Help making next year's schedule

[pomegranate42]

I'll be a senior next year and I want to take the mcat asap after I graduate so I can start applying for medical school. I'm trying to make a schedule where I can graduate before fall 2016 and not go crazy. please help me arrange it and make it semi- accomplishable. Here are the classes: orgo 1 and 2 w/ lab, elementary stats, elementary physics 1 and 2 w/ lab, intro to sociology, molecular bio, biochem, microbiology, capstone, seminar, ecology, capstone. I'm 3 classes short of a german minor, which I could finish in the summer, but I don't know if it would be worth it. Please give me your opinions. Whether I take any classes this summer, depends on whether I get a summer research internship I applied for that's in brazil, so i'm trying to make to make two different scenarios: one where I take classes this summer and the other where I try to wrap up everything in the upcoming school year and the summer that follows.

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[pomegranate42]

would a logic class be beneficial for the mcat, for the verbal reasoning part?

 

[amazing tekkers]

Logic isn't necessary for mcat, putting that time into studying for verbal reasoning would be a better idea.

Summer: 3 classes for German minor

Fall: Ochem 1, Physics 1, Molecular Bio, Stats, Intro to sociology, Seminar, Capstone

Spring: Ochem 2, Physics 2, Microbiology, Biochem, ecology, capstone

Fall semester seems slightly heavy. It's doable but it would depend on whether you can handle this sort of course load and if you intend to allocate your time on other commitments (work, volunteering, SO etc).

 

[optimistic3]

I'm bouncing off of amazingtekkers' list and switching it around a bit. I'd personally take 1 German class and sociology this summer plus 1 of the harder science classes (physics 1 or orgo 1) so it'll be a more balanced workload. I always loved taking harder classes in the summer so I could devote all my time to it. Sociology will be easy and German shouldn't be too time consuming. Also, I'm not quite sure what you mean by seminar; my school didn't have those, I don't think. Maybe something like:

Summer 2015 - German 1, sociology, physics 1

Fall 2015 - orgo 1, physics 2, German 2, molecular bio, stats, seminar, capstone

Spring 2015 - orgo 2, German 3, microbio, biochem, ecology, capstone

Those will all be difficult semesters but with a lot of hard work, you can do it. I would also suggest seeing your advisor to double check any schedule you have made. They may know things like which professors to avoid and other tips they've heard from students. They may also be able to tell you if a specific class is not taught during a semester (maybe physics 2 is only offered in the spring - then you'd have to rework this schedule a bit). I don't always have the best experiences with advisors but sometimes they can be helpful.

EDIT - No, I don't think you need a logic class for the MCAT verbal section, at least not for the old one. I can't imagine that they would change it around enough in the new one to need it.

 

[amazing tekkers]

@optimistic3

That looks much better and more balanced out.

 

[pomegranate42]

@optimistic3 @amazing tekkers Thanks guys! thank you so much

 

[tea guzzling traveler]

I personally would not go for German during college (if you really want you can take a gap year, live in Germany, and learn as much German as your heart desires).

The traveler recommends:

Summer Physics 1 and 2
Fall Orgo 1, mol bio, intro to ecology, capstone, seminar
Spring Orgo 2, micro bio, intro to socio, capstone

The key is to make it manageable, as there are a lot of science classes here, you don't want to take a hit to both your sGPA and cGPA. In fact, with 4 classes, you might be able to ensure A's and A-'s, which depending on your current GPA, could actually help.

 

[allantois]

orgo 1 and 2 w/ lab, elementary stats, elementary physics 1 and 2 w/ lab, intro to sociology, molecular bio, biochem, microbiology, capstone, seminar, ecology, capstone.

What have you been doing all this time? You virtually completed none of your prerequisites.
IMO both of the first 2 schedules posted above is an overkill. If you've never taken so many sciences all at the same time, it's a huge gamble that you are making. Drop German minor completely and focus on prerequisites. A minor will do zilch for you.

 

[tea guzzling traveler]

And just reading the end of your post, go for summer before physics or summer after. I think taking more than 5 classes at once, assuming you are doing extra curriculars, is a recipe for disaster. You want to enjoy college too, not grind through it. And the EC's help you stand out too, while also having fun. German will help you very marginally.

 

[optimistic3]

What have you been doing all this time? You virtually completed none of your prerequisites.
IMO both of the first 2 schedules posted above is an overkill. If you've never taken so many sciences all at the same time, it's a huge gamble that you are making. Drop German minor completely and focus on prerequisites. A minor will do zilch for you.

I do agree with you that they will be very very difficult. I guess I was just trying to fit them into OP's timeline. OP, it really is not the end of the world if you graduate a semester or a year later, trust me!! If you're willing to do that, it will probably improve your grades to space all those science classes out a bit more.