<p>somewhat, but if you do really well on your MCAT, I doubt they will care.</p>
<p>Just make it easy for yourself. Take one year of gen chem, one year of orgo, one year of bio, one year of physics, one year of math, and one year of English. The BCPM courses MUST be the ones for science majors. If you’ve taken so much gen chem that you’re bored with it, be thankful you’ll (presumably) have at least a few easy A’s. Do NOT try to substitute the basic courses; it’s not worth finding out you need a bunch of courses four years from now…trust me, it happens all the time. Many schools require at least one or two upper-level bio courses, especially biochem. Get acquainted with this site now:</p>
<p>[Medical</a> Schools - AAMC](<a href=“http://www.aamc.org/medicalschools.htm]Medical”>Membership for Medical Schools | AAMC)</p>
<p>Some schools don’t even allow AP courses to substitute for the first year/semester of classes. I know a few people who found that out the hard way this year. Point is, plan your courses carefully!</p>
<p>One of the courses for my major is Molecular and Cellular Biology with Lab … that counts as a biology course for the Pre-Med requirement, right?</p>
<p>EDIT: Additionally, how stringent are med schools about the English requirement? Would using AP credits for that be fine? :/</p>
<p>Taking English again in college does not sound fun.</p>
<p>Molecular and Cellular Biology counts as a biology course for the Pre-Med requirement.</p>
<p>Most people would suggest that you take English in college. Alternatively, you can take a college-level English class in any college (but not an AP English class in a high school setting) while you are in high school. In general, AP courses do not count as far as medical school admission is concerned.</p>
<p>Although I guess there may be a few exceptions (not many exceptions if any), it is better to be safe than sorry. BTW, the public medical schools in the Republic of Texas are exceptions if your college reports the equivalent course number for your AP course on your transcript.</p>
<p>(This is directed to BDM or anyone else who cares to reply)</p>
<p>“Math is a tricky requirement; generally I recommend up through Calc II (or III if you have BC credit) and one semester of statistics.”</p>
<p>If I took both AP Calc BC and Stats in high school, should I still take Calc III and Stats again in college? I was already planning on taking Calc III (need it for my major anyway) but not Stats. One of my friends told me Stats was highly recommended, but seeing that you said “Schools appear to be most AP-lenient with Math requirements, if they have any in the first place,” maybe I don’t have to take Stats again? 
</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I would still do it to be safe. Plus if you’ve already taken the AP, the class should be easier.</p>
<p>I’m currently a sophomore at a school on the quarter system, so we just completed our fall quarter now. My question is regarding studying abroad and MCAT timing. I noticed a few inquiries on this earlier, but my situation might be slightly different. I AP’d out of the first bio course covering physio and nutrition, and since I am halfway through the human physiology sequence now and will take a nutrition course later I assume that will not be a problem with med schools. I took the other two intro bio courses as well as the sophomore bio sequence my freshman year. I took a year of gen chem and am taking orgo and physics now (will finish with both at the end of spring term as well as the orgo lab component). I plan to also take metabolism in the spring.</p>
<p>That being said, I am on track in terms of chem and physics and ahead in bio, but will be finished with all of the pre-med reqs after this year. I plan on taking an MCAT course over the summer, or at least study hardcore for them, and take the MCATs in August or September. Is that something you would recommend, even though it’s pretty far in advance? I don’t see the real benefit of waiting when all of the information will be fresh in my brain.</p>
<p>Also, I want to study abroad spring semester of my junior year. That will take up my winter and spring terms and force me to be in class during the summer before my senior year (since the classes I take abroad will only count for 1 term, not 2), which I don’t mind too much. Will that interfere with any of the application process at all? I’ll be gone February - mid-June. I think studying abroad is an amazing opportunity that not many pre-meds actually take advantage of. </p>
<p>Any opinions are appreciated. :)</p>
<p>In reading through the Coursework sticky, BDM stated that it would be okay to put off a required course till Senior Year, after applications were already in. If D were to put off either Biochem or genetics, which would you recommend? Is one of them more beneficial for the MCAT than the other? Also, does it matter if it is put off till second semester? Thanks.</p>
<p>It’s okay to do that with one or two. Biochemistry is the one I recommend, although genetics would be okay too. It’s a small difference.</p>
<p>I’m stuck in a little dilemma…wondering if you guys could help me out with some suggestions.</p>
<p>I passed out of all of my general bio and general chem through AP credits and as a second year, I’ve started taking Organic Chemistry and Genetics, and I haven’t taken any general chemistry or bio. I’ve heard from some that if I took upper division biology classes and chemistry classes (a year of OChem) that I need not take those lower division ones. I’m a little confused because I’ve been getting different answers and suggestions from people on whether or not I should just go ahead and take the general chem and bio classes. What do you guys think I should do? I don’t want to take the general classes if I can help it.</p>
<p>Also, my general ed requirements at my school only require two quarters of writing to fulfill requirements. Does that mean I need to complete a third quarter of any kind of writing class to fulfill the pre-med requirements?</p>
<p>I go to UCSD, if it helps to know.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>It’s correct that you don’t need the general courses. However, you need two years of chemistry, not one. In other words: since organic chemistry is itself a requirement, you can’t use it to fill the requirements for general chemistry. You’ll have to take another advanced chemistry course – either physical or analytical or something – in order to fill that requirement.</p>
<p>Genetics and another two quarters of biology (provided that all three quarters have lab components) should be fine.</p>
<p>I would do a third quarter of writing just to be safe.</p>
<p>Thanks, Bluedevilmike!</p>
<p>So I don’t have to worry about the biology requirements because as a bio major, I’ll be taking tons of upper division bio courses anyway, but for chem, I should either take the general chem class or another year of upper division chemistry class (does biochemistry count?).</p>
<p>You need two years of chemistry. The problem with biochemistry is that some schools require that too – in other words, they sort of require three years of chemistry.</p>
<p>My (outdated) MSAR indicates that USC and Irvine require it; Davis, UCSD; Loma Linda and Stanford strongly recommend it. UCSF and UCLA don’t mention it. For other schools, you can order an updated MSAR.</p>
<p>So the schools you’ve listed require, in essence, three years of chem? My major only requires one quarter of biochemistry so does that mean I should take another two quarters of it (if i intended to apply to usc and irvine)? </p>
<p>BUt I would be good to go with the chem requirement if I decide to just go take the year of gen chemistry, right?</p>
<p>And one final question: say for my writing class, could I take it for P/NP and have it still fulfill the requirement?</p>
<p>I don’t know whether they require a full extra year or a semester or a quarter. You’d have to check with them individually. The year of general chemistry will fulfill its own requirement; obviously if biochem is also required, then you’ll need that also.</p>
<p>Don’t take prerequisites, writing included, P/NP.</p>
<p>After taking your advice, I intended to enroll in the general chemistry course, however, I was told that because I already received credit for the class through AP credit that my grade in the class would not count towards my GPA, and that since it is a duplicate class on my transcript that it would be expected of me to get an A. The counselor told me that some people decide to take the honors series of the class though many have said that the extra work required of the class isn’t worth it. What should I do? Also, even if I enroll in the honor’s sequence, the first quarter of class would not count towards my gpa because, again, of my GPA. Any advice?</p>
<p>confused mom here.
D is a sophomore majoring in bioengineering at Rice. As for pre med reqs, she opted out of gen chem with AP credits and is now taking organic chem . She has to take a class called Bioreactions which is basically like Biochem with some variation . She also needs to take thermodynamics for her major and both of these courses listed under BIOE dept and not BIOS or CHEM. . She says these two courses will substitute for the gen chem req and she doesn’t want to take any gen or p chem courses…
How do Med schools view this and she is at any disadvantage? She also did two semesters of undergrad research in BIOE dept related to some chemical processes. will this count for anything?.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Rice probably has a great premed advising office. Have her check in with them. If they think she’s on track, she’s probably doing fine.</p>
<p>Bluedevilmike, what physics course (non-calculus or calculus based) would you suggest for an incoming college freshman who has no prior physics experience (I’m taking BC calculus if it helps)?</p>
<p>For you to take during freshman year? I actually like physics with calculus – I find it makes things easier – but it’s really up to you. Either way is fine.</p>