If her strength has always been humanities, why was she a bio major? Why was she taking OChem freshman year? (While she was still adjusting to college?)

Sounds like she needed better advising.

I read somewhere that OChem is the course that gets more kids to drop their dream of being a doctor than any other.

I think your kid should get to pick her own dream. If it is her passion, she will be able to do it, one way or another.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope she changes to a major that is a better fit for her talents and interests. Life is too short to spend it trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

And there's no reason for her to spend the summer retaking the class. Instead, she should find an internship or job (or class) related to something she's interested in.

She’s thinking of maybe public health which requires OCHEM 1 but no further CHEM.

Data analytics and econometrics or biostatistics are what’s important for Public Health.

—signed, a PhD in health Econ from Johns Hopkins

There is a social science route into public health, too. Anthro, sociology, human behavior, communications, history, human centered design are all elements of public health. She could major in any one of those and go into public health (MPH).

- signed, a MPH from Johns Hopkins who now works in social and behavior change communication. P.S. - I was an English major and I write all day long.

This is what I was thinking! Pursue a less science-based aspect of public health. Communication is a huge component (as evidenced during the pandemic).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those that say why Biology it’s because that’s what SHE chose. I was not a STEM major and didn’t realize how weedy Biology was in terms of tough math and sciences.

She’s definitely dropping Bio but has no idea where to go. She works so hard so this is Devastating for her.

Don't kids usually have the mom's brains? Maybe she should be considering something else.

Is this true?? !

It's silly nonsense that keeps getting repeated. Doesn't make it true.

I had a daughter drop organic chem, calculus and her biology major in sophomore year. She didn't feel bad about it, I didn't feel bad about it. We both knew that math and non-biology sciences are not her strength. She didn't dwell on it and she still graduated on time with a major she liked (and a bio minor). She was taking a biology major in her college's natural resources college and there were many other major options that still matched her interests and strengths. It will be OK!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. Is she taking organic chem as a freshman? That is probably a bad idea especially if she didn’t do AP Chem

My dc’s school does Gen Chem I first sem, then OChem 2nd sem. If you do good in Gen Chem I then why wait?

You were not an English major, I see.

?

I was a bio major who dropped orgo halfway through the term. I now work as a panhandler and reside in a refrigerator carton under a bridge abutment in West Baltimore.

No, I actually substituted a 200-level analytical chemistry course the following term and did just fine and completed my major. O-chem was a lot of visual manipulations that just didn't work for me, perhaps for the same reason I suck at assembling Ikea furniture. The other class was a lot more standard chem and algebra-type stuff, which worked well for me. It was the definite end of any med school aspirations but at that point I was 95% sure I didn't want it, anyway. 4 years of med school, worrying about matching, X years of residency while working 100-hour weeks and being paid peanuts, and $300,000 in debt, you'd better be really sure you won't end up hating it and I wasn't, not at all. I work in an allied health field instead and am perfectly satisfied.

There is no need to take organic chemistry for the vast majority of people. Your DD can give it another go if she wants but there are many avenues she can take with her major to go into many things. Don't let it get her down. You don't need super math skills for a bio major but a 620 on the SAT suggests that this is not really her strength area. I would probe more to make sure she's choosing her major for HER and not based on some external pressure (either perceived or actual).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. Is she taking organic chem as a freshman? That is probably a bad idea especially if she didn’t do AP Chem

My dc’s school does Gen Chem I first sem, then OChem 2nd sem. If you do good in Gen Chem I then why wait?

You were not an English major, I see.

Nursing? the science classes are not at the same/hard level as pre-med.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SAT score was 780 verbal 620 math.

Going into STEM without top-end math skills is going to be tough. Biology is less dependent on math, but Chemistry is certainly more math involved.

+1 Not SAT of a stem kid

If OP’s child is at the end of freshman year, that means they took the SAT at least 2 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SAT score was 780 verbal 620 math.

Going into STEM without top-end math skills is going to be tough. Biology is less dependent on math, but Chemistry is certainly more math involved.

+1 Not SAT of a stem kid

Organic chemistry is one of the hardest classes in college (the weed out for pre-meds who are super cut throat). If she like bio, encourage her to go for another class or two. College lab courses are far different from high school classes and kids often take a while to get into the swing of these science courses. Also, the high levels classes will have a much higher grade average and greater interaction with teachers

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope she changes to a major that is a better fit for her talents and interests. Life is too short to spend it trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

And there's no reason for her to spend the summer retaking the class. Instead, she should find an internship or job (or class) related to something she's interested in.

She’s thinking of maybe public health which requires OCHEM 1 but no further CHEM.

Data analytics and econometrics or biostatistics are what’s important for Public Health.

—signed, a PhD in health Econ from Johns Hopkins

There is a social science route into public health, too. Anthro, sociology, human behavior, communications, history, human centered design are all elements of public health. She could major in any one of those and go into public health (MPH).

- signed, a MPH from Johns Hopkins who now works in social and behavior change communication. P.S. - I was an English major and I write all day long.

This is what I'm trying to steer my DD too (who is pre-PA right now). I would love to know what you do! She is an anthropology major but taking the prehealth prereqs. I feel like kids just don't even know what the options are other than what they see with their own eyes/experience.

NP
If I were you I will let her go to PA school that is where the high demand is.

Oh I’m the one who even suggested it to her in the first place, she had heart set on being a surgeon. Now that she’s in college though - and sucking at Chem like OPs kid- I’m trying to help her see some other avenues if she doesn’t like the patient work of a PA. She’ll be doing a lot of shadowing this summer

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope she changes to a major that is a better fit for her talents and interests. Life is too short to spend it trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

And there's no reason for her to spend the summer retaking the class. Instead, she should find an internship or job (or class) related to something she's interested in.

She’s thinking of maybe public health which requires OCHEM 1 but no further CHEM.

Data analytics and econometrics or biostatistics are what’s important for Public Health.

—signed, a PhD in health Econ from Johns Hopkins

There is a social science route into public health, too. Anthro, sociology, human behavior, communications, history, human centered design are all elements of public health. She could major in any one of those and go into public health (MPH).

- signed, a MPH from Johns Hopkins who now works in social and behavior change communication. P.S. - I was an English major and I write all day long.

This is what I'm trying to steer my DD too (who is pre-PA right now). I would love to know what you do! She is an anthropology major but taking the prehealth prereqs. I feel like kids just don't even know what the options are other than what they see with their own eyes/experience.

NP
If I were you I will let her go to PA school that is where the high demand is.

Oh I’m the one who even suggested it to her in the first place, she had heart set on being a surgeon. Now that she’s in college though - and sucking at Chem like OPs kid- I’m trying to help her see some other avenues if she doesn’t like the patient work of a PA. She’ll be doing a lot of shadowing this summer

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope she changes to a major that is a better fit for her talents and interests. Life is too short to spend it trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

And there's no reason for her to spend the summer retaking the class. Instead, she should find an internship or job (or class) related to something she's interested in.

She’s thinking of maybe public health which requires OCHEM 1 but no further CHEM.

Data analytics and econometrics or biostatistics are what’s important for Public Health.

—signed, a PhD in health Econ from Johns Hopkins

There is a social science route into public health, too. Anthro, sociology, human behavior, communications, history, human centered design are all elements of public health. She could major in any one of those and go into public health (MPH).

- signed, a MPH from Johns Hopkins who now works in social and behavior change communication. P.S. - I was an English major and I write all day long.

This is what I'm trying to steer my DD too (who is pre-PA right now). I would love to know what you do! She is an anthropology major but taking the prehealth prereqs. I feel like kids just don't even know what the options are other than what they see with their own eyes/experience.

NP
If I were you I will let her go to PA school that is where the high demand is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope she changes to a major that is a better fit for her talents and interests. Life is too short to spend it trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

And there's no reason for her to spend the summer retaking the class. Instead, she should find an internship or job (or class) related to something she's interested in.

She’s thinking of maybe public health which requires OCHEM 1 but no further CHEM.

Data analytics and econometrics or biostatistics are what’s important for Public Health.

—signed, a PhD in health Econ from Johns Hopkins

There is a social science route into public health, too. Anthro, sociology, human behavior, communications, history, human centered design are all elements of public health. She could major in any one of those and go into public health (MPH).

- signed, a MPH from Johns Hopkins who now works in social and behavior change communication. P.S. - I was an English major and I write all day long.

This is what I'm trying to steer my DD too (who is pre-PA right now). I would love to know what you do! She is an anthropology major but taking the prehealth prereqs. I feel like kids just don't even know what the options are other than what they see with their own eyes/experience.