MCAT before completing pre-reqs..been done before?

[Business2MD]

Anyone attempted to self study and take the MCAT prior to completing all of the pre-reqs?

I start Chemistry and Physics in 3 weeks and will have the first semester of each of those courses done along with a summer session of Bio before trying to take the MCAT at the end of June.

I have the Berkeley Review books and all of my textbooks and am attempting to self-study to be ready for the MCAT. The consequences of not making this happen are starting a year later (Fall '14) instead of Fall '13 and having a year of doing nothing in between finishing the pre-reqs and matriculating.

Being 24 already and with the end goal of becoming a surgeon, I want to avoid this and get going asap if possible. Am I crazy for attempting this?

I have a finance degree from a top b-school with a high GPA and am a pretty quick learner but after diving into the material for a few weeks, it is quite different from what I am used to.

If you've done it, do you have any suggestions on how you did it or what you would do in my situation?

Thanks!

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[QofQuimica]

Yes, it has been done before, but doing it is very unwise. These courses are called *pre*-requisites rather than co-requisites or post-requisites for a reason. As for your age/surgery argument, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever. First, 24-25 is the current average starting age for American med students. So you're basically dead-average age-wise. Where's the fire that you're in such a rush that you'll run the risk of doing poorly on the MCAT and having to take it over? Second, you don't know right now that you'll even end up in surgery. You could very well choose something completely different; many if not most med students wind up changing their minds about the specialty they want to pursue.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

The consequences of not making this happen are starting a year later (Fall '14) instead of Fall '13 and having a year of doing nothing in between finishing the pre-reqs and matriculating.

I had the same exact internal argument with myself before deciding on my current path (aiming for 2014 matriculation). Eventually I decided it wasn’t worth the risk, and figured that twenty years down the road that extra year will be a complete non-issue.

As to whether or not you spend that gap year “doing nothing” – that’s entirely up to you. I plan on using that time to take a vacation, complete an iron-man, and basically do whatever activities I can that will be impossible to do during the next decade while I go through med school and start my career as a physician.

There will be plenty of time over the course of your remaining life to give up nights, weekends, and every other spare moment to the selfish god that is medicine. Take the time to live the rest of your life every chance you get.

 

[scarshapedstar]

If you rush into the MCAT and get a bad score, it will haunt you for longer than one measly year. You should be able to do the cost-benefit analysis on this. 🙄

 

[DrMidlife]

I have a finance degree from a top b-school with a high GPA and am a pretty quick learner but after diving into the material for a few weeks, it is quite different from what I am used to.

This part says don't rush. If you came from a math or science background, I'd have more confidence in corner cutting with prereqs & MCAT. Give yourself a chance to succeed before you shoot yourself in the foot.

Best of luck to you.

 

[MedPR]

Anyone attempted to self study and take the MCAT prior to completing all of the pre-reqs?

I start Chemistry and Physics in 3 weeks and will have the first semester of each of those courses done along with a summer session of Bio before trying to take the MCAT at the end of June.

I have the Berkeley Review books and all of my textbooks and am attempting to self-study to be ready for the MCAT. The consequences of not making this happen are starting a year later (Fall '14) instead of Fall '13 and having a year of doing nothing in between finishing the pre-reqs and matriculating.

Being 24 already and with the end goal of becoming a surgeon, I want to avoid this and get going asap if possible. Am I crazy for attempting this?

I have a finance degree from a top b-school with a high GPA and am a pretty quick learner but after diving into the material for a few weeks, it is quite different from what I am used to.

If you've done it, do you have any suggestions on how you did it or what you would do in my situation?

Thanks!

Yes, lots of people do it (undergraduate Juniors often start studying before completing Physics 1, and before starting Physics 2), but not people like you who don't have a science background, or even a good foundation in basic sciences. Sorry, a summer of Bio really isn't going to be significant when you start MCAT bio.

Take your time, treat your pre-reqs like they are MCAT prep (because they are) and learn everything as thoroughly as possible, not just to get an A, but to help yourself when MCAT time comes around.

 

[Slev]

x

 

[pkwraith]

I didn't take 3rd quarter of organic before I took the MCAT (I took the test to see if I wanted to apply). It wasn't too bad since I just taught myself the one quarter. I probably wouldn't do that if it was multiple classes.

 

[LingoLaine]

Am I crazy for attempting this?

Yes.

 

[gunito]

Skipping part 2 of ochem and bio would be ok. Everything else should be taken prior to the MCAT.

 

[varsityblue]

skipping part 2 of ochem and bio would be ok. Everything else should be taken prior to the mcat.

+1

 

[theseeker4]

You want all your biology, all your general chemistry, all your physics and all of your organic chemistry done before you start studying for the MCAT. Biochem, Microbiology, Cell bio, Anatomy and Physiology, genetics would all be good to take as well, but are not necessary. Do yourself a favor and don't rush the MCAT. Get the pre-reqs done first, and throw in biochem or cell bio if you have the time before you take the MCAT. Your score will thank you.

 

[ghostman]

Skipping part 2 of ochem and bio would be ok. Everything else should be taken prior to the MCAT.

+2

I completed all my pre-reqs before the MCAT, but I literally took the MCATs two weeks after my 2nd semester Bio and Orgo final. By mid semester, I realized that the MCAT doesn't touch most of the material I was learning and that I could probably have taken the MCAT before completing these courses by just reading ahead a little.

Unfortunately, doing well in one field doesn't guarantee the new subject matter will come easily. Luckily, I loved the sciences in high school even though I didn't touch science at all in college or during my career, so picking it up was easy for me. My friend took a while longer to get comfortable with the material, but with a bit of support and persistence, he's been accepted to an Ivy school this cycle.

Don't try to rush it. You're younger than me, so I know how it feels to want to get it done ASAP. But being older also means you have less time/opportunities to fix mistakes along the way. Do it right on your first shot.

 

[DocGodfather]

I know a civil engineer that took the MCAT this earlier this year, after being out of school for eight years. He was in my gen chem class, and told me that he thought he could study for the MCAT and do well before retaking some courses because it had been so many years. This guy is really smart, and he ended up acing gen chem and ochem. However, he's retaking the MCAT in March. He didn't tell me his score, but I'm assuming he did pretty bad since he's only interested in DO schools.

I was going to rush through everything and take the MCAT so that I can apply for the 2013 cycle. I thought about for a couple of weeks, and taking an extra year to take my time and study for the MCAT, as well as take more classes and fill up my EC's, is a lot better than regretting everything by getting a sub-par MCAT score. My suggestion would be to not even think about taking the test until you average at least a 32+ on diagnostics tests. Good luck.

 

[drewS21]

Along these same lines, I was planning on taking the MCAT in the middle of Chem 2 in Spring 2013. My school does both Orgos before Chem 2. I was told not to try to take the MCAT before finishing Chem 2 because the PS section can be very Chem 2 heavy, but if I don't then I won't be able to take another shot at the MCAT in the summer before I apply.

Would I be able to get away with not taking the second half of Chem 2 or should I wait and hope I can one-and-done the MCAT?

 

[MedPR]

I didn't take 3rd quarter of organic before I took the MCAT (I took the test to see if I wanted to apply). It wasn't too bad since I just taught myself the one quarter. I probably wouldn't do that if it was multiple classes.

The first 2 quarters (1st semester) of organic is enough for the mcat. If you must skip a pre-req, orgo 2 (3rd and 4th quarter) would be the best one.

 

[gunito]

Along these same lines, I was planning on taking the MCAT in the middle of Chem 2 in Spring 2013. My school does both Orgos before Chem 2. I was told not to try to take the MCAT before finishing Chem 2 because the PS section can be very Chem 2 heavy, but if I don't then I won't be able to take another shot at the MCAT in the summer before I apply.

Would I be able to get away with not taking the second half of Chem 2 or should I wait and hope I can one-and-done the MCAT?

No, not with gen chem. Wait and finish your classes.

 

[WSK]

I have a similar question. I will be taking Org I and Physics I in the fall. Unfortunately I will be deploying to the Middle East from January to October of the following year (I'm in the reserves). I plan on buying the Org II and Physics II textbooks to read and learn the MCAT relevant material on my free time, as I will be training in the U.S. for a couple months before actually deploying. I also plan on spending any free time that I may have overseas learning the material. I have two options that I am considering.

Option 1.)

I return in October and begin to study for 8+ hrs. a day for the next 3 months, taking full length tests periodically and take the MCAT at the end of January (provided I feel comfortable with the Org II and Physics II material).
-My concern: That finishing the pre-reqs may improve my score.

Option 2.)

I return in October and study hard until classes start in January. I finish Org II and Physics II while taking a Kaplan class, studying on my own/taking FLs periodically and take the MCAT at the end of April.
-My concern: I won't be able to allocate as much time to studying before the exam due to Org, Physics and at least 6 additional credits. In addition, the information that I studied in the months immediately following deployment will likely be to distant to remember.

Having never taken the test, I'm not sure which approach would serve as most beneficial. What would you guys suggest?

 

[DrMidlife]

What would you guys suggest?

Option 3: Military deployment is a valid excuse to do online coursework. Take ochem 2 & physics 2 online and get A's. When you get back, take biochem etc. in the classroom and get A's to prove the online A's were not a joke. Don't be in such a hurry to get the MCAT done - March is fine for Texas, April is fine for everywhere else. Later than that would not kill your dreams, just don't be thinking August.

If you do online coursework, pick a legitimate university, not a for-profit. Lots of schools offer distance learning options. Most schools will accommodate your service obligations.

Best of luck to you.

 

[WSK]

Thanks for the advise, I hadn't considered that and I will definitely look into it.

 

[WSK]

Option 3: Military deployment is a valid excuse to do online coursework. Take ochem 2 & physics 2 online and get A's. When you get back, take biochem etc. in the classroom and get A's to prove the online A's were not a joke. Don't be in such a hurry to get the MCAT done - March is fine for Texas, April is fine for everywhere else. Later than that would not kill your dreams, just don't be thinking August.

If you do online coursework, pick a legitimate university, not a for-profit. Lots of schools offer distance learning options. Most schools will accommodate your service obligations.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the advise, I hadn't considered that and I will definitely look into it.

 

[WSK]

Ha, noob. ^^

 

[DrMidlife]

Ha, noob. ^^

Not really - you figured out a good place to ask questions before you dove in. Smart.

Also: give folks a chance to offer more opinions.

 

[Laureatebarrel]

Hi all I also have similar problems. I finished all pre-reqs except physics 2 which I have been able to complete on my own and i feel pretty confident about it except for org 2 which was the only class i did poorly. To be honest I am not comfortable with all the org 2 content that was taken few years ago. Should I wait for mcat study and review the textbook again or it is ok to skip and follow an mcat study right now? I plan to take the mcat next summer or fall because i know study for mcat take about 3-4 months and i want to ace it on the first try.

 

[se1219]

Summer of 2011 I decided I wanted to change career paths to apply for medical school. I had completed most of the pre-requisites as an undergrad but it had been 6 years since I had taken a science class. I needed to take three classes and the MCAT. I decided to work on the MCAT first because I could study before and after work (we're talking 530AM and after 8PM) each day...a time of day that I couldn't take courses. This allowed me to work full time for an additional 6 months while I prepared for the test.

My first step was to take a diagnostic without doing any prep to see if this was something that I thought I could do. I scored a 28. My practice tests improved to a high of 32 over 6 months at which point I took the test last January and somehow ended up with a 35 on the actual test. I took my post bac classes last spring and actually found the work I had done for the MCAT to be extremely helpful in preparing me for those, in particular, just getting used to "studying" again after having been out of school for 4 years.

For me, this was definitely the right order.

 

[ThisisReality]

Hi all, sorry to revive an old thread, but I am searching for someone in a similar situation as me. I am a reservist and my unit may be deploying in March and I have a May MCAT scheduled, and was planning to apply in June after receiving the scores. I am thinking about studying during mobilization training in the US before we go overseas and more studying while I am deployed. I am not sure, however, where I would take my MCAT - Qatar? This will most likely be 12 month deployment, so run into the problem of doing interviews. @WSK?

Should I just wait altogether? This would mean possibly graduating a year late (I am a senior) and applying a year later, pushing my timeline off by 3 years.

 

[DrMikeP]

Hi all, sorry to revive an old thread, but I am searching for someone in a similar situation as me. I am a reservist and my unit may be deploying in March and I have a May MCAT scheduled, and was planning to apply in June after receiving the scores. I am thinking about studying during mobilization training in the US before we go overseas and more studying while I am deployed. I am not sure, however, where I would take my MCAT - Qatar? This will most likely be 12 month deployment, so run into the problem of doing interviews. @WSK?

Should I just wait altogether? This would mean possibly graduating a year late (I am a senior) and applying a year later, pushing my timeline off by 3 years.

Don't take it until you are ready. Have you completed the required courses? I don't get the 1yr = 3 yrs, as you still need to finish classes and could . I made a 501 because I studied for a month and didn't take biochem and it's HUGELY on biochem. I made a conscious and weighed out decision to get my app in early and was ok with the consequences. It worked out, as I got accepted, but I can honestly say if I would have taken it prior to physics and organic chem, I would have been below 500 and that is a killer for a non-traditional student.

 

[ThisisReality]

Where are you deploying to

.

 

[ThisisReality]

Don't take it until you are ready. Have you completed the required courses? I don't get the 1yr = 3 yrs, as you still need to finish classes and could . I made a 501 because I studied for a month and didn't take biochem and it's HUGELY on biochem. I made a conscious and weighed out decision to get my app in early and was ok with the consequences. It worked out, as I got accepted, but I can honestly say if I would have taken it prior to physics and organic chem, I would have been below 500 and that is a killer for a non-traditional student.

I have completed all the required courses except biochem, which I was planning to take next semester, but I would have to withdraw if deployed in the middle of the semester.

It would push my timeline forward because I was planning to apply this summer, then matriculate fall 2017. But if deployed, I would be unable to take my MCAT or apply, so I would come back in April 2017, then do an extra semester or year, take my MCAT and apply, then have to take a gap year. Pushing me forward almost 3 years.

 

[GreenDuck12]

I totally get the feeling that you are racing against the clock but submitting an application before it is ready / taking a high stakes exam (which will be be included with every score report) before you are ready is not advisable. Additionally, as you admit, being a 12 month deployment is going to cause problems with interviews as these tend to happen over weekends. My advice would be either to take the time and apply to MD or when you come back, take bio chem, sit for the MCAT in the summer and apply broadly to DO schools as they have later deadlines.

 

[pstrick]

When I took it, I hadn't taken Biochem, ochem II and had Cs in gen chem I&II and a C- in ochem I. I self studied for 3 months using kaplan.

506 overall. 124/129/127/126

If you're going MD, you probably want to take those classes.