Finish pre-reqs in a year - by next summer - when to take MCAT?

[jlittlej]

---

Members do not see this ad.

My schedule:

Fall:
Chem I
Bio I
Physics I
Spring:
Chem II
Bio II
Physics II
Summer Session One:
Orgo I
Summer Session Two:
Orgo II

Do I take the August MCAT so I don't have to wait another year before applying? I'm in this for the long haul, and it's quite possible that, even if I ace my pre-reqs, my old college grades might prevent me from getting in the first time. But the thought of waiting another two years after finishing the pre-reqs before starting school frightens me.

 

[blee]

Don't wait any longer than you must before you take the MCAT. If you can hack MCAT prep simultaneously with a summer orgo course, then do it. If you find yourself having to sacrifice either your MCAT studies or your orgo grade, then shoot for April. You'll have to answer this one for yourself when the time comes, I think.

FWIW, I took the April MCAT while taking the second halves of three prereqs (physics, bio, orgo), and I did well on everything. Wasn't fun, but I did it.

 

[jays2cool4u]

Looks like you have a tough schedule ahead. What's the rush? You might sacrifice either your grades or MCAT score with this schedule. Blee said that he or she completed the second halves of 3 prereqs with the April MCAT and did fine. However, this is usually the exception and not the rule. If it takes two years to complete your post-bac to achieve the best grades possible then so be it. Do not set yourself up for failure.

Jays2Cool4u 😎

 

[RogueRules]

That's a heavy schedule jlittlej. Not impossible if you are a strong student, but I would advise only doing it if you are sure you can excel at your coursework even at that pace. Your postbacc grades are of utmost importance in your applications (especially if your undergrad grades are lackluster, which you seemed to imply was the case). If you are not sure you can do very well in the courses in such a schedule, I would highly recommend taking an extra year and rocking your coursework.

If you DO feel you are a strong enough student to ace the courses in a year, and your goal is obviously to save a year, then you would need to take the August MCAT. What I would recommend you do, though, is NOT take Orgo II in the summer. It would be EXTREMELY challenging to take a summer session Orgo II course AND study for the MCAT successfully. Since there is not that much Orgo, leave alone Orgo II on the MCAT, I would advise leaving Orgo II for your lag year ( i.e. take it in the Fall). This is acceptable to med schools and would give you a chance to study more properly for the MCATs.

I have had two friends do this, and while they said it wasn't ideal not to have taken Orgo II, they both fared well and did well in their applications to medical school.

But, as general advice, remember that you need to make yourself look as competitive as possible to med schools. If you already think you 'might not make it in the first time' (by the way, it doesn't get easier on subsequent tries), then take the extra year now that you would have to take if you didn't get in, do your coursework at a more reasonable pace, ace them, ace the MCAT AND spend those two years building out the other parts of your resume. Get involved in serious volunteer work, research, medical efforts, etc so that you are a truly competitive candidate when you apply. It's not terribly wise to rush things for the sake of rushing them.

And, while I do not know your age, if you ever question being too old, go to the 'Nontraditional' forum here on SDN - there are plenty of folks applying in their 30s and 40s. A year is not that much time. Do things right the first time.

My schedule:

Fall:
Chem I
Bio I
Physics I
Spring:
Chem II
Bio II
Physics II
Summer Session One:
Orgo I
Summer Session Two:
Orgo II

Do I take the August MCAT so I don't have to wait another year before applying? I'm in this for the long haul, and it's quite possible that, even if I ace my pre-reqs, my old college grades might prevent me from getting in the first time. But the thought of waiting another two years after finishing the pre-reqs before starting school frightens me.

 

[sunnyjohn]

You have a busy schedule there.

What's the rush?

TAke that MCAT as soon as you can. 🙂

 

[mshheaddoc]

Ambitious. That was me until I came back to reality.

First off, you will not be able to study for teh MCAT while taking ochem in the summer. I'm guessing it will be a 5-7 week class for each of them. That will kick your ass. Majorly. Ochem is a difficult class for many. And summer classes often "glass over" main points.

You are doubting your undergrad grades to get you in. If you are Sub 3.0 you have a right to worry. If you are above a 3.0 and didn't have ANY prereqs previously you are in good standing.

I talked to many people in many situations. My advice ... take your time. I agree with Sunnyjohn. Why are you in a hurry? We all are in a hurry but as you said, its marathon not a sprint. (I love that quote)

 

[jlittlej]

Thanks for the replies.

There's no real rush. I have a great part-time job that only requires me to work about eight hours a week. I recall my premed friends in college carrying three science courses plus another humanities one while doing research and still more or less having a life. And I know the 19 year-olds on campus have similar schedules.

Like many on these boards, my academic record is pretty spotty. Spent summers at Texas and Stanford while in high school. Entered U of Michigan with a 3.7 from those schools and then promptly got about a 1.9 in my first two years. Transfered and had a 3.7 the last two years - though I have a couple of Ws from when I worked at the college paper. I think my GPA is above a 2.9 but below a 3.0. Interesting post-college work - taught English and wrote articles in the Middle East.

I just feel like, with my easy job, I should take a tough schedule and show the adcoms I can handle it. I'll probably go ahead and take the two years to finish. Do one orgo over the summer. Take the other along with an extra science course or two in the fall. A couple courses in the spring with the MCAT in April.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[blee]

I would make your schedule as tough as you can handle. If you can take three classes (and, by "take," I mean "get As") while working, then do it; if not, scale back to two or whatever you can manage. It's important to show that you can handle a heavy courseload, but you also have to show excellence while doing so. So don't rush for the sake of rushing, but don't sell yourself short either.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Thanks for the replies.

There's no real rush. I have a great part-time job that only requires me to work about eight hours a week. I recall my premed friends in college carrying three science courses plus another humanities one while doing research and still more or less having a life. And I know the 19 year-olds on campus have similar schedules.

Like many on these boards, my academic record is pretty spotty. Spent summers at Texas and Stanford while in high school. Entered U of Michigan with a 3.7 from those schools and then promptly got about a 1.9 in my first two years. Transfered and had a 3.7 the last two years - though I have a couple of Ws from when I worked at the college paper. I think my GPA is above a 2.9 but below a 3.0. Interesting post-college work - taught English and wrote articles in the Middle East.

I just feel like, with my easy job, I should take a tough schedule and show the adcoms I can handle it. I'll probably go ahead and take the two years to finish. Do one orgo over the summer. Take the other along with an extra science course or two in the fall. A couple courses in the spring with the MCAT in April.

Thanks again for the help.

If you feel you can get those A's then go for it. Sounds like you have thought this out. Good luck!

 

[LavaG]

I'm going to be taking a similar schedule, but starting in the summer of 06.

My schedule:

Fall:
Chem I
Bio I
Physics I
Spring:
Chem II
Bio II
Physics II
Summer Session One:
Orgo I
Summer Session Two:
Orgo II

Do I take the August MCAT so I don't have to wait another year before applying? I'm in this for the long haul, and it's quite possible that, even if I ace my pre-reqs, my old college grades might prevent me from getting in the first time. But the thought of waiting another two years after finishing the pre-reqs before starting school frightens me.

 

[Jannat]

Hello. I have a similar question, so I guess I will post it here.

One is that I just transferred to a new school (UC Berkeley), but my GPA at my community college was not that great, though I do have activities, leadership, research, and such, if I improve my GPA at Berkeley, what does it seem like my chances are for a "good" medical school.

Also, I didn't take the August MCAT since I was finishing up organic chemistry, so my only chance to take it will be April (if I don't want to wait a year), however I have yet to take Physics 8A and 8B. When I take it in April I will only be part way through 8A, realistically, do I have a chance to do well?

Thank you for your help. 🙂

 

[blee]

Is Physics 8 an intro physics course? If so, be careful about not being complete with this course before taking the MCAT. The PS section has plenty of questions and passages from both semesters of first-year physics; unless you can prepare independendently for the half of the course you won't be taking, then it might not be worth taking the April MCAT. If you made a typo, and you'll be partly through the second semester of physics (not the first), you'll be fine.

 

[Jannat]

Is Physics 8 an intro physics course? If so, be careful about not being complete with this course before taking the MCAT. The PS section has plenty of questions and passages from both semesters of first-year physics; unless you can prepare independendently for the half of the course you won't be taking, then it might not be worth taking the April MCAT. If you made a typo, and you'll be partly through the second semester of physics (not the first), you'll be fine.

Oh crap. Yea, actually physics 8A is the first half, which I will be about 3 months into if I take the April MCAT, but I won't have had any of the second half, 8B yet. Does anyone know how effective test preparation programs such as Kaplan are?

Thank you for your help. 🙂