Classes Before MCAT

[Jon Davis]

The topic speaks for itself.
What classes do you all strongly recommend I take before the MCAT? (Planing to take it the spring of my Junior year.)

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[WSUreds]

Well, the basics that are on the test, general chem, organic chem, physics, basic bio, a genetics class would help consider the amount of that on april's mcat and a physiology or anatomy course would be nice.

 

[Sprockette]

I'd also recommend biochem, if you have room in your schedule to take it.

 

[Jon Davis]

I dont know if I'll have room for biochem, anatomy, or even physiology. Is there any way I can learn what I need to know from a text book? If so, where can I get my hands on it?
(I figure, I just need to know the over concepts and nothing really in depth. Right?)

 

[italianlove]

Hey Jon,

You can go to Barnes & Noble or Borders and buy a really good preparatory study MCAT book. I would recommend the one by Flowers & Silver (The Princeton Review). It's all you need to know, and then some. I would also recommend trying to buy some extra verbal reasoning material put out by Kaplan, TPR, Columbia and the AAMC.

Also, you are right about knowing only the basics. This is preached by everyone who has ever taught a review course. ALthough, when there are those passages that go in-depth, it's much easier for you to sift through all the stuff they throw at you and make it more coherent if you've taken a course like genetics and biochem. But again, just the basics is sufficient. Hope this helps and good luck! Ciao.

 

[Sprockette]

I wouldn't stress too badly if you don't have room for biochem. I personally felt it helped me become more familiar with some of the topics in the bio section. I remember one practice test i took, and there was a passage about biotin....and I remember thinking I was glad I'd had biochem b/c otherwise I probably wouldn't have known what biotin was, and that would have stressed me out. Anyway, biochem is optional, and yes, the MCAT study books teach you basically what you "need" to know.

 

[gooseHC]

I think a big thing is just getting to know the material as well as you think through those review type books and then sit down and take as many full length practice tests as you can. You can never take enough of them. Your score should progress and progress with each test, and it's a great way to see where your weaknesses are so that you can put extra effort in those areas. Good luck!

 

[BeeGee]

The Princeton Review was more than enough to do well on the MCAT. If you've completed your prerequisites for medical school already, I don't suggest retaking a course to refresh your knowledge before the test (if that is what you're considering). Kaplan offers a good course for MCAT prep but I found the Princeton Review adequate so I didn't need a course or any other books. The text was easy to read and the questions were comparable to what I saw on the exam. Like previously posted, any Barnes and Nobles or Borders Bookstore will have several Study Guides for MCAT prep. Find one that best suits you, preferably w/ lots and lots and lots of questions. --BeeGee

 

[Jon Davis]

Outstanding advice everyone. Thanks all for your responses as I appreciate them alot.

 

[The Falconer]

All the study books aside, if I had to do it all again (thankfully I don't) I'd take a physiology course and would have taken biochem before the test. My MCAT was heavy on biochem and phys in my bio science section.

 

[shorrin]

Jon

Just a word of caution. I wouldn't depend on any one book to prep for the test. I depended on the pr's flowers and silvers and was hugely disapointed to find that the actual test was way harder than the practice tests in that book. I was dismayed weeks later with a 25 yuch. After that I sucked up my pride and took the pr course and practiced aamc tests III, IV and V. The aamc test are THE best indicator of your performance in my opinion. I scored 30-32 on the practice and happily got a 30 on the august test. If you can't spend a million $ on this process go to half.com they have lots of books that people are dying to get rid of for cheap.

good luck!