So I’m in the middle of fixing up my schedule for the fall, and I’m a very torn on which professor to take for General Chem I. I am a rising freshman.
It is right now between an easy A professor who isn’t that great of a teacher vs. a notoriously hard professor who is a great teacher (and by teacher I mean lecturer), person, and gives good recommendations for med school and employment purposes.
The easy professor administers his exams in a multiple-choice format, whereas the other, harder professor gives much MUCH harder exams which are completely open response (no M.C.) and contain several parts to them. If you don’t know part A, you can’t get part B correct, and so forth. The harder prof also teaches completely on the board, so no powerpoints or other notes to go off of…just my own.
I am a Biochem major who is also pre-med, so obviously, GPA is extremely important. But at the same time, professor recommendations are too… For some more context, I have taken AP Chem my senior year of high school. I did well in the class, but don’t think I did too hot on the AP exam.
So who would you guys choose? I am torn between sacrificing a high freshman year GPA for more knowledge of a material vs. getting a high GPA to start off with and I can learn the material on my own anyhow (which I will be forced to do, sooner or later.)
Others may disagree, but it sounds like you’re just starting college, so there will be an adjustment with that, and if you have the ability to self-study, do so.
Many recommend the books (from Amazon)… Organic Chemistry as a Second Language. There are two books
@mom2collegekids Just edited my schedule and signed up for the easier profs class. I had a long discussion about this with my mom and old teacher of mine (who took almost ever Chem there is) and they both agree to take the easier guy. And definitely, the topic of the huge transition came up and a harder prof definitely wont help.
As a biochem major, you need to a strong base in gen chem because the material covered in the class will form the foundational knowledge for all your future chem/biochem classes.
You say the harder professor virtually guarantees you’ll get a poor grade–
What exactly do you mean by a poor grade–like a B? C? F? If it’s just a B maybe even a C+, I’d take the hit GPA-wise because going forward having the strengthened gen chem base is going to prove immensely valuable in your future classes.
Since you’ve already had AP Chem, but didn’t do so hot on the exam, this strongly indicates to me that you have deficits in your knowledge --possibly deficits that you aren’t aware of or don’t realize are there. And since you don’t know what you don’t know–this is a serious problem. How can you self-study material when you’re not sure/don’t understand where you have holes? The way I look at it, you’ve already had one bite at the material, kinda got waved through and are now hoping to do the same thing by taking the easier professor.
Only take the easier prof if you think doing so won’t come back and bite you in the posterior later. Ask yourself – and be absolutely honest – are you willing to put the extra time and extra effort in self-teaching? Do you have the self-discipline to do it?
DH had a professor in grad school who use to say: “Knowledge comes from pain.”
Mastery of the material comes from effort, striving and and, even occasionally, failure–there aren’t any short-cuts.
BTW, open response questions like the harder professor gives are the consider a “best practice” in science instruction. I can guarantee that as you progress through your upper level chem classes, most of your exams will look exactly like that. You need to learn how to take & do well on open response exams. There are effective strategies to maximize your success.
@WayOutWestMom Poor grades as in Ds on exams and eventually Cs in the class. I cannot risk getting a poor GPA, even if it means knowing the information better. The easier professor isn’t necessarily a bad prof, just not as good as the other. Since this class will almost be a review of AP, I’ll most likely discover the “holes” that I have in the subject material, as you mentioned.
I would rather have a better chance to get good grades when it is not as hard now vs. trying to bump my GPA up come time to take Orgo or Biochem. I am motivated and am completely determined to work my butt off in college, because I know that is what it takes to get into medical school. I will not be satisfied with any GPA below a 3.8.
Are these two distinct courses? I don’t understand how two professors teaching sections of the same course can vary so much on their exams (one give all MC, the other all open ended). In my experience, they couldn’t even given different exams at all.
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Are these two distinct courses? I don’t understand how two professors teaching sections of the same course can vary so much on their exams (one give all MC, the other all open ended). In my experience, they couldn’t even given different exams at all.
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I don’t know what school the OP attends, but my nephew who went to Vanderbilt said that this sort of thing happened at Vandy with both Gen Chem and Orgo.
Ochem classes are weeder classes.
The books I recommended are for when you take Ochem.
@mom2collegekids At this point in time, it’s still a possibility. I took courses that would most likely transfer over in case I ever do officially go with the process… And just to be clear, it’s not the fact I do not like BC, it is because I like Brown & Tufts more. However, the fact that Brown is need aware and that I need a ton of aid pretty much decimates my chances there. I’m pretty sure that when I get into the mojo and pattern of actually experiencing the school I’ll probably forget transferring and work with what I have.
I will probably stay at BC just because reapplying to schools as a transfer is a huge pain, piled with 5 courses and possible ECs. I already have a clinical volunteering position at my local hospital, so the transfer process will be looked at as an unprofitable burden.
“However, the fact that Brown is need aware and that I need a ton of aid pretty much decimates my chances there.”
The highest priority is top students. If the financial aid budget has room for you, you could be accepted. So ignore need aware; apply if you think you otherwise have a chance and you prefer the school.
@vonlost They set aside only $400,000 one year for transfers, so if I alone need $60k of that, how does that make me look in the midst of ~1300 applicants?
I’m definitely going to try, but won’t get my hopes up all that much this time.
@vonlost I think this student needs to concentrate on BC as a premed. His chances of getting into Brown or other similar school is low since his test scores weren’t competitive.
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SAT I (breakdown): 2080 (CR: 580 M: 700, W: 800)
ACT (breakdown): 31C (36E, 33M, 28R, 27S, 35W)
SAT II: Math I: 630, Biology M: 680
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Also…if he’s serious about being premed, transferring to a school with an even stronger student body would likely result in a damaged GPA, particularly as a premed. He’s going to have a hard enough time emerging with a med school worth GPA at BC.
And, combining lowish scores for an Ivy with very high need, his transfer chances are going to be minuscule
And why is that? Just based off high school standardized test scores? You also could have told this information to me directly instead of referring to me in the third person.
Yes indeed, that’s why it’s important to “apply if you think you otherwise have a chance.” A few get picked by reach schools, and it seems impossible for us out here to foresee who it will be!
I referred to you in the 3rd person because I was responding to another person’s post.
If you want me to tell you directly, I will. I do think you’re going to have a hard time at BC getting a med school worthy GPA. You’re not in the upper quartile for that school. Do I think it’s impossible? No. But I think it will be difficult.
That’s one reason why I suggested that you take the easier Chem prof. However, if you don’t believe that you’ll have a difficult time, then sign up for the harder Chem prof.