Hi!
Just to provide some background: I am a freshman in a guaranteed medical school acceptance program. I am going to graduate in three years, which means I will have to take the MCAT next year (2018) possibly during April or May (I plan on applying out since it can't hurt, which means April is the latest date I should take it so that I can apply as early as possible)
For the upcoming fall semester, I'm planning on taking orgo 2 and biochem (not orgo lab though because I heard it wasn't as important for the MCAT). For the spring semester, I was going to take physics, genetics, cell bio lab, and biochem 2.
I had a couple questions:
1) Should I take genetics during my fall semester instead of spring? Is it important for the new MCAT?
2) My university offers a 1 semester biochem course and a 2 semester biochem course, but which would be the best for the MCAT? My spring semester ends in the beginning of May, so I theoretically will have gone through nearly 2 semesters full of biochem by the time I take the MCAT.
These are the course descriptions:
First semester of 2 semester series: Chemistry of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids
Second semester: Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, electron transport. Metabolism of amino acids, nucleic acids, proteins. Biosynthesis of macromolecules and regulation of macromolecular synthesis
One semester course: Structure and function of cellular constituents; enzymology; metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleotides; molecular biology of biosynthesis of proteins and nucleic acids
Does the MCAT require a thorough knowledge of metabolism?
3) If I take the 2 semester biochem series, which is more important? Unfortunately, the two best professors for orgo 2 and biochem 1 have lectures at the same time. For orgo 2, there's one pretty good teacher and one kinda bad teacher. For biochem 1, there's a great teacher and one okay teacher (you need to teach yourself a lot according to previous students). I konw logically speaking, I should go for the pretty good orgo 2 teacher and the okay biochem teacher, but I thought biochem was more important for the MCAT? Would it be better to get the great biochem teacher and the kinda bad orgo 2 teacher?
I'm so sorry for how many questions I have but I would sincerely appreciate any help!
Just to provide some background: I am a freshman in a guaranteed medical school acceptance program. I am going to graduate in three years, which means I will have to take the MCAT next year (2018) possibly during April or May (I plan on applying out since it can't hurt, which means April is the latest date I should take it so that I can apply as early as possible)
For the upcoming fall semester, I'm planning on taking orgo 2 and biochem (not orgo lab though because I heard it wasn't as important for the MCAT). For the spring semester, I was going to take physics, genetics, cell bio lab, and biochem 2.
I had a couple questions:
1) Should I take genetics during my fall semester instead of spring? Is it important for the new MCAT?
2) My university offers a 1 semester biochem course and a 2 semester biochem course, but which would be the best for the MCAT? My spring semester ends in the beginning of May, so I theoretically will have gone through nearly 2 semesters full of biochem by the time I take the MCAT.
These are the course descriptions:
First semester of 2 semester series: Chemistry of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids
Second semester: Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, electron transport. Metabolism of amino acids, nucleic acids, proteins. Biosynthesis of macromolecules and regulation of macromolecular synthesis
One semester course: Structure and function of cellular constituents; enzymology; metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleotides; molecular biology of biosynthesis of proteins and nucleic acids
Does the MCAT require a thorough knowledge of metabolism?
3) If I take the 2 semester biochem series, which is more important? Unfortunately, the two best professors for orgo 2 and biochem 1 have lectures at the same time. For orgo 2, there's one pretty good teacher and one kinda bad teacher. For biochem 1, there's a great teacher and one okay teacher (you need to teach yourself a lot according to previous students). I konw logically speaking, I should go for the pretty good orgo 2 teacher and the okay biochem teacher, but I thought biochem was more important for the MCAT? Would it be better to get the great biochem teacher and the kinda bad orgo 2 teacher?
I'm so sorry for how many questions I have but I would sincerely appreciate any help!
Last edited: