Will taking Calc-Based physics HURT me on the MCAT?

[Van Chowder]

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Before you say use the search option I already did, and none of the other threads answered my question.
So next year I may only have the option of taking Calc based physics,( which I would be taking Calc 1 simultaneously) since the MCAT has trig based physics, will taking a more advanced class actually not prepare me as well for the MCAT as a trig based physics class?

 

[BlueElmo]

No, why would it hurt you? I think you're being a little neurotic here.

 

[airplanes]

I took the calc based physics series. Same concepts for the MCAT, but calc-based is just harder and more advanced, tests will be harder to study for...wouldn't recommend it unless the professor of the calc based series is significantly better than the trig based physics professor, which is the case at my school. Also, just a heads up...the calc based physics had a lot of engineer majors in it and some of the higher level math was above the calc courses I took for my Biology degree so I was lost for about 1/3 of the course.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

If you can do better in the non calc course don't bother taking calc physics: it wont help for the mcat and trust me no one on the adcom is gong to spend the time trying to figure out if u took calc physics or not

 

[Rendar5]

The math is harder, sure, but math is based on fundamentals and the physics itself is the same concepts. If you can do calculus fine, then you can do the trig fine. It won't help you or hurt you.

 

[Van Chowder]

Thanks for the responses I appreciate everyone's input

 

[jwrigh69]

I took calc based physics 1 and trig based 2 and the PS section was my highest score haha. As long as you thoroughly understand the concepts you will be fine with either.

 

[georgearms]

I took Calc-based physics last semester. I had good grades in my Calculus courses, but physics was still very difficult for me. However, I do think I came to understand the subject much better than I would had if I had taken non-Calc physics. I had to understand the concepts very well in order to succeed in the class, and I think using Calculus only reinforced the concepts and helped unify the subject a bit more. Just my point of view. I'm sure that either option will prepare you for the MCAT as long as you work hard and make an effort to understand the basic concepts.

 

[redlight]

No, why would it hurt you? I think you're being a little neurotic here.

this. besides, when you do problems for mcat prep, you'll have plenty of time to get used to trig style problems if necessary.

 

[argonaute]

Before you say use the search option I already did, and none of the other threads answered my question.
So next year I may only have the option of taking Calc based physics,( which I would be taking Calc 1 simultaneously) since the MCAT has trig based physics, will taking a more advanced class actually not prepare me as well for the MCAT as a trig based physics class?

I think calculus based physics will prepare you even better than trig based for MCAT. i took the physics for engineers and i know that the heavy emphasis on the mathematics behind everything really helps you understand the concepts of physics better than a high school- plug and chug trig equations approach.

However, from a med school admissions standpoint, it might be a better idea to take the trig based physics. Calc based physics is considerably harder and you'll have to study harder and you'll be competing against other students who are naturally better at physics (e.g. engineers and physicists) than trig-based physics.

I would say if you're not required to take calc-based physics, take the easier physics class unless you are interested in physics and/or are good at heavy math problem solving.

 

[Bildo]

I took engineering physics for electricity and magnetism (and I am really bad at calculus) because the physics teacher the bios kids took it with was reallllllly bad that particular year. (70% dropped introductory mechanics).

I didn't want to be behind so I took E&M calc-based and mechanics during the first summer session.

I don't really know how that affects my ability to work problems but the better professor certainly helped my understanding of it.

 

[YeOldeMan]

oh you must be talking about "real Physics."

I'm going to have to recommend my fabulous thread here. Was active just a week ago. Check it out son. It covers what you want to know and more.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=629875

 

[Helen Wheels]

I have taken both calc and non-calc based physics. It certainly won't hurt you to take the calc based although you don't need it for the MCAT. Are you good at math? Do you like calc? Then Calc based physics might actually be better. The reason I say this is that calc based is geared toward science majors. My calc based physics was more difficult than the non calc based. You might be challenged more and better prepared in the calc based. That being said, if you have trouble with more advanced math and calculus you likely won't get as a good a grade in the calc based course and it will be harder. The calc component just adds another layer of difficulty to the course.

 

[ProtonatedAlchy]

I thought calc-based physics actually HURT me on the MCAT. I didn't really study concepts, but rather tried to memorize difficult integrals and cram as many formulas as I could. The non-calc based is usually a lot more conceptual, which in my opinion, more like the MCAT.

 

[BlackSails]

At NYU all physics is calc based, and we do just fine at getting people into med school.


Anyway, a course in vector calculus is probably the best for the mcat, because it lets you do everything that is normally really painful to do with algebra in very simple ways.

 

[BlackSails]

Also, I find doing out the cross product (at least the direction) is often much easier than memorizing the right hand rules.