Genetics on MCAT

[bonez318ti]

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Hi all,

I'll be taking the MCAT this summer, but I've only had the basic pre req classes (bio I, II, Che I, II, PHY I II, Orgo I, II).

Since Genetics seems to be a pretty vital part of the MCAT these days, any recommendations on how I can bring my genetics knowledge up to par? (we dealt with pretty basic stuff in my bio classes.. like mendelian genetics and how genes are transcribed etc..)

I'll be taking a Kaplan course this summer, and I heard that they don't put that much emphasis on genetics.. Any recommended books/resources/strategies?

I need to do real well on the MCATs.. (who doesnt ) so I'm looking for anything that might add a point or two..

Thanks

 

[N-toxicologist]

You don't say what year you're in; are you graduating May 2005? If your grad date is later, consider waiting. I'm not being pessimistic; the courses you have completed serve as a good base. I just see so many people jump into the MCAT when they could have waited, only to have to retake it.

I took TPR myself, so I don't know about Kaplan's materials or instructions. Genetics IS helpful, but so would be physiology or microbiology (the former more than the latter). It seems that you should be able to a basic Punnett square (know percentages and probabilities), be familiar with Mendelian genetics, and Hardy-Weinberg, right off the top of my head. Oh, and transcription/translation. I remember lots of bacterial genetics in my practice tests; that's the only reason I mention micro. I recommend genetics, but any that I encountered seemed pretty straight-forward. I lucked out that I was able to take almost all my core plus some electives before my MCAT this past April. I'm sure you'll get more feedback to supplement my ramblings.

Bottom line: Take as much time as you can to prepare, so you only do it once, and you do it well. Good luck!

 

[bonez318ti]

sorry I didnt mention it..

I'm a post bacc student. I graduated with a business degree in 2000 and worked until last year, when I decided to go into medicine. I need to take the Aug. MCAT since I'm applying for Fall 05... its more of a financial constraint than anything else since my savings can't sustain another year of being a student (without loans that is).

In my basic bio classes, we covered mendelian genetics along with alot of micro bio stuff such as translation, transcription etc.. but I am not quite sure how much depth the MCAT goes into in genetics. My second semester course focused on physiology almost exclusively.. (ie muscles, nerve impulses, kidney were the major focus).

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I took the bare requisites and took the April MCAT and my genetics knowledge was not adequate for that test. I learned what we learn in Gen. Bio very well, but this much more in depth, molecular genetics. And genetics was WELL represented.

Just letting you know ahead of time... but I do not know what helps. My friend who got a 98% in his Genetics class had trouble with the MCAT genetics so I have no idea what they're thinking.

 

[Premedtomed]

Go over non -Mendelian genetics problems/discussions be familiar with the genetics language. It will make your job "easier"

 

[JDAD]

I took genetics and did very well, and I am still having trouble with mcat genetics. They ask the questions in a very difficult way. The knowledge is basic, but you have to know everything cold to do well. I have some work to do.

 

[acetylcoa]

what exactly is "non-mendelian genetics"? i took genetics a long time ago. i don't really remember much. what's a good way to prepare myself for the type of genetics on the mcat?

 

[ASDIC]

Genetics can be divided into 2:

Mendelian Genetics: dealing with genotypes, phenotypes, predicted frequencies hereof, following chromosomes during cell divisions, population genetics and evolution

Non-mendelian genetics also known as molecular genetics: DNA, RNA, transposons, DNA binding proteins, mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription etc, mutations of sequences, DNA repair mechanisms etc

 

[no-see-um]

There's no way you could take a genetics course? I majored in Genetics, so I took a ton of genetics/genomics courses. You really should take a basic genetics course and/or biochemistry these days. Or, go to your college library and review certain chapters. Lehninger "Principles of Biochemistry" should help with most of the molecular stuff.

 

[stoic]

I took the MCAT in April and there was A TON of genetics on it; both molecular and mendelian.

Luckily I'm a gentics major... seriously. I couldn't believe it, I didn't expect anywhere near as much genetics as showed up.

This is the sentiment I have heard from most of the people that took the test.

Good luck!

 

[SensesFail]

Would it be worth taking a distance education course in Genetics? My situation is as follows: I just finished 2nd-year university and I plan on writing the MCAT in August. I've taken all of the pre-reqs as well as Biochemistry, Cell Bio, and Neurology. I've been exposed to Genetics in high school and 1st-year Biology courses but from what people have posted, there seems to have been more than introductory Genetics concepts on the April 2004 MCAT. My unversity doesn't offer Genetics in the summer, but I found a distance education Genetics course from the university of British Columbia. I checked with my unversity, and this course is eligible as a transfer credit to my transcript. Would it be worth taking this course in preparation for the August MCAT? The course itself would be finished by mid-July and costs roughly $600 including the textbook. I do have the Princeton Review Biological Sciences Review book, but the Genetics section is only about 20 pages. Suggestions? or ?

 

[JDAD]

Would it be worth taking a distance education course in Genetics? My situation is as follows: I just finished 2nd-year university and I plan on writing the MCAT in August. I've taken all of the pre-reqs as well as Biochemistry, Cell Bio, and Neurology. I've been exposed to Genetics in high school and 1st-year Biology courses but from what people have posted, there seems to have been more than introductory Genetics concepts on the April 2004 MCAT. My unversity doesn't offer Genetics in the summer, but I found a distance education Genetics course from the university of British Columbia. I checked with my unversity, and this course is eligible as a transfer credit to my transcript. Would it be worth taking this course in preparation for the August MCAT? The course itself would be finished by mid-July and costs roughly $600 including the textbook. I do have the Princeton Review Biological Sciences Review book, but the Genetics section is only about 20 pages. Suggestions? or ?

I promise you that isn't worth it. Not only with that course kick your ass, as summer classes from UBC tend to do, it is way overboard. $600 for the possibility of getting four or five more questions right? Just study the PR stuff, the number of pages doesn't tell you anything about the actual content, buy a textbook if you want, and take a few practice tests.

 

[no-see-um]

I took the MCAT in April and there was A TON of genetics on it; both molecular and mendelian.

Luckily I'm a gentics major... seriously. I couldn't believe it, I didn't expect anywhere near as much genetics as showed up.

This is the sentiment I have heard from most of the people that took the test.

Good luck!

This year is the year of the genetics major, it seems. Wow...
Usually they always go for those blasted physiology people.

 

[ASDIC]

This year is the year of the genetics major, it seems. Wow...
Usually they always go for those blasted physiology people.

this reminds of the Chinese New Years, such this year is the Year of the Monkey

I predict next year will be the Year of the Biochemistry!

 

[blz]

This year is the year of the genetics major, it seems. Wow...
Usually they always go for those blasted physiology people.

Oh yea, prop to all us genetics majors out there! I swear I saw atleast four of my bio passages on the April MCAT in my genetics major cirriculum.

 

[JDAD]

I hope august will be the summer of Biochemistry! Go Nerd

 

[no-see-um]

I hope august will be the summer of Biochemistry! Go Nerd

Biochemistry's allright too.