So this thread is just a rehash of a prevalent theme that seemed to be bitterly divisive. Here are my thoughts and will reference this post in future threads:
Calculus was created by Newton to simplify the understanding of physical phenomena that were previously studied by Kepler and Galileo. Around the same time, Leibniz created calculus as an extension to Descartes' analytical geometry. The term "calc-based physics" is thus redundant because the first instance of physics was in fact kinematics and dynamics that Newton and others extensively studied by using calculus. If you take an advanced course in classical mechanics (and I'm sure you won't since you wouldn't be asking this question in the first place), you'll understand the essence of calculus in solving various problems involving mechanics.
In calc-based physics I (mechanics), elementary kinematics equations (including that of the projectile motion) are quickly derived by conducting simple integrations. This rules out the need to memorize so many forms of kinematics equations with "missing terms". Beyond that, there really isn't much (if any) calculus involved in Newtonian dynamics, since it's basically freebody diagrams and solving for the unknown quantities. But calculus simplifies the understanding of the critical concepts in physics, and a conceptual understanding is essential for critical thinking, which is heavily used in physics problems.
In calc-based physics II (electricity and magnetism), calculus is essential. The algebra-based approach is meaningless, since you're essentially memorizing a bunch of formulas without much understanding. A basic knowledge of vector calculus is needed to understand what exactly is an electric (or magnetic) field, and the basic laws of electromagnetism involve calculus. Circumventing that by using some awkward summation notation is unnecessarily confusing. Circuit theory does involve algebra, but calculus is used extensively in analyzing RC/RL/LC/RLC circuits and AC circuits, which involve differential equations.
My main point is this: take calculus-based physics if you want to learn physics. If you just want to dispose of physics, well, the satisfaction is only short-term, since you'll encounter it again in MCAT prep. Of course there are prep books that aid in the learning, but having a strong foundation allows you to bypass the content review and dive right into practice.