MCAT w/o genetics

[Telo78]

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So I know mcat says you don't need this class for the test. I also know that people are saying left and right that it certainly helped. I have decided to invest in a genetics text book and go over some sections before the april exam. Can anyone tell me particular topics or sections that would be in a genetics text book that would be best to go over?

 

[drizzt3117]

A lot of it is a crap shoot, but I would make sure you are familiar with the ABO stuff, incomplete dominance, Rh factors, all the regular mendalian genetics, and have a good working understanding of molecular genetics including the Lac operon, how crossing over, and recombination works, etc. Understanding what pku and common genetic diseases like sickle cell isn't a bad idea as well. There may be other things covered, but I think that would be the bulk of it.

 

[smuwillobrien]

Monohybrid Cross
Dihybrid Cross
Epistatis
Complete, Incomplete, and Codominance
Punnett Squares
Binomial Theoreom
Heterozygosity and Homozygosity
Multiple Alleles

As far as I can remember, these things were all tested on the August MCAT, and all are things you would learn in a Genetics class.

 

[WestTexasRambler]

No genetics and scored 11 in the section but I must admit that a genetics course would have been worth sitting through. TPR teacher was great and covered genetics as well as could be expected in a prep class. If I have to retake next year I will probably audit a class if nothing else.


Good luck.

 

[alleycat9]

Just wondering if anyone is reading Schaum's Genetics and answering the questions. If so, it would be great to find someone to check answers with. I mean, in terms of approach. Some questions don't seem clear in their asking, even though the answer can be straight forward. It might help to discuss. Just an idea. Reply or pm. thanks.

 

[BigRedPremed]

Monohybrid Cross
Dihybrid Cross
Epistatis
Complete, Incomplete, and Codominance
Punnett Squares
Binomial Theoreom
Heterozygosity and Homozygosity
Multiple Alleles

As far as I can remember, these things were all tested on the August MCAT, and all are things you would learn in a Genetics class.

I agree with the topics. Mostly stuff you'll learn in the first week of any genetics course.

 

[Telo78]

Ok so I'm guessing just take the mcat topic list of genetics stuff and expand on it more than we did in a regular bio class. Thanx

 

[Nikki2002]

zebra fish. drosophila.😀

 

[kuhlguy]

4 out of 12 passages for me was genetics ... i had double cross overs, linked genes, etc etc ....

ucla requires a whole course in your undergrad for genetics so i felt prepared ... but yea ...d ef study genetics

 

[Anastasis]

I'd say that genetics was one of the more helpful classes for the MCAT. If you have a good Genetics teacher, they'll teach you how to apply the stuff to new situations which is, IMHO, a must for doing well on the MCAT.

 

[smuwillobrien]

I'd say that genetics was one of the more helpful classes for the MCAT. If you have a good Genetics teacher, they'll teach you how to apply the stuff to new situations which is, IMHO, a must for doing well on the MCAT.

This is a good point - applying all the science stuff, not just genetics, to new situations is very important for the MCAT.

 

[swooptheeagle]

Monohybrid Cross
Dihybrid Cross
Epistatis
Complete, Incomplete, and Codominance
Punnett Squares
Binomial Theoreom
Heterozygosity and Homozygosity
Multiple Alleles

As far as I can remember, these things were all tested on the August MCAT, and all are things you would learn in a Genetics class.

I also took this past August MCAT, and I agree with this list too. Make sure you know Hardy Weinberg, as this is always applied and not straight up memorization. Also, I would discourage you from getting an actual genetics book to study this stuff, b/c alot of it will be much more in depth than you will really ever need to know for MCAT. I think the regular BIO books covering genetics will suffice. Hope it helps.

 

[smuwillobrien]

I also took this past August MCAT, and I agree with this list too. Make sure you know Hardy Weinberg, as this is always applied and not straight up memorization. Also, I would discourage you from getting an actual genetics book to study this stuff, b/c alot of it will be much more in depth than you will really ever need to know for MCAT. I think the regular BIO books covering genetics will suffice. Hope it helps.

I agree with swoop - I think even Campbells might have enough in it.

 

[gotmeds?]

I have to agree with the above. I found that most of the upper division-type stuff on the mcat (mo bio, biochem, genetics) was tested at a very simple level while the more basic stuff (regular old bio, physics, o-chem, and g-chem) actually had the harder questions.

 

[Cirrus83]

I think your intro bio course should have had sufficient genetics to cover almost anything on the MCAT...I know Campbell's definitely had pretty much all the genetics on the test, I know this because I never took genetics and all the genetics stuff was familiar (not that I actually remembered, but it was familiar).

 

[blargh]

for the 8 millionth time, you don't need upper div bio classes for the mcat! my friends who were taking it this summer were frantically memorizing completely useless crap. i took ap bio in high school and intro bio in college before taking the mcat. the genetics which was covered on the august mcat was extremely basic and covered in introductory biology - nothing i'm learning in my genetics class now would have been useful. as a matter of fact, taking lots of upper div bio classes before the mcat will probably cause you to overthink the questions and get them wrong.

 

[ClemsonRunner]

from what I remember, basic genetics (that will be covered in the MCAT) were taught at my school in the intro bio course. so maybe just really review/research into basic bio info and it will refresh your memory?

 

[juice55]

Hey, I didn't take intro bio (had AP bio cred) or any other upper level bio courses before taking the mcats--just the kaplan course and examcracker material--and I did just fine. Scored a 12 on the bio section.