How essential is taking a course for biochem for MCAT?

[aklvkk]

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[efle]

You can very feasibly teach yourself one of the content areas (I did with physics on the old MCAT, also a quarter of the test), in this case especially if you find Ochem/bio relatively manageable subjects. You'll want to spend more time on it since you're learning it fresh rather than reviewing, but if you schedule well it will not hold your score back at all.

 

[ZedsDed]

You can very feasibly teach yourself one of the content areas (I did with physics on the old MCAT, also a quarter of the test), in this case especially if you find Ochem/bio relatively manageable subjects. You'll want to spend more time on it since you're learning it fresh rather than reviewing, but if you schedule well it will not hold your score back at all.

I did the same on the bio section. Granted bio was my lowest score (11), but it's totally doable.

And prep courses are ****ing useless IMO OP.

Edit: On second thought, the bio section specifically probably benefits from extensive background knowledge.

 

[efle]

I did the same on the bio section. Granted bio was my lowest score (11), but it's totally doable.

Edit: On second thought, the bio section specifically probably benefits from extensive background knowledge.

Yeah bio would be hardest of them all to learn from scratch I think, so much content. The new test is also apparently less heavy on memory and more of the critical thinking like PS.

 

[ZedsDed]

Yeah bio would be hardest of them all to learn from scratch I think, so much content. The new test is also apparently less heavy on memory and more of the critical thinking like PS.

Then why won't this new generation of testers shut up about how "easy" we had it with out measly three sections? lol

 

[efle]

I mean you do need more stamina now no doubt! But from what I saw when my roomie studied for the new test it's much more critical thinking about passage content

 

[ZedsDed]

I mean you do need more stamina now no doubt! But from what I saw when my roomie studied for the new test it's much more critical thinking about passage content

Do tell!
Surely the psych/soc stuff isn't that taxing. And I heard the new critical thinking section (CARS?) is almost identical to VR.

 

[deleted407021]

August 22nd MCAT-er here.

Score breakdown if that's helpful : 510, 126/129/127/128


Each exam is different. I had almost no physics but an absolute ton of photochemistry stuff, which I hadn't studied very intensively. Thus, the 126.

CARS is supposedly much more challenging on this new exam. This seems to be the consensus on the MCAT sub-forum, anyway. Idk, but verbal has always been my strong suit, so it was my highest score. Despite some people saying writing/reading intensive courses help this score, I'm inclined to believe CARS success is built more fundamentally, over years of practice.

More to you question, bio was surprisingly easy for the fact that is was very biochem heavy -- a course I did quite well in. I can tell you that I wouldn't have done nearly as well had I not had that exposure in both biochem lecture and lab. Biochemistry is very complex. So much so in my mind that I wouldn't think it feasible to learn it in enough depth for the MCAT, without any facilitation. I don't recommend self study for that particular subject.

As for the psych/soc section, I'd recommend not just intro psychology, but perhaps social and biological psych courses, as almost every course in my major (psychology) helped in that section, though an intro class + EK manuals or equivalent should be sufficient. If you could self-study a subject for this test, I'd say it would be sociology. I've never had a sociology course, but I used the EK manuals and felt comfortable. My practice exams and the real thing consistently emphasized the same theories and I had about a 50/50 split between the two subject on the section.


The reason I write all this is to demonstrate that everyone's MCAT is different and most subsequent advice is anecdotal, based on that. Honestly, the best prep I had was a broad academic background, taking a wide range of hard and soft sciences. I can recommend genetics and any upper division psych course + what I said above, for starters.

 

[Doctor Dream]

More to you question, bio was surprisingly easy for the fact that is was very biochem heavy -- a course I did quite well in. I can tell you that I wouldn't have done nearly as well had I not had that exposure in both biochem lecture and lab. Biochemistry is very complex. So much so in my mind that I wouldn't think it feasible to learn it in enough depth for the MCAT, without any facilitation. I don't recommend self study for that particular subject.

I also took the 2015 MCAT and completely second what J Senpai posted here. I took biochem the semester prior to my MCAT studying, and really think that helped my studying and final score (131 in biology/biochem section). Just from my experience, I think teaching yourself biochem is an option, but not really a smart one. The topics are fairly complex compared to other pre-reqs, and it'd be difficult for anyone to fully grasp them without some form of lecture/lab. There's also so much biochem on the exam like you mentioned that the effects of self-studying will be magnified, to the point that it could potentially hurt in the end.

Bottom line, you might self-study biochem and find that you do well and get a score you're happy with. But, I'm willing to bet you'd score higher with an actual biochem course under your belt. Or, you may find that you don't score as well as you'd like and wished you had just put your MCAT off to take biochem. I agree that your situation is kind of unfortunate, but make sure you're willing to risk a potentially lower MCAT score.

 

[Petrichor1]

I took a biochem course (modified so not really chem based but nevertheless what mcat covers hopefully) but no psychology. I don't know how hard it'll be study everything but I'm going to shell out some cash and spend (waste?) on prep courses since they will have me on a schedule. I really hope someone who is treading without taking every course can answer on how well they did on the mcat.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

while soc is easy to self study, if you've never taken a psych class in your life (counting hs), I would take one, just to save a lot of time to study for other parts of the mcat. and yes biochem is crucial for the new test.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Do tell!
Surely the psych/soc stuff isn't that taxing. And I heard the new critical thinking section (CARS?) is almost identical to VR.

Meh having taken the new mcat and seeing the old aamc material I would disagree. The bio section on the old tests had become more critical thinking based over the years, the new mcat is more of the same. Honestly if anything they require you to memorize everything possible about amino acids and will have some questions that are basically fact dumps on them

CARs is the same as old verbal minus natural science passages.I expect the aamc recycles a ton of old passages for this new test

Psych/soc had tons of definitions and terminology. Very learnable material it's just that no prep company has all the material you need

Physical sciences is more passage based now days but honestly there's a lot of I biochem material on this section. I always heard the real mcat physical sciences was way more conceptual based than the practice tests. I doubt there is some major change in this section except for more focus on biochem

All in all I think the differences between the two sections are overblown. I know many people who did far better on the new test than they did on the old version

if you really are curious take a look at the practice material aamc has released for this new exam. The topics of focus are different but IMO the style of questions is very similar to AAMC10-11 tests.

 

[smylee05]

I took the MCAT 2015 exam in July without taking biochem (taking it currently).
My results:
511, 127/130/127/127
I utilized the Khan academy videos as my main study method and took three full length and one half length practice tests within the two months prior to taking my exam.
I was fairly happy with my results, especially since I was missing the biochem course.
However, not taking the biochemistry course prior to taking the MCAT I believe hindered me. My exam was very, very biochem heavy in both the bio section and the physical chemistry section IMO. I definitely would recommend taking a biochem course prior to taking the exam if at all possible. My exam seemed to be very limited on organic and physics related questions.
I also took the MCAT the summer prior to when I began applying to medical school. I would not recommend this if it were not necessary but in OPs case I think waiting and taking the exam in July, spending the majority of May and June dedicated to studying, may be effective. I finished most of my applications mid August to early September. Applied to 8 schools total, 2 OOS rejections, 3 IIs, and one acceptance at this time.

 

[rilte4]

I've have taken all of the prerequisites for the new MCAT by next semester with the exception of biochemistry. I'm on the waitlist, but I'm probably not getting in because seniors and juniors who either need the course for med school or their major are filling the entire two sections available.
Since my school only offers any biochemistry-related courses in the spring, I would have to wait until next year spring to take the MCAT. That means I'm taking the MCAT right before I'm sending my med school applications out.
I've talked with some seniors who took biochem in the spring and then took the late-spring/early-summer MCAT and they talked about having issues with managing coursework and MCAT preparation. I want to avoid that by studying in the summer.

I really want to take the MCAT this summer so that I don't end up forgetting too much information... so I was thinking I might just self-study biochemistry through textbook material and published studies. How feasible would that be? I've read through previous threads and it seems that biochem takes up ~25% of the new test.

A prep course sounds nice but it costs a **** ton of money lol...

The version of the exam I took was very heavy on amino acid properties and metabolic pathway questions. I found it helpful to have taken the course first, but that's mostly because biochem can be its own language and the studying required (memorizing pathways) is easier to do if you've done it once before.

If you're set on self-studying, I wouldn't do it using textbooks and published studies. I'd invest that time in MCAT-specific resources. Prep books + KA videos are great for mapping out what you'll need to master vs. what you can overlook.

 

[aklvkk]

I guess the best course of action right now is to wait until I get the biochemistry course under my belt. I'll probably study for the MCAT over winter break and supplement it with the biochem course over the spring before I take the actual test.

Thank you everyone for your input!