<p>I just joined the site and am glad to see that there are sites like these. I've been going through alot of past posts and have already read things that I can keep with me and use!! So hello to all!!!!!</p>
<p>Same here, I've read the first 5 pages so far. quite a useful website indeed.</p>
<p>So for the first time, I've been seriously thinking about the MCAT. I'm currently in first semester of sophomore year. I just read through this whole thread, checked out a few other resources, etc.
In fact, I've pretty much got this all "planned out" and I'm most likely going to stick with this "plan", but maybe I just feel like I need reassurance or feedback or validation from you experienced CCers who have provided information time and time again!</p>
<p>By the end of this academic year, I will have completed (MCAT relevant courses) general bio, general chem, organic chem/organic lab, general physics, cell bio, genetics, animal physiology, and mammalian endocrinology. Between the "required" courses and "helpful" courses for the MCAT, I believe this will give me a solid foundation to begin studying to take the MCAT this summer.</p>
<p>I'm thinking of taking a (Kaplan?) prep course at the beginning of the summer, and taking the 'CAT ('CAT is a hip, monosyllabic alternative to saying "MCAT") toward the end of the summer in August. Although I'm taking biochem next year (1st sem, junior year), I feel that any advantage gained from waiting to take the 'CAT post-biochem is less than the advantage afforded to me by having tons of free time to study during the summer, as well as the fact that the info will be more fresh in my head.</p>
<p>Does this plan sound sound?</p>
<p>Sounds one hundred percent ideal. Fire away.</p>
<p>Excellent; thanks.</p>
<p>edit: 3000th post!</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as GoldShadow (sophomore, not waiting to take after Biochemistry next year). For those of you who have already taken the MCAT, did you do research or something moderately time consuming alongside the prep, or was the summer basically studying + breaks?</p>
<p>Fifty hours a week in lab and medical service project in Mexico. MCAT really shouldn't take up a whole summer.</p>
<p>Great. I'll be working in a lab 40-50 hours a week, and there's no way I'd be able to just study, without doing something else. Thanks.</p>
<p>I did some volunteering but that was about it. It was my first summer in CA since HS so I spent much of my free time hanging out/catching up w/ friends.</p>
<p>I'll probably spend most of my free summer time volunteering at the town ambulance garage. Of course, since that mostly involves sitting around waiting for calls, I'll have plenty of time to get in MCAT studying then too...
Gotta find an internship or something... maybe a doc to shadow (gold shadow that is :D :D).</p>
<p>Sophomore D has the same plan with the same courses taken, which also came from here, except her upper level bio courses have been Histology , Topics in Biology (taught by St. Jude's research physicians), and some IS research hours. She also plans on Kaplan and a summer of labwork in the same lab she's been in. </p>
<p>She's pretty confident that all systems will be go by August and she's a real good test-taker so ....we'll see ;).</p>
<p>GS's upper level courses (genetics, cell bio, animal phys) are basically perfect MCAT prep. Unnecessarily perfect, but helpful nonetheless.</p>
<p>I've been told that the January MCAT is the best time to take it, though I'm not entirely sure why. If you're anticipating taking it twice, would Jan be too late for the first testing (if I remember correctly, the next testing after that is in April)?
oh yeah, and this would be Jan of junior year.</p>
<p>DO NOT ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TWICE. Period.</p>
<p>
[quote]
DO NOT ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TWICE.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Quoted for truth. You will not want to take it twice. You will not want to sit through it twice. You will not want med school adcoms to wonder why you had to take it twice. Take it once, and do it well. If you don't think you'll do well, don't take it.</p>
<p>so from what i've gleaned from some previous posts is that a course in genetics, physiology, & cell biology are good for the MCAT</p>
<p>but when would someone actually take this course(s)? (is it one course, or 3 different ones?) b/c if you take bio/orgo soph yr, would this have to come junior yr concurrently w/ physics?</p>
<p>what's covered in a given course depends on the school, and when you take the courses is really your own business based on when you can fit them in with major/general requirements and whatever else you're doing</p>
<p>but are they 3 different courses?</p>
<p>Let's just go with "Yes" (since "depends on the school" didn't seem to work for you.). They are 3 different courses.</p>
<p>I have decided to implement a trend I've seen on other threads. Instead of saying, "I agree with this response," they will respond with standardized test scores. So if I really like the post above, I will give it an MCAT score, as in:</p>
<p>BRM: "I don't care if you attend a low-ranked undergrad, excellence will fix everything."
BDM: "^ 43"</p>