<p>“15% is just a DUMMY number and it doesn’t have to be more than 1 std dev below the mean. LOL! The point was a 15% (3% if that makes it easier) below the mean in orgo would be a C whereas in most other classes, it would be something better, like B-.”</p>
<p>The 15% was from Sakky’s example. He uses the example of his friend receiving a C for scoring 15% below the mean as an example of how harsh curves can be and how harsh curves are therefore the reason orgo is hard. I was simply pointing out that a) receiving a C for scoring 15% below the mean is NOT harsh nor unfair and b) if an orgo class is curved this way, then the curve is very appropriate.</p>
<p>“What grade does a person get if he gets the mean in the orgo class at Cornell? According to <a href=“http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10436[/url]”>http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10436</a>, the avearge GPA for all classes at Cornell is around 3.34 (B+). Is the mean for the orgo class B+? I’d be very surprised if it is not significantly lower than that.”</p>
<p>The mean is curved to a B like most chem and bio classes.</p>
<p>“As for my friend not being strong in orgo, that’s a nondefensible statement and you are entitled to your opinion. However, I very much doubt a person not strong in Orgo could have gotten 36 on MCAT (higher than average for Harvard med school admit) without even studying all that hard for it.”</p>
<p>I didn’t say that your friend is not strong in orgo. I don’t know your friend. I said that PERHAPS he is not strong in orgo. If he is as smart as you say and a certain % of people in the orgo class did receive A’s (let’s say 10%) and he couldn’t score in that range for orgo as he has done in other classes, what’s to say that he is not simply a little weaker in orgo than in other subjects? </p>
<p>As for the MCAT, I had a grand total of 1 passage (around 9 questions out of 77) on orgo on my form. I know of multiple forms in the August 2005 administration that were deficient in orgo. It is very possible to score high and not be very good at orgo. And, let’s face it, B+ in orgo is still a very good grade. </p>
<p>Look, there’s no doubt orgo is one of the more challenging classes in any school. I’d place it as one of the top 3 toughest classes I’ve taken at Cornell. I’m simply saying that it’s reputation has been exagerrated. In many cases, it is not this impossible, cutthroat, unfair class that you and sakky seem to be promoting.</p>