Is BioChem helpful?

[gildas]

Is it helpful to take a BioChem course if you are planning to take the MCAT?

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[UCLAstudent]

It certainly isn't necessary. I haven't taken biochem and was doing well on my practice exams. I do think that you would have a major advantage if you took biochem first, though. Good luck!

 

[mebhs15]

I took it and it definitely helped. The things it helped with were covered in basic classes, but it just strengthened those subjects. I would recommend it.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Biochem is about proteins. They love proteins on the MCAT. It's not absolutely, positively necessary, but I would highly recommend it.

 

[gildas]

Thanks guys, I will be taking it anyway because it is required for my major (Clinica Lab Sciences).

 

[pathdr2b]

Thanks guys, I will be taking it anyway because it is required for my major (Clinica Lab Sciences).

Great idea! Biochemistry was a good portion of the version of the MCAT I recently took.

 

[Wahooali]

Regardless of whether it is useful or not Biochem is fun. It's a good class. And yes, I am a huge nerd, thank you, you can smack me later.

 

[Cerberus]

i dont think i had jack related to biochem on my MCAT

 

[blz]

I took a Molecular Biology and Biochemistry two semester course and I swear about 3 of my passages in my BS were directly covered in that class. It helped a lot with some of the detail based independent questions as well.

 

[superdevil]

well, biochem is on the MCAT, but i hadn't yet had the class, and i didn't find the MCAT biochem stuff to be overwhelming in difficulty.

the amount of what could be called "biochem" that you need to know for the MCAT is pretty well covered in most review books, IMHO.

 

[alanlee]

I found Biochem to be very useful before I took the MCAT. I agree that most courses go into too much depth for the MCAT, but the integration (between intro bio and orgo) was very useful - as was knowing the intricacies of prions when a prion passage showed up on the MCAT.

 

[Cerberus]

I think the most useful courses for the MCAT BS section are Genetics and Human physiology. Seriously, I never touched a biochem class (THANK YOU JESUS) and never found the biochem to be *that* difficult

 

[ASDIC]

i found the biochem on the mcat not requiring any significant bakground knowledge. most of the questions were answerable from the passage or question stem...i am a biochem major, so maybe i am biased.

 

[UCdannyLA]

Taking biochem is a DEFINITE advantage. Having the course under your belt makes some of the questions on the MCAT ridiculously easy, that without having taken biochem would have required some of your scarce, precious brain power, had you not taken biochem.

Take biochem.

 

[daelroy]

Is it helpful to take a BioChem course if you are planning to take the MCAT?

It can be. I was really challenged by my biochem class which helped a lot. We didn't just have to memorize pathways in my biochem class. There were a lot of conceptual testing in my class. But if you take one of those classes that only have you memorize pathways, it won't help you much.

 

[raDiOnut]

I wish I'd had time to take Biochem before my first MCAT...and more than a month and a half of Mammalian Physiology. I'd recommend them both.

raDiOnut