Advice needed for Pre-Med Classes

[AKNYC]

Hi, I'm currently a junior planning on taking the mcat and applying to med school by the end of my junior year, hopefully in the summer. I still need to take 3 classes to fulfill my pre-recs for medschool that include bio 2, orgo 2 and physics 2. I need to boost my gpa and can only take two of the three science classes this following semester. I'm thinking about taking bio 2 and physics 2 instead of orgo 2 in order to boost my gpa since orgo is very tough. I will prob take orgo 2 the fall of my senior year as it is the only science class of the three offered off-track at my college. I don't know if I should try to take orgo 2 now and show I can do well in the class after not doing so well in orgo 1 or just take physics 2 which will probably give me a better grade. Any suggestions regarding what I should do would be really appreciated. Thanks

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[glassware]

Hi, I'm currently a junior planning on taking the mcat and applying to med school by the end of my junior year, hopefully in the summer. I still need to take 3 classes to fulfill my pre-recs for medschool that include bio 2, orgo 2 and physics 2. I need to boost my gpa and can only take two of the three science classes this following semester. I'm thinking about taking bio 2 and physics 2 instead of orgo 2 in order to boost my gpa since orgo is very tough. I will prob take orgo 2 the fall of my senior year as it is the only science class of the three offered off-track at my college. I don't know if I should try to take orgo 2 now and show I can do well in the class after not doing so well in orgo 1 or just take physics 2 which will probably give me a better grade. Any suggestions regarding what I should do would be really appreciated. Thanks

Bump I'm in a similar situation. I decided to commit to the med school route a little later so I have to take a pre-req after taking the MCAT. I'm deciding between taking physics II and orgo II this semester as well and leaving the other for the next fall semester after taking the mcat and applying. I did not do too hot on orgo, should I take orgo II possibly show I can do better, or take physics II which is easier for me so possibility to do better and increase my GPA.

 

[sunflower18]

Hi, I'm currently a junior planning on taking the mcat and applying to med school by the end of my junior year, hopefully in the summer. I still need to take 3 classes to fulfill my pre-recs for medschool that include bio 2, orgo 2 and physics 2. I need to boost my gpa and can only take two of the three science classes this following semester. I'm thinking about taking bio 2 and physics 2 instead of orgo 2 in order to boost my gpa since orgo is very tough. I will prob take orgo 2 the fall of my senior year as it is the only science class of the three offered off-track at my college. I don't know if I should try to take orgo 2 now and show I can do well in the class after not doing so well in orgo 1 or just take physics 2 which will probably give me a better grade. Any suggestions regarding what I should do would be really appreciated. Thanks

When are you planning on taking the MCAT? Do you think that you will be able to self-study the pre-req that you won't have taken by your test date? I am personally not taking Physics II before I take the MCAT, but I wish that I was.

Even though organic chemistry may be your weak suit (judging by your wanting to put it off because it is hard), it might be important to take that class so that you will be better prepared for the MCAT.

Take my advice with a grain of salt, as I haven't taken the MCAT nor even begun studying yet, but just keep in mind that, if you do not have a pre-req done by the time you take it, you will be responsible for teaching yourself that material. Make sure that that is factored into your timeline.

 

[DrEnderW]

My opinion...

Take Orgo II as soon as you can. There's a lot more conceptual carryover from Orgo I than in Physics and Bio. For example, knowing kinematics from Physics I won't help you on Magnetism and the spacing wouldn't matter as much. Same can be said for different Bio topics (knowing DNA replication won't help you learn plant anatomy).

On the other hand, from someone who has taken the MCAT twice, there is very little material from Orgo II that appears on the test - if at all. The organic material is pretty basic and waaay below the the level of material you will be taught in Orgo II at a quality school.

Good luck!

 

[Redpancreas]

My opinion...

Take Orgo II as soon as you can. There's a lot more conceptual carryover from Orgo I than in Physics and Bio. For example, knowing kinematics from Physics I won't help you on Magnetism and the spacing wouldn't matter as much. Same can be said for different Bio topics (knowing DNA replication won't help you learn plant anatomy).

On the other hand, from someone who has taken the MCAT twice, there is very little material from Orgo II that appears on the test - if at all. The organic material is pretty basic and waaay below the the level of material you will be taught in Orgo II at a quality school.

Good luck!

I respect your opinion, however, I have taken the AAMCs and the real thing once and Aldol Condensation was very high yield on the AAMCs and my actual exam. This was an Orgo II topic for me. Also, sugar chemistry was also tested on AAMCs which was also orgo II. Overall I agree that Orgo II is just half of an already low yield orgo on the BS section but when it comes up, to say Orgo II material is not very likely to show up is not entirely true. Orgo II talks about biological rxns which the MCAT would test alot. However, Orgo I would be more important to take because it grills the fundamentals. If you must skip Orgo II I highly recommend the TBR or TPR book plus some good practice!

 

[DrEnderW]

I respect your opinion, however, I have taken the AAMCs and the real thing once and Aldol Condensation was very high yield on the AAMCs and my actual exam. This was an Orgo II topic for me. Also, sugar chemistry was also tested on AAMCs which was also orgo II. Overall I agree that Orgo II is just half of an already low yield orgo on the BS section but when it comes up, to say Orgo II material is not very likely to show up is not entirely true. Orgo II talks about biological rxns which the MCAT would test alot. However, Orgo I would be more important to take because it grills the fundamentals. If you must skip Orgo II I highly recommend the TBR or TPR book plus some good practice!

Those are definitely valid points. I guess it depends on where you take the classes haha. I got most of the bio rxns/sugar chem in a biochemistry course which we didn't touch in Orgo II.

Absolutely correct about Aldol Cond. being a high yield topic - that's good advice.