Quick question!
Can one get away with taking the MCAT without taking their second semester of physics? I maybe able to take it next spring after a prep course???
It depends on what shows up on your MCAT and if you can assimilate the info well enough during your prep to make up the difference. I’m glad I didn’t try it, personally.
Just like sevenwheels said, it depends on how well you can assimilate the knowledge. I took Physics 1 and 2 about 10 years ago and I didn’t want to take them over again so I just studied my butt off using Kaplan, Berkely Review, and ExamKrackers. If you do enough practice problems, you should be fine. See how well you do on one of the practice MCATs. I ended up with a 12 on my PS section. Be prepared to memorize lots of formulas and techniques (right hand rule, etc). Good Luck!
I took most of the AAMC practice tests. Some had barely any physics-2. Others had more Physics-2 than physics-1. I got a 13PS on the real thing. I wouldn’t recommend it. At my school we didn’t learn sound stuff or fluid dynamics. Thermodynamics was a “chemistry” topic at our school so I also had to learn that from the physics standpoint. Doing all of that kind of sucked honestly. I had to read multiple times and use khanacademy.org a lot. So remembering that and extrapolating it to all physics-2 subjects is why I would say no. The one thing I will say is that I had physics2 this past spring semester. I took the MCAT on 6/21. I had to study for physics 2 topics the least of all the PS stuff.
How I studied: I had 6 intense weeks. No prep course. Examkrackers book set + the verbal passages book. Khanacademy for everything I hadn’t seen before or hadn’t reviewed in a long time. Google images for diagrams. Wikipedia as needed. [For bio specifically: interactivebiology on youtube covers some topics in more detail than khan (but use Khan first)]
- Matt1986 Said:
I took most of the AAMC practice tests. Some had barely any physics-2. Others had more Physics-2 than physics-1. I got a 13PS on the real thing. I wouldn't recommend it. At my school we didn't learn sound stuff or fluid dynamics. Thermodynamics was a "chemistry" topic at our school so I also had to learn that from the physics standpoint. Doing all of that kind of sucked honestly. I had to read multiple times and use khanacademy.org a lot. So remembering that and extrapolating it to all physics-2 subjects is why I would say no. The one thing I will say is that I had physics2 this past spring semester. I took the MCAT on 6/21. I had to study for physics 2 topics the least of all the PS stuff.
How I studied: I had 6 intense weeks. No prep course. Examkrackers book set + the verbal passages book. Khanacademy for everything I hadn't seen before or hadn't reviewed in a long time. Google images for diagrams. Wikipedia as needed. [For bio specifically: interactivebiology on youtube covers some topics in more detail than khan (but use Khan first)]
How I studied: I had 6 intense weeks. No prep course. Examkrackers book set + the verbal passages book. Khanacademy for everything I hadn't seen before or hadn't reviewed in a long time. Google images for diagrams. Wikipedia as needed. [For bio specifically: interactivebiology on youtube covers some topics in more detail than khan (but use Khan first)]
Wow!! This is good stuff. I'll be sure to follow your advice. Thank you!
Why would you want to put yourself at that kind of disadvantage if you don’t have to? A lot of the concepts in physics 2 are difficult for people even with instruction. The only course I would feel completely at ease with not having taken before the mcat would be the 2nd half of bio because the EK books teach you everything you could possibly need.
cj8
Every school I am looking at wants “6 or more credits of Physics” How do you get 6 credits if you do not take 2 semesters? I would double check admissions criteria for schools you are looking at…
- Courtjester8 Said:
Why would you want to put yourself at that kind of disadvantage if you don't have to? A lot of the concepts in physics 2 are difficult for people even with instruction. The only course I would feel completely at ease with not having taken before the mcat would be the 2nd half of bio because the EK books teach you everything you could possibly need.
cj8
cj8
I want to echo this and add that it would be better for you to take Human physiology, genetics, and microbiology then to take Bio2. Unless your school places a significant emphasis on the medical/human stuff of bio2.
- VickiV Said:
Every school I am looking at wants "6 or more credits of Physics" How do you get 6 credits if you do not take 2 semesters? I would double check admissions criteria for schools you are looking at....
The OP is going to take physics 2 eventually. He just wants to take the MCAT before he does or before he finishes the course.
I took the MCAT immediately after Physics 2, and I can’t imagine attempting it without having much of that material fresh in my mind…never mind not even having gone through the course yet.
My first MCAT, I’d have been fine without Physics II… second MCAT, I’d have been SOL without it…
There is a reason the course is required, and it’s a huge gamble to take the exam without it. Unless you are extremely disciplined at self study like Matt1986 (way to go, by the way!), I wouldn’t risk it.
Good luck!! The MCAT is definitely a beast…but you can do it!
Agreed with Carrie and Matt. You could get a test that is mostly Physics II topics and regret it.
Physics represents a full 25% of the sciences portion of the MCAT. I don’t think that’s where you want to leave yourself hanging. IMO…