<p>D is a HS Senior and we have just started our search for a college that would serve her well in her journey towards medical graduate school. Several posts claim the major isn't as important as the GPA and MCAT scores. With that in mind, how does a major in, lets say, Journalism prepare her, or help, when it comes to taking the MCAT Test? Don't you need to focus on classes that would be more science related? Should we not not focus so much on the best undergrad school for Med School but instead focus on affordability for the first four years?</p>
<p>DS is studying for the MCAT now. I could be wrong, but I think the science on it is the science that is required for anyone wanting to apply to med school. I read somewhere that English majors do well on the MCAT, because there is some language-based material, but it’s best to major in something one wants to major in. She’ll get the science she needs in her pre-med science courses.</p>
<p>“Should we not not focus so much on the best undergrad school for Med School but instead focus on affordability for the first four years?”</p>
<p>The conventional wisdom is that you should focus on affordability. Nearly every college and university in the country offers the pre-med sequence. So do many community colleges. Med school is obscenely expensive, and there are almost no scholarships for it. Most med school students pay for their educations with loans, and graduate with debt upwards of $200,000 range. Keeping cost down for the undergrad degree makes a lot of sense.</p>
<p>Do students generally take separate study courses for the MCAT? My fear is that my D gets into a school that doesn’t prepare her and additional funding would be needed?</p>
<p>Physician here. The best major for the student with the intention of going to medical school is the one they want. A student is most likely to do best in the field they are most interested in, plus college is the only chance to study something in depth before the medical career. Also, if a student changes their mind they will be on a path to a major they like and less than half of applicants will get accepted- better to have spent your four years with something you like. </p>
<p>The MCAT material will generally be covered in the required science courses. A student’s best chance for getting into medical school will be in the home state and most students will have gone to school in their home state. Therefore, the state flagship U will obviously prepare students who take required “premed” courses for admission to their medical school, including the MCAT. Most schools will have some sort of premed club or other information source for students (remember, premed is an intention, not a major).</p>
<p>Any extra efforts for the MCAT can be decided on in college. Premed students are found at many schools, including the nonflagship state schools. Don’t worry about which college is attended. There will be plenty of information at most schools- you cann check premed information on any college’s website.</p>
<p>Three children in our close circle of friends are either beginning med school this fall, or starting their 2nd year of med school. One did biology as an undergrad, took a year to work and take a 3 month MCAT preparation course. The second was an English major who took all the med school prerequisites, also took a year off after her BA to work and study for the MCATs (by herself, no course.) The third graduated with a BA in psychology, finished up her med school requirements at our nearby state U and also took one of those 3 month prep courses. All 3 are in highly respected (Top 15) medical programs.</p>
<p>posmee–</p>
<p>One issue that you should be aware of–and any parent of current high school students who are considering medical school–is that starting in Jan 2015, the format and content tested on the MCAT will change significantly.</p>
<p>Beginning 2015, the MCAT will have 4 sections, instead of the current 3. In 2015, the writing section will disappear and the 4 new areas will be:</p>
<p>Chemistry, Physics and Biochemistry
Cellular and Molecular biology
Behavioral sciences (psychology, sociology, medical ethics)
Critical Reading</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/download/182662/data/mr5_preliminary_recommendations.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/download/182662/data/mr5_preliminary_recommendations.pdf</a></p>
<p>The new MCAT will be 7 hours long.</p>
<p>Already some medical schools (Harvard, JHU) are revising the courses required for medical school admission.</p>
<p>It appears that the traditional year of bio, year of physics, 2 years of chem plus freshman composition will no longer be sufficient. New requirements will likely include genetics, cellular bio, biochemistry, statistics, research methodology, psych, sociology, medical ethics and perhaps even some philosophy.</p>
<p>These changes will make it much more difficult to meet med school admission requirements and major in an area other than a science.</p>
<p>* Should we not not focus so much on the best undergrad school for Med School but instead focus on affordability for the first four years? *</p>
<p>Focus on affordability at a GOOD school that is strong in sciences. Med school is very expensive.</p>
<p>My son is studying for the MCAT now. He’s a Chemical Engineering major …but some don’t recommend engineering because it can sometimes be hard to maintain a high GPA. he accepted a large scholarship to a flagship public. This way we can help with med school costs.</p>
<p>The reason some don’t recommend biology is because if for some reason the student doesn’t go to med school, a bio degree can be limiting because there’s a glut of bio grads. </p>
<p>What are your child’s strengths?</p>
<p>Great information on these posts. My D strengths have been in psychology, anatomy, and English. She received a 5 on her AP Psychology exam her Sophomore year and after taking anatomy she realized that she had great interest in the human body.</p>
<p>Great information, also a bit intimidating. I will look at the website.</p>
<p>I agree with poster #5 and #7.</p>
<p>Hi,
Just wondering… Out of these 2 separate bio tracks, which would be better for mcat preparation? I will be taking the MCAT in 2015. Also, if I could take track 2 and be fine, that’d be preferable. But if track 1 is much better, then I’ll probably take that.</p>
<p>track 1: 3 quarters of bio: genetics, cell bio, physiology
track 2: 2 semester of bio: organismal and population, cellular and molecular</p>