How to Ace Organic Chemistry

For many students organic chemistry can be a scary and daunting course. By approaching the material systematically, efficiently and most importantly continuing to be conscientious any student can get an the highest grade possible...an A of course!

#1: Know what your dealing with (...like a good fight right? you gotta know what your opponent is about!)
What is Organic Chemistry? : When you get down to it Organic Chemistry is the study of carbon compounds.
Why is it so important? : Well lets see...out of the more than 30 MILLION presently known compounds, 99% of them contain carbon.

How will this help you? Well know you have a working definition of what Organic Chemistry will be about and its importance. This will not only help you grasp the material but also focus your studying.

#2: Be Organized!

Create a study plan for yourself, You'll most likely be dealing with more than one course at a time during he semester so make note on a day planner, or monthly calendar when assignments are due, as well as the dates for your exams, quizzes, lab write-ups etc...

Get into a studying routine, the key to not only understanding organic chemistry but also retaining the information you learned is to be consistent in your studying to keep the material fresh in your mind. Try to incorporate some of the tips below:

Study every day: Doing a couple hours of organic chemistry a day can get you into a rhythm as well as keep up the pace so you can get through the material and not fall behind. Most importantly this will help to prevent CRAMMING, which will certainly NOT lead you to an A in organic chemistry.

Read the corresponding topics in your textbook before going to class. That way you can already have an understanding of what the Professor is talking about. This can also help you come with pre-written questions on material. After class, copy your notes right away, this will help you retain more information.

Almost every textbook has problems/exercises at the end of each chapter. This problems are designed to help you understand the material in the chapter....do everyone one of them!! By doing every problem you'll be ready for any type of question on an exam or pop quiz.

#2: Utilize online resources

There is a lot tons of information out there to assist you on your journey through organic chemistry. A great site to check out for any course including organic chemistry is MIT opencourseware. Here you can find the syllabus, lecture notes, homework, and exams for tons of courses including organic chemistry. Use this site to practice material, clarify concepts, and to complete practice exams.

#3: Utilize campus/community resources

If you don't understand something, get help right away! Go to a professor's office hours, talk to a teaching assistant, or contact a tutor. Whatever you do make sure you don't wait to get help. Understanding each concept in organic chemistry is KEY to getting an A. Also, be persistent and don't be shy in getting help, ask whoever you can think of to help you learn organic chemistry.

#4: Use more than one text book

If your having trouble understanding a concept in your textbook, take a trip to the library! Either your campus or community library will have previous editions of textbooks for all subjects, these can come in handy when finding different approaches to understanding material.

#5: Modeling Kits

Useful for visualizing structures, some professors may even allow you to use them on exams. Either way, you'll have a greater understanding of what compounds actually look like, and their structure-property relationships. Look on e-bay for organic chemistry modeling kits, people often sell these after they are done with the taking an organic chemistry class.

Getting in A in organic chemistry is feasible, keep your goal in mind, work hard, stay optimistic and get that A!!!