[g c]

Hi all,
This is my first post, so please bare with me....

Has anyone here taken a comphrensive exam in organic chemistry? If so, how did you prepare for it? How much detail did you need to go into during the exam? Were there a lot of questions that were not related to your field (e.g. analytical or physical if you are in organic). Any other comments, tips, etc.?

Thanks.

[g c]

Really? No one has taken this exam?

Is is mostly just undergrad students in here?

[english]

Really? No one has taken this exam?

Is is mostly just undergrad students in here?

We are required to take a compehensive examination at my school.  Such things are not just for graduates.

Most undergraduate schools' chemistry programs are designated and approved by the ACS, and standardized cumes are a requirement for general, organic, and physical chemistry.

[movies]

We don't have comprehensive exams or cumes at my school.

You still have to write a couple of research proposals in your second year and a couple more before you defend your thesis.

[g c]

We are required to take a compehensive examination at my school.  Such things are not just for graduates.

Most undergraduate schools' chemistry programs are designated and approved by the ACS, and standardized cumes are a requirement for general, organic, and physical chemistry.

Ok, fair enough....but that means anyone who has not taken this exam is in undergrad (or beginning of grad), since anyone at your school who has finished an undergrad degree would have taken such an exam. Do you know if the undergrad comps are similar in difficult/length as the grad comps?

[AhmedEzatAlzawalaty]

i didnt take it but i advice u to ask your colleagues in college who have taken

[movies]

Where I went to undergrad, the grad students had to take entrance exams, and if they didn't pass in a particular subject, the had to take the undergrad level class in the same subject (e.g., organic chem.) but they had to take an honors section if it was offered.  Based on that, I would say the entrance exams are probably comparable to the final exam in one of the honors level classes.

Cumes vary a lot from place to place.  I have heard of cumes that were reasonably easy and some that were impossibly difficult.  It seems to be very dependent on which professor writes the cume.

My undergrad degree isn't ACS accredited and it hasn't held me back any.  Do people really think that this accredidation is that important?

By the way g c, most of the staff here is made up of grad students around the US, with a couple from overseas.  Some staff are finishing up their undergrad.  There are a few people floating around who have completed their PhDs as well.

[english]

No we take the comprehensive exams after we finish the class.  I actually haven't finished my undergraduate degree yet.  I'm just finishing my 3rd year.

[Kirche]

I found that unless you were given a topic ahead of time there was really no way to prepare for a cume.  Try to stay on top of the literature; your school may have literature meetings etc.  I didn't start passing them until my second or third year.  I found the one thing that really helped was to try to relax before taking them.  Going to the gym and listening to music right before the exam helped far more than trying to cram everything you don't know into the hour before the test.

[english]

The best thing you could ever do has probably already past...but it is still a good reminder especially if you will continue your studies.

I find it best to review old material at least within weeks or months from learning it.  Basically, after taking the test pretend that the material is still really important.