i'd rather consume feces than take this course again. even though this professor already retired, i'm still gonna shit on him through these eval in hopes that he one day will look at this comment. McGarvey, if you're reading, your forearms and biceps are lit from all the figures that you draw on the board, but unfortunately, they don't do much ELSE!!!!!
This class really isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but as many of the reviewers before me have stated, you to have to be a self-motivated learner. There were multiple weeks that I did not even open my textbook because I felt like I was getting the material during lecture. Big mistake. The book is the gateway to success in this class. There were multiple lectures in which he focused on over-complex material that ended up not even being on the test. Be smart about time management, go to his office hours, and stay on top of the readings.
Ok, so orgo is not the easiest and people should not expect to do well on the "friendly exercises". However, in the end your grade will be curved a lot and you'll do fine. McGarvey doesn't care about naming and the small details like that (as opposed to other professors) which is one reason why people prefer him. The TA's are extremely helpful- always go to office hours and review sessions right before exams. That's where you'll find out what you actually need to know. This is less time consuming than the classes with mandatory discussion (I never went to ours). Anyways, DON'T take orgo with McGarvey if: - you thrive in a hands-on, small group environment. -you can't motivate yourself to keep up with orgo on a weekly basis (there is no homework) -you are an exceptionally bad test taker (exams= 100% of your grade). Just remember, your raw score doesn't matter as much as whether you're above or below average. -you hate the textbook (he teaches straight out of the textbook down to the same exact examples. I found this to be nice because I could go home, forget about it and then relearn stuff from lecture- it corresponded exactly) McGarvey himself is actually a funny dude. He's known to shut his door during office hours to pretend he's not there. Anyways I prefer McGarvey's style over others but it really takes a specific type of person to thrive in this class. Choose wisely.
Organic chemistry does not have to be the bane of every premed student's existence. I took Professor McGarvey, because I prefer studying at my own pace and do not benefit from doing busy work. I am honestly glad I did. He mainly draws examples in class, but taking note of the examples he presented in class helped me prepare for the final, since one specific example from lecture showed up as a 20-point bonus question on the final exam. (20 points!) In addition to not having any homework, the TA's were very helpful. They are all undergrads like you and me and can sympathize with us on how tricky McGarvey exams can be. One TA suggested taking pictures of what McGarvey draws and taking notes on what he actually says in class. I found advice this very helpful. It beats copying down everything he draws on the board, since sometimes the way he draws out some mechanisms or syntheses can be confusing with multiple pathways and arrows. Thankfully, his penmanship is neat, but sit in the front in order to take good pictures. I recommend this class if you are anticipating a work-heavy semester/taxing academic schedule and prefer to study at your own pace. As always, read the textbook before and after lecture, study lecture your notes closely with the textbook, focus on understanding the concepts, go to TA office hours, do practice problems at the end of the chapter WITH the solutions manual as supplementary, and watch Khan Academy videos to cover any learning gaps. Learn how you learn in the class, and I am confident that you can do well in organic chemistry!
Like everyone says- there is so much independence. The big choice in orgo is McGarvey or non-McGarvey. Depending on your work ethic, the year of orgo can either be challenging, or simply a year of hell as you desperately cram for exams My advice? If you know that you don't have a quality work ethic- go non-MG. you won't regret it
The entire class McGarvey draws reactions on the board but does not explain what he is doing or what the reactions really are. So, in order to understand you must stay up to date with the textbook readings and basically teach yourself the information. Tests were insanely difficult, but as long as you do above the average the curve will be on your side. Be prepared to teach yourself if you take this class.
McGarvey spends the entire class drawing figures/ reactions on the board with little explanation or actual teaching. As a result, the book is essential in order to understand the information. You have to teach yourself the information, which I was not a big fan of since I had to pay for this class. Tests were difficult but there is a nice curve at the end. I would not recommend McGarvey if you would truly like to understand the information without teaching yourself.
really not that bad. i did really well in orgo, despite not doing well in intro chem. know the book inside and out, and do all of the practice problems, really making sure to understand the answers given in the solutions manual, and you will do fine. tests are hard and will always have something you've never seen before, but you can always get decent amounts of partial credit. curve is huge. averages on the tests were 64, 61, and then 54.
Glenn McGarvey is the voice of his generation. A gentle songbird that preaches the good news of organic chemistry, Glenn spends his time pretending he isnt actually a student lecturer, residing in his office at all hours of the day and only venturing out to show off his ability to draw byzantine organic structures. Behind the opaque office door exists the realm of a man who does not know what is going to happen in lecture until he takes a gander at his infamous yellow notes, 5 minutes before class. Although his tests are not overly complicated, there is nothing in the known universe that gives him more pleasure than immersing himself in the wave of despair that washes over the room after he exclaims that the class average is lower than a 60. Although Glenn McGarvey is an enigmatic creature, and you should not miss out on the opportunity to enroll in his organic chem class.
Lectures are boring and not very clear. He assumes that you've read the book and basically already know what he is talking about. The entire lecture is just him writing structures on the chalkboard, and most of the time it is really difficult to read his handwriting. The entire grade is based off 4 exams. The average for the tests are usually in the 50s and 60s. The tests are impossible and the questions seem to come out of left-field compared to the practice problems given by the TAs.
