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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I often hear this is one of the hardest college classes, if not the hardest. I did not take this. But, for kids going to a lot of stem paths, they'll have to do so.

Why is it so hard? What makes it that way? Anyone take it (I'm sure lots have)? Can a kid who is slightly above average in HS Chem do well in O-Chem?[/quote]

It's just a different type of chemistry.  You either understand it or not.  It still remains one of the hardest college courses for most kids.  
my kid got a 5 on AP Chemistry, so was eligible for "Freshman O Chem" which meant with all the kids who had 4/5 or IB credit for regular chemistry.  It was their hardest class ever, made more challenging by fact over 50% of the class had already taken O Chem in HS but had to retake it because there is no way to get college credit (not AP).  So the average on first midterm was 87%.  Whereas in the regular O chem (that sophomore/juniors take after having completed Chem 101/102) the first midterm avg was 42%.  So for my kid without any O chem course previously it was an extremely challenging course.

[/quote]

Wow. Some schools offer O-chem in high school???[/quote]

I know Gonzaga offers it.[/quote]
If you Google the description it says that the course is "a fundamental overview to the topic" and introduces "major themes."  It's not at all on the level of a traditional college-level orgo course.[/quote]

But how great for kids to have that foundation and precursor before getting to college, especially if they love chem.[/quote]Sort of?  I took a class like this in high school and it solidified that I wanted to take more advanced science courses in college.  But it really wasn't a help in college courses as the high school class really had only covered the easy content, which was easy in college too, leaving all of the hard stuff still to learn.  I didn't think it gave me much of a leg up at all.[/quote]

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