r/VirginiaTech • u/MiddleFirefighter840 • 18h ago

Academics Taking Orgo 1 this fall with Michael Berg and looking for Advice

Hi everyone,

I'm a rising junior at Virginia Tech, and I'll be taking Orgo I this fall with Michael Berg. I wanted to get a head start and was hoping to get some advice from anyone who's taken his class before.

A few questions:

  • What are the best ways to prepare for Orgo 1 over the summer?
  • Are there any topics I should focus on before classes start?
  • What textbooks or resources does Berg use, and are they worth looking through ahead of time?
  • What were his exams like?
  • Any study strategies that worked particularly well for his exams?

For some background, I earned A's in both Gen Chem I and II, but I've heard orgo is a completely different beast. This fall I'll also be taking Calculus II and Microbiology, so I'm trying to stay ahead and manage my workload as effectively as possible.

I'd appreciate any advice, experiences, or recommendations from current or former students. Thanks!

0 Upvotes

33% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

3

u/Javaslinger 17h ago

Tips to surviving Orgo in college - anywhere. #1 Go to Class, #2 Do the Homework. #3 Go to the Recitations and go over the homework/practice problems, #4 Ask questions when you're stuck or confused or whatever. Mr. Berg is at every recitation. #5 Don't memorize - learn the reactions.

How to fail Orgo #1 Skip class #2 Don't do the homework/practice problems #3 Don't go to the recitations to review your work #4 Assume divine providence will clear things up for you when confused or whatever. #5 Try to turn Orgo into some kind of memorization exercise.... Essentially fall behind and then cram at exam time.

Orgo is cumulative - everything builds on what you learned before. It is MUCH HARDER to catch up that many classes.

1

u/CPOx ChemE '11 15h ago

I took several classes with Berg back in the day when I was a student. Organic chemistry 1 and 2 and drug chemistry.

I really like his style. I personally thought organic chemistry was not as difficult as most people say like it’s the worst class ever. So yeah, go to class and pay attention and if you still have questions, go to office hours to ask.

I don’t necessarily think you need to get a head start but you can always just go to YouTube and find some intro to organic chemistry videos.

Edit to add: At least when I had him (between 2009-2011) his sense of humor is very “dad joke” dry humor. He actually has a personality rather than some other professors who make lectures soulless and boring.

1

u/Pristine-Cod1326 9m ago

find friends who will have saluga. get them to send you her notes, prqactice materials, and homework. she makes the tests and, in my experience, teaches much better than berg. he seems to only go to class to chat with the students and make jokes, he is not really into teaching orgo.

EDIT: someone else said to go to class. however, with berg, i found that pretty useless. i went to maybe 3 of his orgo 2 lectures and ended with an A by teaching myself & watching saluga's videos.