Worried about prereqs

[jasonc1213]

Any suggestions?

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[MR. C]

most school will accept you with the stipulation that you have all prereqs done by a certain time.. usually just before fall semester.

 

[Lurkerkat]

I will be taking Molecular/Cell Bio and Gen Chem II this summer. I was thinking of applying to schools this September and I'll be taking the PCAT in June. I was curious which schools need a good portion of the prereqs completed? So far I've got calc, gen chem i, physics, econ, most of my gen-eds, public speaking. I can definetly be done with micro, a and p, ochem i and ii by fall of 08. If I did well on the PCAT do you think the adcoms would reconsider the fact that I haven't taken my first semester of A/P or O-Chem yet? Any suggestions?

I am going to strongly suggest that you don't take the PCAT until you've had some Organic Chemistry. I took the PCAT last June and there was quite a bit of OChem on it. Also it'll be even more difficult without having completed Chem II since they'll definitely ask some kinetics questions.

 

[jasonc1213]

I am going to strongly suggest that you don't take the PCAT until you've had some Organic Chemistry. I took the PCAT last June and there was quite a bit of OChem on it. Also it'll be even more difficult without having completed Chem II since they'll definitely ask some kinetics questions.

I've paid my 125 already for June. I've been reading the Kaplan MCAT book for Organic Chem and Anatomy stuff. I also might pick up Cliff's Organic Chem and the Kaplan PCAT book. I know it is going to be tough, but that is why I'm stressing! Do you think it's doable? Do you have any other organic chemistry books/sites that you would recommend to me? Thanks!

 

[Lurkerkat]

Honestly I can't see someone who hasn't had any OChem and hasn't finished Gen Chem II doing better than 75-80% on the section. It's one of the tougher sections and I felt was difficult to complete within the allotted time. It's only one section though, so if you can rock the rest of the PCAT you should be fine with your composite score. Also it varies from test to test how much they focus on each topic. I felt like the year I took it there was definitely a heavy leaning towards the OChem material, but for all I know this year they'll only have a few OChem questions.

No clue for books and sites with OChem. I was in the middle of OChem II when I took the PCAT so everything was pretty fresh in my mind that I didn't really focus on studying it. Focus on learning the basics, nomenclature of organic molecules, enantiomers, SN1/SN2/E1/E2 reactions.

 

[ForcedEntry]

It's doable. I took the PCAT last June during my summer session of Ochem I. I think I got a 85-87. Anything you need is in the prep books and not all that hard.

 

[jasonc1213]

Oh that's good to know. Which prep books do you recommend?

 

[foroneaudience]

Even if you haven't have ochem yet, it's good to get a practice PCAT in. I took it my first time before I took ochem, and it prepared me for the second time I took it. It lets you know what to expect. That's just my opinion though.

 

[eelo]

I will be taking Molecular/Cell Bio and Gen Chem II this summer. I was thinking of applying to schools this September and I'll be taking the PCAT in June. I was curious which schools need a good portion of the prereqs completed? So far I've got calc, gen chem i, physics, econ, most of my gen-eds, public speaking. I can definetly be done with micro, a and p, ochem i and ii by fall of 08. If I did well on the PCAT do you think the adcoms would reconsider the fact that I haven't taken my first semester of A/P or O-Chem yet? Any suggestions?

You need to check with the schools to find out which ones want all pre-reqs completed before application, which ones want them completed by acceptance, and which ones will give you until the Pharm term starts. This information is available though the AACP website.