Taking Organic Chemistry during the summer

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pittsburgh
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<p>This is more a question for current Pitt students who are in science-y majors. I know this topic may seem a little out of place here on CC, but I thought I'd try and see the responses I get.</p>

<p>Right now I'm a rising sophomore. I dropped a class this semester, so I'm a bit behind. In order to stay on track credit-wise, I was thinking of take a summer course. I wanted to take OChem in the summer. I'll be doing an internship at Pitt, so I'll be there during the summer anyway, so I thought "why not?" </p>

<p>There's a catch- the course is f weeks long, 2 hours a day monday through friday. I thought this was a bit much, but I won't be doing any other coursework anyway except my internship stuff. Plus, it is 4 weeks, so it's no where near as long as a full semester course.</p>

<p>Has anyone ever taken a 4 week course before or know someone who did? Is it doable or is it worse than just taking it during the school year?</p>

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<p>I was also wondering about this. I am going into pre-pharm and I will have to take Ochem. I was advised by someone to take it over the summer between my freshman and sophomore years so that I would have time to concentrate on it fully, without the distraction of other classes. However someone else told me that trying to take Ochem in 4 weeks is just plain insane if not stupid. So I guess I have the same question as Emi.</p>

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<p>Organic chem in 4 weeks is insane, imo. Ususally there is one four-hour lab per week for one semester. How many labs hours would be added to your class time?</p>

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<p>Back in the stone age, I took OChem the summer between my fresh and soph year. I have already advised my son to do the same. He’s a junior in hs, and will major in biomed engin.</p>

<p>When I did it, we had class five days a week for a couple of hours, and lab twice a week for four hours. I was able to work at the Bursar’s Office during the day as a work study job, which I usually didn’t get during the school year, but was awarded me as a summer student, a big plus.</p>

<p>I learned so much, as I was able to concentrate fully on the course, without having physics, calculus, and the other science courses my major required (MARINE/BIO). </p>

<p>As my son will be majoring in biomed engin, he will have enough grueling courses that he would probably benefit taking this by itself.</p>

<p>Taking it in the summer won’t assure you an A, the course will still be tough, but if you want to take classes in the summer to get out of going home (as I suspect my son will) or just to get a leg up on your classes, why not take that? I’d rather pay tuition for a course more align to my major, than pay several hundred bucks for a core class. </p>

<p>I will say this, if there’s some really interesting class offered in the summer, that may be used as a core requirement, that might be a good choice. You can take the time to enjoy it while not struggling with your science curriculum.</p>

<p>Back in my day, it was said that OChem was a big part of the MCATs, so you premeds out there might want to be able to give it your undivided attention.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>It really is not so difficult, but there is a ton of stuff to memorize (assuming you have the basic understanding of concepts too). Maybe it depends on how good you are at acquiring and retaining info. For me, I already felt like ochem made my brains leak out of my ears, so I don’t know how well I would have done in a summer class. But like montegut said, perhaps it is better for some people to concentrate on the subject in depth.</p>