2nd year undergrad, might drop organic chemistry II while taking only 14 credit hours. Have I doomed myself?

[dmb1785]

Hey everyone,

 

Here is my first thread:

 

tl;dr version of my first thread:

 

So I have until Tuesday to decide if I'm going to drop organic chemistry II. I'm doing awful in the class. I'm also only taking 14 credit hours(semester system - 16 is my average - 18 is the max). I didn't do too great in o-chem I, I got a B. I'm good at organic chemistry and I enjoy it, I just didn't study. I have attention problems, and i had a lot going on. I am on track to get a B- if I study like no tomorrow and ace everything. I could take it during the summer, continue going to class/doing the work and then make an A+. I am also transferring schools, so it would enable me to get to know my new campus before fall. The downside is I applied to several REU, but now I can't attend even if accepted.

 

I've done so much extracurricularly this year. I've started three student organizations with 500+ collective membership. I have established a new neuroscience honors society. I do tons of volunteering and shadowing(I am pre-DMD/PhD or maybe biology PhD)

 

I just want to get some advice from chemistry people. I know I'm not pursuing a chemistry degree but just give me your perspective. Can you get a chem PhD with an o-chem drop? I'm going to talk to my professor tomorrow, but he isn't very receptive.

 

Thanks

[aberrant]

is you again. i happened to be a former chemistry undergrad. The bottom line for a chemistry PhD, in general, is to complete the series of general chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, some labs in gchem, ochem, pchem, and maybe some biochemistry and/or electives. In other words, dropping an ochem class for now is one thing, not taking it by the time you are admitted to a program is another. People that I know who accepted by chemistry programs tend to finish most of these aforementioned series by their junior year, and taking electives / graduate level physics/chemistry/biochemistry courses in their senior year.

 

given that you are considering dental school, medical school, phd in biology, and now, phd in chemistry. i don't think there's an answer for you until you get to know the subject better. until you get a sense of what it's like to do research all the time and remain your intererst in biology/biochemistry/chemistry after taking advance level of bio/biochem/chem courses, graduate school isn't for you simply because you just need to be mentally prepared for these programs.

Edited March 3, 2013 by aberrant

[synorg]

it doesn't sound like you're good at organic chemistry...

from my perspective, it seems like you're trying to do the classic pre-med shit where you start/join every club you can think of. i suggest that you instead focus on things you have a GENUINE interest in, and do those things well. admissions committees for PhD and MD programs will see right through "i tried to do this, but i got a C+ because i was doing like a billion other really impressive things... and no i suppose i didn't stand out in any of them. this is probably because i'm just such an overachiever that i had to constantly go from club to club. i don't even remember what that one is for. LOL" and faceplant.

this might be pretty harsh, but a)pre-meds are the worst, and b)STOP SPREADING YOURSELF TOO THIN.

if you really want to pursue a PhD, you should probably not spend a summer retaking a class. Quit making excuses for yourself (read: attention problems) and finish strong.

good luck

[Quantum Buckyball]

Do you like Chemistry?

Why do you want to get a PhD in Chemistry?

Are you doing it just in case if you don't get in medical/dental/pharmacy/or whatever else school?

If you think Organic Chemistry 2 is difficult now, then you're mostly ain't gonna enjoy analytical/physical or other advanced-level classes in the future.

just my 2 cents

[dmb1785]

it doesn't sound like you're good at organic chemistry...

from my perspective, it seems like you're trying to do the classic pre-med shit where you start/join every club you can think of. i suggest that you instead focus on things you have a GENUINE interest in, and do those things well. admissions committees for PhD and MD programs will see right through "i tried to do this, but i got a C+ because i was doing like a billion other really impressive things... and no i suppose i didn't stand out in any of them. this is probably because i'm just such an overachiever that i had to constantly go from club to club. i don't even remember what that one is for. LOL" and faceplant.

this might be pretty harsh, but a)pre-meds are the worst, and b)STOP SPREADING YOURSELF TOO THIN.

if you really want to pursue a PhD, you should probably not spend a summer retaking a class. Quit making excuses for yourself (read: attention problems) and finish strong.

good luck

 

No, I'm pre-dental and I started all these clubs because my research university didn't have any of these basic clubs. Students were without opportunity  That's why I started the clubs. I'm going to also start a chapter of Operation Smile to prove to admissions of my motive. I want to teach and go into academia, and I wanted to get into student affairs on the undergrad level. I really care about helping students. I have met senators and legislators in my state about higher ed. I follow what my university system does.

 

I don't know if I will be able to convey that to dental admissions, but I didn't do what I did to be a know-it-all. I did it to help people. I did it for the real reason, not for admissions. 

 

Also, I'm not considering a PhD in chemistry. I just want to hear opinions regarding my drop from chem PhDs. Whatever you guys throw at me, it'll be worse than the dental/medical admissions. 

 

No, I'm not picking grad school because I'm not competitive for dental school. 

Edited March 3, 2013 by dmb1785

[Quantum Buckyball]

No, I'm pre-dental and I started all these clubs because my research university didn't have any of these basic clubs. Students were without opportunity  That's why I started the clubs. I'm going to also start a chapter of Operation Smile to prove to admissions of my motive. I want to teach and go into academia, and I wanted to get into student affairs on the undergrad level. I really care about helping students. I have met senators and legislators in my state about higher ed. I follow what my university system does.

 

I don't know if I will be able to convey that to dental admissions, but I didn't do what I did to be a know-it-all. I did it to help people. I did it for the real reason, not for admissions. 

 

Also, I'm not considering a PhD in chemistry. I just want to hear opinions regarding my drop from chem PhDs. Whatever you guys throw at me, it'll be worse than the dental/medical admissions. 

 

No, I'm not picking grad school because I'm not competitive for dental school. 

Okay.

PhD Chem admission process is very different than dental schools. For dental school admission, in order to be eligible, you only need to fulfill the first two years of prerequisite classes. No bachelor degree is required. As for PhD Chem admission, you need a minimum of a bachelor degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Chemical Engineering or strongly-related field.

Most of PhD Chem admission committee tends to focus on,

1. your letters of recommendation

2. number of peer-viewed publications

3. research experiences (length, field)

4. industrial, national, international internships or fellowships

5. outreach activities (Chemistry-related only)

6. number of high-end, advanced, graduate-level Chemistry classes you have completed.

So long story short, they aren't gonna care if you drop your organic chemistry 2 this semester or not, as long as you take it before you graduate.

[dmb1785]

Ok thanks. But you do need a BS for dental school. That's pharmacy school where you don't need a BS. Only the top 5% make it without a BS degree. Same with medical school. You also need biochem, microbio and some schools, A&P. They keep adding more every year..which sucks. 

[Quantum Buckyball]

Ok thanks. But you do need a BS for dental school. That's pharmacy school where you don't need a BS. Only the top 5% make it without a BS degree. Same with medical school. You also need biochem, microbio and some schools, A&P. They keep adding more every year..which sucks. 

They must have changed it, a friend of mine got in 5 years ago without a BS.

[synorg]

so you're bringing a question about dental admissions to a grad school forum? cool, got it.

taking summer classes probably won't hurt you too much, since i'm sure there are plenty of practicing dentists who were garbage in organic chemistry, general physics, calculus, etc.

i think you're just asking the wrong people about this. ask your pre-dental advisor, or a pre-med advisor at your current school. they'll probably have a better understanding of the process. i'm still confused by all this shit you're involved in given that you say you're pre-dental and that you wish to go into academia... i don't believe i've ever taken a class from a DMD, nor do i think any administrators at my current or former institution were DMDs.

now if you wish to counter this with "yeah but i said DMD/PhD" then to you i say, as i said before, do research. in general, research based higher education requires prior experience in a research environment.

i'm not saying what you spend time doing is a waste, i actually think it's great. but the end goal doesn't seem to fit.

[PaulinaTheChemist]

Talk to your professors, academic adviser, career development office, older . Internet forum about PhD in chemistry seems like the worst source of information. It is great that you did all those things which ended up distracting you, but don't expect the admission committee to care (which doesn't make your work unimportant, it's simply irrelevant).

[dmb1785]

The chemistry crowd are such a lively bunch...

 

Ok thank you.

[Cookie]

[...] I'm going to also start a chapter of Operation Smile to prove to admissions of my motive.

 

[...] I did it for the real reason, not for admissions. 

 

No, I'm not picking grad school because I'm not competitive for dental school. 

 

What is going on?

[prolixity]

What is going on?

premed; that's what.

[Faraday]

Sometimes when I imagine a pre-med student being born, I think of

in the basement of a hospital somewhere.