MCAT Prep while retaking Bio 2

[medadvicewanted]

Hi Everyone,

First post here...don't know where else to turn so I figured I would turn to my peers. I got a C+ in Bio 2 and a C in Physics 2, and I wanted to retake at least one of them. Bio 2 is offered started tomorrow at my university. The conflict for me is whether I should take it because I want to take my MCAT at the end of August or Early September. Any thoughts or study plans would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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[Silverfalcon]

Hi Everyone,

First post here...don't know where else to turn so I figured I would turn to my peers. I got a C+ in Bio 2 and a C in Physics 2, and I wanted to retake at least one of them. Bio 2 is offered started tomorrow at my university. The conflict for me is whether I should take it because I want to take my MCAT at the end of August or Early September. Any thoughts or study plans would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

It's doable, but the question is why. Why would you do that? You are risking yourself for a low score - and a possible re-take.

 

[medadvicewanted]

Thanks for the response....the reason I would do it is because I didn't really learn the material too well the first time so I am kind of struggling with it while preparing for the mcat.

 

[Silverfalcon]

Thanks for the response....the reason I would do it is because I didn't really learn the material too well the first time so I am kind of struggling with it while preparing for the mcat.

No, my question was more on the line of why are you trying to take MCAT now if you feel that way?

I suggest you do either - retake the course for better understanding (which may not directly help you for MCAT) or just study for MCAT and learn relevant bio for MCAT.

 

[medadvicewanted]

oh, sorry I didnt understand what you meant. Well, I don't really want to fall behind in terms of apps and things like that, so I was hoping to keep going with the MCAT also. I don't know what to do though.

 

[Silverfalcon]

oh, sorry I didnt understand what you meant. Well, I don't really want to fall behind in terms of apps and things like that, so I was hoping to keep going with the MCAT also. I don't know what to do though.

Maybe what I'm doing can help you.

I did well on my intro bio in terms of letter grade, but I was kind of student who found Organic Chem interesting and found bio to be just memorize regurgitation. In other words, I didn't retain anything. So I spent about first two weeks watching bio lectures from UC Berkeley Podcasts on physiology to get them down (I was OK in cellular/molecular stuffs). I then went to review chapters from Kaplan Bio book and now using EK. I will eventually shift over to TBR for some hard concepts.

My message? I didn't take an upper level bio. Bio at undergrads is a lot of memorization, at least for intro level. MCAT isn't like that. It's passage-based, which is actually more fair to students who are non-bio majors in some ways because we can still score well without knowing the tiny details about this enzyme and that and whatnot. So, if you are going to take MCAT, don't waste your time with another gen bio course. Just study MCAT.

 

[medadvicewanted]

I am getting really overwhelmed though, like i'm going crazy these past couple days just thinking about how my GPA isnt that good, my apps might not be that good, my MCAT might not be that good, and I want to raise my GPA with this bio retake and im just going crazy because I don't know where to get advice...I have until monday to drop the course if I decide not to take it.

 

[medadvicewanted]

What should my study method be if I were to take this class...it is on M and W including lab, I am thinking if I have already taken the course it should come a little easier and I think I need to raise my GPA before I apply anyway.

Thanks

 

[Silverfalcon]

What should my study method be if I were to take this class...it is on M and W including lab, I am thinking if I have already taken the course it should come a little easier and I think I need to raise my GPA before I apply anyway.

Thanks

Any concurrent course will take a lot of time. I don't know about summer bio class since my undergrad doesn't offer summer bio (only chem and now, physics), but if I'm right, it is probably a lot of materials squeezed in short amount of time. It may help, but it may not.

And I know some schools' bio II is heavily on marine biology or taxonomy - both of which are NOT helpful for MCAT at all.

 

[medadvicewanted]

No, for me Bio 2 is "An introduction to molecular and cellular aspects of biology with emphasis on cell structure and function, biochemistry, genetics, cell growth and differentiation, and the origin of life."

and I think those topic are pretty high yield on the mcat right?

and I really appreciate your help!

 

[Silverfalcon]

No, for me Bio 2 is "An introduction to molecular and cellular aspects of biology with emphasis on cell structure and function, biochemistry, genetics, cell growth and differentiation, and the origin of life."

and I think those topic are pretty high yield on the mcat right?

and I really appreciate your help!

That's Bio 2? Most schools have that as Bio 1. It is helpful, but I say it all depends on other things. Plus, if you are thinking about taking MCAT in this August, that puts you less than two months away.

 

[medadvicewanted]

I'm thinking maybe september now...also, if I take the course and then decide its useless halfway through, is it worth the W (withdraw) to continue studying instead?

 

[ChocoMoo]

I'm thinking maybe september now...also, if I take the course and then decide its useless halfway through, is it worth the W (withdraw) to continue studying instead?

Let's say you take the course and you get an A in the class. Will that boost your GPA a significant amount? If your GPA is on the lower side, getting 1 additional A probably will not help by much IMO :/

 

[medadvicewanted]

not sure how much it'll raise my but my gpa is a 2.96 :cry::cry::cry:

so i think it's probably worth trying to get it over 3.0 i have a lot of B's


also i think it would help my science GPA

 

[ChocoMoo]

not sure how much it'll raise my but my gpa is a 2.96 :cry::cry::cry:

so i think it's probably worth trying to get it over 3.0 i have a lot of B's


also i think it would help my science GPA

If you don't mind me asking, where are you applying for medical school? Are you considering DO schools?

2.96 or 3.0, you're going to need a KILLER mcat score, and even then I don't think it'll be enough :/. If I were you I would do a post-bacc program to raise the GPA and study mad hard for the MCAT. Honestly, I don't think you should apply for this cycle . Have you taken a diagnostic MCAT or anything?

 

[medadvicewanted]

I took one diag a month ago and got a 18, it was a princeton review one, I took their prep course...should I retake a lot of courses then? would it help for me to post my transcript here for you?

and yes, i'm considering DO schools, and what would you say is a "killer" mcat?

i'm really discouraged now haha, i thought there would be SOME school that would accept me with that.

here are my sciences

GChem: B-
GChem 2: B+
Physics 1: B
Physics 2: C
Animal Physiology: B
Bio 1: B
Bio 2: C+ pending retake?
Orgo 1: B

is that really that bad? (no, i'm not in denial or anything, I know its not great)

 

[ChocoMoo]

You don't need to post your transcripts

I honestly don't know much about DO schools..i THINK their mcat range is high 20s-low 30s? (someone correct me if I'm off). I'm not really sure...Idk what the gpa ranges are either, but I'm assuming at least 3.0? 3.2?

Raising an 18 to a 30 isn't impossible...but if you're planning on taking the September test you should start your content review NOW. However, since your gpa is on the low side you should try aiming for a higher score..

If you got into a DO school this app cycle, would you be satisfied? Or would you rather take a few years to raise your gpa, get a good mcat score and maybe get into a med school?

 

[ChocoMoo]

The C's really killed you're gpa IMO. It probably would help to retake some classes, but if you do you shouldn't apply this cycle. Taking summer school + trying to improve your MCAT by 10+ points AND doing the app is going to be tough :/

 

[medadvicewanted]

I have contacted a tutor for the MCAT too, he said he can get my physical to a 13...I wouldn't be disappointed if I got into a DO program, especially Michigan State because its my home state. Also....I got into MSU as a transfer student this semester, would that be a bad choice right now...I have 87 credits, they take 90. I don't really like my current school at all.

Thanks

 

[MCAT4life]

Retake Physics that you got C in as well and the Bio, with science GPA like that its probably better idea to go DO, a lot of DO schools replaces the bad Science GPAs if you retook them. I wouldn't rush the MCAT though since you probably still need to score a 30+ on it even with improved science GPA. Don't take what you tutor say. They are not taking the test for you, you are. 13+ in PS isn't a gimme just because they say it is.

 

[ChocoMoo]

It seems like you have your mind pretty much set on applying this cycle. The only thing that will help you at this point is a good mcat, so concentrate on that. I wouldn't take summer school because I don't think it's going to raise your GPA that much and it's going to take time out of some crucial mcat studying. It's up to you though.

 

[Silverfalcon]

One another thing. I noticed that you don't have a letter grade for Orgo 2. Did you forget to type it, or you didn't take it yet?

If you didn't take it, do not take MCAT. Taking MCAT before finishing prerequisites is suicidal. It's suicidal because you may survive and do well, but you have a risk of seeing a bad result that other "healthy" people (e.g. people who finished all the prerequisites) don't need to worry about.

 

[medadvicewanted]

you are correct, I have not taken it yet, but I have been told orgo 2 on the MCAT isn't that big of a deal and I feel I have a good enough grasp on Orgo 1 that I could learn the essentials of Orgo 2 myself.

Thanks

 

[Silverfalcon]

you are correct, I have not taken it yet, but I have been told orgo 2 on the MCAT isn't that big of a deal and I feel I have a good enough grasp on Orgo 1 that I could learn the essentials of Orgo 2 myself.

Thanks

I would recommend you to disregard that and take MCAT once you have taken Orgo 2. The reason is this: you are setting yourself at a slight disadvantage because of Bio, so you want to make sure that you can get every Orgo question right. Going there with just Orgo 1 doesn't guarantee that. Take time and do well on MCAT once you have taken Orgo 2.

Not saying you shouldn't go with what you were going to... But I always think people should take MCAT when they are most ready.

 

[medadvicewanted]

I just don't want to "fall behind" and have to do an extra year, thats all i'm worried about...what are your thoughts on that?

Thanks

 

[CookDeRosa]

I just don't want to "fall behind" and have to do an extra year, thats all i'm worried about...what are your thoughts on that?

Thanks

>>

Have you heard the expression "no time to do it right, plenty of time to do it twice?" It means that going through slowly- properly- the first time is always faster than having to go back and redo. If you have gaps in your knowledge now, they are not going to go away. They won't fill in on their own. They'll come back to bite you. Even if you pull a good MCAT score, at what point will you relearn the info you missed when you got Bs and Cs? Med school? It's not only the course/credit/grade that you need, it's the knowledge.
Sorry, but if it were me, I'd suggest not worrying about falling behind today. I'd worry about failing out in the future. A year is NOT a long time lost, but it can put you SOLID into a strong GPA and MCAT. I'd replace every C, buckle down, and finish the prereqs. Then, spend a solid 3 months on nothing but MCAT study. Then take the MCAT. Then apply. That's my suggestion for what it's worth.

 

[medadvicewanted]

Yes, but I don't know how many people do that? I just don't want to be embarrassed, my parents probably wont understand why I need another year, not that they are forcing me into medicine or anything like that, they just don't want me to fall behind either.

Thanks

 

[ChocoMoo]

Yes, but I don't know how many people do that? I just don't want to be embarrassed, my parents probably wont understand why I need another year, not that they are forcing me into medicine or anything like that, they just don't want me to fall behind either.

Thanks

A lot of people do it. And taking a year off to raise your gpa/study for the mcat etc is not 'falling behind'. You need to think about the long term. In 10 years when you're a doctor, that extra year you took to better your app won't matter. I mean, you're a doctor, who cares how many more years you needed than the traditional student to get into med school. It might seem like you're losing a year, but in the end you're still going to have the same MD degree as someone who went to medical school right after 4 years of college.

I hope what I said made sense

 

[medadvicewanted]

Thanks it does make sense...I think i'll continue studying and take it as planned, but maybe void it if I don't like how I feel and also maybe I won't apply this year them i'll have to think about it a bit more.

Thanks