Can I do August MCAT and orgo I (and II) summer school?

[Tofurkey]

Please help!

I am taking Kaplan MCAT prep now for August MCAt and realizing I have so much to study--I spend 8 hours per day and i feel like I am getting nowehere...then I am registered to take orgo I which starts this Monday.

Can I do both? I really don't think so, and I don't know what to do. I know I will have to spend at least 30 hours per week on orgo I, and I'm spending that now on MCAT prep--I don't think I can sutdy 60 hours per week without burning out. But if I don't take orgo I at least will it seriously affect my biologial sciences score? Or can I learn it on my own? But if I don't take orgo or do anything this summer besides study will adcoms think I can't handle a hard class plus the MCAT and think I'm a slacker?

I'm so worried--please help out of the kindness of your hearts!

Thank you,

Tofurkey

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[ih8biochem]

A lot of the material overlaps but keep in mind you'll also need to learn a lot of material that will not show up on the MCAT. I was short an orgo II class before summer when I decied to take the august MCAT. I sat in that class and I realized there was probably no way I could've studied for both the class and MCAT. It depends on your situation though. If you're planning on taking the MCAT before you met the prereqs, you're obviously trying to fast track things. Why not defer till april? By then, you'll be just about finishing up the orgo prereqs.
I'll let you know the outcome of my situtation. I'm a non-science major (English) missing only orgo II prior to the MCAT. I decided not to take it over the summer because the exam dates overlapped with the Kaplan practice exams and even the actual MCAT (Saturdays). I did the kaplan course and ended up with an 10, 12, and 8. So yeah, not having that class and no bio background besides 171 & 172 hurt me. Got rejected from all schools and am now studying to take the MCAT in august again. It'll be tough if you decide to go through it. Good luck!

Hope this helps.

 

[BubbleBobble]

Please help!

I am taking Kaplan MCAT prep now for August MCAt and realizing I have so much to study--I spend 8 hours per day and i feel like I am getting nowehere...then I am registered to take orgo I which starts this Monday.

Can I do both? I really don't think so, and I don't know what to do. I know I will have to spend at least 30 hours per week on orgo I, and I'm spending that now on MCAT prep--I don't think I can sutdy 60 hours per week without burning out. But if I don't take orgo I at least will it seriously affect my biologial sciences score? Or can I learn it on my own? But if I don't take orgo or do anything this summer besides study will adcoms think I can't handle a hard class plus the MCAT and think I'm a slacker?

I'm so worried--please help out of the kindness of your hearts!

Thank you,

Tofurkey

I took OChem I/II + PChem while studying for the August MCAT two years ago, so I'll offer my advice here:

First, you should figure out whether or not you will really be ready for the MCAT in August. It's better to wait for the next round than to do poorly now.

Second, organic chemistry will likely be fresh in your mind, so you won't need to study that part during your MCAT study sessions. It's not really emphasized on the MCAT anyway.

Third, keep up with your verbal reasoning tests, since you can cram the science, but not the verbal.

Fourth, if you decide not to take organic chemistry, it is possible to study for this on your own, *assuming* that your biology is rock-solid.

So here is what I would do: Try out the first week with your organic classes and MCAT practice sessions. If it's too much, drop the classes, and continue the MCAT. Study organic on your own. If you're doing well on your practice exams, then go ahead and take the MCAT for real.

Best of luck on this. It's very hard, but it's definitely doable. PM me if you'd like more advice or just general uplifting of the spirit.

 

[Tofurkey]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your late night responses thus far. I am 3 weeks into my Kaplan class. So far I got a 21 on the diagnostic, having had all prereqs except the orgos. I am finding it hard to just keep up with Kaplan homework, let alone all the EK books I have, and I'm on a complete break right now from school, etc.

The problem is that I have to decide on the class before the first class date because at my school you have to withdraw compltely before the first day (summer session or get a W.) Thus, I need to decide before testing the waters with orgo.

My Kaplan instructor says it's ok to get by without orgo II but is that really true? And will taking orgo I really help me that much? I'm so worried/ stressed because I'm already old and a post-bacc and I REALLY wanted to apply this June for fall '05 and things were going so well up to this point, but then I realized how much I had forgotten from my post-bacc classes even though they were all this year and how I'm basically starting from scratch for my MCAT prep.

Thanks,

T

 

[Tofurkey]

I forgot to mention that orgo one is May 17-June 30.
Orgo 2 is July 1-August 6.

Thus if I do only orgo I I still have 6 weeks for studying hard-core but I fear that is not enough.

For those who took an orgo or two over the summer with the MCAT, how many hours did you put into orgo and the MCAT (roughly?)

Orgo is so much work that I fear I will be putting in a ratio of 5:1 studying for orgo vs. MCAT.

Thanks again, guys, I really appreciate it in my time of panic.

 

[raom_dtpi]

I am in the same situation and I've decided to take MCAT without taking Orgo. I spent the winter break studying the first 5 chapters in Wade and drilling into the EK - Organic Chem + 1000 Series. If you can do it on your own, its great. Orgo II is not really emphasized in the MCAT. YOu might want to check the syllubus on AMCAS.

If you have finsihed all other premed courses, you should be fine with self study + Kaplan. If you need, you can get a tutor. - Just my 2 cents....

Good Luck!
Scout

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Orgo has become of less importance over the past few tests, in fact they have added genetics.


I suck at orgo, I am talking retaking classes etc and I pulled a 12 in the bio section.


I would concentrate on other aspects, mainly human physiology.


My opinion, of course.



Adrian

 

[vtucci]

My suggestion would be to do Orgo I and then concentration solely on the MCAT and take Orgo 2 in the Fall.

 

[tontondavid]

Hey Tofurkey,

I understand you eagerness to apply next june and to finish all your prereqs in time for the MCAT. I was in the exact same situation as you last year and decided to defer things until the following April. I am also a post-bac and was always thinking how if I would miss the August MCAT I would be really behind.

I had to convince myself otherwise and remembered how I waited this long to get into med school and that a few months wouldn't make such a difference.

Anyway, all this to say that I would take things slowly but surely. Of course you can cram all that orgo in a few months but do you really need to add the stress when you already have so much on your plate?

I waited and it paid off in the end.

Good luck.

 

[Tofurkey]

So if I do just take only orgo I or take no orgos, do you think Kaplan and the EK books are sufficient to learning orgo on one's own? I also have the Wade book. I also know of a good tutor. I'm just concerned.

Thanks,

T

 

[raom_dtpi]

Get the syllubus for Orgo from AMCAS. You can see for yourself the topics and what would be covered in Orgo I and what won't. With a good tutor and EK and Kaplan, I don't see why you can't do it, i.e if you put in the required effort.

Scout

 

[ken37]

I'm taking Orgo 1 Lab first summer session, Orgo 2 + Lab second summer session, working 40+ hours a week, and studying for the August MCAT (as I took most of my prereqs 10+ years ago). I may be a bit stressed this summer, but I'm sure it can be done. Hell, from my friends in Med School and their study habits, if I can't do this, I shouldn't go to med school.

 

[MrTee]

My suggestion would be to do Orgo I and then concentration solely on the MCAT and take Orgo 2 in the Fall.

If you're intent on taking some kind of class this summer, this would be the plan. I hate ochem and therefore didn't really study too much of it for the mcat (also because I heard they were de-emphasizing it), and I took it 3 years ago. I may have put in 15-20 hours total studying for it and I still got a 14 on BS. You pretty much only need to know the basics--in other words, whatever EK covers.