Physics Class not rigorous enough

[jv00927]

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

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[AStudent]

I go to a large university and our physics class allowed a 1 page cheat sheet on the exam as well. For the physics sections on the MCAT you basically need to understand the main concepts, the formulas will be given to you. The only one I memorized was V = IR. Remember that physics is only 1 component of the physical sciences test.....

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

 

[Ambs]

I go to a large university and our physics class allowed a 1 page cheat sheet on the exam as well. For the physics sections on the MCAT you basically need to understand the main concepts, the formulas will be given to you. The only one I memorized was V = IR. Remember that physics is only 1 component of the physical sciences test.....

Holy cow! Since when are the physics formulas given to you! They certainly are not. Or am I so far into post-MCAT bliss that I don't remember?

But no really, the formulas are not given to you, and you've got to memorize them, and more importantly, understand the concepts behind them.

And yes physics is only one component of the PS test... 50% of it! You have to understand it very well... You can completely destroy your score if you don't pay a lot of attention to getting physics down.

 

[AStudent]

I never had any trouble?


Sincerely,
32R

Holy cow! Since when are the physics formulas given to you! They certainly are not. Or am I so far into post-MCAT bliss that I don't remember?

But no really, the formulas are not given to you, and you've got to memorize them, and more importantly, understand the concepts behind them.

And yes physics is only one component of the PS test... 50% of it! You have to understand it very well... You can completely destroy your score if you don't pay a lot of attention to getting physics down.

 

[Ambs]

I never had any trouble?


Sincerely,
32R

My post did not in any way indicate that YOU had any trouble. I did well on the MCAT, too--you and I have nearly identical scores.

I was simply stating that we're not provided with physics formulas on the MCAT. You've got to memorize/understand them. The MCAT does not have cheat sheets, LOL. Now perhaps in saying that formulas are given to us, you were referring to those passages that derive an equation for you or present a new equation (one that most of us non-physics majors have never seen before) and ask you to relate it to your existing knowledge. Still though... uh, you get my point.

Additionally, one cannot look at physics simply being only "one component" of the PS when it counts for 50% of it. It's a significant component, and one needs to understand it well in order to do well on it. I naturally enjoy physics, so perhaps I am a bit biased.

I just didn't want wrong information getting out there. The MCAT is stressful enough!

Sincerely,

Ambs

 

[Jeffy]

I wouldn't really worry much. The MCAT basically tests your general understanding of the subjects but tries to cover a variety of topics. And yes, do memorize the formulas - it should help.

 

[Arsenic]

MCAT Physics is much more straight forward than you think, most of the questions are cake compaired to some of the problems in the textbooks.

Just be happy you have an easy Physics class, try to get as much out of it as you can and then just review the material with a review book or a Kaplan/Princeton review class etc before your MCAT.

 

[Ambs]

Finally, to the OP:

I think that you can definitely study physics on your own. You don't need to study it in-depth. You need to understand the basic foundations of physics and be able to apply concepts and equations both. It comes naturally after practice. Don't stress--work hard and practice.

 

[Long Dong]

Just be happy you have an easy Physics class, try to get as much out of it as you can and then just review the material with a review book or a Kaplan/Princeton review class etc before your MCAT.

Exactly get that easy A and then do alot of problems from MCAT books, my undergrad physics gave us open book but the test where so hard that you had to understand to do well.

 

[Law2Doc]

Finally, to the OP:

I think that you can definitely study physics on your own. You don't need to study it in-depth. You need to understand the basic foundations of physics and be able to apply concepts and equations both. It comes naturally after practice. Don't stress--work hard and practice.

Agreed. With discipline, a good MCAT prep course, practice problems and a few hours of formula memorization you should be able to fill in any gaps in your knowledge. Because professors tend to be excited about and emphasize the area they work in to the exclusion of other topics, lots of people have to self learn one or more topics in physics for the MCAT; just be thankful you don't have to do the same for orgo...

 

[medstylee]

i took the mcat twice and physical sciences was my best score by far both times. for me, i think it was just going over the material in the kaplan mcat course books. they give a good overview of the topics you can expect to see on the test. both times i ended up just going over the formula sheets the day before the exam and that worked out fine for me. i'd recommend trying to get ahold of a kaplan physical sciences review book. best of luck.

 

[Without Wax]

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

Not related to you thread,

Physics is the most difficult subject, hands down. I believe physicists are the smartest people in the world. What we cover, as premeds, is so elementary that it should not be really considered as physics. Doctors memorize and regurgitate, but you really have to understand physics. No wonder people considered the smartest in human history (Einstein, Newton, Galileo, Hawking) are all physicists.

 

[Ambs]

Ambs I am calling the cops on you!

Seriously dude, how the hell do you have time to completely change my posts and make up statements in my name? I never said any of these things.... GO GET LAID! I feel very badly for you; you have much too time on your hands...

 

[MoosePilot]

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

Take a prep class. MCAT physics is extremely preparable.

 

[cfdavid]

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

I think your prof is doing you a huge favor. The college physics courses I took focused way too much on all the math. As others have said, MCAT physics is not that complicated. But, it does require you to understand the major concepts and equations etc.

 

[MrTee]

Hi! I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs for med school at a university here in Illinois. Gen chem, bio and ochem were pretty rigorous I thought. However, my physics professor makes physics so easy. I mean, we get to have cheat sheets for all the tests throughout the semester and the quizzes are open book. Plus the same questions on the notes appear on the assessments. We don't cover topics in depth either. I really want to do good on the MCAT, but I don't think my physics class is rigorous enough to help me in the MCAT.

I'm thinking about finishing the class and then studying the material on my own. Would that work? Any good textbooks to recommend?

I guess your only choice is to go take the engineering equivalent course of physics to adequately learn the material Seriously, be happy about it and study on your own. You don't need hardass profs that decimate your gpa to do well on mcat science sections. Be happy you have an easy A.

 

[rockstar2525]

My physics class was a joke, and I mean a funny joke. It was so horribly organized all we did was just regurgitatie formulas and plug and chug. I finished the classes with two As and felt like I had absolutely no understanding of physics. I learned so much more about the concepts behind the formulas in my Kaplan class. I memorized some of the important formulas, but not even most of them, and just tried to put the MCAT passages into "real life" terms. A lot of stuff on the MCAT was very straighforward I thought if I just took a minute to think logically about what happens based on my real world experience (ie, when you try to hold an inflated ball under water, it tries to float = there is an upward force/ bouyant force on the ball, etc). I ended up with a 12 on that section despite my feeling totally underprepared by my college class. You'll be fine if you do a little work on your own.

 

[Ambs]

Hey Ambs! I WON'T DATE YOU! I barely know you from SDN!

Absolute troll. (Exactly why would I want to date you? You're the one who is randomly changing the text of my posts since you've got entirely too much time on your hands. I haven't any idea why you're doing something so unproductive, and I have never even spoken to you! You seem like a confused, utterly irritating pre-pubescent boy.)

 

[swifteagle43]

Absolute troll. (Exactly why would I want to date you? You're the one who is randomly changing the text of my posts since you've got entirely too much time on your hands. I haven't any idea why you're doing something so unproductive, and I have never even spoken to you! You seem like a confused, utterly irritating pre-pubescent boy.)

Ambs will you be the mother of my kids? I will delete this post tommorow