MCAT without Physics

[tchuptchik]

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I'm planning for this next summer (between soph and junior years) and because of study abroad plans, It would be very advantageous for me to take this year's August MCAT. Originally, I had planned to take Physics over the summer at the same time as MCAT prep but realized that the course shedule would not allow me to work as much as I would like to in a lab where I have a job.

Does anyone know of someone who was able to prep and take the MCAT (successfully) without having taken the full physics course? I did some phys. in highschool and have a good background in math... and as I understand it, it's mostly equasions.

Is this insane or do you think it could work?

 

[jebus]

Ha ha ha! If you do this the MCAT will make you its wife. Bend over and break out the Astroglide, buddy. By the way, this will not be gentle.

 

[lp2001db]

Ha ha ha! If you do this the MCAT will make you its wife. Bend over and break out the Astroglide, buddy. By the way, this will not be gentle.

Have you had high school physics? If you went to a high school with a good science program chances are you learned everything you'd need to know for the MCATs. A review with an MCAT book would set you just fine.

Since there's no calc on the MCAT physics I think you might be able to get away with just a high school level of mechanics and E&M. Though I really think understanding Calc-based physics makes the exams much easier...(you don't have to memorize nearly as much because you can just integrate or take the derivative of a certain equation to get whatever you want). But I'd say if you've never had any good treatment of Physics before, you'd be at a huge disadvantage. It's more than just a set of equations, it's a way of thinking about problems.

 

[browniegirl86]

For what it's worth, I teach MCAT at Kaplan, and most students who have not taken the college course for one of the subjects (especially ochem, but physics is a close second) have a much more difficult time.

Unless you were really GOOD at physics in high school and remember a lot of it, I would not recommend taking the MCAT without first taking college physics.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[anon-y-mouse]

Ha ha ha!

you stole the words right out of my mouth.

 

[skimbot]

I actually disagree with the posters above . . .

I only took 1/2 yr. high school physics and no college physics before taking the MCAT, and I got a 14 on the physics section. In my opinion, it was more about knowing the equations and then doing milions of practice problems than about having previous knowledge of the material (actually, I found that the entire MCAT is like that) . . . I am taking college physics now, and the approach that we take to questions here is not the right one for the MCAT. I think that tons and tons of practice is the way to go, physics course or not.

 

[skimbot]

double post - sorry

 

[browniegirl86]

I actually disagree with the posters above . . .

I only took 1/2 yr. high school physics and no college physics before taking the MCAT, and I got a 14 on the physics section. In my opinion, it was more about knowing the equations and then doing milions of practice problems than about having previous knowledge of the material (actually, I found that the entire MCAT is like that) . . . I am taking college physics now, and the approach that we take to questions here is not the right one for the MCAT. I think that tons and tons of practice is the way to go, physics course or not.

I think the OP just needs to assess his or her aptitude for physics. I agree with you that the most important part is memorizing the equations and practicing ad nauseum, but that's not enough for everyone. If I hadn't put a lot of time into understanding WHY the equations worked, I wouldn't have been able to apply them in a passage-based setting. For me, physics (after my joke of a high school physics class) has always been a really big challenge. Frankly, I am just not very good at physics, and that is not helped by my large amount of physics-based anxiety. So, I needed as much classroom physics as I could get, and then had to know the equations and do millions of practice problems. The MCAT was the third time I had learned all of that material, and it clicked better than the first two times largely because I could use my prior knowledge as a foundation.

Basically, you kick ass. The OP needs to decide if he or she kicks ass like you or, if like me, he or she will need all the experience possible.

😳

 

[thatguyagain]

I'm planning for this next summer (between soph and junior years) and because of study abroad plans, It would be very advantageous for me to take this year's August MCAT. Originally, I had planned to take Physics over the summer at the same time as MCAT prep but realized that the course shedule would not allow me to work as much as I would like to in a lab where I have a job.

Does anyone know of someone who was able to prep and take the MCAT (successfully) without having taken the full physics course? I did some phys. in highschool and have a good background in math... and as I understand it, it's mostly equasions.

Is this insane or do you think it could work?

That's possibly the funniest question I've ever heard in my life. Thanks for making a crappy morning a happy one. 😍

 

[Conqueror]

I took the MCAT before finishing either Organic or Physics. I got 13PS, 11BS. Take that at face value, but I think you have at least a chance of doing well.

CQ

 

[don juan]

I'm planning for this next summer (between soph and junior years) and because of study abroad plans, It would be very advantageous for me to take this year's August MCAT. Originally, I had planned to take Physics over the summer at the same time as MCAT prep but realized that the course shedule would not allow me to work as much as I would like to in a lab where I have a job.

Does anyone know of someone who was able to prep and take the MCAT (successfully) without having taken the full physics course? I did some phys. in highschool and have a good background in math... and as I understand it, it's mostly equasions.

Is this insane or do you think it could work?

Take the class first; make sure you nail it the first time. The MCAT is not something you wanna have to take more than once.

 

[don juan]

I took the MCAT before finishing either Organic or Physics. I got 13PS, 11BS. Take that at face value, but I think you have at least a chance of doing well.

CQ

Those are good scores (same scores I got actually), but I betcha would have done even better if you had finished up the classes first. No matter how sharp you are you're always gonna give yourself a better chance to do well if you take the classes first. But then again if you're going abroad and you wanna get the test over and done with and you think you can get a good enough score without the class go for it.

 

[Dave_D]

Theoretically you can teach yourself loads of stuff out of a book. However I think unless you really knew for sure you could do this you'd be taking a major risk. Actually I have a better idea. AMCAS does publish sample tests, you can even take one for free on their web site. Heck, here's a sample portion from their web site
science sample


You should look at that and see if you can answer those kinds of questions.

 

[Depakote]

Ha ha ha! If you do this the MCAT will make you its wife. Bend over and break out the Astroglide, buddy. By the way, this will not be gentle.

Absolute truth.

 

[nikibean]

I'm planning for this next summer (between soph and junior years) and because of study abroad plans, It would be very advantageous for me to take this year's August MCAT. Originally, I had planned to take Physics over the summer at the same time as MCAT prep but realized that the course shedule would not allow me to work as much as I would like to in a lab where I have a job.

Does anyone know of someone who was able to prep and take the MCAT (successfully) without having taken the full physics course? I did some phys. in highschool and have a good background in math... and as I understand it, it's mostly equasions.

Is this insane or do you think it could work?

Sorry, not trying to insult you but honestly, taking the MCAT without physics =

You're on crack.

Wait and take it after physics. My PS section was heavily weighted towards physics, and you never know what you're going to get.

 

[Conqueror]

Those are good scores (same scores I got actually), but I betcha would have done even better if you had finished up the classes first. No matter how sharp you are you're always gonna give yourself a better chance to do well if you take the classes first. But then again if you're going abroad and you wanna get the test over and done with and you think you can get a good enough score without the class go for it.

Quite possible. I'm a three-year graduate though, so the timing was forced.

CQ