Question Re: Classes Needed for MCAT

[BlestMama]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I did search for the answer to this question, but didn't find anything all that helpful so I thought I'd present this to you all.

I plan to take the MCAT next summer and prior to that I will have taken Physics I and II, Calculus, Gen Chem I, Gen and Inorganic Chem II, Cell and Molecular Biology, Organismal and Population Biology, Orgo I, and Fundamental Genetics. I will not have taken Orgo II, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or Immunology, which I hear are all helpful. My question is are they necessary? Am I setting myself up for a poor performance by not having these classes prior to the MCAT? Obviously lots of extra studying will get me there and I'm willing to do some extra work to get the knowledge needed, I just don't want to be chained to my MCAT study materials eight hours a day for three months straight because I didn't have the appropriate classes ya know?

 

[sharmi]

Of the rest only Orgo II is needed. That said, if you are great in Orgo and get the hang of it, you can pick it up by yourself. The other courses, especially physio (and genetics, not on your list) do help, but are not absolutely needed. There is a lot of jargon in the bio section and having done the upper divs give you an edge in quickly scanning through dense passages - in my mind - which is probably why bio majors tend to do well in the bio section.

 

[0919mmk]

I did search for the answer to this question, but didn't find anything all that helpful so I thought I'd present this to you all.

I plan to take the MCAT next summer and prior to that I will have taken Physics I and II, Calculus, Gen Chem I, Gen and Inorganic Chem II, Cell and Molecular Biology, Organismal and Population Biology, Orgo I, and Fundamental Genetics. I will not have taken Orgo II, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or Immunology, which I hear are all helpful. My question is are they necessary? Am I setting myself up for a poor performance by not having these classes prior to the MCAT? Obviously lots of extra studying will get me there and I'm willing to do some extra work to get the knowledge needed, I just don't want to be chained to my MCAT study materials eight hours a day for three months straight because I didn't have the appropriate classes ya know?

I hate to say it, but being chained to MCAT stuff for 3 months x 8 hours a day is sort of what you have to do anyway to be competitive, even if you've taken all the prereqs 🙂

For myself, I basically did MCAT-specific studying (which is certainly different than just knowing the material from the prereq classes) for (3 months x 2-3 hours a day) + (3 months x 5 hours a day). I jumped from a 32 the first time I took it (just studying from a book for 2-3 moths x 3 hours a day) to a 36. You'll have to put in the hours either way. But to answer your question, the classes you will have taken by then will be enough to get thru the MCAT material.

 

[BlestMama]

I think I can handle 5 hours a day, but I'm concerned that 8 would cause a brain meltdown. I guess I won't know my limit until I've passed it.

 

[sharmi]

It really depends on you....
I am pretty good with the sciences - coming from an engineering / chemistry / physics background.

My problem was with the verbal portion. I had to retake just to improve my VR score (have a decent score now - thank my stars!). It takes way more practice to do that if verbal is not your "cuppa tea".

 

[Eik Ooc]

Verbal is interesting. It's a third of the total score yet most people I know and read give it the least amount of study prep time.

 

[felixthekat]

My background is not in the sciences, but I took the MCAT without having had OrganicII. I did fine (BS 12). I did, however, have micro, genetic, anatomy and physiology...no calculus, ever. I thought the verbal was relatively easy (14), but I have had years of practice reading for main idea, tone, ect. I also much more of a big picture person than a details person.
MCAT studying is learning how to apply what you already know to situations that may seem completely unfamiliar to you. And it really does just test basic level stuff (it like to word things so that it doesn't appear basic, but if you can figure out what principle is being tested, you are halfway there.