A question about physics topics on the MCAT

[Macromind101]

From what I understand, on the physics portion of the physical sciences section on the MCAT, there are a broad range of physics topics that are not included in the terms "Mechanics" and "Electricity & Magnetism" like thermodynamics, optics and waves, fluids, and atomic and nuclear physics. Now here's my dilemma. My university offers two types of semester-long physics courses: algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. The introductory algebra-based physics curriculum is split into two courses: Physics I and Physics II. Physics I has Mechanics and a fair share of the few physics topics not included in either Mechanics or Electricity & Magnetism. Physics II has Electricity & Magnetism and the rest of the above physics topics not included in Physics I. The introductory calculus-based physics curriculum has four semester-long physics courses: Introductory Mechanics, Introductory Electricity & Magnetism, Introductory Optics & Thermodynamics, and Introductory Relativity & Quantum Physics.

I would very much like to take calculus-based physics instead of algebra-based because, after all, solving and understanding physics problems is the reason why calculus concepts were thought up in the first place. I think I'll truly enjoy and understand physics better if I'm allowed (and supposed) to use calculus on the problems. But the two calculus-based physics courses, Introductory Mechanics and Introductory Electricity & Magnetism, only has Mechanics/Electricity & Magnetism. If I just take those two courses, then I won't have any knowledge of non-Mechanics/Electricity & Magnetism topics that may appear on the MCAT. I could take the two other calculus-based physics courses, Introductory Optics & Thermodynamics and Introductory Relativity & Quantum Physics to learn the MCAT physics topics not covered in the above mentioned courses, but that would be going out of my way just to take extra courses just for the MCAT that are not required for my majors (my two majors, Neuroscience and Physiology, requires two physics courses which can be either algebra-based Physics I/Physics II or calculus-based Introductory Mechanics/Introductory Electricity & Magnetism). And plus, I can't take calculus-based physics courses until after I have taken college calculus which won't be until after my freshman year so if I take the first two calculus-based physics courses in my sophomore year, then I'll be taking Introductory Optics & Thermodynamics and Introductory Relativity & Quantum Physics in my junior year which is the year I'll be taking the MCAT. So the test will be right in the middle of my non-Mechanics/Electricity & Magnetism courses, meaning that I may have to self-study the topics that my class hasn't gone over yet. I mean, I don't mind taking extra physics courses and self-studying a bit; I'm just wondering if taking calculus-based physics courses is the best route to take.

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[lNVlNClBLE]

I'm pretty sure any Physics I/II courses you take will include all the topics on the MCAT. They have to follow certain curriculum.

My Physics II course was called "Electricity and Magnetism", yet it went into every Physics II topic tested on the MCAT. In fact, electricity and magnetism was only the first half of the course.

EDIT: And unless you really really really enjoy math for some reason, I wouldn't take calculus-based. I really don't think it'll help you any more than regular physics in regards to MCAT prep. You're certainly not going to want to set up integrals during a timed MCAT exam, I can promise you that right now.

 

[radkat101]

Take the regular algebra based physics. If you want to incorporate the calculus out of interest, do it on your own time. By taking calculus physics you risk going off into mathematical details that MCAT doesn't care about (possibly in place of something that might be important) on top of it taking longer to finish all of this. The writers of the test base the material entirely off of students taking algebra physics. Seems like the answer is pretty clear.