Senior year courses if "strongly recommended"?

[nctw]

I was looking at a school's prereqs (to see what they suggest for math even though I'll be talking Calc and Stats), and they said they "strongly" recommended Biochemistry. With my current degree plan, I'm not scheduled to take the course until Fall of my senior year. I have the option of moving it to Spring of my junior year, but I wanted to leave that semester for easy courses so I'll have more MCAT studying time. Is this a bad strategy, or do I need to complete the course before applying?

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[senorsquishie]

Keep MCAT time light. One, MCAT accounts for a bigger portion of your application then a recommended course.

And two, medical schools will see it on an updated transcript, and you will be taking it by the time you are interviewing.

 

[NickNaylor]

I thought biochem was very helpful for the MCAT. While they don't explicitly test over any material that you'll learn in the course, it integrates ochem, gen chem, and biology under one heading, which is what's often done on the test.

It's really not that bad. Biochem is primarily a lot of memorization. It takes time, but I don't think you could say that it's "difficult."

 

[kpcrew]

I agree with NickNaylor, I thought knowing biochem was pretty useful for the MCAT. Also, some schools do require it, such as UC Irvine or Brown iirc.

 

[raltima07]

And I believe Mayo "strongly recommends" it. Take it, preferably before the MCAT.

 

[lisi326]

still planning out that senior year before you even start college, eh?

I didn't take biochem at all, and got into a school where it's "strongly recommended". *shrug*

 

[NickNaylor]

still planning out that senior year before you even start college, eh?

I didn't take biochem at all, and got into a school where it's "strongly recommended". *shrug*

Oh, this guy isn't even in college yet?

In that case, calm down.

 

[raltima07]

still planning out that senior year before you even start college, eh?

I didn't take biochem at all, and got into a school where it's "strongly recommended". *shrug*

Lol still in high school and planning out the next 4 years...

 

[raltima07]

Or i guess he/she might have graduated high school - they are in limbo!

 

[tman5890]

still planning out that senior year before you even start college, eh?

I didn't take biochem at all, and got into a school where it's "strongly recommended". *shrug*

Wow

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

I love all these high schoolers lately talking about anatomy books/senior year course schedules/MCAT studying like they're actually juniors in college right now. Then everyone gets confused and talks to them like they're college juniors/seniors until someone realizes that they're actually STILL IN (or just out of) HIGH SCHOOL. My favorite is when they comment on admissions/what are my chances types threads....

Go away and don't come back until you're at the end of sophomore year at the very earliest. More like junior year if you want to be like most normal people.

 

[raltima07]

I love all these high schoolers lately talking about anatomy books/senior year course schedules/MCAT studying like they're actually juniors in college right now. Then everyone gets confused and talks to them like they're college juniors/seniors until someone realizes that they're actually STILL IN (or just out of) HIGH SCHOOL. My favorite is when they comment on admissions/what are my chances types threads....

Go away and don't come back until you're at the end of sophomore year at the very earliest. More like junior year if you want to be like most normal people.

 

[Socialite19]

I love all these high schoolers lately talking about anatomy books/senior year course schedules/MCAT studying like they're actually juniors in college right now. Then everyone gets confused and talks to them like they're college juniors/seniors until someone realizes that they're actually STILL IN (or just out of) HIGH SCHOOL. My favorite is when they comment on admissions/what are my chances types threads....

Go away and don't come back until you're at the end of sophomore year at the very earliest. More like junior year if you want to be like most normal people.

While I agree that these just-out-of-hs SDNers need to stop giving advice on admissions, for them to ask questions about planning, MCAT (though this is really early), the whole application process IMHO is a good thing. There is A LOT to be learned about the whole process and being serious from the begginning can only help them. I think finding SDN junior year wouldn't assist anyone in any way, shape, or form. It would most likely make them neurotic seeing as almost every SDNer seems to have a baller app.

To the OP, def take it before the MCAT if it's possible/feasible BUT remember it is a RECOMMENDED course not a REQUIRED course. Even though it could possibly help you on the MCAT not taking biocem doesn't necesarrily mean that you won't do well.

 

[senorsquishie]

HSDN

Dude relax. How about getting through freshman year first? You are likely to change your mind so many times that planning now is pointless.

 

[nctw]

I love all these high schoolers lately talking about anatomy books/senior year course schedules/MCAT studying like they're actually juniors in college right now. Then everyone gets confused and talks to them like they're college juniors/seniors until someone realizes that they're actually STILL IN (or just out of) HIGH SCHOOL. My favorite is when they comment on admissions/what are my chances types threads....

Go away and don't come back until you're at the end of sophomore year at the very earliest. More like junior year if you want to be like most normal people.

I wasn't telling someone what to do. I did just graduate high school, and while it might be a little ridiculous, I'm trying to use this site as a tool to learn and help plan. Of course the planning might change, but I feel a lot less overwhelmed than some of the premeds who are going to my school feel (based on convos). One of them told me "GPA is the only thing that matters, not community service" Had I not found this site, I might have believed him and listened to all of the incorrect anecdotal information I hear.

Following suggestions and posts I've read on this site, I've already managed to obtain a hospital surgery volunteer position on the day I don't have classes. I never would have thought to do that my first year had it not been for the information.

 

[nctw]

I thought biochem was very helpful for the MCAT. While they don't explicitly test over any material that you'll learn in the course, it integrates ochem, gen chem, and biology under one heading, which is what's often done on the test.

It's really not that bad. Biochem is primarily a lot of memorization. It takes time, but I don't think you could say that it's "difficult."

I was wondering how helpful it would be. Yes I'm "not in college yet," but I don't think there's anything wrong with having a rough plan laid out, even if it changes.

Also, thank you for your really detailed posts. I've learned a lot from reading them

 

[nctw]

While I agree that these just-out-of-hs SDNers need to stop giving advice on admissions, for them to ask questions about planning, MCAT (though this is really early), the whole application process IMHO is a good thing. There is A LOT to be learned about the whole process and being serious from the begginning can only help them. I think finding SDN junior year wouldn't assist anyone in any way, shape, or form. It would most likely make them neurotic seeing as almost every SDNer seems to have a baller app.

To the OP, def take it before the MCAT if it's possible/feasible BUT remember it is a RECOMMENDED course not a REQUIRED course. Even though it could possibly help you on the MCAT not taking biocem doesn't necesarrily mean that you won't do well.

This was my thought process. I figured it'd be better to be informed and know what I'm getting into as a freshman than to wait till Junior year and realize everything that needs to get done. I've learned a lot from this site through some posting and stickies, and I'm really grateful I did find it so early.

Thanks for the info about biochem.

 

[minerva3121]

While I agree that these just-out-of-hs SDNers need to stop giving advice on admissions, for them to ask questions about planning, MCAT (though this is really early), the whole application process IMHO is a good thing. There is A LOT to be learned about the whole process and being serious from the begginning can only help them. I think finding SDN junior year wouldn't assist anyone in any way, shape, or form. It would most likely make them neurotic seeing as almost every SDNer seems to have a baller app.

To the OP, def take it before the MCAT if it's possible/feasible BUT remember it is a RECOMMENDED course not a REQUIRED course. Even though it could possibly help you on the MCAT not taking biocem doesn't necesarrily mean that you won't do well.

I was only 3 weeks into my school's Biochem course when I took the MCAT, and I still scored in the top 10%. So don't sweat if you can't squeeze Biochem before taking the MCAT, and don't worry about the MCAT when you haven't even started the basic pre-req courses in college!

 

[nctw]

I was only 3 weeks into my school's Biochem course when I took the MCAT, and I still scored in the top 10%. So don't sweat if you can't squeeze Biochem before taking the MCAT, and don't worry about the MCAT when you haven't even started the basic pre-req courses in college!

Worry isn't the right word. Just trying to understand the whole process so I'm not clueless about the process going into my junior year. It's less stress for me that way

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

You need to take a giant chill pill if you're already trying not to "stress out" about junior year when you haven't started college yet. I didn't even know what classes I was talking the next semester freshman year when I started college. Besides, what classes you take (including variations among the core ones) are most likely gonna be based more on which professors are crappy or not...something you won't learn until you're in college anyway. Your plans will definitely change if you learn that biochem blows balls at your school and almost everyone gets a C.

Spend more of your summer finding something to do with yourself and less of it on SDN/planning out your classes for the next 4 years. You'll be a happier person.

 

[nctw]

You need to take a giant chill pill if you're already trying not to "stress out" about junior year when you haven't started college yet. I didn't even know what classes I was talking the next semester freshman year when I started college. Besides, what classes you take (including variations among the core ones) are most likely gonna be based more on which professors are crappy or not...something you won't learn until you're in college anyway. Your plans will definitely change if you learn that biochem blows balls at your school and almost everyone gets a C.

Spend more of your summer finding something to do with yourself and less of it on SDN/planning out your classes for the next 4 years. You'll be a happier person.

I was only trying to plan since we finished enrolling in courses at my school the other week. I was browsing on their site and saw the recommended degree planner and decided to use it. I figured asking here would be the appropriate place. That being said, I'm not at all stressed, just aware.

 

[Camy99]

Errr well hi, I'm going to be a junior--in college. And I've taken Biochem but as part of the basic first few bio classes we're required to take (I go to UCI so Bio 98), is that enough or do they want upper-div Biochem aka Advanced+Lab? Also doesn't help I got a C in the darn thing and really badly want to retake it somehow.

 

[NickNaylor]

Errr well hi, I'm going to be a junior--in college. And I've taken Biochem but as part of the basic first few bio classes we're required to take (I go to UCI so Bio 98), is that enough or do they want upper-div Biochem aka Advanced+Lab? Also doesn't help I got a C in the darn thing and really badly want to retake it somehow.

The biochem most med schools are talking about is likely a junior or senior level course, not a course included in biology courses.