Weeding out poll

[GUH]

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Does GPA even matter anymore ?

Yes.

To answer the OP, orgo at a four-year school was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more work and way more complicated than the stuff we had to learn for the MCAT.

The MCAT barely brushed the surface. My orgo course went into much greater detail and the exams were not multiple choice (until I retook it at a CC 😉)

 

[Columbia09]

Yes.

To answer the OP, orgo at a four-year school was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more work and way more complicated than the stuff we had to learn for the MCAT.

The MCAT barely brushed the surface. My orgo course went into much greater detail and the exams were not multiple choice (until I retook it at a CC 😉)

Though I didn't take the MCAT, I've seen that there isn't a lot of organic on it. In fact most people only get one or two passages of organic

 

[Phlebotomer]

All the prereq courses weed people out. Its kinda sad but I've seen people dropping out after each class, especially ochem and calc based physics. Most people never even make it to the mcat

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[Anicetus]

Though I didn't take the MCAT, I've seen that there isn't a lot of organic on it. In fact most people only get one or two passages of organic

You still need to know the ochem well to realistically get at least a 10.

 

[GUH]

All the prereq courses weed people out. Its kinda sad but I've seen people dropping out after each class, especially ochem and calc based physics. Most people never even make it to the mcat

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Why in the world would any premed take calculus-based physics? That's pretty dumb

 

[NontradCA]

Why in the world would any premed take calculus-based physics? That's pretty dumb

To get a better understanding of it?

 

[GUH]

To get a better understanding of it?

Doesn't do you much good to get a better understanding of a topic that is at best tangentially related to medicine and then ends up dropping your GPA and causing you to give up being premed.
If it's a non-required science course (or a harder required one when there is an easier one available that will also fill the requirement), don't take it unless you can pull at least a B+.

 

[Phlebotomer]

Why in the world would any premed take calculus-based physics? That's pretty dumb

It is quite dumb except unfortunately the tiny little university I go to only has calc based physics

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[Columbia09]

Why in the world would any premed take calculus-based physics? That's pretty dumb

I agree. Algebra based is where it's at

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

To get a better understanding of it?

You really don't get a better understanding of physics in calc based physics unless it is engineering based physics in which case you actually learn real physics i.e how Newton generally was wrong.

 

[BuddyTheElf]

I think the pre-med courses in general weed people out first. (gen chem, bio, o chem, etc). THEN the MCAT weeds out people. I think 90% of my freshman chem and bio courses were filled with "pre-meds".... the majority of whom I didn't see in a single science course after that. I think people realize "OMG this is so hard!" after their first one or two science courses and switch majors after that.
tl;dr: First round of weeding is pre-med courses, second round is the MCAT. IMO

 

[EnergyDrink]

OChem is generally graded on a curve, besides, it's not as hard as people make it seem.

The MCAT is graded on a curve, but a much less generous one. I honestly think that the MCAT is the best test of a student's ability, give or take 2-3 points.

 

[bajastapler]

I'd have to go with work ethic.

I've seen so many pre-meds meet up to "study" at the library, but end up goofing off instead.

 

[TwinsFan]

You really don't get a better understanding of physics in calc based physics unless it is engineering based physics in which case you actually learn real physics i.e how Newton generally was wrong.

Calc based = engineering physics

 

[Mehd School]

OChem is generally graded on a curve, besides, it's not as hard as people make it seem.

The MCAT is graded on a curve, but a much less generous one. I honestly think that the MCAT is the best test of a student's ability, give or take 2-3 points.

Ochem was not as hard at your school.

Calc based = engineering physics

At my school calc based physics was for chemistry and physics majors. Everyone else took trig based. My physics professors have always clamored on about how much easier calc based physics is, because in other physics it's sometimes challenging to dance around the calculus. I mean, calculus was invented for physics.

 

[Silent Cool]

MCAT is by far the best attrition mechanism used to to weed people out. If it wasn't for this test, I would be starting my OMS-1 in July.

Ibn, didn't you get into Western?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Calc based = engineering physics

At my school we have calc based physics for Bio, Chemistry, Biochemistry and then Physics for Engineering & Physics majors. At my school we call the former calc based and the latter engineering physics. Engineering physics is real physics, calc based is just algebra based along with basic derivation implemented if any at all.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Ibn, didn't you get into Western?

Nope. Didn't apply last year due to a pathetic verbal score.

 

[Silent Cool]

Nope. Didn't apply last year due to a pathetic verbal score.

When is your re-take? Are you applying this year?

 

[Silent Cool]

Nope. Didn't apply last year due to a pathetic verbal score.

I struggled with verbal immensely. But I eventually got a 10 by using the examkrackers audio osmosis method. I would highly recommend their strategy and practicing with the 101 passages in Verbal.

 

[OhHey]

MCAT.

I've seen it devour the confidence of even hard working students.

Ochem wasn't that bad. On my 5th retake I finally got the gist of it.

You only say that because u made it this far. I personally know a few people (including my lab partner) who gave up on med school because of ochem and even gen chem. People who apply to med school is a very self-selected, self-weeded population. I don't know people who quit applying to med school due to MCAT. They still apply with a 26 since they have a good GPA.

 

[TwinsFan]

At my school we have calc based physics for Bio, Chemistry, Biochemistry and then Physics for Engineering & Physics majors. At my school we call the former calc based and the latter engineering physics. Engineering physics is real physics, calc based is just algebra based along with basic derivation implemented if any at all.

That seems odd. I guess there is diet calc based 😛 and real physics at your school?

I took engineering physics and it was fairly in depth.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

That seems odd. I guess there is diet calc based 😛 and real physics at your school?

I took engineering physics and it was fairly in depth.

My school honestly has 5 different intro versions for physics.
1 algebra based for non-bio majors. < Used to be for bio, but they decided physics is important.
1 calc based for bio.
1 calc based for chem.
1 calc based for engineers and lazy physics majors.
1 calc based for just physics majors.

 

[TwinsFan]

My school honestly has 5 different intro versions for physics.
1 algebra based for non-bio majors. < Used to be for bio, but they decided physics is important.
1 calc based for bio.
1 calc based for chem.
1 calc based for engineers and lazy physics majors.
1 calc based for just physics majors.

Wow! That is a lot of versions.
2-3 versions is probably enough: basic vs. science vs. engineer/physicist

 

[GUH]

My school honestly has 5 different intro versions for physics.
1 algebra based for non-bio majors. < Used to be for bio, but they decided physics is important.
1 calc based for bio.
1 calc based for chem.
1 calc based for engineers and lazy physics majors.
1 calc based for just physics majors.

I'm sure that it's super duper important for a medical student to be able to use calculus to find the center of gravity and all but was it possible for a premed to take the algebra-based course?

 

[catman856]

definitely the mcat. I dont even know if it's possible to acheive a 30+

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

..

 

[breezy124]

MCAT. Also verbal is a section where besides learning timing and a few tricks, you can't "beat" it. Some people are just bad at it regardless of how much they practice.

 

[Tirian]

How about "unrealistic premed advising"?

Someone mentioned earlier that much of the battle is knowing where to apply.

You have to look at YOUR package like it is, in the cycle when you're applying, and apply to schools with a mission, locale, and matriculant pool that match your own.

If you do this, you'll find the whole process much simpler.

 

[Stlblues17]

I would say a combo of MCAT and lack of perseverance. Most people I believe don't actually put in the required effort or are actually serious about medicine, that they barely go through the motions of taking a few pre-req courses.

I'm sure we've all seen myself included, that person that claims to be premed, and you can tell they are needlessly delaying their change of major to underwater basket weaving. A few of these people are my friends and I'm pretty sure it was to make them appear 'smart' to other people. Not that they are dumb, but they never truly planned on going through with any of the process.

I don't mean to come off as high and mighty, or that I or any of us are inherently better, but making it through all the 'weed out' obstacles and succeeding to get into school are something to be proud of

 

[golfman7]

I would say other... there are tons of qualified kids with high gpas MCAT etc who get rejected or waitlisted after spending their lives on it and decide not to go for another round and do something else. Many decide not to wait another year to get in make money etc I got waitlisted and decided to do engineering instead and don’t regret it I have loved being in college without worrying about grades etc I have had fun at the engineer program. For some people medicine is a calling and for others they chose it at 18 due to high salary and being good at science which was me

 

[golfman7]

Knowing what I know now I wouldn’t have done it again... medicine does not select only for high grades MCAT they look for much more and becoming rich isn’t a good reason to pursue it. Unfortunately at 18 I didn’t know about the requirements. I would have either done a Ba to Md program or something else if I had a do over I assumed that since I was a straight A student I was qualified

 

[Goro]

I would say other... there are tons of qualified kids with high gpas MCAT etc who get rejected or waitlisted after spending their lives on it and decide not to go for another round and do something else. Many decide not to wait another year to get in make money etc I got waitlisted and decided to do engineering instead and don’t regret it I have loved being in college without worrying about grades etc I have had fun at the engineer program. For some people medicine is a calling and for others they chose it at 18 due to high salary and being good at science which was me

Nice 4+ year necrobump