<p>Im going to rutgers in the fall. Just want some advice how to shape my schedule.</p>
<p>Im taking chem and bio freshman year.
Wont be in Calc 1 till sophomore and plan to take a stat class junior year or 2nd semester of sophomore year.</p>
<p>Can someone fill the gaps in for me?</p>
<p>I think the norm is to take Organic Sophmore year after Gen Chem.
not sure about much else</p>
<p>Freshman Fall: General Bio 1 and General Chem 1
Freshman Spring: General Bio 1 and General Chem 1
Sophomore Fall: Organic Chem 1 and Calc 1
Sophomore Spring: Organic Chem 2 and Stat
Junior Fall: Physics 1
Junior Spring: Physics 2
Junior Summer: Take MCAT and Apply</p>
<p>If you push up Physics earlier or even take it during the summer, you can have time to study for the MCAT and take it and possibly retake if you don’t like your score.</p>
<p>Since you will be taking the MCAT in 2015, you’ll also need to add psych and soc, and possibly biochem to your schedule.</p>
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<p>I’ve seen references claiming courses in upper level biology before the MCAT will help substantially. (Aside from the new requirement/recommendation of biochem; personal recommendations from experienced MCAT test takers mention courses in A&P, Micro bio, Cell bio, genetics, etc…)</p>
<p>According to information provided by the AAMC website, intro biology courses (plus biochem) are enough. </p>
<p>I’m an incoming freshman also mapping out my “four year plan”. My plan is, more or less, exactly what War Chant posted. Should we plan on including a few upper level biology courses before the MCAT?</p>
<p>Ahh thank you so much, would classes like psych fall under an elective or a full course? Im a biotech major so I’ll eventually be in those upper level bio classes.</p>
<p>One semester each of Intro to Psych and Intro to Soc. You don’t need a full year long course in either psych or soc.</p>
<p>You should be able to handle orgo and physics at the same time. If you take them both sophomore year, then you have flexibility as to when to take the MCAT junior year. Alternatively, you can take orgo 2 and physics 1 in the spring of your sophomore year, moving physics 2 until the fall. Ideally, you want to take the MCAT during the spring term of junior year. This gives you adequate time for a retake (if necessary) and will keep your application on-time. </p>
<p>If you plan to take calc-based physics, make sure you take calculus beforehand. Most universities also offer a “life sciences/pre-med” non-calc-based physics, which may be easier. In the latter case, you can hold of on taking calculus until you have fulfilled other requirements. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that some medical schools require you to have completed your prerequisites prior to January 1st of the matriculation year.</p>
<p>I am surprised how many people are throwing around retake contingency plans. Taking the MCAT twice is not the same as taking the SAT twice. Taking the MCAT a second time a couple months later is not going to make a huge difference in your score and is probably flat out not worth it given it means delaying your app. If you need to retake you need to retake then odds are you’re not the strongest applicant to begin with and you’d be better off applying early a year later.</p>
<p>i<em>wanna</em>be_Brown, don’t underestimate nerves. I took the MCAT once and was satisfied with my score, but a few of my friends choked on their first try. They retook it a few months later and did much better. What’s wrong with planning to take the MCAT in January or March and leaving the option open for a retake if necessary? I think it’s much smarter planning than taking it in May or June and being stuck with the score. Nowadays, having 2 MCAT scores is fairly common.</p>