Critique My Prerequisites Schedule?

[Aelius]

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I'm at the beginning of doing my prerequisites. My goal is finish my prerequisites by the end of 2014 and to take the current version of the MCAT in Jan 2015. If all goes well I'll matriculate in med school in Fall 2016 (I'll probably be taking more upper-division classes/research or maybe a one-year grad degree while I wait for med school to begin). Any input would be much appreciated.

I'm doing a DIY Post-Bacc at a local state school. My scheduling is as follows:

Fall 2013
General Bio I w/ Lab
General Bio II w/ Lab
General Chemistry I w/ Lab
Calculus (Thinking of dropping this one from the master plan)

Spring 2014
General Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics I w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course (maybe Physiology)

Summer 2014
Organic Chemistry I w/ Lab

Fall 2014
Organic Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics II w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course

 

[Shjanzey]

I think Physics would be more manageable during Summer than OChem. I am also mystified by Bio 1 and 2 in the same semester. Generally Bio 2 has prerequisite of the other before you can enroll. Aside from that it looks good to me.

You may want to consider A&P and Biochem for the "upper division" courses.

 

[Aelius]

I am also mystified by Bio 1 and 2 in the same semester. Generally Bio 2 has prerequisite of the other before you can enroll.

That is what I originally thought too, but then I found out that the school I'm attending doesn't have a prerequisite for Bio 2. Bio 1 is evolutionary, Bio 2 is cellular. I figured, if I knock both out in the same semester, it'll allow me to take an upper division course in the spring.

 

[SN12357]

I think Physics would be more manageable during Summer than OChem. I am also mystified by Bio 1 and 2 in the same semester. Generally Bio 2 has prerequisite of the other before you can enroll. Aside from that it looks good to me.

You may want to consider A&P and Biochem for the "upper division" courses.

Definitely take biochem, because more and more schools require it. A&P is useful if you have space.

I don't think Phys vs. Orgo in the summer matters unless one of the classes has a reputation for being particularly brutal at that time. Which summer prereqs are hardest depends more on school/instructor than content matter.

 

[GUH]

I'm at the beginning of doing my prerequisites. My goal is finish my prerequisites by the end of 2014 and to take the current version of the MCAT in Jan 2015. If all goes well I'll matriculate in med school in Fall 2016 (I'll probably be taking more upper-division classes/research or maybe a one-year grad degree while I wait for med school to begin). Any input would be much appreciated.

I'm doing a DIY Post-Bacc at a local state school. My scheduling is as follows:

Fall 2013
General Bio I w/ Lab
General Bio II w/ Lab
General Chemistry I w/ Lab
Calculus

Spring 2014
General Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics I w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course

Summer 2014
Organic Chemistry I w/ Lab

Fall 2014
Organic Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics II w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course

Maybe doable if you go to an easy school. But generally I'd say work at the prerequisites more gradually.

 

[freakingoutabit]

I'm at the beginning of doing my prerequisites. My goal is finish my prerequisites by the end of 2014 and to take the current version of the MCAT in Jan 2015. If all goes well I'll matriculate in med school in Fall 2016 (I'll probably be taking more upper-division classes/research or maybe a one-year grad degree while I wait for med school to begin). Any input would be much appreciated.

I'm doing a DIY Post-Bacc at a local state school. My scheduling is as follows:

Fall 2013
General Bio I w/ Lab
General Bio II w/ Lab
General Chemistry I w/ Lab
Calculus

Spring 2014
General Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics I w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course

Summer 2014
Organic Chemistry I w/ Lab

Fall 2014
Organic Chemistry II w/ Lab
Physics II w/ Lab
Upper Division Bio Course

This is a tough semester! Too tough, IMO. I would postpone Calc until after you've taken the MCAT and do it during your application year. Very few schools require it, and you don't need to have all of your pre-reqs done before you apply anyways. There's no reason not to take algebra-based physics, particularly considering your science-heavy courseload.

 

[JDMcNugent]

Will you be working at all? If so, full time or part time? That semester of both gen bios and gen chem 1 could be pretty tough if you're going to be working, especially full time.

 

[Dyenimator]

Is there any chance you could take Spring/Summer classes (15 weeks) instead of those accelerated versions? Seems it'd be worth it instead of taking the 2 month classes. Then you could finish with a winter semester. Getting that time off in Winter 2014/2015, is it really worth it with the risk of these schedules being "too much"?

 

[edgerock24]

This is a tough semester! Too tough, IMO. I would postpone Calc until after you've taken the MCAT and do it during your application year. Very few schools require it, and you don't need to have all of your pre-reqs done before you apply anyways. There's no reason not to take algebra-based physics, particularly considering your science-heavy courseload.

I agree. In fact, taking Calc. in a post bac situation is useless and just adds extra work for someone. Only take calc if you really want to attend a school that requires it.

 

[CW 2010]

I agree. In fact, taking Calc. in a post bac situation is useless and just adds extra work for someone. Only take calc if you really want to attend a school that requires it.

Agree! Why do you need Calc??? Unless you are really good in math 🙂

 

[Aelius]

Definitely take biochem, because more and more schools require it. A&P is useful if you have space.

Yeah, that is my game plan. Knocking out both General Biology courses in one semester will allow me to take Physiology next semester.

 

[Aelius]

This is a tough semester! Too tough, IMO. I would postpone Calc until after you've taken the MCAT and do it during your application year. Very few schools require it, and you don't need to have all of your pre-reqs done before you apply anyways. There's no reason not to take algebra-based physics, particularly considering your science-heavy courseload.

I agree. In fact, taking Calc. in a post bac situation is useless and just adds extra work for someone. Only take calc if you really want to attend a school that requires it.

Agree! Why do you need Calc??? Unless you are really good in math 🙂

This is one area I haven't researched well yet. I don't know if there is any difference in taking an Algebra or Calc-based Physics for the MCAT or Med School apps. I thought Calc was the way to go because that is a requirement I read for Scripps and John Hopkins Post Bacc program, and it seems to be a requirement for the random med schools I took a look at.

At this point, I will probably need to drop the Calc because it is causing a schedule conflict for me. Since I'm not considered an "official" student at the state school I'm going to, I have the lowest priority for getting into classes and it's proving to be quite a headache at this point. If I do need Calc, I'll probably take it during the Winter session at a CC (not sure if the schools will care of Calc was taken at a CC).

 

[freakingoutabit]

This is one area I haven't researched well yet. I don't know if there is any difference in taking an Algebra or Calc-based Physics for the MCAT or Med School apps. I thought Calc was the way to go because that is a requirement I read for Scripps and John Hopkins Post Bacc program, and it seems to be a requirement for the random med schools I took a look at.
.

There is no calc-based physics on the MCAT. You will only need to know algebra and very simple trig (sin, cos, tan, radians, etc.) Because you can't use a calculator on the MCAT, all of the problems involve very simple math. Med schools don't care which physics sequence you take. Making As and having enough time to prepare for the MCAT are far more important than taking the harder sequence.

A few schools require calculus, but most don't. Some recommend it, and some require 1 or 2 semesters of college math that you can fulfill however you want. I'm applying right now and taking Calculus this semester because a few schools to which I'm applying require 2 semesters of math, and I placed into Calc and would rather learn something new than rehash trig.

Even if you do end up applying to a school that requires it, you can complete it during your gap year. I wouldn't focus any energy or attention on a subject that won't be tested on the MCAT until you're finished with it. Everything else, right now, is a waste of study time.

(not sure if the schools will care of Calc was taken at a CC).

They won't. Undergrads who take all of their science pre-reqs during the summer at CCs raise red flags because it looks like they're trying to pad their grades, but taking a few classes at a CC is no big deal, especially since you're taking your science pre-reqs at a 4 year school.

Hope this helps. 🙂

 

[Aelius]

Will you be working at all? If so, full time or part time? That semester of both gen bios and gen chem 1 could be pretty tough if you're going to be working, especially full time.

Working part-time, about 25-30 hours a week. I figured, I better stay out of the kitchen if I can't take the heat.

 

[Aelius]

There is no calc-based physics on the MCAT. You will only need to know algebra and very simple trig (sin, cos, tan, radians, etc.) Because you can't use a calculator on the MCAT, all of the problems involve very simple math. Med schools don't care which physics sequence you take. Making As and having enough time to prepare for the MCAT are far more important than taking the harder sequence.

A few schools require calculus, but most don't. Some recommend it, and some require 1 or 2 semesters of college math that you can fulfill however you want. I'm applying right now and taking Calculus this semester because a few schools to which I'm applying require 2 semesters of math, and I placed into Calc and would rather learn something new than rehash trig.

Even if you do end up applying to a school that requires it, you can complete it during your gap year. I wouldn't focus any energy or attention on a subject that won't be tested on the MCAT until you're finished with it. Everything else, right now, is a waste of study time.



They won't. Undergrads who take all of their science pre-reqs during the summer at CCs raise red flags because it looks like they're trying to pad their grades, but taking a few classes at a CC is no big deal, especially since you're taking your science pre-reqs at a 4 year school.

Hope this helps. 🙂

Thanks for the input. I'm not going to take Calc-based Physics then. I feel like my life just got easier. I might just push back Calc till after the MCAT then. It'll depend on how well I do this semester.

 

[Ratio121]

Hi OP,

I would try find a way to keep calculus in your tentative schedule somehow. A handful of medical schools require calculus and calculus is a prerequisite for physics (at my school at least).

Good luck.

 

[Aelius]

Hi OP,

I would try find a way to keep calculus in your tentative schedule somehow. A handful of medical schools require calculus and calculus is a prerequisite for physics (at my school at least).

Good luck.

Thanks for the note. I checked the school I'm going to and luckily Calc is not a pre-req, just good ol' Algebra.

 

[Aelius]

The toughest thing for me right now is actually getting enrolled. Right now, we are starting the second week of school next week, and the lab sections in both the first sequence in General Bio and General Chem are full and I was told that they do not over enroll due to lack of equipment.

I got to hope that someone drops or a serious monkey wrench will be thrown into my plans, meaning, I'll probably have to take the pre-reqs at another state school about 1.5 hours away including brutal brutal brutal, did I say brutal, traffic.

 

[shezadeh]

My goal is finish my prerequisites by the end of 2014 and to take the current version of the MCAT in Jan 2015.

Are you sure that the current version will be offered in Jan 2015? Does anyone have a source for this? I recall seeing something like this, but I can't seem to find it again.

 

[freakingoutabit]

Are you sure that the current version will be offered in Jan 2015? Does anyone have a source for this? I recall seeing something like this, but I can't seem to find it again.

Yes, the old MCAT will be offered through Jan 2015.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/303390/data/
page 10

 

[CaptRetired]

I know you have a bunch of opinions already, but I wanted to lend you my $0.02... not a downer message, just a comparison.

Background: I am a 36 y.o. medically retired USAF officer who now has the chance to fulfill a dream. I have a BS in management and an MBA. I started my prereqs in 2012 and this is how I set up my schedule:
Summer session 1 (5 weeks)- Bio 1 and Chem 1 (taking 4 days of leave per week from the mil)
Summer session 2 (5 weeks)- Bio 2 and Chem 2 (taking 4 days of leave per week from the mil)
Fall 12- I didn't have enough leave to take every weekday off, so I had to schedule these classes all on the same day... Calculus, however, was actually a night class.
Eng Comp 1 (I CLEP'd it for my first degree)
Phys 1 (algebra based series)
Orgo 1
Calc 1 (I was looking at several colleges that required Math)
January 13- MCAT (made a 26)
Spring 13- I had no more leave to take any days of the week off (yeah... I did START with a lot) These classes had to be scheduled during my "lunch hour"... but because I was getting out, that hour was more like 2 hours
Orgo 2 (Mon/Wed lunch)
Calc 2 (Tues/Thurs lunch)
Phys 2 (Tues/Thurs night)

I also ended up taking Psych 1 and Brit Lit in Summer '13.

Is it possible? Yeah. Is it DIFFICULT? Heck yeah. Can you make all A's? Well, I did, but I didn't get into any schools last cycle. I got my MCAT scores back in time to apply to some DO schools. I chose 5as a compromise (I am local to Mercer and my wife wanted me to apply there first...). I got 1 reject letter right off the bat. I got 2 requests for secondaries, and 1 interview from that (to the new school they built in AL, about 20 minutes from the High School I graduated from). I interviewed, but did not get accepted.

Tough ending? I think so. I think that the schools want to see you work through it a little. My opinion is that they want to see that this isn't just a fad for you. So, what did I do next? I shadowed 3 doctors over the summer, I am back into my classes (Fall 13- BioChem, MicroBio, and A&P 1). I have an early app in at Mercer (I interviewed already 🙂 ) and if it doesn't go well, I will apply BROADLY to DO schools. I will also take a VERY reduced course load this coming Spring to bring up that MCAT. Taking it before I finished all the prereqs was NOT a help to me.

You have set a much more achievable timeline than I did, so your chances of success should be better than mine were... just be careful to not bite off more than you can chew. "They" said I was crazy to stack my schedule like this. If you spread it out a little more, it makes the A's come a little easier.

Kingsley, Capt
USAF Retired