- Joined
- Jul 23, 2014
- Messages
- 119
- Reaction score
- 112
Hi. I am currently a sophomore and I'm finishing up my pre-reqs for the MCAT 2015 right now. By the end of this semester I would have taken most of the courses needed for the MCAT 2015. The only class I will be missing is Biochemistry 1 (which I will take Fall 2015). I will also be missing Genetics and Biochem 2 (taking both of these Spring 2016) which my health career advisor recommends for the MCAT 2015.
That said, my goal is to take the MCAT 2015 by January-February (so I could finish Biochem 1 and start a little bit of Biochem 2 and Genetics) of next year which would give me a buffer zone until April if I wanted to take it again to avoid a gap year and let me apply by May-June. Im kind of nervous as most of my upperclassmen friends studied over the summer and took the MCAT (old) in August so they could avoid taking classes and studying for the MCAT at the same time.
My question is: is it a good idea to take two prep courses (one over the summer and one over the fall with two different companies) so that I could get a head start on learning what the test is like as well as having one class be at a time when I am taking no classes and the other at a time when I'm taking a light course load. I received a scholarship to Kaplan so I was thinking about using the money I saved from this and apply it towards a second course. My only concern is whether I will benefit from this. I know that the summer course will help me with my biology, ochem, physics, and behavioral sciences but i would have to self-study BIOCHEM during the course if I want to learn everything. With the fall course, I'm afraid that once finals and mid terms show up I would be less concentrated on the MCAT prep and course. How easy is it to study Biochem 1? For reference I pretty much self-studied Ochem 1 and Ochem 2 and received A's.
Here is my planned course load for Fall 2015:
Biology TA (4 Hours)
A and P 2 (4 Hours)
Biochem 1 (4 Hours)
As well as working as an OCHEM tutor 6 hours a week.
That said, my goal is to take the MCAT 2015 by January-February (so I could finish Biochem 1 and start a little bit of Biochem 2 and Genetics) of next year which would give me a buffer zone until April if I wanted to take it again to avoid a gap year and let me apply by May-June. Im kind of nervous as most of my upperclassmen friends studied over the summer and took the MCAT (old) in August so they could avoid taking classes and studying for the MCAT at the same time.
My question is: is it a good idea to take two prep courses (one over the summer and one over the fall with two different companies) so that I could get a head start on learning what the test is like as well as having one class be at a time when I am taking no classes and the other at a time when I'm taking a light course load. I received a scholarship to Kaplan so I was thinking about using the money I saved from this and apply it towards a second course. My only concern is whether I will benefit from this. I know that the summer course will help me with my biology, ochem, physics, and behavioral sciences but i would have to self-study BIOCHEM during the course if I want to learn everything. With the fall course, I'm afraid that once finals and mid terms show up I would be less concentrated on the MCAT prep and course. How easy is it to study Biochem 1? For reference I pretty much self-studied Ochem 1 and Ochem 2 and received A's.
Here is my planned course load for Fall 2015:
Biology TA (4 Hours)
A and P 2 (4 Hours)
Biochem 1 (4 Hours)
As well as working as an OCHEM tutor 6 hours a week.
