<p>So I'm going to be pre-med next year, and I have AP Science credits to skip General Chem (my college has no such thing as General Bio), and I think I'm pretty confident in chemsitry from AP Chem. And I don't want to waste my time retaking General Chem, especially when the Pre-Med competition at my school is cutthroat. So I'm deciding between taking Orgo Chem (as for the higher level chem class, I'll just take biochem) or Molecular Bio... Which ones do you guys recommend?</p>
<p>Also if I transfer, I might be held back because some schools don't take AP credit and if I only take one of these two sciences I might have to take General Chem or Bio in another college again on my sophomore year.... (but if I take both, I won't be).... So what should I do?</p>
<p>Would not jump into orgo first year. I’m sure you can handle it if you put the work in, but why bother. If I were you, and I was in your same position last year as an incoming frosh, I’d retake Gen Chem. You’ll get a 4.0 and you will be happy. Plus it’s not “wasting your time.” It’s being strategic about padding your sciGPA early on. Trust me it’s the right move. Saying “the Pre-Med competition at your school is cutthroat” is not at all a good justification for jumping into orgo. If your school really is cutthroat (which you don’t know because you haven’t even been there - it might have the reputation of being so, but if you are out of a higher-calibur student than most, it won’t feel "cutthroat to you), then orgo will be MORE cutthroat than gen chem since a healthy %ge of people who label themselves as “pre-med” will drop it after not performing well in whatever class. So the competition in orgo is self-selected to be higher. </p>
<p>In short: take the easy-A in gen chem - you will not regret it.</p>
<p>If you are foolishly deadset on opting out, than take Molec Bio + Physics.</p>
<p>Uggh that’s my dilemma… The strength of the college transcript matters when it comes to college transfers, but Med Schools could care less whether I take P-Chem or the much easier General Chem.</p>
<p>At D’s school, all pre-meds are taking Gen. Chem and Bio from the very beginning, regardless of AP. D. has found that Bio is not possible to skip at her school, all other Bio classes are based on the first one (she had Honors Bio and AP Bio - “5” in HS and used the same text book in HS as in college and still first Bio at college was weed out killer).</p>
<p>In regard to Gen. Chem, her experience was that lots of kids are not prepared well at all after taking AP in HS. She has never had AP, Gen. Chem was very easy for her and she got hired by Chem. prof since all her test were over 100%. But it was not reflection on class being easy to everybody else. She has been working as Supplemental Intstuctor for Gen. Chem prof to 2 years now - lots of kids are having trouble with understanding of Gen Chem, including the ones who had AP. It is very important class for MCAT also. Do not skip it. If it is easy, then it will be easy “A” - think this way.</p>
College transfers will still value an A in both intro bio / intro chem. I feel like you’re acting as though they just shrug it off as, “Oh this kid took the easy way out and retook AP Chem.” < This assumption is unfounded and just false. </p>
<p>Take Gen-chem. Get an A. Ultimately, the way medical schools view your transcript (GPA more important than what classes you took) is WAY more important than the way college transfer committees view it (if there even is a difference).</p>
<p>How would they know that you didn’t accept AP credit? It won’t show up on AMCAS and even if it did I wouldn’t worry about them thinking that personally.</p>
AP Chem doesn’t cover EVERYTHING at the college level. I had a couple of chapters of material that were completely new, and almost all were more in-depth than AP. Strengthening your knowledge of gen chem will only make your life easier come time of the MCAT. </p>
<p>Plus there’s more risk in opting out, taking orgo, and getting owned while you’re new/adjusting/making friends/whatever (not saying this WILL happen, only that it is more risky than going in straight for the A in gen chem).</p>
<p>I know you feel like you should opt out since you’re good at chem, probably breezed through the AP exam with a 5 - trust me, I was the same way. But in the end I am so happy I retook it. You will be too.</p>
<p>Btw does anyone have a sample syllabus I could look at to see if I am missing anything from my AP Chem class?</p>
<p>Anyway, I still am unsure. Of course everyone here would tell me to take General Chem again for the grade since it is the GPA that matters to Med Schools, but to transfers that is not always the case, and plus getting my requirements for a science major quickly would help with a double/triple major. And free up some slots for next year.</p>
<p>I also heard that at my school, the combination of Orgo Chem and Molecular Bio is killer (which is what most students take their sophomore year). However, if I take just one of them this year, this will make my life 1000x easier next year.</p>
<p>P.S. My school also does NOT have a General Biology class, interestingly enough. Also, does anyone think Molecular Bio/Genetics/Cell Structure is a hard or just a tedious science? We covered it briefly in AP Bio, so I’m not sure yet.</p>
<p>Transferring is almost just the same. GPA is what matters for transferring, taking Gen Chem won’t reflect poorly and accepting AP credit to take Orgo won’t significantly enhance your application.</p>
<p>To say that it is a major factor is overstating it by a LONG shot. It won’t look good if you take extremely joke/remedial-like courses, but on the level of Gen Chem vs. AP credit + Org Chem, there’s not much of a benefit. Another applicant who took the same courses as you except retook Gen Chem and maintained a higher GPA than you likely would be more favorable.</p>
Strongly agree. Look, noone here is going to tell you to opt out, so if you’re going to arrogantly ignore others’ advice despite the fact they have already been through it, then by all means go ahead. But stop crying for validation of your tentative schedule when you won’t find it here.</p>
<p>Well actually - here - take orgo. Does that help your conscience?</p>
<p>D. took all of "Molecular Bio/Genetics/Cell Structure " - classes were very hard, but she loved all of them, especially Genetics, nothing boring, and they are helpful for MCAT.</p>
<p>Acceptd… Obviously it seems like almost no one here (based on what everyone has written) is going to tell me to opt out because of Med School, and no need to get all antsy over what I said. I was just explaining the other side of my story because I really don’t know what I should do still because I do have so many options.</p>
<p>As someone who likes to challenge myself and explore new things, I’m going to say something different and suggest that if you think you can pull off an A in orgo with decent effort just take in your freshmen year followed by 2 semesters of upper level chem classes with lab (eg: physical, inorganic, biochem, analytical) your sophomore or junior year. That way you can stand out from the other med school applicants who just took the minimum requirements by having good grades AND a rigorous course load. And if you are going to major in chemistry, this option is really a no-brainer.</p>
<p>Beware the hope that medical schools will be paying strict attention to the level of classes that you are taking. Getting a 4.0 and averaging 21 credits is great, but attempting to average 21 credits and getting a 3.4 will not be forgiven. I recommend working your way up to a high course load rather than just diving in.</p>