How much should I worry/focus on Physics?

[Mavs88]

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Well I've been going back and forth between which MCAT date to take and a lot of it has to do with Physics: when I take it and how it appears on the MCAT.

I have a good foundation from high school imo, and did really well in it. In my Cal I class, we often do some physics applications too. I haven't taken Physics yet in college!

So anyway, with taking the MCAT in September/Aug 2014 in mind...should I take Physics I in Spring and Physics II in Summer II OR take Physics I in Summer I and Physics II in Summer II?

I lay out the above choiced because I will be doing heavy MCAT studying May-August. Will it help me to learn the Physics first hand during that time period in a similar fast paced fashion?

Can I self learn a lot of the Physics for the MCAT with a prep book and practice? I may look into that for this winter break and then not be too worried about cramming both Physics in the summer while studying for the MCAT...

Does taking both Physics in a two month period and excelling mean I would be sufficiently prepared for the Physics on the MCAT a month later?

Also...how helpful would Micro or Genetics be for the MCAT? I will have completed at the least Bio I, Bio II, Micro before the MCAT and would have a really strong foundation in the above.

Thanks for any advice and please give any if you have it!!

 

[NeuroNYC]

Cell Bio and Biochem are helpful electives for the MCAT, as is Genetics. Doing well in calculus does not mean you are ready to tackle physics. In fact, the physics on the MCAT does not require calculus, and in my opinion it was easier for me not to use calculus on the MCAT (but then, I'm not the best at calculus).

I feel that you can probably teach yourself physics I with a good prep book, because so much of physics I is kinematics. You can easily visualize the problems you are attempting to solve. Physics II you're going to have a lot of electricity and magnetism, a lot of work with optics, and a bit of nuclear physics. I would not suggest you try to self-learn physics II. I would at least finish physics I and be solidly into physics II before you begin your prep.

Some people look down on summer classes and consider them to be 'easier', but I think it really depends on your institution. I took gen chem II over the summer, and it was much harder to do well. In my opinion, this is because the grades are generally curved, and the students who took the class over the summer were quite motivated, while those who take it in the normal sequence... well, many of them will decide to abandon pre-med halfway through Ochem.

 

[ciestar]

Cell Bio and Biochem are helpful electives for the MCAT, as is Genetics. Doing well in calculus does not mean you are ready to tackle physics. In fact, the physics on the MCAT does not require calculus, and in my opinion it was easier for me not to use calculus on the MCAT (but then, I'm not the best at calculus).

I feel that you can probably teach yourself physics I with a good prep book, because so much of physics I is kinematics. You can easily visualize the problems you are attempting to solve. Physics II you're going to have a lot of electricity and magnetism, a lot of work with optics, and a bit of nuclear physics. I would not suggest you try to self-learn physics II. I would at least finish physics I and be solidly into physics II before you begin your prep.

Some people look down on summer classes and consider them to be 'easier', but I think it really depends on your institution. I took gen chem II over the summer, and it was much harder to do well. In my opinion, this is because the grades are generally curved, and the students who took the class over the summer were quite motivated, while those who take it in the normal sequence... well, many of them will decide to abandon pre-med halfway through Ochem.

I concur. My physics summer classes were ridiculous (in particular Physic I).
However, there's nothing easy about summer organic chemistry.

 

[Mavs88]

Thanka for input!! I think my best option is to take physics 1 this spring then physics 2 in summer 1 (june)....and ill use the SDN2ed schedule from may-august with some modifications due to physics 2, but still finish on track...and no classes or work in may,july, august.

going to be a crazy summer!!!