Should I take the MCAT after my sophomore year, w/out having taken Orgo Lab?

[meero]

I'm a sophomore, and I want to study for, and take the MCAT this summer. I have completed all of my "prereqs", except for organic chemistry lab, a 2 credit-hour course.

Some more background:
a) I am currently doing fairly well in my second semester of Orgo (recovering from a mediocre performance in the first semester).
b) I have actually been had sitting in on the weekly, one-hour Orgo lab lectures this semester (although the prof sucks, IMO, so I’m not sure how much I'm getting out of it).
c) If I decide to do this, which I am strongly leaning towards, I will have the entire summer – 3 months – to study. I have no other plans.

So what are your thoughts? Good idea or bad idea?

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[SailCrazy]

I'd say wait a year, and definitely take Physiology, Genetics. If you can fit them in take BioChem and/or Micro.

Unless you have some killer schedule next year that will hurt your study time, I think you'll be better off this way. You can buy the ExamKrackers study books now if you want to get a head start on studying this summer.

Just my $0.02

 

[DMacNeuro]

I'm a sophomore, and I want to study for, and take the MCAT this summer. I have completed all of my "prereqs", except for organic chemistry lab, a 2 credit-hour course.

Some more background:
a) I am currently doing fairly well in my second semester of Orgo (recovering from a mediocre performance in the first semester).
b) I have actually been had sitting in on the weekly, one-hour Orgo lab lectures this semester (although the prof sucks, IMO, so I’m not sure how much I'm getting out of it).
c) If I decide to do this, which I am strongly leaning towards, I will have the entire summer – 3 months – to study. I have no other plans.

So what are your thoughts? Good idea or bad idea?

How did this work out for you? Is anyone else in a similar situation? Is Physiology and Genetics required for a high score (36+)?

I am taking Orgo this summer (I'm a freshman). Then, Bio/Physics sophomore year. I want to study in Paris 1st semester of Junior year and would like to get the MCAT out of the way, quite frankly.

 

[Tiss229]

This is my plan as well. I'm not a science major and wont be taking any more than the pre-reqs at my school so I figure I should take the MCAT this summer when orgo/physics are still fresh.

 

[ImAMuggle]

I would also recommend waiting until you have had genetics, if you plan on taking it. Orgo lab really isn't that helpful...there are sometimes 1-2 q's on purification methods, which is mostly what you'll gain from the lab. But you can look that up in a prep book w/o much trouble.

 

[physics junkie]

Genetics is not necessary for the MCAT...maybe know your punnet squares and Hardy equation but thats it. On the jan mcat there was only 1 o chem passage out of 7 total BS passages and it wasn't intense. I don't remember a damn thing from o chem lab and it didn't hurt me one bit.

 

[mterp45]

Genetics is not necessary for the MCAT...maybe know your punnet squares and Hardy equation but thats it. On the jan mcat there was only 1 o chem passage out of 7 total BS passages and it wasn't intense. I don't remember a damn thing from o chem lab and it didn't hurt me one bit.

you must remember every MCAT test is different.

 

[mterp45]

I'm a sophomore, and I want to study for, and take the MCAT this summer. I have completed all of my "prereqs", except for organic chemistry lab, a 2 credit-hour course.

Some more background:
a) I am currently doing fairly well in my second semester of Orgo (recovering from a mediocre performance in the first semester).
b) I have actually been had sitting in on the weekly, one-hour Orgo lab lectures this semester (although the prof sucks, IMO, so I'm not sure how much I'm getting out of it).
c) If I decide to do this, which I am strongly leaning towards, I will have the entire summer – 3 months – to study. I have no other plans.

So what are your thoughts? Good idea or bad idea?

My advice to you is to go ahead and study as if you are going to take it in the summer, and base your decision on whether or not you will take the MCAT on your practice test scores on a couple AAMCs. If you end up deciding not to take it, it will give you a serious advantage when you take it in your junior year. I personally spent three months studying for the january test, but decided to postpone it for April . This was the best decision I have made in a long time. My practice test scores have significantly increased from what they were in January, and have more than doubled from my Kaplan diagnostic six months ago, hard work pays off for sure.

 

[TheBoondocks]

My advice to you is to go ahead and study as if you are going to take it in the summer, and base your decision on whether or not you will take the MCAT on your practice test scores on a couple AAMCs. If you end up deciding not to take it, it will give you a serious advantage when you take it in your junior year. I personally spent three months studying for the january test, but decided to postpone it for April . This was the best decision I have made in a long time. My practice test scores have significantly increased from what they were in January, and have more than doubled from my Kaplan diagnostic six months ago, hard work pays off for sure.

exactly. Great advice.

 

[RSAgator]

it all depends on if you plan to take advanced classes. A lot of people have this "take the test when the info is fresh" mentality. While it may have some merit, I think it's far better to take it when you have some advanced classes under your belt. Genetics isn't necessary for the MCAT, but having built up the skills going into more in depth and complex materials you're better prepared for gleaning what you can from the test. Biochemistry is the same. It is not necessary but it makes important concepts trivial. I'm not a biological sciences major and the only advanced class I've taken is biochem, and while I don't need the extra info I have a much better understanding of the concepts which helps with both confidence and my performance.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I concur. if you are taking any advanced courses, wait a while. simce my last mcat, I've had micro, cell physio, and genetics... and quite frankly I feel much better prepared for the bio section than I did last year.

 

[physics junkie]

Mterp,

The 7 AAMC tests and the real one I took didn't require me to know genetics. Neither does the list of topics that the MCAT tests that you can get on the aamc website. That's why I said it and I stand by it

To the OP,

Having some advanced courses under your belt wouldn't hurt. Ultimately let your practice MCATs be the judge of whether you wait until later to take it.