<p>I'm a premed student currently in C103. I'll take C117 next year and then C341 Fall 2013. I have a couple of questions regarding the professors of these classes for anyone that might know. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Next semester, C117 is being taught by Lane Baker, Martin Jarrold, and Krishnan Raghavachari. I've looked at Rate My Professors for the first two, but Raghavachari isn't on there. I'm curious about any feedback people have on all three of these professors, but especially Raghavachari. I suppose it really doesn't matter whether or not these three gentlemen are fantastic teachers or terrible because I will be taking C117 (and they are the only professors teaching it together next semester) regardless because I do not find it to be a good idea to take a break from chemistry as a pre-med student and since I'm already a little behind other pre-med students since I'm only in C103 right now. Any stories would be nice.</p>
<p>Second, I've only heard purely terrible things about Professor Zach Aron, who is teaching C341 right now. If he teaches the class regularly every fall, then this means I will have him next year in the fall. I would really like to avoid him at all costs. Does anyone have anything positive to say about him? I've considered taking Orgo I (C341) at IUPUI this coming summer, but the HPPLC do not recommend taking any science courses at IUPUI (or rather outside of IU) because they do not adequately prepare you for the MCAT, and it will probably not look good on med school app, but then again, they may not look at WHERE you took classes. Does anyone have any suggestions for this problem?</p>
<p>Prof. Raghavachari only taught S117 before. So, it is hard to say. However, Prof. Martin is probably the toughest among the three (his section GPA = average GPA - 0.8) while Prof. Baker is on the easier side. Chemistry professors are just like that especially for weed out classes like C117 and C341. That said, C117 is not as bad as S117 in which top high school students could get B- or C. </p>
<p>For C341, both Professors Reck and Burlingham are great teachers and slightly easier. Professor Aron is tougher judging from the relatively low section GPA.</p>
<p>Is C117 considered a weed-out class? I figure if I can’t get an A in C117 next semester, I should reconsider being pre-med. But perhaps that attitude’s a big extreme. I know C341 will be a real ***** and definitely a weed-out class.</p>
<p>C117 shouldn’t be a weed out class. C117 focuses primarily on basic concepts covered in HS chemistry–things like molecular weights, balancing equations, energy, elementary thermodynamics, etc.</p>
<p>C117 is really easy. I never went to class except for the Tuesday lab lectures (which are always mandatory) and got an A+. I think you should be fine, especially since you’ve taken C103 and are familiar with some concepts in chemistry. </p>
<p>As for Aron and C341, I have heard he is no longer allowed to teach, as he was already on probation, and he again has made the class too difficult by giving poorly prepared lectures and asking questions on exams outside the chapters he covered in class (he says people should be reading ahead lol). So I don’t think you should worry about him. Reck is good for C341, Burlingham is amazing but his tests are very challenging.</p>