How I got an A+ in Organic Chemistry at UC Berkeley
TLDRIn this educational video, Claire, a first-year medical student and UC Berkeley alumna, shares her experience and strategies for acing organic chemistry. She emphasizes the importance of researching professors to find one who genuinely cares about students and offers a higher curve. Claire advises not to overload with difficult STEM courses simultaneously, to stay current with the course material, attend office hours for personalized assistance, and utilize third-party resources if needed. She stresses the necessity of practice and understanding the 'why' behind each step in organic chemistry reactions, rather than mere memorization, to truly excel in the subject.
Takeaways
- 🎓 Claire is a first-year medical student passionate about mentoring pre-meds, sharing tips on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
- 🏫 Claire emphasizes the importance of researching and choosing the right organic chemistry professor based on their care for students and grading curve.
- 📚 She advises against taking multiple challenging STEM courses alongside organic chemistry to avoid overwhelming oneself and to ensure time for practice and office hours.
- 👩🏫 Claire stresses the value of attending office hours to clarify doubts and build a connection with teaching assistants who can explain concepts effectively.
- 🔍 She recommends visiting different office hours to find the best fit for learning and then attending those consistently for personalized guidance.
- 📈 Staying up to date with the course material is crucial to avoid falling behind and to ensure effective review before exams.
- 📝 Practice is key in organic chemistry; Claire suggests working through problems independently, reviewing solutions, and understanding each step.
- 📑 Utilizing third-party resources like 'Organic Chemistry as a Second Language' and 'The Organic Chemistry Tutor' can be beneficial if the teaching style of the professor doesn't resonate with the student.
- 🤔 Claire encourages students to understand the 'why' behind each step in organic chemistry reactions rather than just memorizing.
- 📋 She mentions the importance of reviewing past exams and midterms for practice, as they often contain similar questions to those that will appear on actual tests.
- 💻 Claire suggests creating a study group if the school doesn't provide a structured environment for collaborative learning.
Q & A
What is Claire's educational background?
-Claire is a first-year medical student who attended UC Berkeley for her undergraduate studies, where she was a pre-med student.
Why did Claire create her YouTube channel and social media presence?
-Claire created her YouTube and social media platforms to share pre-med tips and tricks, driven by her passion for mentoring and giving back to undergraduate pre-med students.
What is the main topic of Claire's video?
-The main topic of Claire's video is sharing her tips and tricks on how to succeed in organic chemistry and get an A in the class.
What does Claire emphasize as a crucial step before starting organic chemistry class?
-Claire emphasizes doing research on the teachers available, choosing one who cares about students and offers a higher curve, to set oneself up for success.
Why is it important to choose the right teacher for organic chemistry according to Claire?
-Choosing the right teacher is important because different teachers can lead to significantly different grades for the same level of student effort and understanding.
What is Claire's advice regarding scheduling other classes alongside organic chemistry?
-Claire advises not to stack a schedule with multiple hard STEM classes alongside organic chemistry, to avoid spreading oneself too thin and to ensure enough time for practice and office hours.
How does Claire suggest staying up to date with organic chemistry material?
-Claire suggests watching lectures as soon as they are available and not falling behind, as organic chemistry requires multiple exposures to complex topics for understanding.
What is the role of office hours in organic chemistry according to Claire?
-Office hours are crucial for one-on-one time with instructors, allowing students to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the material.
Why does Claire recommend attending multiple office hours in the beginning of the semester?
-Attending multiple office hours helps students find the teaching assistant or professor they connect with the most, ensuring they receive the best explanations and understanding of the material.
What are some third-party resources Claire mentions for organic chemistry?
-Claire mentions the book 'Organic Chemistry as a Second Language' and the YouTube channel 'The Organic Chemistry Tutor' as helpful third-party resources.
What is the key to studying for organic chemistry according to Claire?
-The key to studying for organic chemistry is practice, working through problems on one's own, understanding each step, and not just memorizing.
How does Claire feel about the memorization approach in organic chemistry?
-Claire advises against relying solely on memorization, urging students to understand the principles and steps behind reactions for true success in the class.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to Pre-Med Tips and Organic Chemistry Success
Claire, a first-year medical student and UC Berkeley alum, introduces herself and her passion for mentoring pre-med students. She shares her experience with organic chemistry, a challenging subject she excelled in and later tutored. Claire emphasizes the importance of choosing the right professor who cares about students and offers a higher grade curve to increase the chances of success. She also advises on researching teachers and avoiding those with negative reviews, using resources like Berkeley Time to check grading distributions.
📚 Pre-Organic Chemistry Preparation and Scheduling Tips
Claire provides tips on what to do before starting organic chemistry, including not stacking a schedule with multiple difficult STEM courses alongside it. She suggests taking organic chemistry as the primary challenging course to allow more time for office hours and study groups. Claire also highlights the importance of attending office hours, especially at large public universities like UC Berkeley, where one-on-one time with instructors can clarify complex topics. She recommends finding the most helpful office hours and attending them consistently.
🔬 Strategies for Succeeding in Organic Chemistry
Claire discusses strategies for success in organic chemistry, starting with keeping up with the class material and not falling behind. She stresses the importance of attending lectures, reviewing material multiple times, and using office hours to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding. Claire also mentions the value of third-party resources like 'Organic Chemistry as a Second Language' and 'The Organic Chemistry Tutor' YouTube channel for students who struggle with their professor's teaching style. She advises against memorization and emphasizes the need to understand the principles behind reactions for true success in the subject.
📝 Effective Study Techniques for Organic Chemistry
In the final paragraph, Claire focuses on the importance of practice in organic chemistry. She advises students to seek out practice problems from professors, past exams, or online resources and to work through them thoroughly. Claire warns against merely memorizing reactions and instead encourages understanding the 'why' behind each step. She also suggests using third-party resources and asking questions to fundamentally grasp concepts. Claire concludes by offering help and inviting questions from viewers, emphasizing her commitment to supporting pre-med students through their challenging journey.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Pre-med
💡Organic Chemistry
💡Undergrad
💡Mentoring
💡YouTube
💡Office Hours
💡Study Groups
💡Practice Problems
💡Third-Party Resources
💡Memorizaton
💡Graduate Student
Highlights
Claire, a first-year medical student, shares her experience and tips on succeeding in organic chemistry.
The importance of choosing a caring teacher with a higher curve in organic chemistry classes.
Researching and avoiding teachers with poor student feedback to enhance the learning experience.
Avoiding scheduling conflicts with organic chemistry office hours to maximize one-on-one learning opportunities.
Keeping up-to-date with class material to avoid falling behind in understanding complex organic chemistry topics.
The value of attending office hours for personalized instruction and clarification of difficult concepts.
Finding the right office hours that resonate with your learning style for consistent attendance.
Utilizing study groups to work through problems collaboratively and fill knowledge gaps.
Recommendations for third-party resources like 'Organic Chemistry as a Second Language' and 'The Organic Chemistry Tutor' for additional learning.
The necessity of practicing problems independently to truly understand and succeed in organic chemistry.
Seeking out past midterm questions and practice problems from various sources to prepare for exams.
Understanding the 'why' behind each step in organic chemistry reactions rather than just memorizing.
The significance of breaking down complex reactions into smaller steps for better comprehension.
Claire's personal strategy of changing her schedule to have the same preferred teacher for both semesters of organic chemistry.
The importance of not just memorizing but fundamentally understanding the principles of organic chemistry.
Engaging with the material by asking questions and seeking to understand the reasoning behind reactions.
Claire's offer to answer questions and provide further support on her social media platforms for pre-med students.
The encouragement for students to ask questions and seek out additional content to ease the pre-med journey.
Transcripts
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