One of the best advice I can give to high school students

[NVdisG]

Hi everyone, I was talking to two college freshman in my seminar class earlier this week (I am a junior in college now) and they told me they were struggling with the first month of their prereq classes. I couldn't really relate and I think part of it is because of something I planned since high school

AP Classes are so important. Take them!! But, once you get to college, retake the same intro class. I would say, in order of importance (based on how much trouble people usually have with the subjects), take the following AP Classes in order of importance

AP Physics B
AP Chem
AP Stats
AP Bio

I only took the first three and aced all my pre req classes. It helps because once you get to college, the way it was set up, first year I took Gen Chem and Gen Bio. So effectively I only had to take Bio for the first time because gen chem was all just a rehash of stuff i'd seen before (i still had to study but it was more like review)

Second year, I had to take physics and orgo. This year was harder because AP Physics B basically covers one semester so i still had to learn some new stuff but definitely build a good foundation in Physics and Chem. This section on the MCAT is called physical science and although in 2015 its changing I feel like the physics and chem problems are most like the math on SAT because there is a pattern to most problems and you can do consistently very well if you have a good mastering of the material.

Good luck everyone. I know its a long road ahead and I'm not that far ahead of you. Just thought I would give some advice to the hSDN from someone who did well on the MCAT

take care

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[JPodel]

Thanks man!

 

[inycepoo]

I would mention your MCAT score in the thread title to get more views if you want this to be read widely. Sad reality, but that's how SDN and basically most premed/HSers operate.

 

[Hillo]

Way to judge high schoolers...

I think most people know about taking science classes.

 

[inycepoo]

Way to judge high schoolers...

I think most people know about taking science classes.

lol the fact that you think that's the point of his post shows exactly that you're a high schooler.

 

[KGflyboy]

I would mention your MCAT score in the thread title to get more views if you want this to be read widely. Sad reality, but that's how SDN and basically most premed/HSers operate.

He mentioned he's a junior, so he might not have taken it. However, he did say he aced his pre-reqs, so that adds a little validity to his opinion. Also, I agree. The problem is that a lot of people, myself included, changed their minds numerous times about what they wanted to be when they grew up. For people planning on pre-med studies, I agree that upper level science classes help a lot. General Bio and Gen Chem I were soooo easy for me. I didn't take physics in high school, and that class was a little tougher. Nothing in high school could have prepared me for Org Chem lol.

 

[inycepoo]

He mentioned he's a junior, so he might not have taken it. However, he did say he aced his pre-reqs, so that adds a little validity to his opinion. Also, I agree. The problem is that a lot of people, myself included, changed their minds numerous times about what they wanted to be when they grew up. For people planning on pre-med studies, I agree that upper level science classes help a lot. General Bio and Gen Chem I were soooo easy for me. I didn't take physics in high school, and that class was a little tougher. Nothing in high school could have prepared me for Org Chem lol.

OP took the MCAT a month ago, received his score last week: 14/14/14 = 42. See what I mean by it would help to put that score in the title for more views?

That being said, though, hs advice is very generic and wouldn't call for more attention in any other forum besides hSDN.

 

[KGflyboy]

OP took the MCAT a month ago, received his score last week: 14/14/14 = 42. See what I mean by it would help to put that score in the title for more views?

That being said, though, hs advice is very generic and wouldn't call for more attention in any other forum besides hSDN.

Absolutely. If I was going to take the MCAT, I would be trying to do what other people who scored well did. We agree.

 

[californicati0n]

Definitely agree with this advice! I know a lot of people that are currently struggling in the pre-reqs because they've never taken bio and/or chem before. AP's really do help.

 

[Doudline]

So your advice for getting a high GPA is retaking classes? Uggh.
Your intellectual curiosity is overwhelming.

 

[ciestar]

It also helps to review the AP policies at the schools you're looking at.
AP Physics B is algebra based. At my UG, if you're in engineering, you must take the calc version, and that's C.

While I agree that APs can provide a foundation, they're not everything. I took AP Chem and it didn't do squat. AP Calc on the other hand...

 

[californicati0n]

So your advice for getting a high GPA is retaking classes? Uggh.
Your intellectual curiosity is overwhelming.

Adjusting to college life is hard in and of itself. There are a lot of people I know that are struggling to get adjusted to college while trying to establish a chemistry and biology background since they've never taken those two classes before. Plus, things move reeeeaaally quickly at college level. Taking the AP science courses in high school shouldn't be done with the purpose of boosting your college GPA, because that probably won't happen. Instead, it should be to give you a good background in the sciences so that you aren't completely unprepared for the difficulties of college level science courses.