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spring before MCAT schedule

Started by dr.kicia
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dr.kicia

dr.kicia

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I am having second thoughts about my schedule for this spring semester. I will end up taking 22 credit hours which is 6 courses. 2 of these are "just show up and you get an A" kind of classes and the rest is as follows:
Gen chem2 (retake) i am taking this at CC
phys2 (CC)
orgo2 (my university)
biochem (my university but with a great teacher who's not one of these rediculous everybody get's a D kind of professors).
I decided i will try to shoot for the May MCAT(we will see how it goes).
So what you guys think. Am i overloading?
 
dr.kicia said:
I am having second thoughts about my schedule for this spring semester. I will end up taking 22 credit hours which is 6 courses. 2 of these are "just show up and you get an A" kind of classes and the rest is as follows:
Gen chem2 (retake) i am taking this at CC
phys2 (CC)
orgo2 (my university)
biochem (my university but with a great teacher who's not one of these rediculous everybody get's a D kind of professors).
I decided i will try to shoot for the May MCAT(we will see how it goes).
So what you guys think. Am i overloading?
Click to expand...

😱 I hope you don't like sleep.
 
dr.kicia said:
I am having second thoughts about my schedule for this spring semester. I will end up taking 22 credit hours which is 6 courses. 2 of these are "just show up and you get an A" kind of classes and the rest is as follows:
Gen chem2 (retake) i am taking this at CC
phys2 (CC)
orgo2 (my university)
biochem (my university but with a great teacher who's not one of these rediculous everybody get's a D kind of professors).
I decided i will try to shoot for the May MCAT(we will see how it goes).
So what you guys think. Am i overloading?
Click to expand...

if i am not mistaken, you are a UIC student right?? Are you taking Biochem with Dr. Kassner? Orgo and Biochem involves lot of memorization and biochem particularly will take some extra effort. If you are good at memorizing, then you can go ahead but if not, then either go with biochem or orgo not both.
 
dr.kicia said:
I am having second thoughts about my schedule for this spring semester. I will end up taking 22 credit hours which is 6 courses. 2 of these are "just show up and you get an A" kind of classes and the rest is as follows:
Gen chem2 (retake) i am taking this at CC
phys2 (CC)
orgo2 (my university)
biochem (my university but with a great teacher who's not one of these rediculous everybody get's a D kind of professors).
I decided i will try to shoot for the May MCAT(we will see how it goes).
So what you guys think. Am i overloading?
Click to expand...

OMG!!!😱 I would:barf: if I had taken a semester like that and then tried to take the MCAT in May. I'm with the others AHH! MY BRAIN!!!:laugh:
 
Thanks guys...i think i will take your advice and take another art history class instead of biochem, though i really am tempted to take it. But i guess next semester would be a better time to do so.
Thanks for your input guys.
 
Bill_252001 said:
if i am not mistaken, you are a UIC student right?? Are you taking Biochem with Dr. Kassner? Orgo and Biochem involves lot of memorization and biochem particularly will take some extra effort. If you are good at memorizing, then you can go ahead but if not, then either go with biochem or orgo not both.
Click to expand...

that is exactly why i wanted to take it.
I am very visual and i memorize things easily, even with a lot of detail.
For me taking art history where i need to memorize 150 slides of art work (knowing what the painting is depicting,who are the people on it, who paited it and when and why and to what other painting i can compare it) for the exam is the same amount of effort then memorizing 150 reactions.

My schedule despite all these classes doesn't look that bad.
I was able to squeeze all this on tue's and thur's and i have one class on mon and wed night.
I am thinking of not working this semester so that will leave me with mon, wed fri, sat and sun to study all day long.
To be honest for orgo1 i comited one day a week and studied everything that my professor went over that week. I did just fine, nearly missed an A and i would lie saying that i busted my butt off trying to do well in it.
I thought if i could spend one day for each subject if will leave me with 1 to rest...though to be honest i have never spend more then 3 hours to study for orgo last semester(maybe i did study more for the final)...I am not a person who needs to read something gazilion times to understand it. I read it once with undevided attantion and that is usually enough.
the 2 other classes i am taking this semester: one of them is polish, second part with the same teacher, no homework just show up to class, and another is art history which requires maybe 3 hours of my time before the exam to get an A.
so it would be more like 4 classes (my freshman year i had bio, gen chem1, abnormal psych and an english class with a paper to write every week...i did just fine).

I think that while i was architecture major taking 4 classes was killing me because a studio class required at least 8 hours a DAY! and i was working....again i did just fine but i slept 3 hours a day 😀


I really think i can handle it...but now i have second thoughts since everybody here scared me:laugh:
 
dr.kicia said:
that is exactly why i wanted to take it.
I am very visual and i memorize things easily, even with a lot of detail.
For me taking art history where i need to memorize 150 slides of art work (knowing what the painting is depicting,who are the people on it, who paited it and when and why and to what other painting i can compare it) for the exam is the same amount of effort then memorizing 150 reactions.

My schedule despite all these classes doesn't look that bad.
I was able to squeeze all this on tue's and thur's and i have one class on mon and wed night.
I am thinking of not working this semester so that will leave me with mon, wed fri, sat and sun to study all day long.
To be honest for orgo1 i comited one day a week and studied everything that my professor went over that week. I did just fine, nearly missed an A and i would lie saying that i busted my butt off trying to do well in it.
I thought if i could spend one day for each subject if will leave me with 1 to rest...though to be honest i have never spend more then 3 hours to study for orgo last semester(maybe i did study more for the final)...I am not a person who needs to read something gazilion times to understand it. I read it once with undevided attantion and that is usually enough.
the 2 other classes i am taking this semester: one of them is polish, second part with the same teacher, no homework just show up to class, and another is art history which requires maybe 3 hours of my time before the exam to get an A.
so it would be more like 4 classes (my freshman year i had bio, gen chem1, abnormal psych and an english class with a paper to write every week...i did just fine).

I think that while i was architecture major taking 4 classes was killing me because a studio class required at least 8 hours a DAY! and i was working....again i did just fine but i slept 3 hours a day 😀


I really think i can handle it...but now i have second thoughts since everybody here scared me:laugh:
Click to expand...

If you think you can do it, that's all that matters. You don't score until you score as they say. Then again, Biochem is not 100% memorization, you will need to understand the material thoroughly it has lot besides structures of nucleic acids and amino acids. However, if u r taking biochem with Dr. Kassner, his notes are good and his exams are from the notes, that should take some pressure off you learning from the book. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.
 
geee...
i still am going back and forth with this...
one of my friends thinks i will be fine, the other says it will be a lot of work especially with the MCAT...aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh
 
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When people get overwhelmed with things, they tend not to perform as well. If it were my schedule, I probably wouldn't risk it. Why gamble with your GPA and your MCAT score the semester before you are applying to medical school? There is no question to that it will be a lot of work, but if you think you can handle it, then go for it. I don't think that art history sounds too great either. Like you said, lots of memorization. Don't you have basket weaving or something like that you could take?:laugh: 😀 :luck:
 
DoctorMom78 said:
When people get overwhelmed with things, they tend not to perform as well. If it were my schedule, I probably wouldn't risk it. Why gamble with your GPA and your MCAT score the semester before you are applying to medical school? There is no question to that it will be a lot of work, but if you think you can handle it, then go for it. I don't think that art history sounds too great either. Like you said, lots of memorization. Don't you have basket weaving or something like that you could take?:laugh: 😀 :luck:
Click to expand...

awww that would be so nice:laugh:
i think though that i will just decide the first week of classes (when i am familiar with syllabuluses) and see which option would be the best and fafest to my GPA and MCAT study schedule.
But thank you all for your responces. It is so nice to be able to ask a second opinion here on the forums.
👍 🙂
 
I can completely relate as I am taking a heavy science schedule that is going to be very time intensive although its only 4 classes, its 3 4000-level science classes and ochem II. I am totally freakin' on how I'll do but pretty much I known I'll do what I can and really won't have a life at all. At least I know teachers are good, but hard. I'm hoping some of the stuff will help me study for teh MCAT as well (biochem, virology, immunology) 😉

If you know two of the classes are blow off classes, that's great. What about taking some classes in the summer instead to lighten the load? 😀 Just know that there are others like you trying to juggle it all!
 
dr.kicia said:
I am having second thoughts about my schedule for this spring semester. I will end up taking 22 credit hours which is 6 courses. 2 of these are "just show up and you get an A" kind of classes and the rest is as follows:
Gen chem2 (retake) i am taking this at CC
phys2 (CC)
orgo2 (my university)
biochem (my university but with a great teacher who's not one of these rediculous everybody get's a D kind of professors).
I decided i will try to shoot for the May MCAT(we will see how it goes).
So what you guys think. Am i overloading?
Click to expand...

You can take orgo and chem 2 at the same time? Isn't chem2 a pre-req for orgo? Or because it's a retake for a better grade (not an F) your school accepts it? Wait how did you ever take orgo 1 without chem 2? 😕 Honestly if you are retaking chem2 I'd think you'd struggle with orgo but maybe its just that orgo left such a bad taste in my mouth. I got As in chem 1 and 2 and a D in orgo. Also how can you manage to take courses at a CC and your university at the same time? I'd think that may raise red flags to an adcom. I've taking summer courses at a CC but that was because I couldn't afford to pay to live away for a state university or pay for private colleges and live at home during the summer, and people have commented that could be a mistake. How will you explain yours?
 
I'm in the same boat. I'm taking Physiology II, Orgo II, Biochem I (hopefully with honors), and Calc II. I know how nerve wracking it can be Kickia but I figure that I have class M, W, and F and can study (most likely option), work, or volunteer on T and Th. The weekends are mine (to review for the MCAT in June). If I can ace these classes, I'm hoping that med schools will see that my GPA hardly reflects what type of med student I will be. Good luck Dr. Kickia and Mshheaddoc! We can do it!!...lol
 
Dr. Josh said:
You can take orgo and chem 2 at the same time? Isn't chem2 a pre-req for orgo? Or because it's a retake for a better grade (not an F) your school accepts it? Wait how did you ever take orgo 1 without chem 2? 😕 Honestly if you are retaking chem2 I'd think you'd struggle with orgo but maybe its just that orgo left such a bad taste in my mouth. I got As in chem 1 and 2 and a D in orgo. Also how can you manage to take courses at a CC and your university at the same time? I'd think that may raise red flags to an adcom. I've taking summer courses at a CC but that was because I couldn't afford to pay to live away for a state university or pay for private colleges and live at home during the summer, and people have commented that could be a mistake. How will you explain yours?
Click to expand...

I am retaking chem 2 at CC because it fits my schedule since the class is only twice a week versus 5 times a week. I do not need it for my major so i do not really care about my university accepting it. And i didn't get an F in it previously otherwise i wouldn't be allowed to take orgo1(and no i didn't struggle in it... i have gotten a B).
I see no reason why it would be rasing any flags to adcoms😕
This is the only way in which i can finish my pre-reqs and still graduate on time taking my AH classes without having conflict with pre-reqs for med school. I completely do not follow your thought process on this one.

P.S
DeetleMSU and mshheaddoc thank you guys for posting.
I am still holding up on this decission. I will still have to take either AH class vs. biochem (i need to be full time at my university so need at least 12 hr that is why i am taking such a load).
I will just see during the first week of classes and go from there. I do not want to feel like i want to shoot myself sometime in the midterm LOL.
I may wait with biochem till summer but then my university doesn't offer it(they offer it only in spring and i am graduating next fall) so i would have to take it at CC or online.
But we will see.
Good luck to you guys:luck:
 
dr.kicia said:
I am retaking chem 2 at CC because it fits my schedule since the class is only twice a week versus 5 times a week. I do not need it for my major so i do not really care about my university accepting it. And i didn't get an F in it previously otherwise i wouldn't be allowed to take orgo1(and no i didn't struggle in it... i have gotten a B).
I see no reason why it would be rasing any flags to adcoms😕
This is the only way in which i can finish my pre-reqs and still graduate on time taking my AH classes without having conflict with pre-reqs for med school. I completely do not follow your thought process on this one.
Click to expand...

Congrats on your B in orgo. I guess we all have different strengths and weaknesses. Personally I think your schedule is absurd but if you feel you can do well in it, that's all that matters. Are you convinced you can get a good grade in Chem 2 on retake with all those other courses? I'm very nervous about my retake of orgo 1 during the summer while studying for the MCAT, writing apps, shadowing and doing volunteer work. I think I'm in way over my head but unless I put off med school another year I don't have much of a choice. 🙁 Good luck to you.
 
Dr. Josh said:
Congrats on your B in orgo. I guess we all have different strengths and weaknesses. Personally I think your schedule is absurd but if you feel you can do well in it, that's all that matters. Are you convinced you can get a good grade in Chem 2 on retake with all those other courses? I'm very nervous about my retake of orgo 1 during the summer while studying for the MCAT, writing apps, shadowing and doing volunteer work. I think I'm in way over my head but unless I put off med school another year I don't have much of a choice. 🙁 Good luck to you.
Click to expand...

well i am not scared of chem2 at all because i know why i did bad in it.😛
I was going through a divorce, had financial difficulties and went to class maybe five times.
I studied only for the final.
But even though i didn't do well in chem2 and everybody was telling me i am crazy to take orgo1 i managed to do fine.In fact i think that together with bio that was my fav class in pre-reqs. I also feel that gen chem makes more sense now after taking orgo:laugh:
If i really had put a lot into the first time when i was taking chem2 and then do bad....obviously i would be scared like crazy right now.But thanks God it's not the case.
And is my schedule really that insane?...all i know that if i get to med school i will be missing this kind of schedule LOL...so maybe it's a good thinkg to start getting used to the load haha.
Good luck to you in the orgo retake:luck:
 
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dr.kicia said:
well i am not scared of chem2 at all because i know why i did bad in it.😛
I was going through a divorce, had financial difficulties and went to class maybe five times.
I studied only for the final.
But even though i didn't do well in chem2 and everybody was telling me i am crazy to take orgo1 i managed to do fine.In fact i think that together with bio that was my fav class in pre-reqs. I also feel that gen chem makes more sense now after taking orgo:laugh:
If i really had put a lot into the first time when i was taking chem2 and then do bad....obviously i would be scared like crazy right now.But thanks God it's not the case.
Good luck to you in the orgo retake:luck:
Click to expand...

it all depends, will u spend time actually studying, or on here?
 
Dr.Inviz said:
it all depends, will u spend time actually studying, or on here?
Click to expand...

well i am on here because i still have 11 more days till school starts...no need to be sarcastic🙄

you can check the dates i post.
Sometimes i am not here for months😛
 
dr.kicia said:
well i am on here because i still have 11 more days till school starts...no need to be sarcastic🙄

you can check the dates i post.
Sometimes i am not here for months😛
Click to expand...

nah, ive got better things to do than check posting dates.

i was just sayin, uve been here since 2003 and werent close to applying, and with all the classes u gotta retake and take, it made me wonder how much studyin you actually got done with all that time youre on here. nonetheless, que sera sera 🙄
 
Dr.Inviz said:
nah, ive got better things to do than check posting dates.

i was just sayin, uve been here since 2003 and werent close to applying, and with all the classes u gotta retake and take, it made me wonder how much studyin you actually got done with all that time youre on here. nonetheless, que sera sera 🙄
Click to expand...

1🙄
 
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