<p>As the title suggests, I have a question from paranoia.
I'm majoring in neuroscience and plan to apply to PhD programs when it comes time. Currently I'm hoping for top programs like CalTech, UCSF, Columbia, MIT, and Rockefeller. I would consider Vandy, but I don't want to do the whole "academic incest" thing haha.
Anyway, back to the question. I'm not doing so hot in my gen. chem. class right now (C+ last semester, probably looking to something similar this semester), but it doesn't exactly count towards my major, I only need to take it to get to organic chem. which does count to my major. So the question: Despite gen. chem. not counting towards my major GPA, will it still be looked at poorly when my transcript is being reviewed for grad school admissions? I'm doing well in my other major courses so far, it's just chem that's hurting me, and I'm already starting research next semester.</p>
<p>Grades aside, it seems to me that chemistry would be important to neuroscience.</p>
<p>Grad school admissions heavily weight research experience/recommendation over GPA, especially when the miss ups are in early years. Nail your courses from here on out, and grad programs probably wont care about a gen chem grade (or two, I guess in your case). However, I would echo racinreaver’s comment that if you are truly struggling in gen chem, later chemistry courses will be difficult. You need to look at why you are doing poorly in these courses, and think about whether you can tackle higher level stuff. If you C+ your way through the course sequence, you will have a difficult time when it comes to grad admissions.</p>
<p>Although I agree with the above two posts, I’d also acknowledge that, as a tutor of chem classes myself, a lot of people will struggle with gen chem and then hit their stride with organic. Sometimes the concepts in general chemistry don’t quite click until you see them presented in a different context. That said, as raneck said, you need to really look at what’s causing you trouble with general chemistry. Get a tutor if you can afford it (or see if your school has a free tutoring center) so that when you take the higher level chemistry courses, you won’t drown.</p>
<p>First of all, ‘academic incest’ is not such a huge problem in certain fields, especially when your undergrad is a top program in your field and a good fit for your interests. So don’t rule out applying for Vanderbilt, especially since in neuroscience you will probably be expected to do a postdoc anyway.</p>
<p>And yes, any low grades related to your field will be looked upon poorly, but that doesn’t mean it will keep you out or that you won’t get in at all. I had an F in a class directly related to my major and I still got into my top choice PhD program (top 5 in my field). If you continue to do really well in the rest of your courses, one C+/B- won’t tank your choices.</p>