Recommended courses prior to taking MCAT?

[Schadret]

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My daughter's school is on a 4-credit system (some classes such as Calc I and II are actually 5 credits), which makes it a lot harder to fit in all the courses that are recommend you take prior to taking the MCAT. She's leaning towards the MCAT senior year and doing a gap year, but wants to do some "schedule plans" to see if the MCAT in junior year is doable (I'm sure sure most schools have the same system - you can create a bunch of 'what if' plans, so she's making a bunch to see the different paths forward.. trad, gap year, adding a minor, different major, etc.)

I've seen it recommended that you should take these classes prior to the MCAT, since the material is on the test in some form or another:

Psychology
Sociology
Biostatistics (is this good or should it be a regular Math statistics course?)
Biochemistry
Physics

Questions:

1. Are there any other recommend classes to take before the MCAT (outside of the normal Bio/Chem sequences classes that would be part of her major already) that I missed?

2. Concerning Physics - is material from Physics 2 needed for the MCAT? That's going to be the hard one to fit in before the Spring of her junior year, and doing so would make the semester where she'd need to study for the MCAT pretty heavy credit-wise.

3. Are there any downsides to a gap year? It seems to be fairly common nowadays, and an extra year of maturity and "app building" (work/research/volunteering/etc) would seem to me to be a positive.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[pms_testosterone]

There are other classes that are helpful (anatomy & physiology, genetics) but not necessary. I would put sociology and psychology in the helpful-but-not-necessary category, too, as the psych and soc on the MCAT are very basic and easy to self-study.

Like you suggested, a gap year is probably going to be a positive as long as she can find some meaningful work and/or volunteering to do during that year.

 

[puahate]

1. These classes are not bad to take but from experience i can tell you that biostats is not necessary to take just for the MCAT. The stats in the MCAT is very elementary and can be went over in a few mins.

2. Physics is usually needed for most schools (full series) so she should take it regardless. She does not need to study for the MCAT junior year, she can take a gap year. I did that an I am happy I did it. You dont need to rush is.

3. There are no downsides to gap years, she just needs to be doing something in the gap year.

 

[jarednogeek]

This. I would also recommend psych/soc some people don’t take it but it is 25% of your MCAT

 

[Blanky]

She needs to take Biochemistry and Physics and just do it the right way. Biostats I did not take but the data interpretation skills will be useful throughout multiple sections as it is integrated into more questions than most people realize. Psych and Soc can be self studied if she feels comfortable, otherwise just take psych and put soc off.
I dont know what her extracurricular situation looks like, but she will likely be in better position if she takes that gap year and builds her shadowing, volunteer hours, and hopefully something clinical like maybe a scribe job.

 

[PapaGuava]

Physics 2 is important for the MCAT, even if it is a smaller portion, it can make a difference. Like Blanky has mentioned, I would just prepare the best way possible for the exam since it is so important.