I want to start some content review this summer...

[passionformed]

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So right now I'm a freshman, and I plan on tackling the MCAT summer after sophomore year. This summer I plan on volunteering/shadowing, but I also want to go over some MCAT material. My background: AP'ed out of Chem 1 and both Bio 1 and Bio 2. This year I took Physics 1 and currently Physics 2, and also currently Chem 2. This summer I wanna spend time re-learning Biology and Chem 1, along with reviewing Physics and Chem 2. Is that a good idea, or should I not worry about it and just do the three month S2ned schedule next summer w/o anything this summer?

 

[dudewheresmymd]

Man... I faced this exact same question myself. My advice: spend your summers to do as much non-MCAT related stuff as you possibly can and spend the 3-4 months before the MCAT FOCUSING ON THE MCAT. The problem with the MCAT is that it covers so many science topics even if you review now you most likely will have to RE-review to some extent later in the future...trust me, unless you have an eidetic memory, even remembering simple things that come easy to you now (kinematics formulas, periodic trends, etc.) will long be forgotten.

BTW, you mentioned you APed out of bio 1, bio 2, and chem 1. You are planning on taking upper levels in both bio and chemistry, right?

 

[mcloaf]

Don't bother. You'll forget almost all of it in the intervening school year.

 

[passionformed]

Man... I faced this exact same question myself. My advice: spend your summers to do as much non-MCAT related stuff as you possibly can and spend the 3-4 months before the MCAT FOCUSING ON THE MCAT. The problem with the MCAT is that it covers so many science topics even if you review now you most likely will have to RE-review to some extent later in the future...trust me, unless you have an eidetic memory, even remembering simple things that come easy to you now (kinematics formulas, periodic trends, etc.) will long be forgotten.

BTW, you mentioned you APed out of bio 1, bio 2, and chem 1. You are planning on taking upper levels in both bio and chemistry, right?

Yes I forgot to add I plan on taking an intro Cell Biology course. Also, I plan on taking an Introductory Biochem and Mol Bio course.

Will organic chem qualify as an upper level chem?

 

[dudewheresmymd]

Ok so you should check with your advising undergrad office or the med schools that you are interested in, b/c some will require 4 semesters of bio (not many) and most will require 2 (so your upper levels will satisfy them). Organic chem generally does count as an upper level chem, BUT you also have to take 2 years of general chemistry for many med schools and many WILL NOT accept AP credit...it'd also better to just take all of the pre-reqs b/c things like cell bio and introductory biochem are tested marginally on the MCAT, but things from basic intro bio courses are HIGHLY expanded on.

I had ap credit for gen chem, but retook both semesters and I didn't even sit for the AP bio exam b/c I had heard from my friends in pre-med at the time that I'd have to retake bio in college anyways...