Help with scheduling and mcat

[dillpicklechips]

Hello, I'm planning for my spring classes, but I'm in kind of a dilemma. This is my schedule for Spring 2019 semester before I take the mcat:

Spring Semester
Spanish
organic lab
physics II
Biochemistry
genetics
Research

I want to take a lighter load to study for the mcat (13 credits), but I also heard that organic chemistry lab and genetics is really important on the mcat, should I keep these classes and risk less time to study or can I self-teach? Also, taking these classes would bump my gpa to a 3.7 (yes, granted I get an A). If I don't take it, I end with a 3.66 gpa. I don't know if the difference is that important, but it's something I've been considering.

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[sunshine859]

Organic lab is not very important for the MCAT. Imo, you could easily teach yourself the relevant material (spectroscopy, distillation) from a Kaplan or Princeton Review book and hold off on taking the organic lab class. What month are you planning on taking the MCAT?

 

[Deleted member 737595]

Hello, I'm planning for my spring classes, but I'm in kind of a dilemma. This is my schedule for Spring 2019 semester before I take the mcat:

Spring Semester
Spanish
organic lab
physics II
Biochemistry
genetics
Research

I want to take a lighter load to study for the mcat (13 credits), but I also heard that organic chemistry lab and genetics is really important on the mcat, should I keep these classes and risk less time to study or can I self-teach? Also, taking these classes would bump my gpa to a 3.7. If I don't take it, I end with a 3.66 gpa. I don't know if the difference is that important, but it's something I've been considering.

Taking these classes would bump you to 3.7? That's if you get all A's? That would be somewhat wishful.

Genetics and Orgo 2 are practically inconsequential for the MCAT. The MCAT tests the most basic of content. Even the Biochem section is all stuff you've probably seen before in intro Bio, with a few added things like Amino Acids, Enzyme Kinetics, and a more detailed look at the pathways. So don't be tricked into thinking that you can't take the MCAT until you get a ton of course-work under your belt; not necessarily true. Sure, it'll help, but at the detriment of your other sections of the MCAT?

So, get rid of Genetics and Orgo 2 if you can. Also, get rid of research if you can. The MCAT is WAYY more important than a 0.04 bump in GPA. Then again, 3.7 range vs 3.6 range... that's something to think about.

 

[dillpicklechips]

Organic lab is not very important for the MCAT. Imo, you could easily teach yourself the relevant material (spectroscopy, distillation) from a Kaplan or Princeton Review book and hold off on taking the organic lab class. What month are you planning on taking the MCAT?

I'm thinking early May, it might put me into finals week but I suppose the finals would prepare me for the mcat.