Study for MCAT during summer while self learning physics? (please help)

[MedicineMan94]

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Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and in need of some urgent help. I have decided on avoiding the new MCAT at all costs (no way I'm taking a 7 hour exam) and have fulfilled all of the pre-reqs with exception to physics. In regards to studying I have come down to two possible options: self learn physics for approx the first 2 months of summer (may + june) then study for the mcat for the next 3 months (july, aug, sept) or spread out self-learning physics to the majority of summer and study for the MCAT during the semester and winter break while taking a light course load (physics 1, a couple easy bio electives + research).

I have lurked the forums for quite some time and have read threads asking similar questions. I know it is far from ideal to self learn a topic so critical to the MCAT, however, I am an exceptionally good self-learner and often learn much better and faster on my own as opposed to in a classroom setting. I took honors physics senior of HS and faired fairly well (currently a sophmore). I also plan on following SN2ED's schedule for preparation. As far as the two options (or any other alternatives I may have missed), which do you believe to be most effective?

Thank you for any advice.

 

[Premed598]

THIS IS MY DILEMMA TOO. I'd like to hear some opinions as well🙂

 

[terra330]

I dunno, I consider myself to be pretty good at self-teaching, but I don't know if I could have learned all the physics required for the MCAT in that time. You're basically talking 3ish semesters worth of stuff if you want to learn it comprehensively. Granted the MCAT doesn't ask questions nearly as difficult as what I got in my classes

What do you learn in honor's physics? When I took AP years ago, I learned about everything I would need to for mechanics, but we didn't really touch on EM, waves, or optics.

 

[MedicineMan94]

I dunno, I consider myself to be pretty good at self-teaching, but I don't know if I could have learned all the physics required for the MCAT in that time. You're basically talking 3ish semesters worth of stuff if you want to learn it comprehensively. Granted the MCAT doesn't ask questions nearly as difficult as what I got in my classes

What do you learn in honor's physics? When I took AP years ago, I learned about everything I would need to for mechanics, but we didn't really touch on EM, waves, or optics.

We learned about basically all the main topics covered by MCAT physics. I am somewhat rusty but I do believe a significant amount of physics 1 and 2 will be review. Also what do you mean "3ish semesters worth of stuff," doesn't the aamc state physics 1 and 2 are satisfactory towards completing the physics pre-req?

 

[terra330]

We learned about basically all the main topics covered by MCAT physics. I am somewhat rusty but I do believe a significant amount of physics 1 and 2 will be review. Also what do you mean "3ish semesters worth of stuff," doesn't the aamc state physics 1 and 2 are satisfactory towards completing the physics pre-req?

Maybe it's different when taking calc-based physics, but waves and optics were both half semester classes for me (2 credits each), mechanics and E/M were both semester long 4-credit classes.

My optics class went well beyond what we'd need to know for the mcat, but most of everything else was fair game (except anything that explicitly required calculus)

 

[makingthejump]

I am in your shoes in regards to ochem and bios. What I am doing is studying content review for mcat this summer while taking ochem 1. Then in fall doing practice exams/passages while taking ochem 2. Then taking mcat this Winter before it changes to the new mcat..without bio2. I think you could study content review this summer for all subjects except physics, take physics 1 this fall while doing practice exams/passages and self-teaching yourself physics 2..and then take mcat in january.

 

[mavric1298]

We learned about basically all the main topics covered by MCAT physics. I am somewhat rusty but I do believe a significant amount of physics 1 and 2 will be review. Also what do you mean "3ish semesters worth of stuff," doesn't the aamc state physics 1 and 2 are satisfactory towards completing the physics pre-req?

It's 1 year, so 3 quarters or 2 semesters, but it depends on how your school breaks it up. Ours for example does mechanics, electromagnetism, then optics. Be mindful that schools are moving away from strict class requirements and towards "area's of knowledge", so if your 2 semesters don't cover everything, you probably have to take a third even though it's more then a "year".

 

[MedicineMan94]

I am in your shoes in regards to ochem and bios. What I am doing is studying content review for mcat this summer while taking ochem 1. Then in fall doing practice exams/passages while taking ochem 2. Then taking mcat this Winter before it changes to the new mcat..without bio2. I think you could study content review this summer for all subjects except physics, take physics 1 this fall while doing practice exams/passages and self-teaching yourself physics 2..and then take mcat in january.

I was considering that as well but from what I have read anything you study ~6 months in advance is essentially useless. You'd be putting yourself at risk of forgetting information that may not have been covered in the practice tests but may be tested in the actual MCAT. Also in your case studying orgo 1 and 2 in the summer will lighten your workload for orgo 2 in the fall as you will already be familiar with orgo 2 and will not be dedicating as much time to studying it while still having as much knowledge on the material as your peers.

 

[MedicineMan94]

It's 1 year, so 3 quarters or 2 semesters, but it depends on how your school breaks it up. Ours for example does mechanics, electromagnetism, then optics. Be mindful that schools are moving away from strict class requirements and towards "area's of knowledge", so if your 2 semesters don't cover everything, you probably have to take a third even though it's more then a "year".

I see. Our school teaches physics necessary for the MCAT over the course of 2 semesters. But if I study on my own I will only study only the material needed for the MCAT. I'm not worried about not being able to comprehend physics while learning it on my own. From the posts of other users, studying during the semester seems to have a noticeable impact on MCAT performance. But I don't see how 3 months of a light semester (with 3-4 studying per day) and a full month during winter break dedicated to nothing but the MCAT (~5 hours per day) can be so disadvantageous... Then again I haven't taken or actually studied for the MCAT yet =\