Essentially one year behind ?

[Etruscan]

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So I've had a rough start, I began my first semester by taking the wrong intro bio course, and then the next semester realized I need to take a pre-req for gen.chem. I'm starting my prereqs my sophmore year. This puts me on a more time-scrunched schedule and I'm not sure I'll be able to apply to schools the end of my Junior year. If I wanted to that would mean I'd have to finish bio1/2, gen chem/orgo, physics, and calc in only two years. Is this too intense? Would it be better to take the MCAT later and apply senior year as to not rush this?
Thanks

 

[Hsandovaljr]

Unless you think you can handle it, I would probably just take it slow. Youre risking your grades with a heavy courseload which can make things even worse.

 

[DAPI]

So I've had a rough start, I began my first semester by taking the wrong intro bio course, and then the next semester realized I need to take a pre-req for gen.chem. I'm starting my prereqs my sophmore year. This puts me on a more time-scrunched schedule and I'm not sure I'll be able to apply to schools the end of my Junior year. If I wanted to that would mean I'd have to finish bio1/2, gen chem/orgo, physics, and calc in only two years. Is this too intense? Would it be better to take the MCAT later and apply senior year as to not rush this?
Thanks

Well you would not need to take calc unless its required for physics until senior years (and some schools do not even require it), but either way, that's going to be a little rough especially if you're not a science major. And even if you are a science major it would already appear you are a year behind. Another thing to consider is that the MCAT is changing in 2015 so you may factor that into your application timing. Maybe get the required courses done over the next two years, take the MCAT before it changes, and then worry about finishing you major after that- maybe taking 5 years to graduate, but going straight into med school. But also consider how long the MCAT would be valid for (normally 3 years from matriculation) or if you botch the MCAT and do have to take it in 2015 you would need several additional classes.

 

[capn jazz]

you're not "behind."
taking time off is ok.

 

[Etruscan]

Well you would not need to take calc unless its required for physics until senior years (and some schools do not even require it), but either way, that's going to be a little rough especially if you're not a science major. And even if you are a science major it would already appear you are a year behind. Another thing to consider is that the MCAT is changing in 2015 so you may factor that into your application timing. Maybe get the required courses done over the next two years, take the MCAT before it changes, and then worry about finishing you major after that- maybe taking 5 years to graduate, but going straight into med school. But also consider how long the MCAT would be valid for (normally 3 years from matriculation) or if you botch the MCAT and do have to take it in 2015 you would need several additional classes.

Specifically what is being changed with the 2015 MCAT? At this rate I will need to take both orgo/physics junior year if I want to take the MCAT before it changes, which could be an overload if done with simultaneous MCAT study...
Part of the reason for my year behind is that I did not intend to major in science, until I developed an affinity of it after my first course..I'm still undeclared as I may choose a non-science major for some credits which will otherwise be wasted if I choose bio.
Also must I finish all prereqs before applying to schools? If so this would force me to consider calc into that already crunched schedule

 

[StoicJosher]

Specifically what is being changed with the 2015 MCAT?

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/

 

[DAPI]

1) Specifically what is being changed with the 2015 MCAT?
2) At this rate I will need to take both orgo/physics junior year if I want to take the MCAT before it changes, which could be an overload if done with simultaneous MCAT study...
3) Part of the reason for my year behind is that I did not intend to major in science, until I developed an affinity of it after my first course..I'm still undeclared as I may choose a non-science major for some credits which will otherwise be wasted if I choose bio.
4) Also must I finish all prereqs before applying to schools? If so this would force me to consider calc into that already crunched schedule

1) It basically includes dropping the writing section and adding sociology, psychology, and biochemistry. Maybe more, maybe less, I'm not all that up to date. Look here for more info: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/

2) If you wanted to do everything in four year and go straight into medical school that would be an overload IMO, but if you took five years to graduate or took a year off, you could study for the MCAT all summer and take it in August or September and just hold onto the score for a year and then apply. But you must consider if you have to re-take cause at that point you would be looking at the 2015 MCAT. Or it may be possible to take the MCAT earlyish summer depending on when you school gets out and just not apply super easy, just middle of the pack.

3) Do not just choose a major cause you have credits in the department of because you waisted a few bio credits, major in something you enjoy regardless of what it does credit wise or MCAT wise as you will likely get a higher GPA that way and GPA is just as important if not more important than the MCAT score - and probably even more so in the first few years of the new MCAT (but I do not want to get into that debate here - you can look elsewhere for other opinions on that)

4) No, prereqs must just be done before matriculation, but do not try and take the MCAT before the courses needed for that have been complete.

 

[hmockingbird]

Could you do summer classes? I took both semesters of gen chem over the summer. I was behind too (didn't decide I wanted to do pre-med until second semester of freshman year) and that helped a lot.

With orgo and physics together... I did that one semester. It sucked but physics is one of my better subjects so that helped.

In case you want to know how I ended up scheduling things:
Freshman-Spring: Gen Bio II (Which is actually normal: my school is weird and most people take bio II before bio I, because the pre-med advisors think it's overload to take bio and gen chem your first semester or something. They don't build on each other, though, so it works out, just odd)
Summer: Gen Chem I and II
Sophomore-Fall: Orgo I and Gen Bio I
Sophomore-Spring: Orgo II and Gen Physics I (our physics classes are both offered every semester, which helped!)
Junior-Fall: study abroad (I took physiology, but my school grades study abroad p/f)
Junior-Spring: Gen Physics II and Genetics
MCAT - middle of May? I mostly crammed for about a month. I know some people who took it finals week and I thought they were crazy!
I could have done orgo and physics separately if I hadn't studied abroad. Studying abroad was definitely worth it though! (I was/am non-science btw so this is pretty much the extent of my sciences beyond a few more electives senior year.)

Anyway, you don't need the prereqs before you apply. It just helps to have the basic 8 (2 semesters each of bio, gen chem, orgo, and physics) for the MCAT obviously. I had a calc credit from high school but I took stats senior year since not all of the schools I applied to took the credit. The AMCAS transcript gives you room to fill in classes you are planning to take. Your transcript isn't required to match up exactly at the end but it gives schools a good idea of your plans especially if you haven't taken a pre-req yet. I listed my fall schedule and then biochem for spring (now) because one of my schools "strongly recommended" it so I wanted them to know I would be taking it. I was on hold at one school because they wanted to see my stats grade, but other than that if you are missing one or two it shouldn't really be a problem.

 

[impervious0ne]

I would prioritize any significant EC's over classes (yes, even pre-reqs) over the summer. These opportunities don't roll by.

 

[Morsetlis]

I would prioritize any significant EC's over classes (yes, even pre-reqs) over the summer. These opportunities don't roll by.

Very good advice.

 

[Law2Doc]

The concept of being "behind" on this thread is *****ic. There is no expected schedule. The average age in med school tends to be 23-24, so coming to med school a year or two after college is very average. The biggest mistake people make is rushing things. You want to have good grades and good ECs, and if that takes an extra year or two BFD.

 

[hmockingbird]

I would prioritize any significant EC's over classes (yes, even pre-reqs) over the summer. These opportunities don't roll by.

Good point. My main motivation for taking summer classes was that they made it easier for me to graduate in 4 years (I wanted to study abroad, which messed up my schedule) and that was cheaper than taking another semester or year.

 

[Danbo1957]

The average age in med school tends to be 23-24...

Again, it only takes a couple of nontraditionals to skew the "average age". Most, meaning more than half, starting MS1s are 22 years old, right out of college.

And being behind is relative. My brother graudated high school in three years, college in three years, and med-school in three years. To him, that allowed him to start practicing neurosurgery "three years earlier". 🙂