Need help picking classess to prep for MCAT.. sort of non-trad and stressed

[summerallwinter]

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Hi.

I took all my non science, non math electives my Freshman year. I am presently a sophomore finishing up these courses, in addition to Algebra and Biology.

I recently decided to pursue med school after a long time of considering PA school. The up side of this is I currently work as a tech at a large and reputable hospital and have been studying anatomy and medical textbooks on my own for some while. The downside is I never considered having to take physics, or having to complete a certain number of subjects in time to take the MCAT.

My first question: can I take my MCAT at the END of my junior year? This will give me an extra semester to try to get some classes under my belt, which would be very helpful, but I know med schools prefer you take the MCAT in the middle of your junior year.

So here is what I'm thinking, schedule wise. Can anyone tell me if this is feasible?

Currently in:
Algebra
Bio
+ some others

Sophomore spring:
Statistics
Chemistry
Medical Terminology
+ some others

Junior fall:
Calculus
Corresponding science class (genetics?)
A&P
+ some others

Junior spring:
Physics
O Chem
+ some others

MCAT TIME!

Senior year covers everything else (A&P 2, chem 2, + some others).


Please let me know, any insight would be GREATLY appreciated. My university has not been as much help as I've expected.

 

[Ziff700]

If possible try and take A&P 2. You'll be much more likely to encounter endocrine, digestive, and kidney questions than the artery, bone, muscle stuff covered in A&P 1.
The problem solving skills presented in Cellular and Molecular Biology course could be useful. Calculus is a prereq for many med schools, but the math is way above anything that will be on the MCAT.
Keep in mind a good chunk of the test is questions based on passages and single stand alone questions are the minority. PM if you want more.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I would certainly not take the MCATs without having taken Chem II (or were you talking about Orgo II?). Either way it would be a good idea to have them done before the MCATs.

Biochem is another class that's supposed to be quite useful.

 

[Moose A Moose]

If you're gonna want to do this right, and by right I mean without making your head explode by the time you graduate, is take a year off. That's my track. I switched from math to biology soph year of college and had to play the 'catch up' game. With having and EC and social life, theres no real effective way to build up a strong GPA, beat down the MCAT and live free. Med schools are into candidates that have out of school experience, it's really not that big of a deal. You can prep 100% for the MCAT in your time off and really nail it. It may seem lame at first- taking a little bit of time off- but it's not that bad.

 

[boaz]

Med schools have no preference for when you take the MCAT. YOUR preference should be to take the test after you have finished ALL the prerequisites. If that entails taking more time in college, then by all means do so. You should not take the test until you have finished one year each of gen chem, physics, and ochem.

 

[summerallwinter]

Med schools have no preference for when you take the MCAT. YOUR preference should be to take the test after you have finished ALL the prerequisites. If that entails taking more time in college, then by all means do so. You should not take the test until you have finished one year each of gen chem, physics, and ochem.

Seriously? Well this is quite comforting. If this is the case I could do something like:

Currently:
Bio
Algebra
+ others

Soph Spring:
Statistics
Chem
Microbio
+ others

Jr Fall:
Chem 2
A&P
Calc
+ others

Jr Spring:
A&P II
Physics
+ others

Sr Fall:
O Chem
+ others

What do you guys think?

Also, I understand the advice about taking time off, but I took 2 years off between high school and college, and up until the end of my Freshman year, have worked full time non-hospital jobs.

So can I get away with taking my MCAT during the second half of my senior year of college? Would I still have time to interview for med schools and get on that following fall?

Thanks a mil in advance. I had no idea this forum would prove to be so helpful!

 

[boaz]

Seriously? Well this is quite comforting. If this is the case I could do something like:

Currently:
Bio
Algebra
+ others

Soph Spring:
Statistics
Chem
Microbio
+ others

Jr Fall:
Chem 2
A&P
Calc
+ others

Jr Spring:
A&P II
Physics
+ others

Sr Fall:
O Chem
+ others

What do you guys think?

Also, I understand the advice about taking time off, but I took 2 years off between high school and college, and up until the end of my Freshman year, have worked full time non-hospital jobs.

So can I get away with taking my MCAT during the second half of my senior year of college? Would I still have time to interview for med schools and get on that following fall?

Thanks a mil in advance. I had no idea this forum would prove to be so helpful!

You won't be able to get into any US MD schools if you take the MCAT the winter before matriculation. Have you considered summer classes?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

if your school offers physics without calc take it
dont bother taking calc
its not going to help you
however take stat
if i were you
i'd try to take every class back to back
so
chem 1 in spring and chem 2 in the summer
or
organic in the fall and organic 2 in the spring

 

[TheMightySmiter]

You have to take the MCAT at least a year before you plan to matriculate. You should also have all of your prereqs finished before taking the MCATs. So if you want to matriculate the fall after you graduate, you need your prereqs finished by spring of your junior year. Plan to take the May MCAT.

I second the recommendations to take summer classes. Take Chem II over the summer. Then do Orgo and Physics your junior year.

 

[summerallwinter]

Do you think it would be smart to take as hard of a class as chemistry of A&P over the summer? I take a summer class every year but thus far they have been easy ones (humanities, weightlifting, art appreciation and speech)

So:

Soph Fall:
Chem I, Statistics, Microbio

Soph Summer:
Chem 2

Jr fall:
A&P, O chem

Jr spring:
A&P II, physics

 

[FasterThanAll]

I've taken organic chemistry I and II with labs over the summer, and I think it was the best decision I've made in terms of class scheduling.
Also, I didn't have all of my prerequisites finished before I took my MCATs, not close, and I think I did okay..

 

[summerallwinter]

That's good news. I'll definitely look into taking chem II over the summer.

Anyone know how worse off I'd be taking the MCAT the END of my junior year instead of the middle?

 

[TheMightySmiter]

That's good news. I'll definitely look into taking chem II over the summer.

Anyone know how worse off I'd be taking the MCAT the END of my junior year instead of the middle?

If you take it in May or before you'll be fine. That's probably ideal since it will give you more time to study.

Are you on the quarter system? Just confused looking at your schedule...if you're on a semester system remember that you need two semesters of Organic and two of Physics. It's helpful to take both before the MCATs.