Cell Bio or Genetics for MCAT?

[californiadreaming93]

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I'm a 2nd semester post-bacc student planning my classes for next semester and wanted to know which upper divs would be beneficial for the MCAT. Should I take cell biology or genetics? Both are offered during the same time, and I have to pick one. Would I be able to self teach either?

 

[starspells]

Cell Bio. I would recommend Biochem as well!

 

[DiscusKeeper]

Genetics. Most cell bio content on the MCAT you get from gen bio/can learn on your own, but the genetics questions can be tough if you've never taken it. I did not take cell bio and never once felt like I was missing cell bio content. However, taking genetics really came in handy.

 

[RunawayGrape]

Cell bio. I also second the recommendation for biochem.

Most of your MCAT expertise will come from MCAT review materials though, rather than from coursework. By the time I started MCAT prep, I had forgotten just about everything about everything.

 

[Fluffy123]

Genetics, and I third the recommendation for biochem.

 

[PutABirdOnIt]

Almost everything from my cell bio course was on the MCAT, and only about 1/3rd of what I learned in genetics was on the MCAT. and 90% of what I learned in Biochem 1 was on the MCAT

 

[Username555]

I think both would be helpful for the MCAT, so it's unfortunate that you can't take both. I never took a Cell Bio class (I did take a Cell Phys class). For what it's worth, I did take a genetics class before my MCAT and found it to be pretty helpful in answering some of the bio questions.

 

[Turkishking]

Both

 

[BombsAway]

in a similar position, i chose cell bio and biochem (without labs). Haven't sat for the test yet, but hopefully I didn't choose...poorly

 

[Ejm1]

I would say it depends on what you are already most comfortable with. Personally, I thought the genetics questions were the hardest on the MCAT, so I would say take genetics. However, if you don't have a lot of comfort/experience with cell bio, you may want to take that instead. You should be able to teach yourself the pertinent material in either course, just boils down to what you are most familiar with.

 

[Lost In Transcription]

Really you need to know both well..

 

[Lost In Transcription]

Guess i would say genetics for now because it has more concepts than cell bio, therefore it isn't as easy to learn from self study IMO

 

[Ampharos]

Cell bio, genetics is easier to learn by yourself/review

Biochem is significantly more helpful

 

[wb100]

Biochem without lab > cell bio > genetics

Genetics you can teach yourself. Most of it was doing probabilities from parental trees.


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