MCAT review for O-chem?

[wahoo321]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi!

I was thinking about buying berkeley review books for gen chem, Biology and physics. For verbal, i was thinking of buying examkrackers. I am also thinking of buying AAMC practice tests. However, i am confused about organic chemistry. I want to take my MCAT during the beginning of my junior year so i dont have to take the new version of MCAT, which sounds ridiculous. I am taking organic during my junior year because i am transferring from community college to a 4 year college. I was allowed to take only three science classes here. I was thinking of self studying for organic because, eventhough it is hard, it is only 25% of BS section i think. I was thinking of buying the organic chem as second language by david klien, but other forums mentioned how berkeley is a great review book for MCAT. Also, i think the book buy klien is not really mcat style passage based book. Which one should I buy? Also, do you think i am making the right decision of taking the mcat during august of 2014, which is the beginning of my junior year?

Sorry if the post was too long.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Do you still have an old Orgo textbook? Supplement concepts from mcatreview.org and review them through the book if you need more clarification. I feel that mcatreview is good for a refresher of topics, but not concepts or ways to tackle a problem.

 

[wahoo321]

It doesnt matter anymore. I just found out that students who are matriculating in 2015 are the only ones who can use old and new mcat scores. I am trying to get into medical school by year 2016 fall. It will depend on whatever medical school i am attending if they will take my old mcat score of 2014 or not. I am pretty sure none of them are going to. So taking the old mcat is waste now for me. I am just gonna take organic chem in 4 year college and hope i pass my new mcat exam.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Where's your source on that?

 

[wahoo321]

from my friend. She is also a pre-med student.

 

[wahoo321]

I don't have the orgo textbook. I haven't taken the class yet, so I was wondering if Berkeley would be a good review of that class or David Klein's book. I want to self-study orgo chem.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Don't worry about the MCAT until you are finished with the Orgo sequence, or pre-reqs for that matter.
TBR Orgo is a good resource even for an Orgo class (esp the first sequence).

 

[jbryant9]

It doesnt matter anymore. I just found out that students who are matriculating in 2015 are the only ones who can use old and new mcat scores. I am trying to get into medical school by year 2016 fall. It will depend on whatever medical school i am attending if they will take my old mcat score of 2014 or not. I am pretty sure none of them are going to. So taking the old mcat is waste now for me. I am just gonna take organic chem in 4 year college and hope i pass my new mcat exam.

If you're trying to start med school in 2015, you'd be taking the old MCAT. If 2016-2018, you can take either, though the scores are applicable for 2-3 years. If 2019 or later, you'd be taking the new MCAT. See here: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/332616/whichexamwillyoutake

 

[wahoo321]

I was thinking of taking the mcat before my orgo class. it is pretty stupid, but I am starting my orgo chem review right now. I think I will be ok after a year long reviewing of orgo. I am gonna start mcat review from april and finish it in august. then take the test by mid-august.

 

[wahoo321]

Thank you so much you guys!! I was feeling pretty lost and discouraged.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Yeah, it's pretty tough to teach yourself Orgo if you haven't been exposed to the class. It's such a different class than what you have with the other pre-reqs in undergrad. Physics, some people can get away with because it's just applicable math, and MCAT isn't even calculation-heavy. Orgo has a certain way of thinking that is developed while taking the class IMO.

 

[wahoo321]

you right JohnnyRomanes. It is a huge risk, but I have to do it. I heard from my friends that knowing why a reaction occurs is important when learning organic chem. I will try not to memorize everything! I have to learn the concept. I just have to believe in myself and self-study. It is going to be difficult, but I am up for the challenge. I am just going to work even harder to understand it. Thank you so much for your advice.

 

[wahoo321]

I was also thinking of using Khan Academy for orgo.

 

[mbaumann1123]

Can you at least take the January 2015 mcat (which is still the old mcat) so you have a semester of organic to go on?

 

[wahoo321]

Only if I get a really bad score on my first MCAT. Then I can take a whole semester of organic chem and take my second MCAT in January. Having two MCAT scores look bad though. January 2015 is for my backup plan only. I am starting my content review of organic chem right now. 1 year of content review should be enough. Is it really that difficult?

 

[mbaumann1123]

Only if I get a really bad score on my first MCAT. Then I can take a whole semester of organic chem and take my second MCAT in January. Having two MCAT scores look bad though. January 2015 is for my backup plan only. I am starting my content review of organic chem right now. 1 year of content review should be enough. Is it really that difficult?

Speaking from experience yes. I self studied organic II after getting an A in organic one and I struggled a lot. I don't know how exactly to explain it, its just not something that makes sense straight from a text book, its a whole new language and way of thinking. Yes it's a bad idea but if your going to do it then use the as a second language series to supplement an actual textbook and maybe chads videos first before using Berkeley. Expect lots of frustration, its hard to grasp even with guidance from a professor. And your not really getting a year of dedicated organic review because you have 4 other subjects to study for the mcat and none of them are easy. Remember you have to learn traditional organic first and then learn mcat organic. They are not one in the same, deciphering an organic passage and answering 6-7 questions in 8 minutes requires a different kind of thinking than an undergrad organic exam. I hope your not taking classes while you do this. Don't underestimate the workload. I am not saying its impossible but it would take an exceptional person to pull it off with good results. I don't know you so maybe you are the right person to do it. Good luck

 

[shtumpa]

I was thinking of self studying for organic because, eventhough it is hard, it is only 25% of BS section i think.

But it's the 25% that will be the easiest if you study well. The rest of Bio is often similar to verbal; long passages which have to be read very carefully. A thorough knowledge of Orgo is key to killing BS.

 

[wahoo321]

I have been stuyding for organic chemistry by using TBR, but it is very detailed and takes forever to check all of the questions.

I know 25% can change my BS score by a lot of points, therefore I am not taking this lightly.

Thank you for replying 🙂

 

[Gauss44]

I just used EK OC, and got a 12 on the real BS section of real MCAT, but I absolutely mastered every last question in that book.

 

[Heday]

I'm just amazed when people take a VERY important test without finishing the pre-reqs. Orgo is 8 months of material. You gotta use a textbook, not a review book, since you're self studying. Shoot, doesn't coursera have a course?

 

[altitudinarian]

Go to the MIT OpenCourseware. They have Organic Chemistry II, (probably Orgo I as well, but I couldn't find it) as well as other advanced organic chemistry courses. Go to Coursera and type in Organic Chemistry. Some courses should pop up as well.

Moreover, get the book, "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language" by Klein. It's really expensive to buy, but you can rent it from Amazon for much cheaper, and try looking on eBay and other website for discounted books. It's very handy.

 

[bambam92]

I have seen kids who literally took the MCAT with zero organic background and got 12 on BS… but this is not advisable. Obviously they winged it, and it worked. But don't plan to emulate that. On the recent june 21st mcat thread it sounds like the BS section was dishing some pretty serious orgo and people seemed to get whacked by surprise. Definitely annoying if you study organic in and out and get only one orgo passage test day that is a joke, but this is the name of the game I guess. I only have taken organic I , so I am taking MCAT without organic II. But, I did well in organic I--and it does lay a lot of the frame work for organic II. You could definitely do it, but it will be a lot of work. I second what people said about the Klein books--buy them both, use chads vids, and then BR or something and you should be ok.