How much bio do ya need?

[Yadster101]

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Alright so i have 2 semesters of bio credit from AP bio at my college but I am still retaking one of the courses i have credit for this coming semester. My counselor told me that i would need a lot more bio to do well on the MCAT. So how many bio courses do i need to take? Also bio majors aren't suppose to take the bio lab with these 100 level bio classes since they are expected to take bio lab with more advanced courses...but since i dont plan on majoring in bio should I be taking the bio lab or will should i take it in more advanced courses? --thanks for any help

 

[boko]

well I think you need to take the labs with all biology classes...for the MCAT you are gonna want a strong biology background to do well on the biological sciences portion.

 

[deleted357625]

general bio 1/2 with lab and a few more upper-level science courses are recommended. For example: molecular biology, genetics etc

It just shows you can really handle the upper-level science courses.

 

[Doubtnichts]

A lot of schools require some of the basic important bio classes, but you don't actually "need" a lot of bio courses. It is suggested that you take a lot of upper level bio courses and they will help you on the MCAT. Physiology, for example, helped tie everything together for me, but I don't think it's actually needed.

 

[gettheleadout]

general bio 1/2 with lab and a few more upper-level science courses are recommended. For example: molecular biology, genetics etc

It just shows you can really handle the upper-level science courses.

Agreeing with Doubtnichts above, the recommendations for cell bio/physiology/genetics in addition to the biology prereqs are for help with the MCAT. Your score on it and your GPA tell schools enough about your ability to handle advanced science material at the med school level, and many people attend medical school with no more science classes than the prereqs.

 

[UpQuark]

I found Genetics, Cell Biology, and Physiology to be more helpful than General Bio as they all go in depth more and often weed out the ecology nonsense. Then again, you do need at least one year of Biology with lab for med schools so Bio I/II with lab is the bare minimum.

 

[Meihua]

Honestly, I think that upper-level bio will be more important for showing a rigorous courseload/ proving that you can handle difficult classes than for actual MCAT prep. I used AP credit instead of taking intro bio (my only bio class freshman year was neuroscience) and took the MCAT summer after freshman year, and my bio score was fine.
I would recommend taking physiology, though - most of my friends took it before taking the MCAT, and they said it was the most helpful course.

At our school the intro bio lab (or testing out of it) is a prerequisite for the advanced ones.