<p>I'm a current first year at UVA and I've heard that taking Organic Chemistry in the summer before second year is less stressful than taking it during the regular school year. Has anyone else heard this and/or would you suggest doing this? I would take the class at UVA either way. Also I'm not sure if I should do this in case it's more of an advantage to take them over a full year so that it's easier to remember for the MCAT's (in case I decide to apply to medical school). Again, any opinions on any of this would be great! Thanks!</p>
<p>I remember reading somewhere on UVA’s Career Center’s emails that medical schools prefer that you do not take prereq’s during the summer unless absolutely necessary. Because you have a lower course load during that time, you will probably get a higher grade in the class than if you had taken it with a full course load. Itd it is seen as an outright GPA booster. At least that’s what I got from the email, but that was a while ago.</p>
<p>I heard Org Chem & Physics are weed out classes for pre-med. Son is currently 2nd year and did very well 1st semester. He did a review program last summer to prepare for it.</p>
<p>It was a 10 session self-study program addressing selected areas where the instructor felt most students have problems. He also met with the tutor once a week to review any questions or problems. </p>
<p>If you are in NOVA and interested, I can send PM you his info.</p>
<p>I’ve heard from many upperclassmen that taking Orgo Lab 1/2 during the summer is the best way to go. Orgo lab here is horrible from what I’ve heard with only 3-4% getting As and A-s. I’ll be taking the Orgo labs next summer.</p>
<p>The quality of the professor should help determine when you take an important class, if you can find out who will be teaching and if the profs vary from semester to semester.</p>
<p>If you stay for the summer, just make sure you rent a place with air conditioning.</p>
<p>Medical schools disapprove of taking classes required over the summer (i.e., organic chemistry, general chemistry, physics, math). They know that if you decide to take it over the summer that you are electing to try and score a higher grade. Otherwise, you would simply take it during the academic year. I’ve read this in multiple places and from different medical school admissions faculty.</p>
<p>This is a ridiculous assertion, and probably comes from some pretentious premed rumour mill. Is there any proof? Correlation doesn’t imply causation you know. It should make no difference to them, whether you take it in the summer or not, especially if you’re an Echols scholar who routinely overloads with 22+ credits; or are pursuing double majors in biochemistry and physics, etc.</p>
<p>The reason why I disapprove is because the 80s series organic chemistry during the regular year is a lot more enlightening and less stressful, and you don’t have to cram it all in five weeks or however long it lasts. Organic chemistry is an important pre-req to biochemistry.</p>
<p>To OP
Based on my experience as a college professor, classes taught in summer cover the same materials as in a regular semester. The department does not want students learn less in summer. Otherwise, no one would want to take difficult classes in spring or fall.</p>
<p>evita - Some schools don’t like to see core req done during summer. E.g. Columbia says -
“Summer work at Columbia is, of course, acceptable. IT IS NOT, HOWEVER, DESIRABLE TO TAKE ANY OF THE PREMEDICAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE SUMMER except in unusual circumstances.”</p>
<p>There are similar suggestions at many schools web site/advising. So this is not a ridiculous assertion!</p>