When to take physics?? MCAT help

[Ravens18]

I am planning out when to take all my prerequisite courses. This fall/next spring I will be taking gen bio and gen chem. Soph year I will be taking orgo and at least a semester of calculus. Is junior year too late to take physics? Will it hinder my time to take the MCAT spring of junior year? Or do most people take it sophomore year? I know it's a subjective question but I would like to know what you guys would do. Thanks!

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[virtualmaster999]

That seems like a good idea...actually very similar to what I'm doing! I took gen bio/chem freshman year, plus calc 1. I took Orgo 1 over summer before soph year and took orgo 2 and calc 2 fall of soph year followed by biochem in my spring semester. Now I will be taking physics this year as a junior along with my mcat during spring semester.

 

[Aerus]

I'm a strong advocate for trying to make time to take the MCAT right after the summer. I have yet to find reasons that you shouldn't other than extreme circumstances. That means if you are applying without a gap year, try to take it after your sophomore year. If you are taking any gap years, add one summer to that.

Here's the schedule I did without any plans for a gap year. Please note that it is on the quarter system. Please also note that I only included the main prereqs. I have additional GE's and other prereqs (Math, English) that I did not mention.

Freshman Fall: Gen Chem, Physics
Freshman Winter: Gen Chem, Physics
Freshman Spring: Gen Chem, Physics, Bio

Sophomore Fall: Organic Chemistry, Bio
Sophomore Winter: Organic Chemistry
Sophomore Spring: Organic Chemistry, Bio

Summer: MCAT

 

[ketosisevangelist]

When you get the graded set of lab reports from another student.

 

[radkat101]

I would take physics as close to the mcat as possible.

 

[Ravens18]

I also think taking the MCAT the summer after sophmore year is a good idea. I can't think of any other time when I'd have time to set aside a few months just towards mcat prep. For someone who wants no gap year, isn't taking the test the summer after junior year considered late because applications open June 1? The only issue I have with that is I hear orgo is so tough that I'd be hesitant to take it and physics in the same year since physics is generally my weakest science subject. People who've taken the mcat junior year, how difficult was it to study concurrently while taking your classes or a prerequisite?

 

[Ravens18]

Anyone??

 

[Lawpy]

Anyone can prep during classes and destroy the MCAT during the academic year. I know several people who did that but they're naturally intelligent and organized in their own way (I'm talking people with few weeks of prep and scoring high 30s and 40s). I don't recommend this for a lay person.