Taking MCAT without physics?

[psharma02]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So to my understanding, taking the MCAT early is highly suggested. The only problem is I will be taking physics my junior year and we are on a quarter system so I wouldn't be done until June. When is it considered early whilst taking the MCAT? Around July-ish or April-ish?

 

[215353]

if you take the MCAT without at least experiencing physics I and II you will not fair well in the physical science being that the MCAT provides convoluted and upper level topics where you need to utilize the basic science you have learned to find the right answer to the questions following the passage of information.

Being that this is the format of the standardized test why would you even think of subjecting yourself to this before you have taken all the recommended courses that the AAMC suggests you take before taking the MCAT?

Speak with your pre-med advisor or do more research on this topic.

 

[psharma02]

I guess my title is misleading..

Well let's say I take it in Spring. I will be doing Physics: Waves but will be halfway done with the class be sufficient enough and I can try to move ahead and learn everything else myself

or should I just wait till June-July when I will be completely done with Physics to take the MCAT? In other words, will I be a step behind if I do the MCAT during Summer time?

 

[SN2ed]

Take the MCAT August after you finish to give yourself plenty of time. An early MCAT won't help you if you do poorly. If you're worried about applying early, remember that you can always prepare everything for a very early submission the next year.

 

[msbbc833]

Don't listen to these people. I had the same question as you 4 months ago. I had not taken physics I OR II and I wanted to take the MCAT. Here is what I did. I enrolled in Physics I and II this summer (sequentially, not concurrently) at a local community college while simultaneously taking a TPR MCAT course. Prior to this I had no physics knowledge, but I am very skilled in math. TPR taught me all the physics I knew and I didnt learn much from the CC class. Needless to say my lowest test score in Physics I and II was a 95. I took the MCAT on 8/6 while only being half way done with my Physics II class. I was getting 36s on AAMC 7,8,9 with PS scores of 12-14. Bottom line: you dont need to complete physics before the MCAT. TPR will teach you everything you need to know.

 

[Ride Big Sky]

If you put in the time to actually learn the material outside of an actual class then you'll be fine. Physics really isn't all that hard....it just takes a little bit of time to "click." Put in the effort and you should be fine.

Disclaimer: If you aren't scoring where you want on the practice tests then don't take the real thing yet. No point in a very early very low grade.

 

[psharma02]

Take the MCAT August after you finish to give yourself plenty of time. An early MCAT won't help you if you do poorly. If you're worried about applying early, remember that you can always prepare everything for a very early submission the next year.

Okay, so what time period is considered "applying early"?

 

[pastryman]

if you took it in highschool, you should be fine if you do some reviewing on your own. i have found that the hard part of physics is for it to "click." you got it to click in highschool even if you forgot everything else. a moderate review of the facts/details on top of the physics logic you attained in hs should be enough for you to do well.

 

[SN2ed]

Okay, so what time period is considered "applying early"?

Take the MCAT next summer in August. After you get that over with, prepare your primary application essay and some secondaries if you want. With everything prepared, submit your primary the day they open it (sometime in late May-early June). That would put you in the group of the earliest applicants. Plus, you'd have your secondaries done or mostly done which would speed that along as well.

 

[psharma02]

Thanks for the advice.. But I think im just going to take Physics in the summer, then I would be done with the series in March and if I study the MCAT while im in class i should be good to go..


Does anyone know if Studying for the mcat ever gets in the way of your actual courses

 

[SN2ed]

Does anyone know if Studying for the mcat ever gets in the way of your actual courses

Yes, it does, especially with a full course load.

Here's a link to my long explanation: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=602186

 

[Contrarian]

Does anyone know if Studying for the mcat ever gets in the way of your actual courses

If you are taking serious classes, absolutely. I actually didn't end up studying for the MCAT at all in the Spring because I had a difficult semester. I had to push back my test to July, when I had planned to take it in May. I do feel a little bit behind now, so I wish I had planned things better, but hopefully those of you who still have time take the opportunity to plan it out.

 

[psharma02]

Is it a big difference from applying early june to late june?

 

[SN2ed]

Is it a big difference from applying early june to late june?

No. It's a very small difference if that. Even though one may send their primary to schools in early June, not all schools will actually look at it. Furthermore, if you plan ahead and finish some secondaries beforehand, you'd be at a nice advantage for the schools that send secondaries to everyone.

 

[Optimalsauce]

I don't think you NEED to take physics beforehand. I had taken physics 8 years ago and remembered just about nothing.

I took a TPR course, and just did the 1000 problems they had in their book while learning the material. I would say if you do something like that and are getting around 75% of practice problems right then you may need more theory knowledge, but are in pretty good shape (shoot for somewhere around 90%). Then do as many practice PS sections as possible.

However, I would not recommend it. Physics was my weakest portion of the PS section because of this reason. I think had I more knowledge of physics going in I definitely would have scored better.

 

[psharma02]

So here's my plan..

Take Physics I in the summer
Physics II in the fall
Physics III in the winter... then study throughout the spring and winter and take the mcat in May.. how does that sound?