<p>First of lemme say this is an awesome site. I'm a freshman in undergrad right now n I've used this site for the last 2-3 years to find answers to questions I had. It's awesome that so many people help.</p>
<p>Anyways, my question had to do with the ease of my schedule. I just finished my freshman year taking General Chem 101 and 102 + Labs and General Bio 101 and 102 + Labs. Many of my friends who are older than me took Orgo and physics or orgo and cell bio as sophomores. While I know I am fully capable of taking both orgo and physics or orgo and cell bio or any variation of those 3 classes in one year, I'd rather keep my schedule a bit lighter so I have time for other things outside of schoolwork. So as of right now, I'm planning on taking only Orgo next year (with labs of course). My question is, will this look "bad" to med schools when I apply? Will they think my course load was too easy because I only took one science course? Will it really make a difference? Or will it make no difference? Ideally I would hope it makes no difference. However if it does, then I guess I'd take physics side by side with orgo, or maybe cell bio during first semester of orgo, and perhaps something like genetics later.</p>
<p>What I was hoping to do was take orgo as a sophomore and physics as a junior. I am not a science major, so cell bio isn't mandatory for me. However, I was going to do some research on cell bio, and if it ended up being necessary for med school/MCAT studying, then I would have taken it during the summer after my sophomore year. Please let me know. All answers are greatly appeciated! Thanks.</p>
<p>Summer courses are not advisable. Are you planning on applying after junior year? If so, I’d take Orgo and Physics together soph year.</p>
<p>I plan on taking the MCAT summer of my junior year, so yes, applying some time after that.</p>
<p>I had a handful of upperclassmen friends recommending I take orgo in the summer like they did. When I asked if it makes a difference if I take it in the summer or not they replied “It doesn’t matter to med schools as long as you get a good grade”. I assume you know more than them, of course. Why are summer courses not advisable? Shrinked curriculum?</p>
<p>Also, I’ve heard that physics is not too difficult on the MCAT, so if I feel like I’m pretty decent at it (from high school physics classes) then I can get by without physics until my junior year. Is this true?</p>
<p>Summer classes are not a good idea. D. took Orgo and Cell Bio 2nd year, she took physics her Junior year, MCAT in spring of Junior year right after finals. She has been involved in many EC’s even by her pre-med advisor account (they did not know how she has managed that much). No single summer class, alsmost no ECs in a summer, since they were impossible to get in our city, she had hard time getting vounteering positions, there are waiting lists even for them. But everything was easy to get at college. D. did everything during academic year at her UG, including unrelated minor. She did good, going to Med. School in 2 months.
You will do just fine also, believe in yourself. Cannot say it is easy, have to work hard, but all pre-meds do. Best wishes!</p>
<p>Would you say ANY classes over the summer are not advisable, or just pre-med pre reqs? Because if it isn’t advisable to take cell bio over the summer what about an econ course I would like to get out of the way that I need for my major?</p>
<p>Per the more credible members on this board, summers are for extra-curriculars.
Quite simply, you do school most of the year, so doing more school won’t prove anything to them as doing more ECs will.</p>
<p>Good point. Thanks for the input.
Another question I have is what do you think about cell bio? How necessary is cell bio for a pre-med student that isn’t a biology major? Is it important to have taken this class for the MCAT?
Say I take physics and orgo as a sophomore, then I take cell bio in the fall of my junior year. Would it be advisable to take the MCAT January of my Junior year, or is it better to take it in May of my Junior year? Because ideally I’d like to transition from undergrad to med school without a gap year. Maybe if I take the MCAT in May it will be too late? </p>
<p>Or what I can do is (if Cell Bio isn’t needed for the MCAT) keep a relatively easy schedule in the fall of my Junior year giving me ample free time to study for the MCAT (not to mention the summer before that to study as well) and then take the MCAT in January, and take Cell Bio in the spring of my Junior year. However, this would only make sense if Cell Bio wasn’t needed on the MCAT. If it is, then I’d either need to take it while studying for the MCAT, or hold off the MCAT until May. Your input is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I do not see any problem taking econ. during summer. Make sure that EC’s are available for you at home. As I have mentioned, D. had no problem getting what she wanted (Med. Reserch internship, owesome campus job, volunteering of her choice, organizing another one, going abroad…other opportunities) at her college and I bet she could have done them over summer (abroad was actually over few weeks after spring finals). However, she preferred to be at home over summer and had hardest time finding any EC’s at home. Could not find any paying positions, period, not retail, not fast food, not any dirtiest job. Found few volunteering opportunities and shadowing MD’s only because she was very persistant in pusuit of both, went on when most would have given up. So, research beforehand, try to contact, apply earlier.</p>
<p>Taking Genetics and Physiology was very helpful for MCAT, I do not remember if D. mentioned anything about Cell Bio. Her Junior load was somewhat lower (I believe about 16 hours instead of 18) and she took long MCAT course because of her EC’s (October thru April). That worked for her. But I have seen some people like to review everything in shorter period and closer to exam. D. actually wished that she had scheduled MCAT 1-2 day after finals, she had hard time waiting for 2 weeks. No, she did not study previous summer, that would be waste of time. Again, scheduling preferences are very personal, so do whatever is the best for you.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input! Really appreciate it</p>