Important Question about MCAT

[RDickerson]

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Well...to me it is anyhow. 🙂

I'm a biochem major, don't ask why (or even how) now, the degree plan says I can take Biology of Microorganisms OR Principles of Bio II. Now, I started late in this process, and am trying to get caught up, I can take Biology of Microorganisms this summer, but can't take Bio II.

If I do NOT take Bio II, and take Microorganisms instead, will it hurt me significantly on the MCAT, or is Bio II an easy class where I can pick up the things I would be taught.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

 

[MattD]

Well...to me it is anyhow. 🙂

I'm a biochem major, don't ask why (or even how) now, the degree plan says I can take Biology of Microorganisms OR Principles of Bio II. Now, I started late in this process, and am trying to get caught up, I can take Biology of Microorganisms this summer, but can't take Bio II.

If I do NOT take Bio II, and take Microorganisms instead, will it hurt me significantly on the MCAT, or is Bio II an easy class where I can pick up the things I would be taught.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Bio 2 will be far more relevant to the MCAT. You probably have to take it anyway for med school prereqs, so why not take Bio 2 in the fall and the mcat in spring 07? You COULD feasibly pick up the material through self study, if you found a good bio review book, but it's a fairly large amount of material, so it's just up to you and your ability to self-direct your studies.

 

[Mr. Tee]

I'd take Bio II because of the MCAT's emphasis on physiology. The question now is if you'd feel confident studying physiology the first time from an MCAT book.

 

[ADeadLois]

I'd take Bio II because of the MCAT's emphasis on physiology. The question now is if you'd feel confident studying physiology the first time from an MCAT book.

I think physiology is a subject that you need to have been taught in a class. Picking it up from an MCAT book would be difficult.

 

[Arsenic]

Bio 2 will be far more relevant to the MCAT. You probably have to take it anyway for med school prereqs, so why not take Bio 2 in the fall and the mcat in spring 07? You COULD feasibly pick up the material through self study, if you found a good bio review book, but it's a fairly large amount of material, so it's just up to you and your ability to self-direct your studies.

i think it depends on the school. at my undergrad, "Bio II" was all about plants and ecology. "Bio I" was the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology. the plants and ecology class is definitely not needed before the mcat, whatever its called at your particular school.

the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology (in my case "Bio I"), is the standard bare minimum for mcat bio but should really be supplemented with a standalone physiology course, etc...

 

[Mr. Tee]

At my school, Bio I is everything on the cellular and molecular level, while Bio II is everything on the organismal level or greater, ie. ecology, plants, animals, physiology, etc.

OP, what're your Bio I and II classes like there?

 

[DrBowtie]

At my school, Bio I is everything on the cellular and molecular level, while Bio II is everything on the organismal level or greater, ie. ecology, plants, animals, physiology, etc.

OP, what're your Bio I and II classes like there?

Mine are the same as yours.

 

[gujuDoc]

i think it depends on the school. at my undergrad, "Bio II" was all about plants and ecology. "Bio I" was the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology. the plants and ecology class is definitely not needed before the mcat, whatever its called at your particular school.

the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology (in my case "Bio I"), is the standard bare minimum for mcat bio but should really be supplemented with a standalone physiology course, etc...

Yeah at my school, bio II was evolution, ecology, and plants classification systems. There was NOOOOOOOO Physiology at all. They teach that as a separate class.

 

[Anastasis]

At my school, Bio I is everything on the cellular and molecular level, while Bio II is everything on the organismal level or greater, ie. ecology, plants, animals, physiology, etc.

OP, what're your Bio I and II classes like there?

That's how mine is broken down as well. Though at my first ugrad it was ecology /plants then cellular/physiology.

 

[Arsenic]

Yeah at my school, bio II was evolution, ecology, and plants classification systems. There was NOOOOOOOO Physiology at all. They teach that as a separate class.

this was probably because we both went to undergrad in the public university system of florida. 😀

 

[gujuDoc]

this was probably because we both went to undergrad in the public university system of florida. 😀

Yeah, but UF IS PUBLIC, and THEY DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!! My best friend's brother goes to UF and was telling me that there were the 1st 12 chapters on their first test and that they literally got through the good majority of the bio 1 and 2 textbook in the bio I and II class.

Maybe its cuz we didn't go to the more reknown public schools.

I think they need to restructure the intro courses to go over things better at schools like USF. A lot more people would be prepared for the MCAT if they learned the material better the first time around.

 

[ADeadLois]

Yeah, but UF IS PUBLIC, and THEY DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!! My best friend's brother goes to UF and was telling me that there were the 1st 12 chapters on their first test and that they literally got through the good majority of the bio 1 and 2 textbook in the bio I and II class.

Maybe its cuz we didn't go to the more reknown public schools.

I think they need to restructure the intro courses to go over things better at schools like USF. A lot more people would be prepared for the MCAT if they learned the material better the first time around.

Hmm, my bio sequence was genetics, evolution, biochemistry, molecular, cell bio, and physiology. I'm on the quarter system, so it was like 6 5-week classes.

 

[Arsenic]

Yeah, but UF IS PUBLIC, and THEY DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!! My best friend's brother goes to UF and was telling me that there were the 1st 12 chapters on their first test and that they literally got through the good majority of the bio 1 and 2 textbook in the bio I and II class.

Maybe its cuz we didn't go to the more reknown public schools.

I think they need to restructure the intro courses to go over things better at schools like USF. A lot more people would be prepared for the MCAT if they learned the material better the first time around.

what can i say, gators are weird.

 

[DrBowtie]

i think it depends on the school. at my undergrad, "Bio II" was all about plants and ecology. "Bio I" was the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology. the plants and ecology class is definitely not needed before the mcat, whatever its called at your particular school.

the one with the cell bio, genetics and physiology (in my case "Bio I"), is the standard bare minimum for mcat bio but should really be supplemented with a standalone physiology course, etc...

Did you use the campbell book? (I know its probably been awhile). The way that is structured the physio is at the end after they introduce all of the other taxonomy.

 

[gujuDoc]

Did you use the campbell book? (I know its probably been awhile). The way that is structured the physio is at the end after they introduce all of the other taxonomy.

Yeah I used the Campbell book and it was structured as you describe.

However, that left no reason for the teacher to not go over the chapters on physiology. Our professor wasted a bunch of time making us memorize taxonomy and never even got to the chapters on physiology which they should have done. If they thought ALL the chapters rather then just teaching 17 chapters with a bunch of useless info to memorize, bio 1 and 2 would have been better.