is it okay to not take pre med prerequistes freshman year?

[lhweaver]

I want to get a feel of college before i go into my premed route this is why i havent planned my schedule for pre med classes, i was wondering if that is okay? i'll be taking premed courses beginning sophomore year.

has anyone done this and is it common?

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[NAVY DDS 2010]

I want to get a feel of college before i go into my premed route this is why i havent planned my schedule for pre med classes, i was wondering if that is okay? i'll be taking premed courses beginning sophomore year.

has anyone done this and is it common?

Yes, it is just fine to do that. Actually, many people do this. There are plenty who do it after their second year because they don't choose to pursue medicine until their 3rd year. You'll be just fine. No need to stress about it.

 

[scattun]

Yeah, it is definitely ok, but keep in mind the timing for the MCAT. If you don't take pre-req classes your first year and none in any of the summers, then you will take gen chem 1 and 2 your sophomore year and organic 1 and 2 your junior year. So, if you wait to finish your classes before taking the MCAT, then you have a very small window of a couple months to take it and get your application off, so you can start med school without taking a year off. Now, you definitely can take the MCAT without all the classes, take it at the end of your junior year and hope you don't need to retake, or take a year off in between college and med school. All of that is perfectly fine, so weigh your options. I personally, would recommend you take at least Gen chem 1 your spring semester of freshman year, to keep your options open.

 

[rockaction]

I'd make this suggestion: take Gen Chem I & II your freshman year. Then you can take Organic I & II your sophomore year, along with either bio or physics. You want to make sure you can handle the coursework at a college level. Timing matters for the Chemistry classes, so I'd say knock your year of Gen Chem out freshman year. You will totally still be able to have a social life/etc. with just 1 science class to worry about.

This is all of course advice if you plan on taking the MCAT at the end of your junior year. If you plan on taking a year off and not applying the summer before your senior year, then this advice really doesn't matter.

 

[NickNaylor]

Yes, with the caveats that 1) you will graduate on time (whatever "on time" means to you), and 2) you complete as many pre-reqs as possible to be prepared for the MCAT.

 

[Near]

Sure. In fact, that's what I'm doing. It might be better actually, because generally GPA increases the more time you spend in college because you develop better study and time management skills.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I'd make this suggestion: take Gen Chem I & II your freshman year. Then you can take Organic I & II your sophomore year, along with either bio or physics. You want to make sure you can handle the coursework at a college level. Timing matters for the Chemistry classes, so I'd say knock your year of Gen Chem out freshman year. You will totally still be able to have a social life/etc. with just 1 science class to worry about.

This is all of course advice if you plan on taking the MCAT at the end of your junior year. If you plan on taking a year off and not applying the summer before your senior year, then this advice really doesn't matter.

 

[jlescher]

.

 

[Arayh]

Yes, that's fine as long as you finish your Pre-reqs in time to graduate + take the MCAT. If you taking the changed MCAT, plan to add some more Pre-reqs to the usual list (i.e. Biochem, Sociology, Psychology and whatever else they're planning on adding to your Bio 1-2, Chem 1-2, Orgo, Physics 1-2).