RATE- the importance of these classes

[cure0008]

Can you rate the importance of the classes to take BEFORE the MCAT

Human physiology
Genetics
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Cell biology

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[DEdm]

Can you rate the importance of the classes to take BEFORE the MCAT

Human physiology
Genetics
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Cell biology

This order will probably differ for many people. For me:

1. Genetics
2. Biochemistry
3. Micro
4. Human physiology
5. Cell biology

With the last two subjects, while they are important for the MCAT, can be summarized adequately in review books. Genetics can get quite complicated and thus the class is very important if you want to be confident in this increasingly popular area of study.

Micro and Biochemistry are interchangeable.

Just my opinion, but it worked well for me. I only took genetics and biochemistry 1 before my MCAT and did not feel very lost in the other subjects.

 

[kweekes80]

Human physiology
Genetics
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Cell biology


1. genetics
2. physio
3. biochem
4. cell
5. micro

i remember there being alot of genetics on my mcat and i have heard many others on this site mention the same about the more recent tests being heavy on it as well.

 

[genswim24]

1. genetics
2. biochem
3. physio
4. cell
5. micro

I personally got the most out of the first four, the last one did little to help me.

 

[chad5871]

i remember there being alot of genetics on my mcat and i have heard many others on this site mention the same about the more recent tests being heavy on it as well.

I actually had 0 questions on my MCAT on genetics. Apparently this was an anomaly because I've heard from some friends that their bio sections were genetics-heavy. I was a bit frustrated since genetics is my best (and favorite) biology subject. Part of doing well on the MCAT is getting luck with the subject matter matching your personal strengths. I would probably rank these courses:

1. Biochem
2. Genetics
3. Cell
4. Physio
5. Micro

The reason I put physio in fourth is because most of the anatomy knowledge needed on the MCAT can be learned in an introductory biology course. The only biology courses I had before my MCAT were intro bio, genetics, and cell, and I did fine (much better than I thought I would do). After I took Biochem I realized how much it would have helped with a lot of things on my MCAT.

Good luck!

 

[Food]

1. Biochem

the rest are unnecessary in my opinion. the MCAT will not require direct knowledge of stuff from those classes. It will give you passages based on physio, genetics, and cell bio, but the questions will be very basic. Get it out of your head that the MCAT requires any knowledge. It requires analytical ability. With that said, I included biochemistry, because I think that is somewhat useful for the MCAT. It helps you understand pathways and processes which is a little more important than actual facts.

Also, I did not take microbiology, genetics, cell biology, or physiology AT ALL. My 1st MCAT bio was a 12, and my 2nd was a 13. So that tells you that you could do well without taking those classes.

Undoubtedly people will disagree with me, but I still say that taking those classes is mostly un-related / unhelpful if you want to do well on the MCAT. In other words, I would take my MCAT as soon as my basic pre-reqs were done. You have no special advantage by taking extra classes. It's better to use that time to practice your @$$ off.

 

[zpiff]

1. Biochem

the rest are unnecessary in my opinion. the MCAT will not require direct knowledge of stuff from those classes. It will give you passages based on physio, genetics, and cell bio, but the questions will be very basic. Get it out of your head that the MCAT requires any knowledge. It requires analytical ability. With that said, I included biochemistry, because I think that is somewhat useful for the MCAT. It helps you understand pathways and processes which is a little more important than actual facts.

Also, I did not take microbiology, genetics, cell biology, or physiology AT ALL. My 1st MCAT bio was a 12, and my 2nd was a 13. So that tells you that you could do well without taking those classes.

Undoubtedly people will disagree with me, but I still say that taking those classes is mostly un-related / unhelpful if you want to do well on the MCAT. In other words, I would take my MCAT as soon as my basic pre-reqs were done. You have no special advantage by taking extra classes. It's better to use that time to practice your @$$ off.

I agree completely. A good second choice after biochem might be genetics.

 

[RySerr21]

As someone else said.......everyones rankings are going to be different.

IMO, taking an entire class on genetics is pointless. If you a take a general bio course like Intro to Cell/Molec biology, you will have an entire section on genetics which is MORE that sufficient for the MCAT. You will also have review books that cover what you need to do. Unless you really like genetics, theres no point in taking a course on it b/c youll get way more than you need.

Apparently biochemistry is very importan. More and more schools are recommending that their applicants have it before matriculation, and some are even namking it a requirement. I guess it is pretty valuable to have some in depth background of biochemistry for medical school, so that class could be argued to be one of the most important.

 

[kevinmw5]

I took none of those classes and did fine on the MCAT (I took it in the spring semester of my sophomore year). While those classes may have helped, they clearly aren't required by any means.

P.S. I did have to work my butt off to get my 31 however... Maybe I wouldn't of have to if I had taken some of those classes.

 

[daniellema13]

Honestly, all of those classes are of equal importance since it all depends on what the subject matter of your passages turns out to be. That said, none of them are necessary to do well, but all can help. I took all of them before the MCAT and I'd say physio and evolution actually helped me the most cause i had just taken those classes that semester so they were very fresh in my mind and as it turned out i had TONS of physio and some evolution on my test. But seriously, don't sweat the classes, schedule them to your convenience, not around the mcat and definitely don't try to cram them all in before the test cause you feel they're needed...they're not. Such a limited area is tested from each class, that if you review and practice thoroughly, you'll do fine without them.

 

[HumidBeing]

This thread is a duplicate of one on the MCAT forum. It has been closed.

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