How useful is taking cell biology before the MCAT?

[YourAveragePremed]

Kind of in a dilemma right now. As I'm planning out my future schedules, I've run into a problem with regards to the mcat. I plan on taking it at the end of winter break (1 month) in the middle of my junior year. I'll have the summer after sophomore year, the first semester of junior, and winter break to prepare for it. In the semester before the mcat, I could either take biochem I alongside anatomy/physiology (with electives/easy classes thrown in), or I could replace anatomy/physio with cell biology, which is a notoriously difficult course in my university. My dilemma is, if I take cell biology, I would be consumed by the class and won't have much (if any) time to study for the mcat, but if cell biology is tested heavily on the mcat and I would be studying it considerably anyway, then it may be better for me to take it beforehand. Looking for thoughts on this, thanks for any advice.

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[Neuroscifan]

It's not worth it IMO. The cell bio you pick up in your biochem and general bio classes is the majority of what the MCAT expects you to know prior to sitting for the test. Anatomy isn't terribly helpful on the MCAT, but physiology is hugely helpful. I always highly recommend that students take some physiology before the MCAT, and biochem and gen chem. Cell bio is just not necessary. Just my n=1, former MCAT tutor for a couple years and 526 score.

 

[jhmmd]

Kind of in a dilemma right now. As I'm planning out my future schedules, I've run into a problem with regards to the mcat. I plan on taking it at the end of winter break (1 month) in the middle of my junior year. I'll have the summer after sophomore year, the first semester of junior, and winter break to prepare for it. In the semester before the mcat, I could either take biochem I alongside anatomy/physiology (with electives/easy classes thrown in), or I could replace anatomy/physio with cell biology, which is a notoriously difficult course in my university. My dilemma is, if I take cell biology, I would be consumed by the class and won't have much (if any) time to study for the mcat, but if cell biology is tested heavily on the mcat and I would be studying it considerably anyway, then it may be better for me to take it beforehand. Looking for thoughts on this, thanks for any advice.

This is a big problem right here. No matter what your schedule looks like, you want to give yourself an ample amount of time to study for the MCAT. Whether that's A&P and some easy classes, or another biology elective and some easy classes...it doesn't matter, but this is one thing that you CAN'T afford to screw up.

MCAT and GPA are weighted almost equally but one thing I know is that:
a. A high MCAT trumps a low GPA
b. A high GPA doesn't necessarily trump a low MCAT

Med schools want to see that you're a good test-taker and will successfully pass, if not excel, at all your tests that you take in the future as a medical student/resident/doctor. This is one thing that you don't want to half @$$. Make a study plan, write it down, and plan your schedule around it. There you go. Boom.