I know this is irrelevent, butttt

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cwfergus

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Hey i have a question for those who majored in bio

So im entering my second year this fall and the recommended courses i take in the UofA calender state BIOCHEM I and 7 Different Bio/Zoology courses. thus i cant take orgo and stat which is what i need?

is that just a guide line? and i only really have to take like 5 bio/zoo classes second year?

anyone else have this problem? thanks
 
Like for 3rd/4th year they have:
7 Zoology courses, 1 more biochem, 5 from a big list (like bunch of BOT, BIOCHEM, BIOL, CELL) and then 3 art approved, and then 4 approved options
 
Doctor4Life1769 said:
Technically, yes. However, not needed. Biochem doesn't involve much organic.
Click to expand...

While you have taken biochem already and I am only just about to start, it is my understanding that things such as functional groups that you learn in organic are in Biochem. The way it is taught here has a focus on synthesis which is pretty dependent on benzene chem from organic II. Also,organic is tested on the Mcat, bio chem is not. He should be taking ochem before biochem, somehow his sequencing is messed up. I do agree that much of biochem doesn't require organic Chem, but some does.
 
You are asking if you should follow the guidelines exactly to finish on time. I say NO! Do what is comfortable for you. Yes, go talk to your adviser to see what they recommend and to find out what you need to learn before attending that class, but you don't have to follow that stuff. I took what classes I felt would work together in a course load for me. Good luck, study hard and don't let people get in the way of your studying.
 
Just so you have an outline, here is what my school calls for in Bio:

First Year
  • Biological Sciences Orientation​
  • Introductory Biology I and II​
  • General Chemistry I and II​
  • Mathematical Analysis I and II​
  • College Composition​
  • Introduction to Literature​
  • Physical Education I and II​
Second Year​
  • Biological Sciences Colloquium
  • Organic Chemistry I and II
  • Introductory Physics I and II
  • Basics of Microbiology
  • Intellectual Heritage I and II
  • Social Science Reuirements and Biology Electives
Third Year
  • Genetics
  • Quantitative Science Requirement
  • Molecular Structure in Biochemistry
  • Nucleic Acid or Intermediary Metabolic Biochemistry
  • Introduction to Communication
  • Biology Electives
  • Core Distribution Requirements
Fourth Year
  • Biology Seminar
  • Biology Electives
  • Core Elective
My advice: I would strongly recommend taking organic before you take biochem. I feel that both are "pivotal" for the MCAT. One, because orgo is directly tested and two, biochem helps you understand a lot of things you learn in biology and forget over time. As a bio major, you'll have to take both anyway.
 
Oh really? Well maybe i should wait to take BIOCHEM 200 till 3rd year?

and well im taking the MCAT this summer (before sophmore) i know its ridiculous but im smart, my diagnostic was 27 and that was because i got ****ed over on bio (6) due to not knowing orgo.. but i will be self learning it this summer hopefully
 
Bacchus said:
Just so you have an outline, here is what my school calls for in Bio:


First Year
  • Biological Sciences Orientation​
  • Introductory Biology I and II​
  • General Chemistry I and II​
  • Mathematical Analysis I and II​
  • College Composition​
  • Introduction to Literature​
  • Physical Education I and II​
Second Year​
  • Biological Sciences Colloquium
  • Organic Chemistry I and II
  • Introductory Physics I and II
  • Basics of Microbiology
  • Intellectual Heritage I and II
  • Social Science Reuirements and Biology Electives
Third Year
  • Genetics
  • Quantitative Science Requirement
  • Molecular Structure in Biochemistry
  • Nucleic Acid or Intermediary Metabolic Biochemistry
  • Introduction to Communication
  • Biology Electives
  • Core Distribution Requirements
Fourth Year
  • Biology Seminar
  • Biology Electives
  • Core Elective
My advice: I would strongly recommend taking organic before you take biochem. I feel that both are "pivotal" for the MCAT. One, because orgo is directly tested and two, biochem helps you understand a lot of things you learn in biology and forget over time. As a bio major, you'll have to take both anyway.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a HUGE load of required courses. My majors required something like 10 and 11 courses respectively. I guess it depends on where you go to school...
 
cwfergus said:
Oh really? Well maybe i should wait to take BIOCHEM 200 till 3rd year?

and well im taking the MCAT this summer (before sophmore) i know its ridiculous but im smart, my diagnostic was 27 and that was because i got ****ed over on bio (6) due to not knowing orgo.. but i will be self learning it this summer hopefully
Click to expand...
I don't think this is a good idea.

The score will be visible to all schools and they won't want to hear "I took it after my first year because I'm SMART," especially if you don't do what is expected now-a-days.
 
Bacchus said:
I don't think this is a good idea.
Click to expand...

You're not the first to say that 🙁
I take it september 5th, my reasoning behind taking it so early is that this year i took EVO bio, Cell bio, physics I and II, Calc I and II, Chem I and II

SO everything (except orgo) is soooo fresh in my mind! i dont know, i think i can do alright...ill probably retake after sophmore or junior but still..
 
Bacchus said:
Did you come into college with a lot of dual credits or AP courses? Your advisor should not be letting you do this, imo.
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How would my advisor have any say in when i write my MCAT?
 
Look, Im going to be studying for 3 months. If my practice tests do not consistently average over 30, then im going to void it.
 
I took organic my second year. GChem pre-req. Survived it just fine.

I would argue that Biochem and organic are probably equally useful for the MCAT given that organic has really decreased recently.

I can't imagine teaching myself organic. = Nightmare.

IMHO, take the organic. Up to you.
 
What would i have to know about organic? i dont knowww. i just started last week and did nomenclature, seems easy, just knowing how to name and different functional groups, names of those and how they are incoporated, i KNOW it gets intense, but ill try. its going to be hard, but seriously, if i think i did bad, i can void it
 
cwfergus said:
How would my advisor have any say in when i write my MCAT?
Click to expand...
You're premedical advisor should have told you some of the following:

1. Enjoy college
2. Take organic and don't self teach for the MCAT
3. Don't take the MCAT with everything "fresh" in your mind because this usually doesn't work
4. Its not good to take the MCAT and have to retake, best to get it on the first shot
 
cwfergus said:
What would i have to know about organic? i dont knowww. i just started last week and did nomenclature, seems easy, just knowing how to name and different functional groups, names of those and how they are incoporated, i KNOW it gets intense, but ill try. its going to be hard, but seriously, if i think i did bad, i can void it
Click to expand...
Or send me a check for $210 😉.
 
Bacchus said:
You're premedical advisor should have told you some of the following:

1. Enjoy college
2. Take organic and don't self teach for the MCAT
3. Don't take the MCAT with everything "fresh" in your mind because this usually doesn't work
4. Its not good to take the MCAT and have to retake, best to get it on the first shot
Click to expand...

First of all, i did enjoy it. Greatest time ever. Second, ive never had a pre-medical advisor and i dont care what they say. and number 3 just seems ridiculous
 
How? i dont understand that. My diagnostic test i got a 10 on PS. Messed up a few questions because i didnt remember some grade 12 physics such as magnetic/electric fields.

I know you're just trying to advise me, but honestly, if my practice tests (which i will be starting to take a month before the test) are ranging 30-35 im going to take it and not void. but for instance, they are low, then i will void indeed. Whats the point in cancelling? you dont get fully refunded and ive already signed up for it. Edmonton sites are full 3 months before.
 
cwfergus said:
How? i dont understand that. My diagnostic test i got a 10 on PS. Messed up a few questions because i didnt remember some grade 12 physics such as magnetic/electric fields.

I know you're just trying to advise me, but honestly, if my practice tests (which i will be starting to take a month before the test) are ranging 30-35 im going to take it and not void. but for instance, they are low, then i will void indeed. Whats the point in cancelling? you dont get fully refunded and ive already signed up for it. Edmonton sites are full 3 months before.
Click to expand...

More to the point, if you are planning to take the MCAT before your sophomore year, you need to think about the fact that many medical schools won't take your MCAT scores if they are more than 3 years old. It varies on a school to school basis. This could cause problems down the road and if you end up taking a year off like many people, you could be in a position to need to retake the MCAT anyway. You give yourself more options by waiting until at least next summer.
 
LucidSplash said:
More to the point, if you are planning to take the MCAT before your sophomore year, you need to think about the fact that many medical schools won't take your MCAT scores if they are more than 3 years old. It varies on a school to school basis. This could cause problems down the road and if you end up taking a year off like many people, you could be in a position to need to retake the MCAT anyway. You give yourself more options by waiting until at least next summer.
Click to expand...

this is a really good point. if you change majors or decide to graduate later or take a year off, you will be in trouble. your score can't be over 3 years old at the time of matriculation. if you apply after your junior year, you'd be ok, but life doesn't always go according to plan and taking the mcat once sucks bad enough.

i'm also with the camp of people that says take o chem before the mcat. o chem isn't really a subject that lends itself well to self teaching.
 
Okay thanks for the input guys.

First off all i go to university of ALBERTA though, so thus im a canadian resident. This means that mcats usually last up to 5 years here.

But that orgo thing definitely seems like something ill think about
 
cwfergus said:
Okay thanks for the input guys.

First off all i go to university of ALBERTA though, so thus im a canadian resident. This means that mcats usually last up to 5 years here.

But that orgo thing definitely seems like something ill think about
Click to expand...

I gave it a 50/50 chance...oh well i stand by my previous statement.
 
OP, I think you have to take organic not just for the MCAT, but for med school admission. I guess you could take biochem before ochem, but it will be much better the other way around. Isn't ochem usually a prereq for biochem?

I might be seeing you in the fall because I'm applying to U of A as a transfer student. I've been at Palm Beach Atlantic University, but I'm not really happy with their biology department. It's to heavy on ecology and doesn't offer the classes I will be able to take at U of A such as virology, endocrine physiology, immunology, etc. I'll be a junior in the fall, majoring in molecular and cellular biology. I'm almost 100% certain U of A is going to accept me. I'm really excited about it!!!
 
Don't self teach orgo. Take the class before taking the test.

Gen Chem and Physics are pretty logical, so you can brush up pretty quickly if you took it a year or two ago. Orgo is not quite as logical - at least in the way it is tested on the MCAT.

30? I thought that was the bare minimum for getting a look at a Canadian University.

In the Biological sciences section, orgo is only about 25% of the material, so I'm going to guess that it wasn't your only deficiency. Maybe if you got all of the orgo questions right, then you'd get a 10 or 11 on the section, but why do you think you'll get all the orgo questions right by self-studying? You couldn't get all the bio questions or all the physical sciences questions, and you took the courses recently.

Seriously, do not take the MCAT before taking Orgo. Orgo is the one class you absolutely have to take before taking the MCAT.

Also, if you are at all thinking about applying to US schools, wait a year.
 
Hyperstudyosis said:
OP, I think you have to take organic not just for the MCAT, but for med school admission. I guess you could take biochem before ochem, but it will be much better the other way around. Isn't ochem usually a prereq for biochem?

I might be seeing you in the fall because I'm applying to U of A as a transfer student. I've been at Palm Beach Atlantic University, but I'm not really happy with their biology department. It's to heavy on ecology and doesn't offer the classes I will be able to take at U of A such as virology, endocrine physiology, immunology, etc. I'll be a junior in the fall, majoring in molecular and cellular biology. I'm almost 100% certain U of A is going to accept me. I'm really excited about it!!!
Click to expand...

Oh Really? I THINK i want to go for their animal physiology route! it sounds very interesting!! Are you living on Res?


And to dienekes88. I know. i have thought about it the past few days and realized i didnt know why i was in such a hurry to write it. I cancelled it (got my 105 bucks back haha) and am hoping to write it at the beginning of May after ive finished Orgo I and II, genetics, and physiology which all should help.

Thanks alot everyone, i would probably have not done as well as i hoped if i wrote it now.
 
cwfergus said:
Oh Really? I THINK i want to go for their animal physiology route! it sounds very interesting!! Are you living on Res?


And to dienekes88. I know. i have thought about it the past few days and realized i didnt know why i was in such a hurry to write it. I cancelled it (got my 105 bucks back haha) and am hoping to write it at the beginning of May after ive finished Orgo I and II, genetics, and physiology which all should help.

Thanks alot everyone, i would probably have not done as well as i hoped if i wrote it now.
Click to expand...

I think you made the right decision.

It's a bummer to lose the money, but it's better to lose a couple bucks than have to explain away an MCAT score (or possibly be looked at negatively). I have a friend who scored in the mid-20s after her freshman year at a big time private university. She ended up killing the MCAT the following year, but at every single interview she had someone ask about it. She ended up at a great school... but that's an annoying cross to bear.

By the way, I'm sorry if I came across as a jerk.
 
dienekes88 said:
I think you made the right decision.

It's a bummer to lose the money, but it's better to lose a couple bucks than have to explain away an MCAT score (or possibly be looked at negatively). I have a friend who scored in the mid-20s after her freshman year at a big time private university. She ended up killing the MCAT the following year, but at every single interview she had someone ask about it. She ended up at a great school... but that's an annoying cross to bear.

By the way, I'm sorry if I came across as a jerk.
Click to expand...

Nah you didnt come off as one. And i did do pretty bad on bio as well because all the physiology (different systems and stuff: Nervous, Endocrine, digestive, respiratory, excretory, muscularskeletal, etc) I hadnt studied in university and last time i saw them were in grade 11.

But Yeah i know what you mean, i bet i would have gotten mid-20s MAYBE 30 if i had taken it in september, im glad im postponing, im sure i can get mid 30s if i wait till may.

Im still going to review this summer (a little at a time) the different things, and just on verbal
 
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