Classes and MCAT plan

[OtisO]

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Ok, Im a little freak out baby right now.

Freshman:
Gen Chem 1 & 2
Bio 1
(General Courses) 30 credits

Sophomore:
(Fall) <---- CURRENTLY HERE
Organic 1
Physics 1
Bio 2
(Spring)
Organic 2 & Lab
Physics 2
Biochemistry
(General Courses) 30 Credits

Summer:
Study MCAT

Junior (Fall):
Genetics
Psych
Quantitative Analysis
(General Classes) 15 Credits
-Practice Tests and Revision-

Winter Break:
Final Touches/Revision MCAT

Junior (Spring):
MCAT in January

Is this plan okay? My biggest concerns are... Biochem in spring of sophomore year with Organic 2, Lab and Physics 2. I just feel like all these classes are squished to prepare for MCAT. I have seen people say they take Biochem after MCAT because it is not necessarily NEEDED. My Pre-Med adviser said it wouldn't hurt to take it. My school isn't necessarily HARD but that spring semester sophomore year is THICK. Let me know and thanks for making it through this.

 

[Shunsui]

Ok, Im a little freak out baby right now.

Freshman:
Gen Chem 1 & 2
Bio 1
(General Courses) 30 credits

Sophomore:
(Fall) <---- CURRENTLY HERE
Organic 1
Physics 1
Bio 2
(Spring)
Organic 2 & Lab
Physics 2
Biochemistry
(General Courses) 30 Credits

Summer:
Study MCAT

Junior (Fall):
Genetics
Physics 2
Quantitative Analysis
(General Classes) 15 Credits
-Practice Tests and Revision-

Winter Break:
Final Touches/Revision MCAT

Junior (Spring):
MCAT in January

Is this plan okay? My biggest concerns are... No psych/socio, Biochem in spring of sophomore year with Organic 2, Lab and Physics 2. I just feel like all these classes are squished to prepare for MCAT. I have seen people say they take Biochem after MCAT because it is not necessarily NEEDED. My Pre-Med adviser said it wouldn't hurt to take it. My school isn't necessarily HARD but that spring semester sophomore year is THICK. Let me know and thanks for making it through this.

Biochem, ochem, and physics in one semester ... I would advise against this personally

 

[OtisO]

Biochem, ochem, and physics in one semester ... I would advise against this personally

That's what I thought... could I not take organic lab and take that after mcat? Do you know if the lab is important to MCAT? I would then have 13 credits which is better. 4 for physics, 3 organic, 3 biochem and 3 gen ed

 

[ahughes97]

That's what I thought... could I not take organic lab and take that after mcat? Do you know if the lab is important to MCAT? I would then have 13 credits which is better. 4 for physics, 3 organic, 3 biochem and 3 gen ed

I would suggest taking biochemistry your junior year (1st semester) but take orgo and physics at the same time..that’s what I did! You’ll still be on the right track.


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[chemdoctor]

Biochem, ochem, and physics in one semester ... I would advise against this personally

Organic 2 is not a prerequisite for Biochem?

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

My son is also planning to take MCAT in January of junior year. However he will take it only if he is getting his target score (517+) consistently in practice tests. That's the approach he had in HS and never re-took a standardized test.

 

[OtisO]

My son is also planning to take MCAT in January of junior year. However he will take it only if he is getting his target score (517+) consistently in practice tests. That's the approach he had in HS and never re-took a standardized test.

@gonnif What do you recommend? This is obviously a tentative plan. I will be taking several practice exams before hand and if I am not hitting consistent numbers I am happy with I will not. I say this because I would rather have the month before the exam (December/January) free of anything and not have worry about it during my spring semester. What do you recommend? Don't you apply like july after your junior year anyway? Thanks

 

[OtisO]

Organic 2 is not a prerequisite for Biochem?

Organic 1 and either Gen bio (biochem one) or Organic 2 are the pre-reqs

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

My son has no plans to take a gap year for now. He went thru BSMD application process and had 2 interviews (and acceptance) but decided not to accept. I guess it comes down to if he can handle MCAT and applications while striving to maintain GPA.

 

[BunnyMan17]

1) I would highly recommend taking biochem after you finish orgo 1/2. A lot of the basic principles carry over (especially if you take biochem 2) and the subsequent basis helps biochem stick long term.
2) Taking the MCAT in Jan of junior year is pushing it, I took it at the end of my Junior year and still had everything turned in within a week of the when med school started taking apps. I have no regrets.

 

[OtisO]

1) I would highly recommend taking biochem after you finish orgo 1/2. A lot of the basic principles carry over (especially if you take biochem 2) and the subsequent basis helps biochem stick long term.
2) Taking the MCAT in Jan of junior year is pushing it, I took it at the end of my Junior year and still had everything turned in within a week of the when med school started taking apps. I have no regrets.

@BunnyMan17 if you don't mind, can you tell me what your study schedule/habits were leading up to your MCAT in (I am assuming May). Thanks

 

[BunnyMan17]

@BunnyMan17 if you don't mind, can you tell me what your study schedule/habits were leading up to your MCAT in (I am assuming May). Thanks

Of course. I did the online PR MCAT prep course and from Jan-late March followed them pretty closely. Saturdays were 7am-7pm study and Sundays were the same minus time for church. Weekdays were as much as I could fit in w/o losing too much sanity.
The PR course was expensive but I do recommend if you can afford it. The instructors were quite good and it took out a lot of guess-work about what I needed to study.

As I progressed through the course I shifted more and more towards practice tests/questions vs. review material. Personally, that's where I saw a lot of the real improvement happen. Note it is important to be consistent in taking full length practice tests, I started those in earnest ~Feb.
Here is the method I used in regard to doing practice questions: The official MCAT May 20th 2016 (Control F "MCAT Practice")