High school seniors studying for MCAT?

[Technology]

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask about something that came up while I was at school.

Right now I go to a very competitive public high school that has many competitive students wishing to become lawyers, doctors, and other upscale professions. As of a few days ago, I heard several students in my AP Bio and AP Psychology classes conversing about "studying for the MCAT this summer" (after AP tests and graduation). I did not confront them because I was unsure of how serious they were, but many of them are extremely determined to become 'leading doctors', and (from what I believe) will likely begin studying three years beforehand to master the MCAT.

Anyways, what are your thoughts about this? Do you also think this is ridiculous? This question is intended for anyone who has taken the MCAT, or anyone who is planning to take the MCAT.

Thanks for your answer(s)!

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[ERDOC555]

Complete waste of time. Just laugh as they attempt to memorize the intermediates and enzymes for respiration. Last time I checked high-schoolers don't know biochemistry and I wouldn't want to simply dive into a biochem textbook.

You need between 1 and 3 months to study for the MCAT. Maybe 6-9 months if you are only studying part time during school. 3 years is a complete waste of time.

If they were smart they would take special notes during their college classes on what is applicable to the MCAT and know those topics cold, which would make prep time much easier.

 

[Technology]

Complete waste of time. Just laugh as they attempt to memorize the intermediates and enzymes for respiration. Last time I checked high-schoolers don't know biochemistry and I wouldn't want to simply dive into a biochem textbook.

You need between 1 and 3 months to study for the MCAT. Maybe 6-9 months if you are only studying part time during school. 3 years is a complete waste of time.

If they were smart they would take special notes during their college classes on what is applicable to the MCAT and know those topics cold, which would make prep time much easier.

Haha! Thank you. A lot of them took AP Chemistry as well and have some understanding of biochemistry, but overall do not have a holistic understanding of the subject.

Would they benefit from simply learning the central subjects – sociology, psychology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry and biology – rather than using MCAT study resources? I do not want them to waste their time, because they are very respectful classmates... they are just somewhat neurotic and 'in-a-rush' with their futures (... even their long-term futures).

 

[Ryomagoku]

This is another one of those high school senior MCAT thing.

First of all, you are not in college, why do you even start studying for MCAT?

Secondly, by taking AP chem, bio, physics, or having some biochemistry knowledge does not mean you will for sure go to med school route.

My friends took AP science courses. They all said they wanted to go to med school. Once they got into their top choice colleges, only a few are applying for health professional schools.

Tell your friends, don't be stupid.

Complete waste of time as the other person said.

By prepping for MCAT when they are in high school only means they are not smart.

As you said, they are really "in-a-rush" for no reason.

Good luck

 

[aldol16]

I don't know if this is a troll post or not. If not, then your friends obviously have no idea what it takes to do well on the MCAT or to be a good doctor. I have yet to encounter a case where studying more than 6 months in advance made a substantial difference in MCAT score. Especially with the new MCAT. The new MCAT emphasizes reasoning and logic more so than content memorization. So their time is much better spent developing those skills by engaging in classes and reading the literature (and no, I don't mean Dostoyevsky) than studying for the MCAT for "three years." By the time they take the MCAT, they also won't remember what they studied at the beginning and will have to go over the material again anyway. And this is all assuming that they have taken all the pre-requisites already - so say, AP Bio and A/P, AP Physics 1 and 2, AP Chem, Organic Chemistry, and a substantial amount of biochemistry.

 

[ERDOC555]

Haha! Thank you. A lot of them took AP Chemistry as well and have some understanding of biochemistry, but overall do not have a holistic understanding of the subject.

Would they benefit from simply learning the central subjects – sociology, psychology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry and biology – rather than using MCAT study resources? I do not want them to waste their time, because they are very respectful classmates... they are just somewhat neurotic and 'in-a-rush' with their futures (... even their long-term futures).

Probably not, the only bigger waste of time than memorizing MCAT topics 3 years out is memorizing random topics that won't show up on the MCAT. Unless they like learning about fungi in biology or dozens of useless Ochem reactions, there really isn't a point. If they are going to pre-study something regardless of any advice not to, they might as well use a prep book and at least get some minuscule benefit.

 

[2017mdapp]

They should be doing volunteer work, shadowing and other activities to figure out what they want to do. MCAT studying at this point is useless, I studied for about 6 weeks, 3 weeks full time before my MCAT and felt there was no need to do more since content knowledge is obtained in college and studying should be used for test taking skills.

 

[Wolfpack93]

Haha! Thank you. A lot of them took AP Chemistry as well and have some understanding of biochemistry, but overall do not have a holistic understanding of the subject.

Would they benefit from simply learning the central subjects – sociology, psychology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry and biology – rather than using MCAT study resources? I do not want them to waste their time, because they are very respectful classmates... they are just somewhat neurotic and 'in-a-rush' with their futures (... even their long-term futures).

Took AP chemistry and have some understanding of biochemistry?? I'm sorry but no they don't. AP chemistry is equivalent to maybe first semester chemistry but even then it's easier than any chem you'll see at a college level. The best prep you can do is make sure you're reading a lot to possibly help prepare you for CARS. Read books outside your comfort zone.

 

[NextStepTutor_2]

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask about something that came up while I was at school.

Right now I go to a very competitive public high school that has many competitive students wishing to become lawyers, doctors, and other upscale professions. As of a few days ago, I heard several students in my AP Bio and AP Psychology classes conversing about "studying for the MCAT this summer" (after AP tests and graduation). I did not confront them because I was unsure of how serious they were, but many of them are extremely determined to become 'leading doctors', and (from what I believe) will likely begin studying three years beforehand to master the MCAT.

Anyways, what are your thoughts about this? Do you also think this is ridiculous? This question is intended for anyone who has taken the MCAT, or anyone who is planning to take the MCAT.

Thanks for your answer(s)!

Don't just don't. There is nothing you can really do now in high school that will make much of a difference on the MCAT. The physics or chem or even psych might be things you have seen, but the level of manipulation and unique presentation of the science by the MCAT requires much more time and complexity that you just do not get in high school. Even my med school classes were much more dense and time consuming than any I had in undergrad, but at least there I built familiarity with material and my thinking skills. Enjoy the time you have left ;-)

Good luck!

 

[MCAT-MVP]

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask about something that came up while I was at school.

Right now I go to a very competitive public high school that has many competitive students wishing to become lawyers, doctors, and other upscale professions. As of a few days ago, I heard several students in my AP Bio and AP Psychology classes conversing about "studying for the MCAT this summer" (after AP tests and graduation). I did not confront them because I was unsure of how serious they were, but many of them are extremely determined to become 'leading doctors', and (from what I believe) will likely begin studying three years beforehand to master the MCAT.

Anyways, what are your thoughts about this? Do you also think this is ridiculous? This question is intended for anyone who has taken the MCAT, or anyone who is planning to take the MCAT.

Thanks for your answer(s)!

I agree with the previous posts. If your goal is to get into medical school and right now you are still in high school don't worry about the MCAT too much. Medical schools will also look at your college GPA as well as your MCAT scores and your college classes will be before your MCAT.

I would recommend finding what you love doing. If you are really interested in Chemistry or Biology then by all means study those, but if you really like one of those subjects then you may want to consider being a researcher in those fields and either getting a Ph.D in Chemistry or Biology. On the other hand if you really like medicine then maybe you could try to shadow a physician that you know or your family knows. You maybe even able to get a job in the ER as a scribe. Medical schools like seeing a candidate have some hospital experience other than volunteering.

The bottom line is this.. if you find what you love doing you are going to be great at it and success will naturally follow.

If you have not found what you really love doing, then keep looking but don't forget to have fun too while you look.

 

[Technology]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I was looking for a confirmation bias about this problem, and you all seemed to have the same opinion as me. I will recommend them to shadow physicians to see if they actually like medicine, because most of them have had little-to-no exposure.

I don't know if this is a troll post or not.

And no, this was not a troll post. It was something that came up during class, so I wondered if they were being ridiculous or not.