DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

While the CHEM 171/172 sequence (Advanced General Chemistry) and the CHEM 151/152 sequence (Accelerated General Chemistry) cover similar chemistry topics, CHEM 171/172 will cover those topics in greater depth and with a better understanding of the origins of the equations relating various parameters. 

Students who have CHEM 1X0 credit on their record (from AP or IB exam scores) will retain that credit if they take CHEM 171/172, giving them a total of 3.68 units of credit in General Chemistry. Students who take CHEM 151/152 will be repeating their CHEM 1X0 credit, resulting in a total of 2.68 units of General Chemistry.

Yes. 

AP/IB scores do not determine placement. All course placements are determined by a student's score(s) on the Initial Assessment and (optionally) the Chemistry Placement Exam. 

Click here to learn more about course placement. 

No. You will only be able to enroll in the course that matches your placement as listed on the Chemistry Placement Assessments Canvas site.

If you have concerns about your course placement after the start of the quarter, you may contact Prof. Fred Northrup to discuss your options.

As a general rule, we encourage students whose Placement Exam result shows mastery of General Chemistry to start in Organic Chemistry. The most straightforward reason to start in CHEM 215-1/235-1 or CHEM 217-1/237-1 is to save time and schedule space.

A few additional compelling reasons are highlighted below

The Conceptual Overlap is Minor:

Many students are worried that they are "rusty" with Gen Chem concepts and that this will hurt them in Organic Chemistry. In truth, the overlap between Gen Chem and Organic Chemistry at the 200-level is small.

The most important carryover concepts are acid-base equilibria, bonding, orbital theory, stereochemistry, and certain physical properties (e.g. ionization energy, electronegativity) and these are reviewed at the start of 215-1. We do not think that an incoming first-year student is at a disadvantage here.

General Chemistry is Challenging:

Students sometimes think that taking Advanced General Chemistry (Fall Chem 171/181 and Winter Chem 172/182) will be significantly easier than Organic Chemistry. It is difficult to make the comparison, but both courses are challenging and push students intellectually, which is a good thing. 

If you have an interest in Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, it might make sense to take CHEM 171 and 172, but you may also be able to cover this material in other courses. For most students, the better choice is take 3 courses (Organic) instead of 5 (Advanced Gen Chem + Organic). Your adviser can assist you in your decision-making process.

Bio/Chem Split:

Students who need to take Organic Chemistry and the Biology 201/202/203/301 core (i.e. the pre-health track) often find themselves taking these classes simultaneously during their second year.

This translates to significant classroom and lab time and presents a formidable challenge. Splitting up these tracks can be very valuable and can mean better academic performance and better school/life balance.

There is no uniform acceptance policy for AP credit for all medical schools. Most medical schools will accept AP credit but some may require or prefer that an applicant take upper level science coursework, in some cases from the same area of study, to replace the AP credit.

Exceptions: A small number of schools have stricter requirements and do not accept AP or IB credits. Always check a medical school's admissions website to be certain of the most current policies.

We recommend that you connect with the experts at Health Professions Advising (HPA) if you have further questions about pre-med or pre-health course planning. They will have information sessions during Wildcat Welcome and are available for advising throughout the year.  https://www.northwestern.edu/health-professions-advising/