<p>So I'm looking into taking Chem 1 and/or 2 during the two summer sessions here but it seems like a pretty heavy schedule in terms of the number of hours involved during the week (7.5 hrs straight from 9:30-5 Tues and Thurs, 4.5 hrs straight from 9:30-2 Mon and Wed). </p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone had taken these courses either during the Fall/Spring semesters or the summer session and could comment on how challenging the course is? How are the lectures/labs/recitations structured? Is anything different between the Fall/Spring and summer semesters?</p>
<p>In terms of my chem background it's been a while since I took Chem back in sophomore year of high school; should I be worried and look for other options for summer courses?</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I have only taken Chem 1 and 2 during the school year, so I can only comment on those, though I think the same professor (Prof Kryatov) teaches the summer courses as well.</p>
<p>I’m not really surprised that the schedule is that heavy during the summer. Even during the school year, you have 3 50-minute lectures a week, a weekly recitation, and a weekly lab. The summer classes basically condense a 7-8 months worth of materials into 3 months. </p>
<p>Chem 1 materials are very much what you’ve learned in high school chemistry. How challenging it is depends on how well you understand the material. Some people found it easy and did little to prepare for exams; others struggled with the material and depended a lot on flash cards and practicing problems in the book. Chem 2 covers much more advanced materials and involves a lot more calculations. If you don’t understand the concepts, you can get behind very easily here.</p>
<p>The recitation is normally 50 minutes and it is taught by Chem TAs. They are there to help you understand the material. They normally pick out problems and show you how to calculate the answers. (Also, it’s not mandatory to attend the recitations, but if you really need help, it’s best to attend them).</p>
<p>The lab is 3 hours long, but it usually doesn’t last that long. It depends on how fast you and your partner work together. After each lab, you must produce a lab report, the format of which is provided at the beginning of the semester. </p>
<p>There are also 2 weekly problem sets, one paper-based and the other online-based. The online ones are there to help solidify your understanding and are generally pretty easy (at least easier than the paper-based). </p>
<p>I can’t really comment on whether or not you should be worried about taking it during the summer because it really depends on your level of understanding and preparation. If you feel really confident with your background and determined to do this, then by all means go ahead. However, if you’re not, it’s best to do it during the year.</p>