why is general chemistry a weed out course

by Prof. Janis Stoltenberg 4 min read

Because of the demands of these fields, professors believe that the level of rigor that is associated with general chemistry should be elevated from that of a typical introductory course. This has lead to this course to gain the title of a "weed out course" where students drop out from their respected major due to the level of difficulty.

Full Answer

Is chemistry a weed out class?

Introductory courses also commonly serve as weed-outs, such as initial courses in psychology, economics, accounting, physics, chemistry, biology and world history, says Drew Koch, president of the Gardner Institute, an organization that improves collegiate teaching and learning, and also tracks weed-outs.Sep 28, 2021

Why do colleges do weed out classes?

Intentionally difficult classes are colloquially referred to as weed-out classes. The theory behind weed-out classes is to guarantee those who continue on in the path of study can handle the pressure of future classes and the field. The goal of a weed-out class is to eliminate students from the program.Oct 29, 2020

Are weed out classes hard?

A weed-out class, or “weeder” as it is also known, is a college colloquialism, commonly defined as a lower level course required for a specific major/track, that is intentionally difficult and rigorous in order to “weed out” students that the ubiquitous “they” don't believe have the skill or tenacity to continue.Nov 18, 2018

Is General Chemistry a hard class?

Chemistry is considered very hard. In fact, Chemistry is considered one of the most difficult subjects in College. Some of the more advanced chemistry courses (like Physical Chemistry) have been determined to be the hardest classes in College.

Why do students leave STEM majors?

In studies conducted on the subject of students leaving STEM, it was found that the quality of STEM faculty teaching and accessibility was the main factor that was significantly related to students' intention to switch or drop out STEM majors (Xu, 2018).

Is chemistry a STEM course?

The "S" in STEM typically applies to natural sciences and formal sciences, the former including chemistry, biology, physics and environmental science, while the latter focuses more on mathematics and statistics.Nov 29, 2019

Is physics a weed out class?

“Physics is a little different than other STEM classes here,” Dmitriy Zhigunov '17, a physics major, said. “There is no weed-out class. It's just that all the classes are hard, and they just get harder and harder.” That difficulty might explain why only 16 students graduated with a degree in physics last year.Nov 20, 2014

How do you survive weed courses?

0:297:42How To Pass Weed-Out Courses | Top Tips and Suggestions - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd any sort of first level courses such as physics. One you know chemistry one and calculus one allMoreAnd any sort of first level courses such as physics. One you know chemistry one and calculus one all of that. And also the humanities courses or social studies courses that you have to take.

Is Calc 2 a weed out class?

Here, the main 'weed-out' engineering class is 'Statics', which is also the first real engineering class they take. Prior to that, the primary obstacles are Calc I and II and Physics I and II.Jun 8, 2015

Is 11th chemistry tough?

It is one of the easiest branch of Chemistry if read properly or it can become the toughest branch if not read in correct manner.

What is the most failed college course?

The 4 Most Commonly Failed College ClassesCollege Algebra. The evil, despicable and terrible villain of early high school has come back to haunt you. ... Organic Chemistry. The presence of this class on this list might not come as a surprise. ... Physics. ... Anatomy and Physiology.Nov 11, 2017

What is the hardest class in college?

Organic Chemistry: It shouldn't surprise you that organic chemistry takes the No. 1 spot as the hardest college course. This course is often referred to as the “pre-med killer” because it actually has caused many pre-med majors to switch their major.Aug 24, 2020

What are the biggest mistakes students make when learning organic chemistry?

One of the biggest mistakes students make when learning organic chemistry is trying to memorize everything. Naturally there will be memorization involved, but more important is your ability to really understand what’s going on so that you can solve problems that you’ve never seen before. Each concept in organic chemistry builds upon previous principles, so get in the habit of reviewing summaries and notes from previous material as new material is introduced.

What is organic chemistry?

Organic chemistry is one of those courses where it’s helpful to study in groups. Ask each other questions, solve problems together, and teach one another. If you can explain a concept to someone else, then you know that you understand it.

What is the best book to visualize organic molecules?

One of the best books I’ve seen for helping students visualize organic molecules is Pushing Electrons by Daniel Weeks.

Is organic chemistry the toughest course?

Ask any premed student and most will tell you that organic chemistry, especially organic chemistry II, is the toughest course that they’ve taken in college. At some schools, professors take pride in making this the weed-out course for potential medical students; and I’ve personally known good students who’ve given up on medicine just because of organic chemistry.

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I have 25.6 hours to write approximately 20 pages across two projects

edit: 12 hours in update: Just finished the first project. Took a one hour nap. Gonna start the second now

Is anyone else feeling incredibly excited for in person classes in the fall?

I'm a rising junior so I got one year pre-covid and then all of last year was online (I went back to campus in January tho). I love college, it's been the best stage of my life so far.

Did you guys like college more or high school?

I personally liked college a lot more, in high school I was pretty awkward and didn’t open up and didn’t have a good friend group but in college I opened up and tried to put myself out there and had a lot of fun.

Does anyone else feel like their local community college teaches better than the 4 years theyre going to?

Im taking anatomy at a community college and its so much more straightforward than my quote on quote competitive public school. theres no bullshit weedout mindset to deal with and the professor is actually willing to help everyone. theres no poorly written abritrary questions on the test that 80+% of student get wrong.

Do Any of You Regret Choosing the College Major You Did?

I'm feeling a little conflicted with my major right now... is this normal? Or could this mean something bigger?

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