Questions about whether to do unit 3/4 chem

[kuzco]

Unnecessary background (aka, worried rant): I really struggled with chemistry 1/2 and got pretty trash scores throughout the year, and I don't know whether to continue with 3/4. I didn't enjoy 1/2 because I was pretty overwhelmed (partly because I was away for almost a month), and my teacher's teaching style is completely incompatible with my learning. I have to ask my friends for help with everything because she makes me uncomfortable when I ask her. BUT, I'm worried I'll be limiting my uni choices since I'm still unsure of what I want to do.

If I did choose to do chem next year, what concepts should I revise during the holidays to have solid base knowledge for 3/4?

Also, did you or your friends find unit 3/4 a lot harder than 1/2? How hard would it be to get a  raw study score of 25? I know this question is subject to personal experience, but your opinion would be helpful.

Thanks 

[angrybiscuit]

Hi!
First up, what are options in uni? Do you need chemistry to get into your course? Maybe start tossing up between uni options to see whether or not its necessary to do chem!

Unit 3/4 is much, much more enjoyable than Unit 1/2 (I think everyone agrees on this in AN!) A lot of people I know hated 1/2 but did very well in 3/4 so don't be dissuaded! Unit 1/2 I found was a drag and had a lot of unnecessary theory (imo). Unit 3/4 is harder in that it is much more application than memorisation but trust us when we say that it's very enjoyable to learn. Most concepts are very interesting but again these are very subjective as I was blessed with an amazing teacher.

In chem, you really need to have a good grasp of the content, not just memorise them. I know you're at a disadvantage at this because of your teacher situation. To help grasp concepts I suggest making mind-maps and watching Youtube videos (Khan Academy saved me multiple times), I know it's frustrating to have a teacher that doesn't complement your learning style so try to find a style of learning that will really help you. Group study is absolutely excellent as well!

If you choose to do chem next year I suggest to brush up on your mole calculations, stoichiometry, redox and bonding theory (as in dispersion forces, hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions as these creep up a lot in exams in SA). Calculations are a big part of 3/4 chem so make sure these come naturally as they can get very tricky. I stole this trick from Vaike's guide to chemistry which really helped me, it's called 'Unit Hacking':

""Unit Hacking’ was the term I used to explain how the units in a question can be used to help you get to the answer. For a basic example, if you had 2 moles of glucose, and wanted to find the weight in grams, you’d need to multiply by g/mol, which you should recognise as the unit for molar mass.



Keeping track of units, in general, is a good idea to help ensure you’re performing the correct calculations, to get the answer in the required form."
(this is from Vaike's article btw)

You should read their article as it will really, really help you get started on 3/4 chem!
https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=176367.0

I haven't gotten my scores yet so I can't really give you an insight on how difficult it is to get 'X' study score but again this is different for everyone. I can't tell you to do x+y+z and guarantee you a certain study score  Ultimately, chemistry is about consistency. You need to consistently practise and apply your knowledge by doing exam-style questions throughout the year. You need to pick up on the mistakes you make and keep track of them to ensure you don't do them again. It won't be easy (take it from me) but these efforts will eventually pay off

Hope this helps!