Importance of Upper-Division Classes for the MCAT

[P1doc]

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Hi all,

How important, if at all, is it to take classes like genetics, animal physio, and cell biology before taking the MCAT? I'm asking since I will be done with my pre-reqs this fall and could potentially study for and take the MCAT next summer. But I was planning to put it off until the next April or May in order to take genetics and animal physiology first. Thanks!

 

[You're My Boy Blue]

Personally, I believe genetics helped a lot during the MCAT (although I took it before 2015). If you have room in your schedule I would look at the commonly recommended (but not required) classes for medical school. Take those. It will look good for your application and they will help with the MCAT as well.

 

[CARCOSA]

Hi all,

How important, if at all, is it to take classes like genetics, animal physio, and cell biology before taking the MCAT? I'm asking since I will be done with my pre-reqs this fall and could potentially study for and take the MCAT next summer. But I was planning to put it off until the next April or May in order to take genetics and animal physiology first. Thanks!

I studied the least for the biology section of the 2015 mcat, and scored in the 93%ile. But, ive had courses such as genetics, immunology, advanced physiology, A&P, metabolism and disease, cell/molec and microbiology. Given the people I was testing against could have been extremely under prepared for that section, but i thought that section was a walk in the park because of my pre-reqs. (If only I felt like this with verbal...)

 

[raiderette]

I only took general biology and scored a 93%. any gaps that I had I felt I learned through content review from the test prep books.

 

[j0h0]

Biochemistry is extremely useful. I'm a philosophy major who only took basic sciences and biochemistry-- I feel like the upper classes might help you feel more comfortable with some of the passage topics (which can be valuable), but probably won't teach you much you need to know specifically on the MCAT.

 

[Petrichor1]

Biochemistry is extremely useful. I'm a philosophy major who only took basic sciences and biochemistry-- I feel like the upper classes might help you feel more comfortable with some of the passage topics (which can be valuable), but probably won't teach you much you need to know specifically on the MCAT.

was the biochem you took come after organic? Do you think mcat section had a lot of mechanisms or was it more biochem for life sciences suitable?

 

[Holmwood]

Just test prep books should be sufficient for the amount of bio you need to know in terms of content.
It's verrry basic. I'd be more concerned about test taking abilities and your ability to understand graphs + experiments.

 

[Obscure]

Hi all,

How important, if at all, is it to take classes like genetics, animal physio, and cell biology before taking the MCAT? I'm asking since I will be done with my pre-reqs this fall and could potentially study for and take the MCAT next summer. But I was planning to put it off until the next April or May in order to take genetics and animal physiology first. Thanks!

Biochemistry is by far the most important subject to study for the bio portion. Know it inside-out, because it shows up on the physical sciences portion as well.

Genetics will obviously help, as will the other advanced courses, but taking the MCAT before that won't hurt you. THe relevant material should be covered well enough in prep books.