<p>Hello,
I'm a prospective chem major who is a high school senior...I've studied organic chemistry 'on my own' for nearly a year or so...for science olympiad polymers, etc. I've also done research that required basic awareness of fundamental orgo precepts and, needless to say, many many hours of reading orgo textbooks. I'm gonna be attending Harvard next year...and in an effort to optimize my time there, I kind of want to test out of intro organic chem. Currently I don't have the knowledge to do that--but I think I can with my resources, if it is even possible. Anyone out there who studied orgo before college and found it to be surprisingly different than they thought...?
Thanks.</p>
<p>Even if you could pass the exam, I would recommend taking the class at Harvard. Every college is different, and they are going to want you to know different things in order to move on to the next course. Especially since you may want to be a chemistry major, I would take the class. You can always see how you would do on the exam though...</p>
<p>Especially with orgo. You can really change inorganic but orgo is a different world at each college. Try taking an honors class or accelerated class that would be more to your level and it will look nice. I am taking a year of accelerated orgo next year and the class numbers at 236 and 436. I will be taking a 400 level course during the second semester of my sophomore year. That's crazy!</p>
<p>You might be able to destroy the curve. You might learn something that you didn't realize before.</p>
<p>I would definitely take the intro course. My intro course was really nasty but it helped me immensely for 2nd year ochem.</p>
<p>Don't know what kind of genious you might be, but unless you are truly out of this world, I don't recommend it. If you are even thinking med school, o-chem fundamentals are essential and where it lies in the premed sequencing of courses is no coincidence. When you take the MCATs you will need to have that material fresh in the brain. Also, most med schools require a college GRADE for that course, self learned does not cut it, and they don't even like it when kids take that course elsewhere. The other issue is that the O-chem lab is an essential course that often goes hand in hand with the course. You need to do the stuff hands on. </p>
<p>If you are that one in million genious, take a sample MCAT to see where you stand on the Ochem. If you are that good, that it is truly a waste of time to take the course, you need to set up an appointment with the chem department of your college and have an assessment of your chem abilities and knowledge. Perhaps they will agree that you need to start with the junior level advanced chem courses and possible get your masters along with your undergrad degree, and are well on the phd path. Hard to say from a post, and I don't want to preclude this possibility.</p>
<p>Its possible to test out of chemAP. How much harder is organic chem?</p>
<p>I don't know you take Chem AP in high school so testing out of it might not be possible. And if you're intending to ask what I think you're trying to ask which is: Is organic chem able to be tested out of with ChemAP? The answer is a solid no. Wherever you go.</p>
<p>chemAP covers inorganic chem and organic chem in depth so i dont see why they couldn't test out of it esp. if they get a 4 or 5.</p>
<p>sorry it doesn't cover organic in depth. Not at all. I can't even imagine a college where that would work. I highly doubt you could test out of both semesters of inorganic as well. Especially if you are really an MIT student. A 5 is necessary to test out of 102 at U of I. And that doesn't even include the lab b/c there are no lab classes in high school. Sorry it just won't work.</p>
<p>yes there is labs during chem class in high school especially AP. we had to perform and write up lab reports.</p>
<p>I would take the class. You'll get an A and you'll have more time for your other classes.</p>
<p>No I'm talking about actual lab class ssong. Look it doesn't matter, if they don't allow it at U of I. I highly doubt they'll allow it at MIT. What's the big deal anyways? If you want to major in science or math you should probably take them and not use AP in almost all situations.</p>