Missing pre-reqs

[onthefence]

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Will my application be disregarded if any pre-reqs are missing? I was a chemistry major in undergrad now on a gap year or two, and I didn't take any english or biology during school. I did take some biochem for the major though, and I did plenty of math and physics. My GPA was 3.73 and I'm confident I can get at least a 35 on the MCAT in January, which I understand to be fairly competitive, but I'm worried my lack of other coursework will put me out of the running. Am I right? It seems if anything people generally skip o-chem or physics, so does it make a difference that I'm missing the "lesser" pre-reqs?

 

[Ismet]

You need the pre-req classes before matriculation, no getting around that. Schools may allow you to use upper level bio classes in place of the intro bio sequence. Biology is a pretty big chunk of the BS portion of the MCAT, so you might want to consider taking bio before the MCAT.

I don't know of any pre-med who "skips" ochem or physics (unless they got out of physics with AP, and even then some med schools don't accept AP credit).

 

[onthefence]

I didn't take the classes in college because I didn't need them to graduate and I found chemistry more interesting, and at that point I wasn't considering medical school. Testing was always my strong suit and I've yet to score less than an 11 on a practice test, so I don't think 35 is out of reach. I'm actually weaker on the verbal section than the bio. Still, I think I have no business applying this year if, accepted or not, I won't be able to attend at all. There is simply not enough time between then and now to gather a whole year's worth of bio and english credits. Are there ever waivers for this sort of thing, or is it just one of those basic preparations I should've started years ago?

 

[SN12357]

I didn't take the classes in college because I didn't need them to graduate and I found chemistry more interesting, and at that point I wasn't considering medical school. Testing was always my strong suit and I've yet to score less than an 11 on a practice test, so I don't think 35 is out of reach. I'm actually weaker on the verbal section than the bio. Still, I think I have no business applying this year if, accepted or not, I won't be able to attend at all. There is simply not enough time between then and now to gather a whole year's worth of bio and english credits. Are there ever waivers for this sort of thing, or is it just one of those basic preparations I should've started years ago?

You can't count on the waivers. The schools most likely to bend the rules are the top private schools, and the candidates they're most likely to bend them for are their top recruits. Are you one of them? And I doubt anyone will waive TWO sets of requirements.

I am taking an extremely basic prereq while applying. It is very frustrating and annoying to have to retake something so basic, just to have it on my transcript. Like you, I knew enough to do very well on the MCAT without 'officially' having take the class. But I am finally taking it because I have to.

You need the prereqs by matriculation, not application, so if you can do them during your application year that is an option. But if you can't, then yes, you need to wait.

 

[Ismet]

You need the pre-reqs. Plain and simple.

 

[onthefence]

Right, that looks about like the bad news I was expecting. I don't know what I was hoping for. Although now that I double check, I think I might have just enough time to scrape everything together if I add in a summer session at CC. Thanks everyone, looks like I have some work to do.