<p>I know you guys dont know care what I take the next couple of years, but i could use some help. Remember I am doing the Pre-med track. I attend a liberal art college so there are some unnecessary required courses. Appreciate the help</p>
<p>Want to be a Bio Major and Take Mcat after Jr year</p>
<p>First year: Took Bio.</p>
<p>Plan A:
This Summer: Chem
Sopho Year: Orgo Chem and Some Bio
Jr Year: Physic, and some Bio/Biochemistry
Sr. year: Whatever to Graduate</p>
<p>Pros: Seems like i get on track on the pre-med thing and make my schedule aight. Just like how everything lays out</p>
<p>Cons: Summer school for me cost 5g which is horrible. Sopho year is going to be hell and maybe jr. year. Summer is devoted to school not a job/some med stuff</p>
<p>Plan B:
Sopho: Gen Chem and some Bio
Jr Year: Orgo Chem and Physics
Sr. Year: Biochem maybe?</p>
<p>Pros: Do some exploring this summer and work. Lighter schedule sopho year</p>
<p>Cons: seem like i am cramming on Jr year for my pre-reqs. Cant do biochemistry before mcat. Doesn't seem like the best schedule for some reason</p>
<p>Dunno know which one to choose and just seeking your opinions and mostly advice
I sound like a nerd for planning my upcoming courses, but whatever.
Thanks again</p>
<p>taking Biochem before the MCAT isn't particularly important. I don't see why you can't do other stuff in addition to taking class in your first plan, though you are right in thinking your summers are better spent outside the classroom. Either one would be fine, though I cringe at the idea of taking orgo and physics at the same time.</p>
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Remember I am doing the Pre-med track.
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<p>thats a shocker! would've never expected that on a premed board</p>
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I attend a liberal art college so there are some unnecessary required courses.
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<p>i found the core classes to be some of the most enjoyable classes i took in college and weren't "unnecessary" by any standard....i'm sure they will do wonders for your outlook which is pretty narrow-minded at the moment</p>
<p>All the underlining is annoying</p>
<p>What were you doing freshman year if you haven't taken ANY premed courses? </p>
<p>Plan B is obviously the right choice....sucks that you didn't take gchem freshman year like you were supposed to and like the majority of people do but wasting a summer on gen chem will look very bad. You should work on getting acquainted with the medical field and building your activities. </p>
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taking Biochem before the MCAT isn't particularly important.
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<p>there is no biochem on the MCAT nor is it a required course...so there is no reason to want to take it before the MCAT</p>
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I don't see why you can't do other stuff in addition to taking class in your first plan
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<p>summer classes are usually very awkwardly placed when you want to do something substantive over the summer and they also tend to be more intensive </p>
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I cringe at the idea of taking orgo and physics at the same time.
<p>Didnt really expect the sacrasm and the somewhat rudeness. But some people continue to surprise me once in awhile by finding the time to pick at my post. I guess it's a shocker sometimes. </p>
<p>To call any courses "unnecessary" is absolutely wrong. I just called these core courses that just because they are not pre-reqs for getting into med school. Maybe i should look another word next time. But to call me and my outlook narrow-minded without even knowing me is even more wrong, i believe. To judge anyone on assumptions is just incorrect. That is just my opinion bout it.</p>
<p>Tell me how somebody's opinion of my underlining relates to the question being asked in this post.</p>
<p>Well, I did ask for opinions and get some that did not pertain to my questions. Oh yeah, i took just intro bio freshman year, so I am behind. Didnt need anyone to tell that not taking gen chem freshman year sucks....I know and that's why i ask for help on planning my schedule.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice and the time. Very helpful and I take them all in consideration. Can't believe that I just wrote a reponse to some people's opinions. I might get used to it if i start spending more time posting</p>
<p>Regarding the $5k for tuition of summer courses, what state do you reside in? Try finding the course at your state university, that's where you'll get lower tuition for being in state. For example, Rutgers University in NJ charges $275/credit which is about 1/4 the cost had I taken it at a private university. If you're even up for more money saving, consider taking it at a Community College. </p>
<p>It's ok if you take a class or two at a CC to save money, just don't make the habit of it as to not ruin your medschool application's competitiveness. CC's can offer some great classes since the teachers there are there to teach, not to do research and just teach on the side so they can get a position. My favorite teacher was at a CC, who had a masters in the subject he was teaching, but perusing a PhD in education, so he was serious about teaching well. My second favorite was at my state college, and everything below that is at my university, a private research university (if you can see where I'm going about scientist vs. teacher).</p>
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Didnt really expect the sacrasm and the somewhat rudeness. But some people continue to surprise me once in awhile by finding the time to pick at my post. I guess it's a shocker sometimes.
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<p>You can't be thin-skinned and go into medicine. Shraf's more or less spot-on, in my opinion.</p>
<p>As for your academic planning, I don't know what your strengths and weaknesses are, but if I were you, this is what I'd do.</p>
<p>So: Gen Chem and Physics
Jr: Orgo Chem and Bio
Sr: Biochem, maybe</p>
<p>Biochem is a requirement for some medical schools, but you certainly don't need any for the MCAT. I thought introductory bio was really easy, and I took it junior year. By the time I took the MCAT in April, we'd already covered everything useful in bio. Since I'd taken Physics as a sophomore, I didn't have to rush to learn optics and the other topics generally presented late in the course that are still fair game for the MCAT.</p>
<p>Leave your summer open for resume building.</p>