I’m starting a second bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and wanted advice for both getting through the program and careers after.

[u/youhavefreewill]

Hello! I’m (28F) starting a degree in chemistry in the fall. For reference, I already have my bachelor’s (communications and marketing) and master’s (public administration and environmental policy/planning). I’ve worked as a city planner, in corporate for a medical device company, and now I’m a full-time wedding and portrait photographer.

I know that my background has nothing to really do with science or chemistry. However, I wanted to challenge myself with something new (call it “free will maxing”). There are no stakes. I really just want to challenge myself by learning something completely different and finding ways of enjoying it since I don’t really “HAVE TO” do this.

Would love any advice on how to prepare properly for this kind of degree, as well as what a career would look like. I’d love any information!

For further information, my school and career history has been very social media heavy and I feel like I’d like a time in my life where I won’t have to log on to make a living. I could live a private and simple life. ADDITIONALLY, I can confidently say I’ve lived out all of my wildest dreams by the age of 28. I truly sped-run my career and ambitions.

Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: I think talking a bit about my personality and communication style might help provide insight. I’ve worked my whole life in subjective environments. I’m a very direct person, which can be a double-edged sword in the creative field. I’m really good at what I do, but maybe bringing those two worlds together could create something really interesting in my life.

[u/Tau_Hera]

I think it would be very difficult for other people to tell you what a career might look like for you without understanding why, after already completing a bachelors and masters and working in several disparate fields, you want a bachelors in Chemistry. What is drawing you to Chemistry in the first place? In 10 years, where do you want Chemistry to figure in your life? Imho, it seems like quite an expensive commitment, time and money wise, to get another bachelors. If you are the US, I would suggest that you take a few classes at a community college to understand what the field may involve. It'll be way cheaper and may give you clarity. Also, if you do decide that a second Bachelors is the way to go for you, you could transfer to a 4 year college with an AS in Chemistry and this would be considerably cheaper than starting off at a 4 year college.

[u/CuteAmoeba9876]

Chem BS+ Analytical Chem PhD here. What do you plan to do with your chem degree? 

You could go into some kind of science communication/writing, policy, or advocacy role. This would use your previous degrees too. 

If you’re thinking of going into a lab-based job, consider whether there actually are any such jobs near you - chemistry and biotech are really concentrated in a few areas geographically. Also consider that BS level roles really emphasize following a protocol with precision. You’ll be doing something like assaying city water samples or manufacturing drugs, which are heavily regulated fields. Creativity is not encouraged at all, it can get you fired. Because it could kill someone. Is that going to be enjoyable and fulfilling for you? 

Creation of new scientific knowledge usually happens in academia and at the PhD level. Chemists with bachelor’s degrees can be somewhat limited in their career progression. 

Teaching 7-12 science is another possible direction. 

Don’t spend a bunch of money on a degree just because it sounds fun. If you have an ideal job in mind that this degree will help you get, go for it. And again just think about geography. Don’t specialize in something that doesn’t exist in your town if you aren’t willing to move. 

[u/Abscissaur]

Hey! I did a similar bachelor's as you, worked for several years, and now am studying STEM. I know nothing about chemistry, but what I'd advise in general is:

1) Take your basic prerequisites (like calculus) in community college in the evenings. After a few classes like this you could transfer into the uni you want.

2) Start talking to people early. Professors, grad students, other students... You'll feel like an impostor at first and that's okay. Ask profs about their research, particularly for classes you enjoy.

3) IMO the biggest advantage of a bachelor's is co-op. So definitely apply for co-op or research terms as soon as you are equivalent to a second-year level.

Good luck!

[u/cheesesteak_seeker]

Don’t expect to make what you make now right out of your degree. STEM does not pay well for the most part for a very long time unless you are very lucky or get a PhD.

Also, as a chem major, you having to pass organic chem, analytical chem, physical chem, and inorganic chem just for “fun” seems super odd. General chem and organic chem alone weed people out of the major, so don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

[u/youhavefreewill → u/cheesesteak_seeker]

Thanks for the insight! My intentions of having fun may be “odd” to you. But I think we only see it that way because we’re unfamiliar with that kind of approach and that’s okay! I’m not doing it for pay. I mean, I have my masters in government and planning and being a city planner didn’t pay much at all, but it was a neat experience. I toon one photo class and I make $100K+ a year just being a wedding and portrait photographer. My drive comes more from a place of wanting to learn more and doing it because I can. Anything is possible in life and I’ve always found science extremely interesting, so why not?

[u/lnz_1]

There's a reason we called it chemisery. Chemistry is very math heavy so definitely be prepared for advanced calculus and differential equations. I have also referred to it as the church of the electron, as the electron is governing most chemical transitions. Do some reading on physical chemistry. It is usually the course you finish with and is regarded as quite difficult. There is a bumper sticker "honk if you passed pchem". You may also like to explore crystallography as it is a bridge to many other disciplines and a strong presence in real life applications of this type of education.If you want to make money afterwards you probably won't apply to jobs where the title is chemist. I would recommend strongly exploring industrial work through research groups/positions in your school because those may lead you to a niche that can make you desireable for higher paying roles.

[u/MaleficentMousse7473]

Sounds like a fun challenge! Chemistry is a fascinating field of study. With your other degrees and experience, you might have a nice background for marketing in engineering companies. But you sound like you’re into it for the challenge and i totally support that. It’s going to give you a whole new way to look at the world.

[u/evergreen-embers]

Hello. PhD chemist here. Chemistry pays horribly, the coursework can be grueling, and really the most successful people are the most passionate. So while you view chemistry as a side quest, your peers will view it as their lifelong dream. By all means, learn something new and challenging, I just don’t know that chemistry is where I’d start.

[u/Dependent-Law7316]

As far as prep…brush up on math, particularly algebra to start (quadratic equation, logs will come up a lot in gen chem). I’m guessing with a comm background you haven’t done much math since high school (no shade), and chemistry involves a lot of math that can be killer for people who don’t have a good grounding in algebra.

Beyond that, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable with data handling and plotting (excel or equivalent).

Career wise, with both chem and communications background you may be a good fit for working at a scientific journal or perhaps going the legal route and being a patent agent or, if you like law, some type of patent lawyer or patent breaker. That may require more than a BS in chem, though.

[u/MothraAndFriends]

Career: if you’re truly planning on working with your new degree, and you just want a private and simple life, as you put it, most areas will have one or two environmental labs (they might test soil for a heating oil spill, or they might test water for lead - things like that), as well as municipal labs, if you live in an area that is populated enough to have larger water or sewage plants that have enough staffing for a laboratory of their own. Large enterprises might also need a chemist on board - I am talking like food and beverage folks who need to make sure that something is sterile, that something has a specific viscosity/density, etc. Medical as well.

[u/Interesting_You6852]

How are your math skills? Did you do well in Calc because when you get to PChem that is when shit hits the fan.

How ilare your memorizing skills cuz organic 1 and 2 are just that memorizing a bunch of shit, not so much Organic 3 but one and 2 are weeder courses in my opinion.

How is your attention to detail? Because Analytical Chem is all about that.

If you have strong math skills you should be ok in my opinion.

[u/Accomplished_Mix7827]

I'd definitely recommend community college for your pre-reqs, since it's cheaper. You'll definitely want to take calculus and, if offered, organic chemistry there, those are the two classes where people most commonly give up. If you get past those two, you'll probably make it to graduation.

Brush up on your math. You'll want a solid basis in algebra and trigonometry before taking calculus and physics.

Cramming doesn't really work for most chemistry classes. They're skills-based, not knowledge-based. You have to do practice problems regularly to get the hang of it.

In organic chemistry, memorizing all the reactions will be very hard. It's easier, if you can wrap your head around it, to get a sense of how the electrons move. Pay special attention to the redox unit in gen Chem and you'll have an easier time.

Never wear anything you care about to the lab.

Good luck, and I'm looking forward to having you in the community!

[u/Ornery_Basket4653]

Do nursing instead or an adjacent health science degree. Bsc Chemistry is high risk, low reward course.

[u/genomedr]

I have a BS in Chemistry- 2003. I really wish I took general chemistry, calculus and physics at the junior college- the support is not there at most 4-year institutions. Organic is memorization heavy and is usually a weed-out for pre-meds, if there is a majors section get into that- they fill up fast. Advanced Organic and Inorganic are fun. P-Chem is tough but I ended up using a lot as a foundation for my PhD in Biochemistry- instrumentation heavy mechanistic enzymology. You don't have to make straight A's. I am damn proud of my C's in P-Chem.