<p>Hi Everyone! I recently got into Emory as a transfer student and I have a couple questions about the classes I plan on taking. I am currently at a large state school and am taking Organic Chemistry 1 over the summer. I am almost done with the first part and am registered for Orgo II starting only 3 days after the first session ends. I am really confused as to if I should get Orgo II over with now or wait to take it at Emory. </p>
<p>After looking up the course offerings and whatnot, it seems like Orgo II is only offered in the spring ( this is different from my current school which offers it in the fall as well). So if I don't finish all of Orgo now in the summer, and just complete Orgo 1, I would have to wait through the fall semester to take Orgo II. This makes me nervous because I know Emory uses a different book is used and so different material was probably covered. Also, my summer course probably skimmed over a lot of information and it is possible that I will forget a lot of my summer knowledge throughout the fall semester. So I am scared about waiting through the fall. I thought maybe I could ask the school to place me in Orgo I Lab so I could at least have it on my mind during the first semester but I am not sure if that would be enough.</p>
<p>What do you guys think? How bad is Organic Chem II at Emory? Is it horrible to wait a semester in between? The main reason I am not thinking about taking the second apart over the summer as well is because I struggled a bit in the beginning of Orgo I and I don't want to risk that again. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! </p>
<p>The two semesters are essentially unrelated the way many teachers teach ochem 2. I would say that only Soria and Weinschenk may hold students responsible for a significant amount of ochem 1 material on exams (though Soria much more because of the stereochemistry stuff you still use a lot) and that you can learn in lab anyway. Ochem 2 is essentially the same reaction being done over and over again (on the same functional group too. The only thing that varies is what is attached to that functional group and the conditions for the reaction). Several teachers essentially just make ochem 2 a game of memorizing those types of reactions, their mechanisms, and some slight variants. I suppose it may help to know what a carbocation is if the instructor starts with aromatics, but even that is relatively intuitive and easy to relearn. Everything else is “newish” or predictable such that a person who took a year break can perform as well as those who took the 2 semesters consecutively. </p>
<p>Ok thanks so much! I’ve heard a lot about Weinschenk, is he the best professor to try to get for Orgo 2? Is there anyone to avoid? </p>
<p>Get him or Soria for sure. Perhaps Weinschenk is better for you because he is more lenient on the background of students who transfer in to his class (uses much less MO theory in 2nd semester) from other sections whereas Soria is not. He expects a very solid foundation and will not slow down or exclude material to appease those who don’t have the foundation. Both amazing, just one is more merciful and accommodating and the other is “hit the ground running”…I would say avoid the others if you want to learn, but if you primarily only care about grades and earning them being relatively stress-free, take the others I guess. Depends on your goals. </p>