Rusty on High School Chem [ENDORSED]

[daniela3D]

I currently enrolled myself to my Peer Learning Session (PLS) for Chem 14A through AAP and it is very helpful! It is a small group of people with an instructor who has already taken the course who goes over what Lavelle has taught in class and provides work problems to work with.

[Ashley P 4I]

I am so glad that someone posted this because I always feel like I am out of the loop. There is a lot of people that automatically know the answers for everything and I am so lost sometimes.

[RandallNeeDis3K]

I'm in the same position. I'm sure that as long this course isn't taken lightly and you try your hardest, utilizing all of the resources given to us, you will do well!

[Anna O 2C]

I have found that Dr. Lavelle is very effective at reviewing all necessary fundamentals needed for that lesson at the beginning of lecture. I took Honors Chemistry sophomore year and I am also a freshman this year. For me at least, the best way I've found to really get through the material is to watch the video modules he has online before lecture and take all my notes on the slideshow before lecture (the slideshows in the videos are almost always nearly identical to the ones in lecture). This way I don't have to focus on writing down everything from lecture and instead I can follow along in my notes and add info as I learn it and be able to really focus in on his commentary rather than focusing on writing down the slides which I already have in my notes. By focusing on new info this way, I have more time to review fundamentals as well.

[Arlene Linares 3A]

Just to add on-- Crash Course on Youtube is great for conceptual chemistry and overarching themes, and really helps with understanding the "greater picture" when it comes to some concepts. If you are looking for more step-by-step instruction with worked out examples, I'd highly recommend using Khan Academy's chemistry section: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry.

As for in person instruction, from what I can tell, many students find utilizing TA's, UA's, and office hours to be very helpful as well.

This sounds really helpful thank you.

[Arlene Linares 3A]

Just to add on-- Crash Course on Youtube is great for conceptual chemistry and overarching themes, and really helps with understanding the "greater picture" when it comes to some concepts. If you are looking for more step-by-step instruction with worked out examples, I'd highly recommend using Khan Academy's chemistry section: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry.

As for in person instruction, from what I can tell, many students find utilizing TA's, UA's, and office hours to be very helpful as well.

This sounds really helpful thank you.

[Zack Barta 3I]

I think we all will do great!

[Arlene Linares 3A]

Reading Fundamentals in the textbook before the ones assigned were extremely helpful as well. I felt much more prepared after I read fundamentals A-D specifically. Also, just reading the textbook provides more background knowledge that helps understanding the course reader as well.

Would you recommend reading the textbook before lecture?

[105085381]

I have been reviewing each concept after lecture by watching the Crash Course videos on YouTube. They have been helpful in clarifying and breaking down what is being taught in class. I definitely recommend watching a few. Hope it helps!

[904983525]

I'm in a similar place having not taken Chemistry in 4 years. I worried about this as well but I have come to realize that this class is lower division and therefore Lavelle is accustomed to teaching rusty students. He gave many useful resources including study sessions both on the Hill and on campus, several times every day. Taking notes and reading the material are super important too especially having not learned many of the concepts in AP Chemistry. Either way I believe staying on task will allow you to be successful in this class. Good luck!

Thank you for the advice and information, very helpful. I also am a lot rusty in chemistry and do not really have much chemistry background.

[904983525]

I have found that Dr. Lavelle is very effective at reviewing all necessary fundamentals needed for that lesson at the beginning of lecture. I took Honors Chemistry sophomore year and I am also a freshman this year. For me at least, the best way I've found to really get through the material is to watch the video modules he has online before lecture and take all my notes on the slideshow before lecture (the slideshows in the videos are almost always nearly identical to the ones in lecture). This way I don't have to focus on writing down everything from lecture and instead I can follow along in my notes and add info as I learn it and be able to really focus in on his commentary rather than focusing on writing down the slides which I already have in my notes. By focusing on new info this way, I have more time to review fundamentals as well.

Thank you for this. Helped a lot to watch the videos before lecture.

[904983525]

I'm in the same position. I'm sure that as long this course isn't taken lightly and you try your hardest, utilizing all of the resources given to us, you will do well!

I agree. Utilizing all the resources available is the best way to go.

[904983525]

I think we all will do great!

I hope so and thank you for the motivation.

[904983525]

I have been reviewing each concept after lecture by watching the Crash Course videos on YouTube. They have been helpful in clarifying and breaking down what is being taught in class. I definitely recommend watching a few. Hope it helps!

This is awesome. I always liked watching videos that break down everything being taught. Thank you for the recommendation.

[gabbymaraziti]

I'm in a similar place - I took a Chemistry course the summer after my sophomore year in high school and I am now a second year. Luckily, Dr. Lavelle is starting this course with a week focused on reviewing high school chemistry topics, and I've heard he's a great teacher. Past that, I think the best way for anyone in the same predicament to catch up is to attend office hours (upwards of 30 hours a week available), and study Crash Course Chem.

[William Chan 1D]

I took chemistry two years ago and I feel like the best way to stay on top of the material is actually do the HW and get feedback on it. Review lecture notes before assessments and as always, never be afraid to ask questions!

[Leila_4G]

Since we only have to turn in 5 answers per week, do you advise not necessarily doing all the problems listed in the syllabus and once we feel confident that we understand the material then we just make sure we have the 5 questions?

[Brian_Ho_2B]

Since we only have to turn in 5 answers per week, do you advise not necessarily doing all the problems listed in the syllabus and once we feel confident that we understand the material then we just make sure we have the 5 questions?

Of course, we are only required to do 5 questions per week; however, if the content is challenging I would recommend that you do more than five problems per week (but only turn in five as usual). As much as it is said, the phrase "practice makes perfect" holds very true. The best way to get the most out of classes like this one as well as math classes is to put theory to practice. For example, I haven't taken a chem class in two years so I am rusty on the material, so I selected and did about 15 questions from the options listed in the syllabus to sharpen my skills. However, if you are very comfortable with the material, you wouldn't have to do more than five problems per week, but it is a good idea to reread the textbook once in a while to make sure the information sticks.

[Mandeep Garcha 2H]

I'm in a similar situation, I have not taken chemistry since my sophomore year of high school and this is my first year of college. However, I think using ALL of the resources we have available to us is imperative. Professor Lavelle has mentioned that there are 32 hours of assistance each week and you can also form study groups or attend office hours!

[Sara Richmond 2K]

Hello, this is my first time taking a chemistry course since my senior year of high school and I am currently a second year. I was just wondering for someone who is on chem in general, what tips can I use to guide me through this 14A course?

Hello, this is also my first time taking chemistry in a while. I took chemistry my sophomore year of high school and I am currently a first year. My high school chemistry teacher sucked- we literally made pancakes all year. That is it. Luckily, during my sophomore year of high school, I also took an introductory chemistry course at my local community college. However, the topics discussed in that course are still very different from the ones discussed in this course. Not to mention the ones that are similar I don't remember very well. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you do all the audio visual focus topics. Also, if you can find time to form a study group or go to peer learning secessions. I find I learn the most when I am helping others. Best of Luck.

[Charlotte Coplon 1K]

I'm currently taking chem 14A with Lavelle and so far I've found his website modules really helpful in refreshing my high school chem knowledge. Also go to any office hours for him or the TAs if you want to spend some extra time going over things. Lavelle also announced peer learning sessions throughout the week, where you can get extra help or ask any questions.

[Shutong Hou_1F]

I took my AP chemistry class as a senior in my senior high, and I'm a freshman now, so study techniques for chemistry is still fresh for me. Personally, I would recommend the strategy that keeping asking "why", especially when the professor is introducing a new concept or explaining how to solve a challenging problem. By asking "why," I think an individual could dig deeper into a concept and find out potential failure to understand a concept.

[Naren_Ramesh_4F]

Hi! Are there any good chem video resources that anyone recommends ??? (aside from Dr. Lavelle's videos)

CrashCourse, Khan Academy, and Boseman Science Youtube videos are all fantastic resources for studying in my opinion. I used them a lot in high school AP Chemistry and I am sure I will use them in Chem 14A as well.

[ashwathinair]

I totally get this - I had my last chem class in sophomore year of high of school. So far when it comes to reviewing high school chem in Lavelle's class, I feel like the best resources for me have been the modules and doing ALL the homework problems. I think it's very important to do all the practice you can to get the process for how to answer different types of questions down.

[MTanikella_1K]

I took AP Chemistry my sophomore year as well so I have run into the same problem of not fully remembering the concepts I learned. I think that the online modules have helped strengthen my fundamentals and doing practice problems from the textbook has solidified these concepts!

[Jingyao Chen 4H]

I’m currently in the same situation as you. One suggestion adding on to all the ones above would be trying to forget the fact that you’ve learned chemistry in high school. When I think that I’ve taken AP chem and have received a good score, I might not be as focused in lectures because I think that I know them all. Therefore, try to forget that you have learned chemistry and just start knew.

[chari_maya 3B]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned... when doing the first homework I was feeling rusty concerning writing the chemical formula for molecules given their name written out... I found a good website that covers naming compounds etc.
http://www.kentchemistry.com/links/nami ... riting.htm

[705379941]

I suggest that you go to the Step Up workshops in Covel!

[aishwarya_atmakuri]

The best thing you can do is to review problems that focus on fundamentals. Make sure you check your answers and try to figure out what you can improve on!

[Amanda 3H]

I'm in the same boat, maybe worse! I haven't taken general chemistry since sophomore year and I feel so behind! Trying my best to catch up and review basic high school chem topics but I feel so lost ):

[Amanda 3H]

I'm in the same boat, maybe worse! I haven't taken general chemistry since sophomore year and I feel so behind! Trying my best to catch up and review basic high school chem topics but I feel so lost ):

[Brian J Cheng 1I]

Same here! I haven't taken Chemistry in a few years, but Lavelle's modules and Fundamentals reviews really help out in making the information come back to me! I suppose if we read ahead periodically and used his office hours/external resources, we would all do well :) Good luck to all of us!

[Nick Lewis 4F]

I can relate to all of the above because I took AP Chemistry when I was a junior in high school. It's hard to come back to it after a long time but do you guys have any more tips on how to jog your memory and become familiar with topics you used to know really well?

[bloodorangefield]

I recommend buying a 3D molecule model kit (there's also a free program that Professor Lavelle provides for us) It makes things a lot easier when learning shapes and arrangements.

[NHolmes3L]

I am super rusty on Chemistry too. Going through the textbook and practice problems helps me the most. Crash Course Chemistry videos also are a great for review.

[405398682]

Well, the first week I feel like we just went over the general chem in high school (not ap chem), but I DO think you need to know some basic concepts in chemistry in order not to make your life so hard in 14A. The best thing to do would be taking a diagnostic test and see how you feel about learning 14A. If you feel confident in succeeding in CHEM 14A, then just go with it even though extra work may need to be put on chemistry study; if not, 17 would be a good place to start. Starting from 17 doesn't mean you are behind, it just means you choose to your foundation stronger before you actually constructing a building on the top. GOOD LUCK!

[405404782 Gabriel Rigole 4F]

Same it has been round 3 years since the last time I took Chemistry. Thank you too everyone for the tips posted on this topic.

[Catherine Daye 1L]

Hey! I'm not sure if this works for everyone but it definitely helps me. I took chem a while ago and I forgot a lot of information, but doing practice problems in the textbook and online helps a lot. I just look up something like "limiting reactant problems". Each question, easy or hard, helps me remember a little bit more!

[Kendra Barreras 3E]

Personally Lavelle's modules help out a lot and also what has helped me with topics I struggle with is to google problems aside from the book and see if I find a way that makes more sense to me. Thanks to eeryone for the tips!

[Kaylee Sepulveda 4G]

Its been a while for me too! I know this is basic, but knowing the common ions and compounds is so important to setting up problems and writing equations, but our course reader doesn't include much about them. I have this review list that will totally help!Common Ions.docx

Thank you, I have been struggling with this!

[Jaklin Astvatsatryan]

I didn't take AP Chem in high school but we should all be up for a challenge. If any of you guys want, we can form study groups and help each other!!

[LeAirraBullingor2k]

Same with me, I haven't taken chemistry since the 10th grade and I'm a sophomore. What has been helping me a lot is doing every homework problem and also enrolling in AAP peer learning. These peer learning facilitators really know what they're doing and have helped me in other series too!

[BCaballero_4F]

Definitely take advantage of all the tutoring they offer and practice as much as you can, YouTube also helps a lot.

[Tooba_1A]

The modules are the biggest help, as well as just going through each problem one by one in the textbook with the answers to check it. It's not much about skill, it's mostly just practice and getting into the habit of it. The programs like Step Up and Peer Learning are also a massive support.

[Elizabeth 4I]

I'm in the same boat as well, the last time I took chem was my sophomore year of high school.

[Emil Velasco 1H]

I'm also really rusty but so far I think doing the practice problems he has on his Course Outlines (from the 14A website) have been extremely helpful in getting exposed to practice problems. His modules have also helped me a ton in understanding some things I haven't touched up on since 4 years ago!

[Emma Joy Schaetz 1E]

Professor Lavelle's Audio-Visual Focus-Topics are very helpful!

[Drake Choi_1I]

Is there anyone else that hasn't done chemistry since sophomore year? I did not even do AP, so my knowledge of chemistry in very minimal.

[kendal mccarthy]

I literally love this youtube channel for chemistry, I used it all throughout AP and regular chem in high school. His name is Tyler Dewitt. He is so succinct and I like his videos way better than crash course or any other teaching resource. Sometimes he can be a little slow so I usually watch on 1.5 speed and its perfect :)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj3EXp ... peVWnVLoew

[Keerthana Sivathasan 2E]

I have a similar experience taking chemistry sophomore year of high school, and now doing 14A is difficult. I definitely do feel that Lavelle does give us the most resources that he can with all the outside hours by UA and TA and obviously his office hours, which we have to utilize for most success. It may be a struggle at first getting used to it, but once we be proactive about it, I think we can see better results.

[Patricia Cardenas]

I haven't done chem since sophomore year of highschool as well but I think Lavelle plans for that and that's why so many opportunities for tutoring are available to us. We just have to take advantage.

[TanveerDhaliwal3G]

I haven't taken chem since sophomore year of high school so I am in a similar position. One thing that I've been doing is reading the textbook pages that correspond to the lesson because I think it gives me a wider understanding of the topic.

[MBouwman_4A]

There are so many resources provided on the class website to help brush up on high school chemistry. Especially the video modules and lectures. Reviewing topics from the textbook will also help knock the rust off.

[Lauren Lewis3L]

Do you guys recommend reading the textbook with the homework or just doing the practice problems from the book? Also do you guys go over the problems multiple times or just do it once and then move on?

[Jaklin Astvatsatryan]

Do you guys recommend reading the textbook with the homework or just doing the practice problems from the book? Also do you guys go over the problems multiple times or just do it once and then move on?

I recommend reading the chapter and especially reviewing the sample problems. Breaking it down into sections will help you cover the information more efficiently and will give you time to go back and do more problems if you're rusty on the subject, or time to review.

[CMaduno_1L]

Personally, simply reviewing the tables and charts in the textbook helped me sharpen up on high school chemistry. YouTube videos are also a great resource!

[RBergtraun_3A]

Khan academy works really well for quick brush up on knowledge. I'm in the same boat.

[GEOVANNAO_3F]

Hello, this is my first time taking a chemistry course since my senior year of high school and I am currently a second year. I was just wondering for someone who is on chem in general, what tips can I use to guide me through this 14A course?

hey using chemmybear and Dr.Lavelle's tutorials are very helpful in helping me review chemistry topics.

[AnayaArnold_3L]

Just to add on-- Crash Course on Youtube is great for conceptual chemistry and overarching themes, and really helps with understanding the "greater picture" when it comes to some concepts. If you are looking for more step-by-step instruction with worked out examples, I'd highly recommend using Khan Academy's chemistry section: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry.

As for in person instruction, from what I can tell, many students find utilizing TA's, UA's, and office hours to be very helpful as well.

Thank you so much!

[CMaduno_1L]

I'm not sure what the likelihood of this is, but if you still have your notes from chemistry in high school (perhaps in a binder), revisiting those may help clear up any misunderstandings

[GEOVANNAO_3F]

any hedrick hall folks want to form a study group?

[Adelpha Chan 1B]

Since we only have to turn in 5 answers per week, do you advise not necessarily doing all the problems listed in the syllabus and once we feel confident that we understand the material then we just make sure we have the 5 questions?

Even if you are confident that you understand the material, it never hurts to do all of the questions as additional practice in preparation for the midterm, final, or tests.

[005162902]

Hello,
what I have found very helpful is going to Lavelle's chem practice and review sessions. There are different types with different styles of learning and I have found them very beneficial for keeping up with new concepts added onto the ones we know from high school. If you are very beginner, I recommend the step-up sessions as they break down the concepts very slowly. Lavelle is a homie for setting all of these up!! I go one to two times a week because he offers so many sessions.

[005162902]

any hedrick hall folks want to form a study group?

Hello! I am in chem 14A in hedrick hall on the 3rd floor! Let's set up a study group (: I go to a lot of review sessions if you ever want to go with a buddy

[GEOVANNAO_3F]

any hedrick hall folks want to form a study group?

Hello! I am in chem 14A in hedrick hall on the 3rd floor! Let's set up a study group (: I go to a lot of review sessions if you ever want to go with a buddy

Hey totally down for this :) lets set up a date

[faithkim1L]

The modules on Lavelle's website are extremely helpful, especially when you just want to go over the concepts that you went over in class. Also, the step up classes are helpful and office hours are too. I recommend just going through a lot of the chem problems from the textbook (the odd ones, since you can check them with the solution manual) and maybe doing some online help (Khan Academy is great!).

[Emma Joy Schaetz 1E]

Just to add on-- Crash Course on Youtube is great for conceptual chemistry and overarching themes, and really helps with understanding the "greater picture" when it comes to some concepts. If you are looking for more step-by-step instruction with worked out examples, I'd highly recommend using Khan Academy's chemistry section: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry.

As for in person instruction, from what I can tell, many students find utilizing TA's, UA's, and office hours to be very helpful as well.

Additionally, the Audio-VIsual Focus Topics go into the specific concepts in a way that aligns with what we are going to be expected to know. Therefore, really understanding and challenging yourself with those is very beneficial for course-specific topics.

[505106414]

Does a lot of the material from 14a come up again in 14b or is it mainly new concepts?

[bloodorangefield]

Practice problems in my opinion are the best to review.

[Leonardo Le Merle 1D]

Try emailing your high school teacher and seeing if they can forward you a document with all their old slides; more sources = more information, can’t hurt!

[Madeline Ogden 3B]

I am in a similar situation as I have not taken chemistry since my sophomore year of high school (I am a freshmen in college now). One of the most helpful resources I've found in this class so far are the audio-visual topics listed on the class website. I have watched/taken notes on all the modules but plan on rewatching the videos in the near future and going over my notes in a different color with any new facts I have learned that I missed the first time I watched each video. I have also been keeping track of what score I get on each post-assessment to see what topics I need help with/which ones I'm fine with only watching once. Re-taking the post-assessments after re-watching the videos also helps as it's not graded and is a way for me to review outside of class. If you've already watched all of the audio-video topics multiple times then YouTube is your best friend! There are so many videos that are designed to review these topics and it may help learning the material from another source as their way of looking at the subject might "click" more easily for you than the professor's way of teaching it and vice versa. Wishing you the best of luck in the class!

[Lusin_Yengibaryan_3B]

Hello everyone. I was wondering how strict Dr. Lavelle is regarding sig figs and which value in a question do we use to base the rest of our sig figs on. Also, if we round our answers throughout the problem and get an answer very similar to the correct one in the end, will we still be given full credit, even if it's off by one digit in the third or fourth sig fig?

[Jagveer 1I]

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/che ... odic-table
This link refreshes trends on the periodic table, such as ionization energy and electronegativity.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap- ... troduction
This link goes over how elements are classified.
So hopefully this helps @paytonm1H.

[Jordan Tatang 3L]

Hello everyone. I was wondering how strict Dr. Lavelle is regarding sig figs and which value in a question do we use to base the rest of our sig figs on. Also, if we round our answers throughout the problem and get an answer very similar to the correct one in the end, will we still be given full credit, even if it's off by one digit in the third or fourth sig fig?

Hi! So I don't know how strict Dr. Lavelle is regarding sig figs but in terms of solving a question, there are two ways to determine the number of sig figs. When multiplying or dividing you are going to round your final answer to the smallest number of sig figs (i.e. 9.23/2 = 5, or 9.23/2.0 = 4.6). When adding or subtracting you are going to round to the smallest decimal place (i.e. 10.25 — 5.1 = 5.2 while
10.25 — 5.10 = 5.15). I think some of the grading for questions is based on your process rather than solely the answer so you might receive points for that. Also, there is probably a range of answers that they would be willing to accept; however, that range is probably small and one way to ensure you're within that range is to use exact values until the end or use values with large enough significant figures that your answer won't be affected.
Hopefully that helps answer some of your questions :)

[Alex Mele 2A]

I'm a first-year UCLA student, and I took AP Chemistry as a junior in high school. One way I've been keeping the material fresh in my memory has been by tutoring other current high school students! Coming into Chem 14A, I found that the Audio-Visual Focus Topics were also very useful as their preliminary quizzes made me consider things I was rusty on before the video modules. I have also been reviewing my notes from AP Chem and am planning on keeping all of my notes from this chem series as studying them helps me a lot.

[jia207]

I haven't taken chemistry since my sophomore year of high school and am also feeling a bit overwhelmed. There are so many resources out there that I am not really sure where to begin. However, I am doing my best to break it down section by section.

[John_Tran_3J]

I would recommend watching the modules and taking the post assessment tests that Lavelle emailed to us. Then I also recommend attending the step up sessions, these sessions focus on honing basic skills that the four modules and fundamentals covered.

[Michelle Nguyen 3F]

Despite taking AP Chemistry only last year at my high school senior year, I still feel quite rusty on chemistry overall. I am just glad that Dr. Lavelle is taking time to help students learn and review the fundamentals before going straight into the intense work. Sources that have helped me (besides the Audio-Visual Focus-Topics) are Khan Academy chemistry (especially the AP Chemistry to go over Fundamentals) and The Organic Chemistry Tutor YouTube Channel!

[Ruochen Yang 3B]

Hi! I'm also kind of rusty on high school chem. Last time I did chem related exams was in sophomore SAT subject test! I haven't learnt AP Chemistry unlike some students. I think the best way to master Chem after such a long time is to go through Dr. Lavelle's materials on his class websites because the videos really help! Also, if you still keep your high school stuff, maybe you can do a revision. As someone has already mentioned, YouTube videos like crash course also help!

[Akriti Ratti 1H]

Hi! I am in a similar situation. I haven't taken chemistry since my sophomore year of high school, and they did not offer AP/Honors chemistry, so I was a bit lost at first. I have been going through the resources on Dr. Lavelle's class website and watching videos on Khan Academy and that is definitely helping!

[AJForte-2C]

How helpful are Dr.Lavelle's office hours for reviewing high school chem topics? What happens in them? Are there a lot of students in them?

[Madeline Marron 1I]

I understand how you're feeling in this situation since I haven't taken chemistry since my sophomore year of high school and I'm an incoming Freshman. All my friends told me I'm crazy for choosing to take Chemistry as one of my science requirements since I'm not a STEM major but I think it will be a good time as long as we use the resources Lavelle has laid out for us and participate in office hours/discussions.

[Thomas Gimeno]

I took AP Chem in my junior year and I am a first year now. I'm finding that a good amount of the content is coming back but whenever I'm unsure about a basic, I really like to go n youtube and find someone explaining the topic. A lot of teachers will post lectures and practice problems online which can be really helpful if you just need brief reminder.

[Megan ODonnell 3F]

I would say that reading the readings and staying on top of the practice problems are especially helpful to me. I took AP chem last year and was so scared that I wouldn't be able to stay on top of the work and succeed in the class, but as long as you stay on top of the work and study an ample amount and listen to the lectures, you should be fine. Also, office hours is a big help to when you're confused!

[Andy Hernandez]

Coming from 2020 student, I'm semi-lost haha. Online is definitely not fun.

[Andy Hernandez]

Coming from 2020 student, I'm semi-lost haha. Online is definitely not fun.

[Jamie2002]

Reading ahead is always a good tactic to make sure you aren't loss while in class. The lecture will be more easy to follow and you can focus more on the content rather than just copying down notes. That said, notes are always a good thing to take so that you can look back on them when studying for tests. I would also recommend focusing more on writing down what you don't know rather than ones you are 100% confident in.

[ColmConnolly3D]

I found that the Audio-Visual Focus topics really helped me to shake off the rust I felt after not taking chem for a year. Even though the first couple seem a little basic, they are a great way to get your mind thinking about chemistry and get those neural networks firing! Besides that, everything we are going to do in this class is building off of the basics, so it can't hurt to go over everything again haha

All the best,
Colm

[Aliya Roserie 3I]

I am also pretty rusty on chemistry and need additional resources to catch up to the speed that this chem class is going. One of the resources that I thought was also pretty helpful are the bar charts and periodic table packets that you can purchase from the bruin store. They give definitions and small explanations to the basic understanding of chem. If you are trying to locate them you can check on myucla and click the textbook link that gives you recommended textbook and resources that will help you succeed in the class.

[Jack Kettering 3D]

I would suggest utilizing the wealth of resources Dr Lavelle has such as step up sessions and office hours if you are not feeling confident on your chemistry :)

[Kandyce Lance 3E]

For the people that have utilized the step up sessions and online resources, how helpful are the sessions in comparison to other resources? Is there an overall preference that works for the set up of this class, or would it just depend on the individual.

[Joel Meza 3I]

You shouldn't worry too much. A lot of us are also rusty on our chemistry as some of us haven't taken it since our sophomore year in high school. If you ever are in need of any help, you may use Chemistry Community, the step-up sessions, or any of the discussion zoom calls that Lavelle hosts (there is also a discussion that is hosted 8-9pm pst to accommodate for international students. Just make sure to ask questions when you need answers to your concerns and take advantage of the resources Lavelle has given us.

[idella 1D]

i felt worried about not remembering for chem at first, even though I was enrolled in ap chem last year, but I still felt worried. Attending step-up and UA sessions are very helpful, as well as Lavelle's own office hours! I've learned I just have to breathe and not stress too much at one time. I also am trying to do as many practice problems that I can from the textbook for some review/practice

[Muskaan Abdul-Sattar]

I'm also nervous about not knowing anything from high school chem. I'm hoping the step-up session will prove to be useful!

[Tobie Jessup 2E]

I also have not taken chemistry in 4 years now so these responses were very helpful! It is definitely frustrating relearning concepts that I have forgotten but Dr. Lavelle has definitely given us a huge amount of resources to help us.

[LexyDenaburg_3A]

I'm in a similar place as well. I haven't taken chemistry since sophomore year of high school and I'm a second year. I find myself taking a lot of time trying to reteach myself a lot of the material and it can just be a bit stressful.

[Catherine Bubser 2C]

It's been almost six years since I took chemistry so I am also pretty rusty; is the best study tactic just repeating different types of practice problems?

[DavidTabib 3H]

I'm in a similar place since I haven't taken chemistry in the past 3 years. I find that youtube videos, such as Crash Course, also help me refresh and understand the concepts that may be difficult.

[alebenavides]

I had the same question. thank you to everyone who replied this was all really helpful. will definitely use/do everything said in this section :)

[BoparaiAdeshsurjit2F]

Just read the textbook it helps the most.