Help Me Schedule

[VillageShaman]

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Note: I can tie up loose ends on my own in terms of finishing requirements for graduation/medical school. For now I just want help planning with the MCAT in mind.
Again, I want to ensure I have taken everything I need to help me prepare for the MCAT.

My advisors are useless, sorry. I need your helps
I am a freshman planning my sophmore year so far I have taken:
1 year of general biology
1 year of general chemistry
1 semester of Calc 1


How would you guys fit the following courses into your sophomore and junior year
1 semester statistics (maybe calc 2 also?!?)
1 year of physics
1 year of ochem
1 semester of molecular biology
1 semester genetics
1 semester biochemistry



I swear I have made a honest effort to consult with resources at my college, talk to other students, and read other threads.


Guys, this schedule is constantly edited so if what someone says doesn't apply its cause I took their suggestion

Here is a sample idea I had:
Fall Sophomore
Ochem I
Molecular Bio
Stats I
Core Class

Spring Sophmore
Ochem II
Elective
physiology
Core Class

Fall Junior
Physics I
Biochemistry
Genetics
Core
Elective

Spring Junior
Physics II
histology
Elective

 

[docelh]

you want to take all those courses before taking the MCAT?

 

[VillageShaman]

Not necessarily, but those are the courses I am looking at so if you would schedule only some and not others, and schedule them at various times let me know.

 

[docelh]

I just think you have a really wide variety of options here depending on what you want. When to take the exam versus what you want to have nailed down cold going in.

Taking the advanced classes may help, but may overdo it. The downside is the lag time from when you've taken the intro chem and bio.

My plan is to take MCAT after my basic pre-reqs are done. Would advanced bio help? Sure, but I'll just do self-study for those portions.

 

[CapnCrunch]

You'll NEED Physics and Organic Chemistry.

All the others are really optional for the MCAT. Some might help but it's a stretch. Most of the time passages on BS are too convoluted for genetics and biochem to help.

College courses often have other intentions that preparing you for the MCAT so a prepbook for bio content or chem content may be more helpful in advancing your score.

I'd suggest studying as you go with classes if you're determined so you know what to remember for the MCAT. That way it's not just a big, "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?"

 

[VillageShaman]

capt I just updated the post with a sample, or do you think I should shift my physics earlier by a semester.
The thing is everyone i know takes o Chem sophmore year and the bio department says I should take some 300 classes sophmore year

I am not sure but I am worried that Ochem+Physics+molecular biology=my gpa getting raped in a dark alley

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Do not take o-chem and biochemistry together. Don't bother taking histology because its not on the mcat and medical school histology is supposed to be 'easy'. I'd keep the biochem and physiology though, but otherwise the other classes aren't really that helpful.

But yes, I'm going to tell you that the BS section material is something you can get from the prep book.

 

[VillageShaman]

okay thanks for the suggestion, I will make the chage

 

[CapnCrunch]

Do you plan on taking your MCAT the summer after your junior year?

If I were doing this again, I'd sub out Molecular Biology and replace it with Physics so I could focus on the MCAT on the summer before I apply. Maybe that's just me...

Molecular Biology and Genetics really didn't help me with the MCAT if this is your goal. Strict studying for an extended period of time (2-3 months) is what is generally done.

Otherwise, if you wanted the extra classes and the slight delay of taking the MCAT around April or May so you'd have it scored before app season begins, then your schedule works.