<p>curmugeon: Appreciate your candor. Yes, she goes to SI, and she has a partner she studies with. Spends most of her nights at the library. Not sure if she is taking advantage of any other available options such as a private tutor, or office hours, but I will certainly check with her. I don't believe my "D" is blaming the course/courseload. She is only blaming herself at this point....she no longer feels she is smart. I guess college can really put a spin on things.<br>
As for her schedule....she has chem/chem lab, bio/bio lab, spanish III (does really well in this class,) philosophy, military class/military lab. Plus, she has to wake up early (around 5:30) 4X per week for PT. I guess this is doable. I really think having to take chem and bio together is bit much. Do most colleges do this for pre-med students, or do they separate out chem and bio the first year? I really don't know.</p>
<p>Mine takes chem and bio. I think most do. That blaming yourself stuff is tough for kids like our's who only know A's. They have got to get over it. Easier said than done, right? D's schedule is Search (an interdisciplinary intensive writing course), Bio II w/lab , Chem II w/lab, and Spanish II. Spanish II is the one keeping her up as she hasn't had Spanish since grade 10.</p>
<p>Oh, and try another partner in addition to the one she has. ;) Couldn't hurt, right?</p>
<p>Thinking about it they have to take chem and bio together so they can take the Organic Chem Sequence their sophomore year. D will have another year of Bio plus Ochem as a soph. As a chem and bio double major she has many semesters with 3 lab sciences. We'll have to see how that goes. Ambitious kids set their own sails. They have to determine if the charted course is the right one.</p>
<p>Good advice Curmudgeon. Just spoke with her on the phone and she is open to these additional suggestions. </p>
<p>p.s. how's the "D" liking that writing course? If it's anything like SC's, it's a LOT of work! :)</p>
<p>"Ambitious kids set their own sails. They have to determine if the charted course is the right one." I couldn't agree with you more. But, isn't it a little too early to be jumping ship just yet?</p>
<p>LOL. I would have thought so but they are bailing right and left.</p>
<p>As to D and the extensive writing requirements at Rhodes (this is her third extensive writing course so far) - let's just say she knew she was going to have to step up but I don't think that she knew it would be quite this steep a climb. She is learning very quickly what it takes and is much more comfortable writing papers this semester . She still says it takes her twice as long as some others. Then again , they may have dropped bio. ;).</p>
<p>Ha! D is 2nd term of 2nd year and is in Ochem, MultiVariable Calc (not required just a fun unit filler :eek: ) a science seminar and a littel 20 person reading & writing class with a great teacher- guess which class she hates??? Yup, the reading & writing kills her, she is a slow reader. The Ochem is "fun" Of course those mid-terms are next week, so we will see how fun it all is after that. D did learn to accept a B+ in a Berkeley 1st year chem weeder class with pride, as it was a true accomplishment, even if it was her first B, ever.</p>
<p>In Ochem, older D took it at a quarter system school...so three quarters of it, in each class- A, B, C, you had to get a C or better to move on...not a C- a C and all classes are curved to a bell curve with equal As & Fs, Bs & Ds...my D survived it heading straight through, but it was killer. Many many friends & study buddies were repeating sections and then changing majors all through that year. This D did in fact choose a different major as her passion, but elected to finish the bio major, because she could, and she felt she needed to do that for herself!</p>
<p>Is O'chem basically just a LOT of memorization?</p>
<p>Yes, lots of memorization, but then using all that info in different ways, and it all builds on previous classes. My D is in second semester ochem and it's really, really hard. She sweated through first semester and got a B. (Her college just gives straight letter grades, no + or -.) It is a whole level up from all the other premed classes, and apparently med schools specifically look at what you got in ochem, due to the difficulty. My D's ochem lab partner got a D and is having to repeat first semester, and she is a chem major!</p>
<p>Two lab sciences per semester can't be avoided if you are a science major, and three lab science semesters are sometimes necessary. My D has four science lab classes this time b/c she is a senior. Tough schedule.</p>
<p>ouch! 4 labs? YUCK! Well, I admire her and it sounds like she is doing wonderfully. I can only hope my "D" can pull off a B in Ochem.</p>