As much as I hated 2410/20, I loved the labs. As long as you read the lab book ahead of class and go to lectures, you can easily be the top scoring student in your section. Although a good TA helps with that as well.

This is the hardest class I've taken at UVa. Lab reports take forever to write and in the end they aren't worth that much. You'll spend a lot of time pondering how the grading works. You get ranked amongst your lab section based on your lab reports because every section has a different TA. I was ranked near the bottom of my lab section, but still got an A- because I studied my ass off for the final and was presumably in a smart lab section. If everyone in your lab section does well on the final then you're in good shape. Learn every single step of every single mechanism as well as all reagents and catalysts used in the lab and you'll succeed. Not for the faint of heart but also not the end of the world.

The lab reports are very doable but the final is extremely difficult.

This class really isn't as bad as everyone says. Dr. Hunt is a good lecturer and his lectures are really helpful for writing the lab report if you record them and take the time to understand the material. He is a lot calmer this semester, and even makes funny jokes in class. With that being said, be prepared to work. Don't take the class, knowing that it will be difficult, and then complain that you received a C but spent 5 hours a week on the lab reports. That's because the people who received As spent 10+ hours a week on the lab reports and truly understood the material. Yes, there is a lot of memorization for the final, but if you have to memorize every step of every mechanism, then you're doing something wrong. If you understand the material and work hard, you will receive a good grade and learn a ton about Orgo. Yes, this class is the pre-med weed out course, but idiots and lazy people can't be doctors...

Also, Dr. Hunt's grading system does make sure that those who deserve As receive them. I wouldn't be shocked if the negative comments you see below were made by the students who thought 5 hours a week would suffice.

And while your TA does influence your experience with the course, you're not necessarily screwed with a bad TA. My TA last semester was horrible- he always skipped parts of the labs and discouraged us from explaining the mechanisms in our lab reports. While this was a great timesaver, it put the entire section at a huge disadvantage for the final. I taught myself the material, studied a ridiculous amount for the final, and received an A in the course.

By the way, Brandon Wade is a great TA. He's really helpful, is good at explaining things, and always makes himself available to students.

Terrible TA...condescending, rude...tried to arbitrarily take off points from my lab reports because I refused to suck up to this jerk unlike many of my classmates. Asked for a regrade from Hunt and ended up with a B. Hunt is actually really nice and was more than willing to explain topics I didn't understand for the final. I actually got extra help one on one with him and it helped a lot. Stay after lecture and ask for some help. He's really an awesome teacher, but you usually don't get the personalized attention in lecture.

Hard as ballls, like other people have said, you have to spend at least 6 hours a week per lab/lab report/learning lab. It is absolutely essential. I didn't do this first semester and did terribly, spent at least 5 hours a week this year and am doing quite well. Remember, the more time you spend with something the more you will know it, and the easier it will come on the hardest final exam you will ever take in your entire life.

Great TA this semester. Still the same hard professor as before.

Tough if you can't stand a little pressure, otherwise just take it easy and take your time on the lab reports and you will be fine. The final will be hard, but not impossible if you memorize, well, everything...

Labs and reports weren't too hard as long as you understood the theory behind the experiments. Having a good TA who is willing to help you is helpful, though it doesn't really matter if your TA grades hard or easy, because everyone in your section will be judged the same in the section ranking. Basically your final exam grade determines your final overall grade. Don't be fooled by the fact that the final exam only counts for 20% of your final grade. I went and spoke with Hunt and his reasoning is that you only deserve an A in the class if you get an A on the final exam. You can work your ass off in the class and write top notch reports, but still get destroyed by his killer final and end up with a miserable grade.

Dr. Hunt is not as cruel as the grades would show. He is a good lecturer. But be warned, regardless of you're T.A. lab reports will again take much longer although post labs are easier as they focus on mechanisms for the most part. DO THE SAMPLE FINAL AFTER EACH LAB. It really helps. Be prepared for another hard final, it will be much more manageable than the 1st semester though. STRUCTURES STRUCTURES STRUCTURES!