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This is a basic question. If I have to take Chem 1-2, Physics 1-2, Orgo 2, and Bio 2, then the MCAT, is it possible to matriculate in 2009? Or should I just look to 2010?
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- Thread starter Zhang Ji
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generally you need one full year of ochem, not just the second semester. And usually you need gen chem 1-2 as prereq for ochem (though I have heard of some exceptions). Also, you need a full year of bio.
Depending on your school, you might be able to take classes spring 2008, summer 2008, fall 2008, spring 2009 and matriculate fall 2009. In order to matriculate, you need to have completed all necessary coursework before you matriculate, not before you apply.
However, you will also need to take the MCAT, which is an exam covering all of the above. You would need to take this exam at the latest January 2009 (but that would be pushing it). With high numbers in both GPA and MCAT and with good ECs, you could get interviews that late, but you are far better to apply early.
So, while technically possible, I'd say difficult. I'd rather take the courses in their entirety, get some good ECs, study for the MCAT and apply early to give myself the best chance of acceptance.
Depending on your school, you might be able to take classes spring 2008, summer 2008, fall 2008, spring 2009 and matriculate fall 2009. In order to matriculate, you need to have completed all necessary coursework before you matriculate, not before you apply.
However, you will also need to take the MCAT, which is an exam covering all of the above. You would need to take this exam at the latest January 2009 (but that would be pushing it). With high numbers in both GPA and MCAT and with good ECs, you could get interviews that late, but you are far better to apply early.
So, while technically possible, I'd say difficult. I'd rather take the courses in their entirety, get some good ECs, study for the MCAT and apply early to give myself the best chance of acceptance.
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It's pretty tought to avoid the lag year as a non-traditional since the MCAT is the biggest bottlenect and you can't really take the MCAT until you have all of your pre-reqs.
I think you would have to be taking Chem 1 and Physics 1 this semester as well and then Chem 2, Physics 2, and Bio 2 next semester and then squeeze Orgo 2 in during the summer and then take the August or at the lastest the September MCAT to be in synch for the 2009 application cycle.
You could do it, but it would be tough.
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It could theoretically be done, but let's just say you took chem I and phys I in the spring (I'm assuming you're not taking either now), that still leaves you really short on information to be set up to take MCAT in May/June, which would be the best way to be set up for 2009.
My impression was that MCAT was pretty heavy on physics II and chem II content, but then PS was the hardest section for me.
Unless you can score well on practice exams without the coursework (which is not unheard of, but unusual), you are better off waiting and nailing the MCAT.
If you are taking chem and physics now, well yeah, you could do it. Take the 2nd parts next term, review orgo and bio on your own, assuming your practice scores on the BS section of MCAT are decent.
The sequence for organic/gen chem may not matter in your case -talk to someone in the chem dept where you plan to take classes. I was told it wasn't possible, but enrolled in organic anyhow (the computerized system didn't block me) because I wanted to use it as a test to see if I could do well before I had a lot of time/$$ invested -I figured if I could ace organic after years out of school, I could manage the rest of the prereqs.
You may also be able to take the labs separately, to give you more time to focus on the material you need for MCAT (ie take them in a different semester from the corresponding lecture). Organic and Physics labs were separate courses from the lecture at my school, as are many of the bio labs. To be honest, I didn't think the labs did much to prepare me for MCAT, but some of physicsI became more clear via the lab, I think partly because the lecture glossed over a lot, as the majority of students had taken physics in high school.
My impression was that MCAT was pretty heavy on physics II and chem II content, but then PS was the hardest section for me.
Unless you can score well on practice exams without the coursework (which is not unheard of, but unusual), you are better off waiting and nailing the MCAT.
If you are taking chem and physics now, well yeah, you could do it. Take the 2nd parts next term, review orgo and bio on your own, assuming your practice scores on the BS section of MCAT are decent.
The sequence for organic/gen chem may not matter in your case -talk to someone in the chem dept where you plan to take classes. I was told it wasn't possible, but enrolled in organic anyhow (the computerized system didn't block me) because I wanted to use it as a test to see if I could do well before I had a lot of time/$$ invested -I figured if I could ace organic after years out of school, I could manage the rest of the prereqs.
You may also be able to take the labs separately, to give you more time to focus on the material you need for MCAT (ie take them in a different semester from the corresponding lecture). Organic and Physics labs were separate courses from the lecture at my school, as are many of the bio labs. To be honest, I didn't think the labs did much to prepare me for MCAT, but some of physicsI became more clear via the lab, I think partly because the lecture glossed over a lot, as the majority of students had taken physics in high school.
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I agree w/ShyRem on plan of attack, but let me opine a bit as usual.
In my head, applying for '09 means your app is ready in June '08. Your MCAT score is in hand, your letters of recommendation are either done or in process, your personal statement is reviewed and makes the sale. Your GPA is solid. Your list of schools is fine-tuned. Your schedule for completing prereqs is clear and reasonable. That to me is readiness.
Not being ready in June isn't a disaster, but June really ought to be the goal. And if you can't have everything tidy by, say, mid-August, then waiting another year makes sense. Part of this is risk assessment - if you plan to be tidy by mid-August, things can/will slip to September and then October and then you've wasted a great deal of money on a sliver of opportunity.
So let's talk about that MCAT. Fundamentally, can you do well on this test halfway through your prereqs? You need to take the test in April or May of '08 in order to apply in June '08. Is that feasible?
I think you're set up to do well on the bio/ochem (BS) section of the MCAT by spring, so let's not worry about that. I'm worried about your chem & physics (PS) readiness. Have you seen these subjects before? If you will be reviewing this material during MCAT prep for spring '08, that's a safe bet. If you haven't seen physics before, and/or you haven't seen the kinetics & thermodynamics in gen-chem before, that's not good at all. Personally I got A's in these subjects and still found the PS section to be very difficult.
I recommend that you take a practice MCAT right away. Before the end of the year, at least. I think the VR score is a key indicator, prior to beginning test prep in earnest, of whether the test should be taken within the year or not. If your VR is strong, then you're in a reasonable position to get a strong BS/PS - all the sections are heavy on critical thinking. For me, a VR of 10 or higher is a green light. More to the point, once you've taken a practice test, the MCAT loses its mystery. You can take a real test, for free, on www.e-mcat.com.
To sum up, I think the decision point for applying in '08 vs. '09 is your degree of PS section readiness by spring '08. If you're not ready to rock this section in April, but you will be by June, ok. But if it'll be August, that's not a good plan.
Hope this helps. Keep us posted.
In my head, applying for '09 means your app is ready in June '08. Your MCAT score is in hand, your letters of recommendation are either done or in process, your personal statement is reviewed and makes the sale. Your GPA is solid. Your list of schools is fine-tuned. Your schedule for completing prereqs is clear and reasonable. That to me is readiness.
Not being ready in June isn't a disaster, but June really ought to be the goal. And if you can't have everything tidy by, say, mid-August, then waiting another year makes sense. Part of this is risk assessment - if you plan to be tidy by mid-August, things can/will slip to September and then October and then you've wasted a great deal of money on a sliver of opportunity.
So let's talk about that MCAT. Fundamentally, can you do well on this test halfway through your prereqs? You need to take the test in April or May of '08 in order to apply in June '08. Is that feasible?
I think you're set up to do well on the bio/ochem (BS) section of the MCAT by spring, so let's not worry about that. I'm worried about your chem & physics (PS) readiness. Have you seen these subjects before? If you will be reviewing this material during MCAT prep for spring '08, that's a safe bet. If you haven't seen physics before, and/or you haven't seen the kinetics & thermodynamics in gen-chem before, that's not good at all. Personally I got A's in these subjects and still found the PS section to be very difficult.
I recommend that you take a practice MCAT right away. Before the end of the year, at least. I think the VR score is a key indicator, prior to beginning test prep in earnest, of whether the test should be taken within the year or not. If your VR is strong, then you're in a reasonable position to get a strong BS/PS - all the sections are heavy on critical thinking. For me, a VR of 10 or higher is a green light. More to the point, once you've taken a practice test, the MCAT loses its mystery. You can take a real test, for free, on www.e-mcat.com.
To sum up, I think the decision point for applying in '08 vs. '09 is your degree of PS section readiness by spring '08. If you're not ready to rock this section in April, but you will be by June, ok. But if it'll be August, that's not a good plan.
Hope this helps. Keep us posted.
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Thanks for the informative responses. You know it's funny, June seemed so far away this morning and seems much sooner right now! So it's looking more like 2010 at this point, which is a little discouraging, but not a deal-breaker. I have also got an opportunity to get a subsidized PhD in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine within that same time frame, and though I am not convinced it will have any bearing on the med school admission prospects, I'll probably do it since it will be not so time or finance intensive.
The reasoning for the initial question was to see if it was time to go all-out and make drastic choices in order to apply in Summer 08, or to play a more strategic game all around.
Thanks again for the responses.
The reasoning for the initial question was to see if it was time to go all-out and make drastic choices in order to apply in Summer 08, or to play a more strategic game all around.
Thanks again for the responses.
