Workload semester prior to MCAT?

[Lanced]

I'll be taking the April MCAT (probably taking Princeton Review, would take Bekerley but it isn't offered here), and I'm trying to decide how many classes to take at the same time.

A lot of people who have been through it tell me to take NOTHING as the MCAT is so important and its worth having the extra time.

I'm currently working/volunteering ~15hours/week and I'm considering taking Human Anatomy w/ lab OR nothing at all. I'd like to get it done so I don't have to take any classes next year (I'm a post-bac w/ all my pre-reqs finished), but don't want to regret it come March...

Any feed back greatly appreciated.

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[jbrice1639]

I'll be taking the April MCAT (probably taking Princeton Review, would take Bekerley but it isn't offered here), and I'm trying to decide how many classes to take at the same time.

A lot of people who have been through it tell me to take NOTHING as the MCAT is so important and its worth having the extra time.

I'm currently working/volunteering ~15hours/week and I'm considering taking Human Anatomy w/ lab OR nothing at all. I'd like to get it done so I don't have to take any classes next year (I'm a post-bac w/ all my pre-reqs finished), but don't want to regret it come March...

Any feed back greatly appreciated.

I'm a post-bac too, and i took the april mcat this past april. i had not completed all of my pre-reqs when i took it (i was still finishing up second semester of orgo). my spring semester consisted of orgo 2 lecture, orgo 2 lab, physics 2 lab and cell bio lecture. i was also working 24 hours a week, volunteering 4 hours a week and taking a kaplan course. i don't think that was in any way undoable. in fact, if i had not been working and taking classes, i know i would not have spent all that time studying for the mcat every day anyways. if you are really worried, then i guess i would say go ahead and take nothing, but you may end up being questioned about it in interviews, and i do not know how adcoms will view it if you say you took no classes simply to have more time to prep for the mcat...

 

[chef_NU]

If you take a prep course that lasts about 3 months you can expect to spend 5-10 hours a week on MCAT stuff and do very well. Granted, when its 2 weeks from the test you'll probably start freaking out and studying more, but that's only short-term. I personally took 3 courses (instead of the usual 4) for our quarter system. Hope this helps.

 

[lilxixi]

hello, I think you should take some class during the MCAT season. Course demands will help keeping your mind stimulated. Personally if MCAT was the only thing I had to worry about, I would be so bored and annoyed by it. I took immunology, biochemistry, cell biology and a writing course during the April MCAT, even though I didn't exact do perfectly well in the classes but the overlapping materials helped keep me on track studying for MCAT.

 

[Turkeyman]

For myself, the MCAT semester was the only one in which I pulled a straight 4.0 in school. Having to balance the MCAT and classes only made me work harder to manage time...plus some of your classes really do help on the MCAT if they happen to be sciences. Anatomy wouldn't do that...but something like physiology or cell biology would. Physics too. I also volunteered about 5-10 hours a week during the MCAT semester...the pressure was really on. Then again, I really like pressure...pain is good . Good luck on your decision, the MCAT is certainly a "big one" in admissions!