Is chemistry hard?

leenak · Feb 13, 2012

I took a year of chemistry as part of my BS. I did not think it was hard and kind of liked it. You will have formulas and such that require some math but it isn't too hard.It depends though, some people struggle with math in general. Just take it and do the best you can.

gensheak · Feb 13, 2012

I am actually very good in math, every math course I have taken in college I have gotten an A in. I even got A's in both of my A & P 1 and 2. I took A & P 1 and 2 in the summer if that helps put it in perspective for you, but by no means is it easy. It's a lot of memorization. Chemistry is tough for me though. I tried super hard to get an A and I ended up with a B (which I understand isn't bad). I didn't have any touble with the lab portion it was actually the math that got me, surprisingly!! Where I go to school they do not let us redo an already earned grade. But then again it will depend on where you go. So, that's hard to say. We did have 5 exams though and I got high A's on the first 2 and a C and 2 D's on the others and still ended up with a B, but he supplied us with the opportunity to get extra credit so that helped a lot. We also had homework assignments and projects he added into the grade. Your chemistry grade should be based on more than just exams. I would be careful on stacking all of those science classes together, they are all tough and require a lot of studying. Especially if you want to get A's or B's. I know I personally couldn't handle that load. You know how much you can handle and if you dedicate yourself to it, I think you will be just fine! :)

such_sweet_sorrow · Feb 13, 2012

You will be fine! I put off Chemistry until the very last semester, and finally tackled it, and was much surprised by actually how manageable it is. My advice: don't move on to another concept until you really grab the one you are on. It builds on the thing before it, so you'll be thankful later :up:

rubato, ASN, RN · Feb 13, 2012

I loved chemistry. Got an F in high school (not a serious student). Got an A this summer in college taking more than a full load. Lots of conversion factors (math) and a lot of learning elements, polyatomic ions, etc.... We also had one chapter of organic chemistry.

Jfarmboy · Feb 13, 2012

So I looked it up on the college's website for info on the courses.

It seems both algebra and chemistry is made for students with very little experience with each(me).

In chem they start out at square one and work up into the harder stuff(stuff like biochemistry etc).

Also Mat 040 (algebra) is required to be taken before chemistry so that will help me a lot to sharpen my math skills first.

So it would be algebra in the summer and chemistry in the fall. A&PI in the summer and A&PII in the fall.

I should do good being as these courses aren't super hard by the sounds of it.

Another question. Do you think I would have time to do microbiology sometime either in the summer or fall?

Or should I put that in the spring after I have applied to nursing school?

A&P I and II and microbiology are 3 subject I could get credit for doing before hand and therefore not have to do it during nursing school.

nguyency77, CNA · Feb 13, 2012

I'm REALLY not good at math, especially things like trigonometry or calculus.

But I'm somehow good at chemistry.

If you can think of things in a logical way and if you are very good at listening, I think chemistry will not be all that hard for you. Some schools require a lab along with the chemistry; from what I know, most schools just give you a lab manual with experiments that they will show you how to do, and they'll sometimes give you a practical exam (doing one or two simple experiments). Chem I labs tend to be easy.

Good luck:)

sillywilly · Feb 13, 2012

Chemistry was the WORST for me. The teacher was terrible! He had such a thick accent that no one could understand a word he said. I am bad at math, and that made it really hard for me. All of the non math related concepts I understood, but I would get almost every calculation wrong. I spent almost 500 dollars on a tutor for chemistry.Out of 45 people in the class only 10 people passed. I somehow got a "C" in that class, it was a miracle!

I was so stressed that semester I developed heart palpitations. I really hope I get accepted into the RN program before that class expires because I don't know if I could do it again!

I'm sure if you take algebra before chemistry that will help a lot. Also, make sure you take it with a decent teacher and it shouldn't be that bad. If I had a teacher I could understand and was better at math it would have been no big deal. I got "A"s in anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, but that "C" in chemistry really hurt my GPA. Oh well, at least its over!

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Rocks are hard. Chemistry is difficult.

ggoodman · Feb 14, 2012

like anything else believe you can learn it, put the time in and you'll get it. I am in in now I studied my but off and after our first exam I missed one questions because I did not put the units in the answer. My fault. but it amases me how many people are scratching their head. but I never see those people in the library or the extra lab times. Just like A and P put the time in and you'll do well.

nurse-ellie · Feb 14, 2012

Chemistry is tough, but if you study your butt off you will do great. I actually started to enjoy it at the end of the semester.

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Chemistry was hard for me. I went to free tutoring sessions with a chem major more than 7 times a semester. I practiced the textbook problems at the end of the chapter over and over again until I got the concept. Sure, I ended up memorizing the answer to the problem but the method of solving the problem stuck to me so that I could apply it to a similar problem. Chemistry is really just practice. Practice makes perfect. Put in a lot of time as well. I am putting in a lot of time in A&P2 and I got a 86% on my first exam for the semester. Hard work pays off.