MCAT questions for pre-do's

[supersash]

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i kind of asked this in the MCAT board, but wanted to ask you guys, as i feel more comfortable on the pre-DO board 🙂

i am in my last year of undergrad, and will be taking the MCAT's this year. i would like to take them in april so that my scores will get out sooner than taking them in august.

here's the clincher - i will be taking orgo 2 and phys 2 during the spring semester, and would also like to take a kaplan/TPR course.

do you guys think this is too much? do you think it is feasible for me to take the april MCAT's? i am curious as to how much advanced organic and physics are on the MCAT?

i had a terrible freshman year, and will graduate with about a 3.1 cum (3.3 at current univ) and a 3.1 science. the MCAT, and doing well on it is important for me, esp. to get into med school, NYCOM is my top choice.

ok enough for now, let me know what YOU guys really think.

 

[FS-Pro]

That is not too much. I took Org 2, Bio 2, Gen Chem 2 and Kaplan course last spring and took the MCAT in April. You will be almost done with the semester by the time you reach the MCAT, so the amount of information that you have not covered by then will be very small-meaning you can just learn it on your own. One good thing about MCAT prep course is the study book that you get which have lesson plans to help you learn new material.

 

[ambernikel]

I think you will find that it will help you. I wish I could have taken Phys 2 during the same semester as Org 2 and the MCAT because everything would have been fresh in my mind. One of the guys I knew who was in PHys 2 at the time did really well on that part of the test. I was in Org 2 but I hadn't even had Phys 1 yet so that wasn't an option for me.
If you feel like you're going to be overwhelmed then my advice would be to break down stuff a little. Start preparing this semester and you'll be fine.
Also, especially since you have a lower gpa and are looking at your MCAT to make you more competitive.. I would definitely take in April. Not only will this give you an opp to retake in August if you aren't satisfied, but it will also allow you to get your app in early. I really think that applying early is key to getting accepted into the school that you want. Even if your gpa isn't the best ever.

 

[Nate]

Every MCAT is different but I think you're safe concerning Orgo as long as you have the basics. Physics 2 on the other hand, you need to know lenses and stuff like that so make sure you don't sleep ; ) As for it being too much, we take about 30 credit hours a semester in med school so get used to it.

~Nate

 

[supersash]

i wont just be taking orgo and phys - i will have a full course load, including a bio, and some electives, i just wasnt sure if taking orgo and phys along with the kaplan wouldnt mesh well (meaning i'd be learning too much new stuff at kaplan).

also- have any of you guys taken a review course? i know kaplan and the princeton review offer them, any suggestions on one over the other?

thanks for the input, i appreciate it 🙂

 

[smc927]

I took the August MCAT without organic II or physics II. I did pretty well, but no doubt would have done a little better with those classes. In the end, I was accepted exactly where I wanted to go, so who cares?

I never took a prep course so I can't help you there.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

i had i think one organic passage on my test and a few discretes, so the orgo II shouldn't be a problem at all. one caveat here, though, some tests have more organic than others, but it's still th smallest part of the test. for physics, i think kaplan can get you up to speed on what you haven't learned yet in physics II. also, some of the material will actually be really fresh in your mind, which is a plus.

the plan sounds good to me, and i think the advantage of having earlier scores makes up for the extra studying you might have to do. good luck!

 

[Raven Feather]

i wont just be taking orgo and phys - i will have a full course load, including a bio, and some electives, i just wasnt sure if taking orgo and phys along with the kaplan wouldnt mesh well (meaning i'd be learning too much new stuff at kaplan).

also- have any of you guys taken a review course? i know kaplan and the princeton review offer them, any suggestions on one over the other?

thanks for the input, i appreciate it 🙂

I think, definately decrease the course load.

 

[andi_cvr]

I took 17 hours including OCHEM II and PHY II during my MCAT semester. I took the MCAT review offered by AED at my school. It was really cheap ($175) and was taught by professors. You should see if there is anything like that at your school. We used Kaplan books, and I really liked them better than the Princeton Review books that I have seen. I also worked 20 hours a week and got mono that semester and still ended up with a decent MCAT score.
Good luck!

 

[andi_cvr]

One more thing to add: There were 4 OCHEM passages on my MCAT. My roommate did not do as well because she hadn't taken OCHEM 2 yet.

 

[Raven Feather]

I took 17 hours including OCHEM II and PHY II during my MCAT semester. I took the MCAT review offered by AED at my school. It was really cheap ($175) and was taught by professors. You should see if there is anything like that at your school. We used Kaplan books, and I really liked them better than the Princeton Review books that I have seen. I also worked 20 hours a week and got mono that semester and still ended up with a decent MCAT score.
Good luck!

You must be a VERY GOOD standardized test taker with all that going on.

 

[Daddydoc]

I found I always did better the busier I kept myself. I was forced to schedule my time better and to use it efficiently. If I wasn't working or taking lots of classes I spend too much time partying. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.

 

[supersash]

thanks for all the input guys. my school doesnt have a professor run mcat prep, but we do get a $125 off deal for kaplan if we sign up soon. will keep you up to date with my plans 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

i kind of asked this in the MCAT board, but wanted to ask you guys, as i feel more comfortable on the pre-DO board 🙂

i am in my last year of undergrad, and will be taking the MCAT's this year. i would like to take them in april so that my scores will get out sooner than taking them in august.

here's the clincher - i will be taking orgo 2 and phys 2 during the spring semester, and would also like to take a kaplan/TPR course.

do you guys think this is too much? do you think it is feasible for me to take the april MCAT's? i am curious as to how much advanced organic and physics are on the MCAT?

i had a terrible freshman year, and will graduate with about a 3.1 cum (3.3 at current univ) and a 3.1 science. the MCAT, and doing well on it is important for me, esp. to get into med school, NYCOM is my top choice.

ok enough for now, let me know what YOU guys really think.

You aren't penalized for a lower of 2 MCAT scores, meaning that schools only consider your highest, or in some cases, later, of 2 scores.

This being said, take the MCAT in both April and August. No need to wait and delay having a complete application.

 

[andi_cvr]

You must be a VERY GOOD standardized test taker with all that going on.

Yeah, the pre-med committee is very confused by the discrepancy between my GPA and standardized test scores. Honestly, I don't really understand it either.

Since standardized tests are something I have always been good at, I did fine with the busy schedule. My advice would be to consider how well you have done on the SAT/ACT. Those tests are really strong predictors of MCAT scores.

 

[BradenDO]

My advice would be to consider how well you have done on the SAT/ACT. Those tests are really strong predictors of MCAT scores.

I've always wondered about that...my brother actually got the same score on his MCAT that he got on the ACT. Sooo, considering I did better than him on the ACT I hope it holds true for the MCAT also! 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

I've always wondered about that...my brother actually got the same score on his MCAT that he got on the ACT. Sooo, considering I did better than him on the ACT I hope it holds true for the MCAT also! 🙂

I got the same score on the MCAT as the ACT.