is there anyone here that did well on the mcat w/o taking upper level classes?

[abcxyz0123]

has anyone here done well, mainly on the bio section, without taking any cell bio, physiology, biochem, etc..?

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[laxgirl9]

I just took it in August without having taken any classes other than the premed requirements and did fine.

 

[dca_55]

I did well on the bio section also. I had taken intro bio 7 years ago, and only had upper level course work in genetics/ecology/and evolution more recently. Never had anatomy/physiology/cell bio/bio chem/etc. There wasn't nearly as much genetics on the bio section as I anticipated, but I ended up doing well anyways! I took a prep course, and I would highly recommend it if you only have the basics as there was some anatomy/physiology we covered that I don't remember covering in intro bio. You can definitely score high without being a bio major!

 

[silentone]

has anyone here done well, mainly on the bio section, without taking any cell bio, physiology, biochem, etc..?

Depends on what well is. I'm not happy with my score (PS-9 BS-9 VR-9 WR-O), but I think it is not bad, for not having organic chemistry in any shape form or fashion. I am kinda beating my head against the wall in organic chem class, now, though as I realize all the stuff that I would've known had I been able to take it before the MCAT. I guess this is what I get for taking the test early. I also thought I would've done better on verbal, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

 

[45408]

Got an 11 in BS with only a year of fundamental bio and a summer session of genetics (took it last summer, when I took the MCAT).

 

[CuddlyKumquat]

I didn't take physics and my advisor was so so soooo against it, but i ended up with a 10 in it. It could obviously have been better, but it is obviously not impossible.

 

[blebl34]

i got a 14 with my only upper level class being genetics

 

[InfraMan]

Got a 10 with Bio 1 and Org Chem 1 only.

 

[Quakkilla]

I did well despite my lack of classes, I had all my chem, phy 1and 2, and bio 1. Despite just getting out of physics it was my lowest section, probably because it has been 6 years scince General Chem.

 

[Severus]

I got an 11 BS with essentially my AP credits and microbiology. Physics, on the other hand, I darn near had to become a physics major to learn what I needed for the MCAT - moral of the story, if your college uses those "6 Ideas That Shaped Physics" books for intro classes, run and run far away. Take it at a community college or something.

Sev

 

[themadchemist]

I had AP Chem, pre-med physics, pre-med orgo, and pre-med bio (albeit, these are tough and extensive subjects at Northwestern) and I got a 38T. I don't think that Northwestern taught us enough of the bio (especially phys. & anat.: NU's focus is molecular and chemical), but nevertheless, I thought that my pre-med classes gave me the analytical tools to learn the material in my Kaplan class with relative ease. So yes, you can do it!

 

[bloHaZaRd]

has anyone here done well, mainly on the bio section, without taking any cell bio, physiology, biochem, etc..?

Got a 12 last year (Aug '03) with AP bio (2.5 years before) and one useless homeostasis class.

After that, I took cell bio, ecology and evolution, Genetics, Microbiology, 1 year of research and tutored introductory biology. I got an 11 in Aug '04.

Go figure.

 

[gujuDoc]

has anyone here done well, mainly on the bio section, without taking any cell bio, physiology, biochem, etc..?

A very good friend of mine whom is now in the application process and has interviews at all Fl. med schools plus one out of state school got a 32N with only taking the basic gchm orgo physics and bio, and not having taken her upper level courses.

She is a senior now and took the MCAT the summer after her sophomore year, which was in 2003.

 

[willthatsall]

14 BS, nothing past intro to bio before the MCAT. I felt from the minute I started studying for the MCAT that my intro course was enough for the MCAT and I still think so. It might depend on exactly what topics your intro class covers, but I don't think it's true when people claim you must have biochem, genetics, cell bio, etc. These topics are not covered in great depth on the MCAT.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

It might depend on exactly what topics your intro class covers, but I don't think it's true when people claim you must have biochem, genetics, cell bio, etc.

This is so true. We spent more than half of my general bio class talking about ecology and animal taxinomy. I don't remember the professor even mentioning Mendelian genetics or pedigrees. I'm not joking.

 

[ethanolabsolute]

I got a 12 on the bio section this august, and I had only had the premed bio, and then genetics and microbiology. I don't think any upper level classes are necessary for the MCAT. It is all about mastering the intoductory material (and I mean REALLY knowing that material well) and then taking lots of practice tests to get better and faster at taking the test.

 

[Amorphisgirl]

::::bump:::: Thought this deserved another look. Thanks.

 

[mshheaddoc]

rebump ...

 

[lorelei]

To take premed intro bio at my school, you were supposed to take the following three courses in your first 2 years:

Genes and Evolution (genetics, transcription, basics of evolution, some memorizing of plant kingdom stuff)
Cells and (something - this was the cell/microbio stuff I guess)
Organisms and Ecosystems (development, physiology, homeostasis)

I took the first and last - I didn't have time for the cell bio class. I guess since it was 3 semesters, it was a bit more in-depth than the standard 2-semester intro bio class.

Anyway, so I had to learn cell bio from an MCAT prep book - I had seriously never heard of the Krebs cycle until I started studying. And I never took any upper-division courses in genetics or anatomy or anything. I also took the required 2 semesters of O Chem and no more.

My BS score was 14.

For the MCAT you really don't have to know a ton of material in-depth. It's designed to test what you learn in the premed prerequisites. Upper-level courses can help you become more comfortable and familiar with those topics, but having extra specialized knowledge won't help. They always put in stuff that you won't have seen in intro classes, but they give enough information in the passage so you don't NEED to have seen it before - the point is to be able to apply your basic knowledge to new information.

 

[Shredder]

microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, orgo, and genetics will give you a solid biological sciences background so you will hardly have to study even, depending on how recently you take them. basic chem 1 and 2 and physics 1 and 2 are sufficient for physical sciences. if you could cram these into the two semesters before the mcat i think you would be set, otherwise youd have to study a lot more and learn it on your own.

 

[Crake]

Different schools have different intro bio classes. Talk to some upperclassmen about the intro bio at your school and get an idea about how in depth it is. I can think of at least one school where intro bio is considered the most rigorous "weeder" course of the premed curriculum, stealing the title from organic chemistry. So it all depends.