anyone else on this planet… -.-</p>
<p>It’s always scary to me how many people think of about medicine who aren’t into science… and I’ve heard all the counter arguments to that but it still scares me.</p>
<p>Honestly, so much of neuroscience is biochemistry and chemical biology, I can’t imagine how you could do that without liking that stuff.</p>
<p>methionine (#8): Are you a major worrier? Or serious spaz? Your parents might be trying to make you feel less stressed and less apprehensive about Brown. If they are both doing it in unison (and this is my experience) then they probably cooked up this approach between them.</p>
<p>Here’s an idea; Tell them it’s bugging you and to knock it off because if they are trying to make you feel better they are at FAIL. If they ARE trying to bug you, then tell them mission acomplished, and now, again, please knock it off.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think they are doing it with the best of intentions. Also, if you are the first to go to college, they are probably as freaked out as you are and you can epxect equally bizarro behavior in the coming weeks.</p>
<p>I chose not to go to Brown next year, but I rejected it for reasons other than thinking it was too easy. I mean, aside from no D’s, no core, and P/F available on all courses. (Kidding! Kidding! I’m just throwing out a ■■■■■ nade, kids… please leave those flamethrower safeties on). </p>
<p>All that aside: The original article does leave Brown in a poor light, IMO.</p>
<p>I hear Brown is a very easy college to get into all the time. It’s a freaking Ivy League with a low acceptance rate! But I don’t care what they say, it’s my first choice and I’d be ecstatic if I got accepted. :)</p>
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<p>This is certainly not true, but it depends on to whom you’re talking. I have a lot of friends at HYP, and relative to those schools, Brown is “easy” to get into. Not that this is saying much. But one should apply to schools one wants to attend, without caring about how easy it is to get into.</p>
<p>I was just lulz-ing at the fact that they called Stanford a pushover school.</p>
<p>To be honest, I know someone who took Orgo at Stanford and then took second-semester at Brown and he also thought that Stanford’s version (albeit, over the summer) was a joke compared to Brown.</p>
<p>But I don’t think Stanford is anything like a push over school, I just think that orgo is a lot easier over the summer.</p>
<p>Sorry for this diversion, but I just had to ask - how chem-intensive is neuroscience?</p>
<p>I never took a neuroscience class, but from my understanding of where neuroscience lies versus cog sci and stuff, I would imagine that neuro involves quite a bit of biochemistry and molecular biology, both of which are very “chem-like”, though not “high school chem”-like.</p>
<p>Great, thanks!</p>