So, I'm scheduled to take O-chem in my third yr and I was wondering if I will be

[alexfoleyc]

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I was wondering if I will be behind to take the spring mcat? Essentially, I was wondering if I should buy one of those teach-yourself O-chem books and just learn it myself before I start the class. Should I? Or is O-chem one of those subject were teaching yourself does not work?

 

[NeuroChaos]

You will be fine. Some of ochem you will have to do on your own regardless becuase it is not taught in UG (atleast not in my case). But wait till 2nd semester to chk w/ prof which chapters u will need to cover on your own.

 

[sportsfreak]

actually at least from my experience orgo is a class where the professor isn't as important...it all comes down to how much time u spend studying the material and more importantly how many practice problems u do

 

[Confused2626]

If there is any pre-req subject to not take, I think O-chem2 would probably be the best candidate (I assume, since you said you will be taking the Spring MCAT, you will have completed Ochem1 which is very important to take).

Ochem is not heavily stressed on the MCAT, comprising of...15% of the BS section? Half of which is covered in Ochem1, the other half you can get familiar with on your own.


--Also, wanted to add that I did not take Ochem2 before taking the MCAT and did fine in BS. While it would have helped my confidence a bit, I don't think not taking it had any dire consequences.

 

[argonaute]

you probably won't be too much behind because both ochem and the MCAT are more self-study tasks in which you'll be doing most of the learning yourself.

The thing i would worry about is handling both Ochem and MCAT at the same time. it depends i suppose, but ochem is one of the hardest classes you'll take as a premed, and I know from personal experience that it takes far more time to study and review than other subjects. handling that and studying for the MCAT at the same time will be tough to balance if you have other research/jobs/ECs/classes to worry about.

 

[Moebius]

You can always delay everything and take a year off.

 

[Beta Cell]

If there is any pre-req subject to not take, I think O-chem2 would probably be the best candidate (I assume, since you said you will be taking the Spring MCAT, you will have completed Ochem1 which is very important to take).

Ochem is not heavily stressed on the MCAT, comprising of...15% of the BS section? Half of which is covered in Ochem1, the other half you can get familiar with on your own.


--Also, wanted to add that I did not take Ochem2 before taking the MCAT and did fine in BS. While it would have helped my confidence a bit, I don't think not taking it had any dire consequences.

Physics probably being a close second from what I've seen. It would be a lot easier to self-study the physics than the orgo, but both are doable. I basically self-studied orgo anyway.

 

[argonaute]

Physics probably being a close second from what I've seen. It would be a lot easier to self-study the physics than the orgo, but both are doable. I basically self-studied orgo anyway.

I actually thought physics was a LOT harder than organic chemistry. Ochem just takes lots of time to study; physics requires true understanding and problem solving ability. However, my experience may vary because I took physics for engineers (physics 7 series for cal students), and I had trouble with the heavy problem solving focus to it.

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

I took ochem junior year and took the MCAT in May. I purposely scheduled my mcat right after the semester ended because I had just studied for cumulative finals in second semester physics and ochem. Unfortunately, there wasn't very much 2nd semester physics or ochem on my mcat form. Oh well. But it shouldn't be a problem for you. Oh, and I studied ochem the summer before junior year, when I took ochem, and it didn't do that much to help me. If anything, it was probably counter-productive because I felt burnt out on it by the time fall came.