UMass-Boston thread

[blankguy]

Can cell biology remedy the weak general biology instruction?

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[jintonic5]

hey i was wondering... i'm applying to some master's programs next semester while taking classes at umb. hypothetically if i do well next semester at umassboston (triple fingercrossing), would professors be willing to write a statement saying that as of midsemester i'm doing well in their class? i was just thinking that i don't have much going for me in terms of academic record as of now, so if they wrote a note like that it might help with master's applications.

dumb idea or no? has anyone heard of anything like that?

 

[blankguy]

hey i was wondering... i'm applying to some master's programs next semester while taking classes at umb. hypothetically if i do well next semester at umassboston (triple fingercrossing), would professors be willing to write a statement saying that as of midsemester i'm doing well in their class? i was just thinking that i don't have much going for me in terms of academic record as of now, so if they wrote a note like that it might help with master's applications.

dumb idea or no? has anyone heard of anything like that?

Depends, if this is in the middle of a 2nd semester in a 2 semester sequence, you could, but in a one course I doubt it. But I would ask.

 

[blankguy]

Where is the prehealth career office? I would like to meet up with McSorley. Does anybody know when she is available?

About the biochem bit. I heard that Hagar is straightforward as in throwing a fastball while Dr. Pitcher throws you a curve ball. I had Dr.Pitcher as a lab instructor for Orgo he seems to be way too hands off. I don't know if that is his style or he just isn't familiar with the lab since he came to UMass last year

 

[jintonic5]

so for orgo II do we have to register for lecture and lab AND discussion?

 

[jintonic5]

i'm signing up for orgo II and cell bio(no lab). anyone interested in starting an SDN study group?

 

[blankguy]

so for orgo II do we have to register for lecture and lab AND discussion?

Yup, but they don't take attendance in discussion.

 

[blankguy]

i'm signing up for orgo II and cell bio(no lab). anyone interested in starting an SDN study group?

Let see if we can sign up for the same sections for Orgo II

 

[MedSchoolHopefu]

is there an application fee for the UMB program?

 

[jintonic5]

is there an application fee for the UMB program?

if you want to apply as a degree seeking student, then there's an application fee of 30 bucks i think.


blankguy, what sections/labs are you looking at for orgo II?

 

[blankguy]

if you want to apply as a degree seeking student, then there's an application fee of 30 bucks i think.


blankguy, what sections/labs are you looking at for orgo II?

Whatever sections are not filled when I get to register on the 10th? Can you fill me in which sections are open??

Last semester lab was a nightmare for me one mess up after another but I still managed to pull an A for the course eventhough my lab grade put me in the middle of the class.

 

[ockhamsRzr]

Whatever sections are not filled when I get to register on the 10th? Can you fill me in which sections are open??

Blankguy,

I just tried to get into add/drop registration online at UMB to find out what the rolls look like for orgo, but their site is down. I'll post what's available once I can get access. Probably later today...

Ockham

 

[blankguy]

Blankguy,

I just tried to get into add/drop registration online at UMB to find out what the rolls look like for orgo, but their site is down. I'll post what's available once I can get access. Probably later today...

Ockham

Thanks. Let me know also how many open spots are left for each section.

 

[blankguy]

I just registered for Orgo II and Bio II. The labs are wednesday afternoon for orgo II and thursday morning Bio II.

 

[jintonic5]

I just registered for Orgo II and Bio II. The labs are wednesday afternoon for orgo II and thursday morning Bio II.

i'm in wednesday's lab and tuesday afternoon discussion.

 

[blankguy]

Resurrecting this thread.
How's everybody's semester going?
It sucks having o. chem and bio back to back in the same auditorium.

 

[ockhamsRzr]

Resurrecting this thread.
How's everybody's semester going?
It sucks having o. chem and bio back to back in the same auditorium.

Lipke sucks if you're tall...my knees are always hitting the "tray tables"!

I'm in bio 111 with Hagar, lectures are m/w 5:30-6:45. Semester is fine, first test this Wed on the first 5 chaps in Cambell. Basically most of the class hasn't done the reading and so labs are a pain because folks don't know what they're doing (plus, we lost two classes due to snow days before our first class so lectures are way behind). But after waiting and planning for prereqs it's finally great to be on the way. I'll probably begin Harvard in the Fall (doing EMT-B at Northeastern from March thru late June) with bioII and Chem. Then Chem2 and A&P in the spring...leaning very much toward PA now, hopefully the Yale program. I might take stats over the summer at Umass, but I may also take the summer off.

Hope your semester is going well,

Ock

 

[jintonic5]

i hate orgo i hate orgo i hate orgo!!!!!!

schwartz is a good professor- get's a little off topic, which is annoying, but i like the pace of the class- challenging but not overwhelming. but in the end, i'm going to have to bust my butt to do well in this class- ochem is def. my achilles heel

blankguy- how full is tuesday lab? i'm debating over whether i should switch to that one because mine (wed afternoon) is very full, almost too full.

 

[blankguy]

i hate orgo i hate orgo i hate orgo!!!!!!

schwartz is a good professor- get's a little off topic, which is annoying, but i like the pace of the class- challenging but not overwhelming. but in the end, i'm going to have to bust my butt to do well in this class- ochem is def. my achilles heel

blankguy- how full is tuesday lab? i'm debating over whether i should switch to that one because mine (wed afternoon) is very full, almost too full.

My lab section also is filled. In fact I am one of the overflows condemned to "lab siberia"

I get a kick out of her commentaries that she inserts here and there. She makes the stuff so much simpler unlike the textbook

 

[blankguy]

Lipke sucks if you're tall...my knees are always hitting the "tray tables"!

I'm in bio 111 with Hagar, lectures are m/w 5:30-6:45. Semester is fine, first test this Wed on the first 5 chaps in Cambell. Basically most of the class hasn't done the reading and so labs are a pain because folks don't know what they're doing (plus, we lost two classes due to snow days before our first class so lectures are way behind). But after waiting and planning for prereqs it's finally great to be on the way. I'll probably begin Harvard in the Fall (doing EMT-B at Northeastern from March thru late June) with bioII and Chem. Then Chem2 and A&P in the spring...leaning very much toward PA now, hopefully the Yale program. I might take stats over the summer at Umass, but I may also take the summer off.


Hope your semester is going well,

Ock

From what I hear Hagar is a good professor that prepares you well for the MCAT and DATs. Very straightforward. What experiments are you running? The ones that professor white has set up?

 

[ockhamsRzr]

From what I hear Hagar is a good professor that prepares you well for the MCAT and DATs. Very straightforward. What experiments are you running? The ones that professor white has set up?

We just finished our first exam this week. It was mostly chem principles and the word is that the average was 60-65. Hagar posted the answers outside of Lipke after the test so you could pretty much gauge what you got (answers to the 2 essays as well). He also said the curve is about 5 points which puts me and my group of lab/study partners all comfortably in the 90s.

Hagar is a good prof, but mostly it's the Cambell book that's really good. He lectures right from it and assuming you do the readings in advance of his lectures he's great. He also has his pet points of view that popped up on the test, but the test was totally fair, bordering on easier than I expected. The folks who blew it must have done no reading.

Anyway, lab experiments so far have been all chem based: proteases, molecules, hydrophobicity, etc. Next week we break out the microscopes so that should be fun.

I'm on campus all day T/Tr, and nights M/W...when are you around and how's Orgo?

Ock

 

[blankguy]

We just finished our first exam this week. It was mostly chem principles and the word is that the average was 60-65. Hagar posted the answers outside of Lipke after the test so you could pretty much gauge what you got (answers to the 2 essays as well). He also said the curve is about 5 points which puts me and my group of lab/study partners all comfortably in the 90s.

Hagar is a good prof, but mostly it's the Cambell book that's really good. He lectures right from it and assuming you do the readings in advance of his lectures he's great. He also has his pet points of view that popped up on the test, but the test was totally fair, bordering on easier than I expected. The folks who blew it must have done no reading.

Anyway, lab experiments so far have been all chem based: proteases, molecules, hydrophobicity, etc. Next week we break out the microscopes so that should be fun.

I'm on campus all day T/Tr, and nights M/W...when are you around and how's Orgo?

Ock

I'm around all 5 days of the week. I have classes from 11:30 am to 1:20 pm(Biology and orgo). On tues and thurs I have labs a 10am orgo on tuesday and biology on thursday. I wish I had Hagar for Bio I because the person that filled in for White last semester was not very clear on lecture and too fast.

 

[blankguy]

Just announced today by professor Schwartz. The chem department just hired 2 new organic chemist one of which will teach Organic Chemistry next fall. Those of you looking to take it next fall, will have a new instructor. She did not say who is going to teach it next fall. Over the last couple of years professor Schwartz's duties teaching this course has been diminishing since she has taken new administrative roles.

 

[dewballs]

does anybody have any idea who's teaching the organic sequence this summer. I decided Im going to do it over the summer and get it out of the way so i can concentrate on the DAT and physics next year. The summer course list doesnt list the professors yet.

 

[blueviolet]

I saw signs up at UMB for an info session on summer opportunities on the worcester campus. Since I probably can't make it, do know what this is about? Also, where can I find more info about umb's premed society?
Thanks

 

[blankguy]

We made it to the half way mark yay! How's everybody doing so far? I just had my second organic test. Biology lab is a pain in the neck

 

[dewballs]

Not going too bad so far........chemistry test #2 coming up next week and biology is fine so far. The second test isn't until another couple of weeks so I think I got plenty of time to go over all the plant life cycles. Randie is fine so far with the labs but she blew up this past week about the grading of the "skulls" lab.....apparently she graded in her own way which may or may not be what Brian was looking for. Either way, she's going to look into it next week for us.

 

[jintonic5]

anyone here in cell bio? i missed a few lectures and i was wondering if i could borrow someone's notes.

AMEN to the halfway mark! but that also means there's just 5 weeks til the mcat

 

[Smittyballz]

Hello,
I was wondering why there are 3 different sections one has to attend for chemistry. Discussion, lecture, and lab. It seems like a lot of time compared to other summer classes ie biology. Also does anyone know anything about S. Hawethorne who is teaching biology. Thanks so much

 

[blankguy]

Hello,
I was wondering why there are 3 different sections one has to attend for chemistry. Discussion, lecture, and lab. It seems like a lot of time compared to other summer classes ie biology. Also does anyone know anything about S. Hawethorne who is teaching biology. Thanks so much

I talked to a former classmate who took Bio last summer. He said that one of the lectures was taught by a grad student and that didn't stop him from getting a 34 in his MCAT. I remember looking over the summer catalog last year to take Physics 108, and I vaguely remember that same name listed under Biology.

 

[blankguy]

Just talked to Grace Mcsorley the premed counselor. I highly recommend that you schedule an appointment with her even if you are a nondegree student or are not officially in a postbac certificate program. You can get a composite committee letter from UMass even if you are nondegree and not in the postbac certificate program and are taking courses a la carte. Just make sure you see her.

 

[blankguy]

Just talked to Schwartz and Cerny. The new guy coming next year to teach is Dr.Salvatori(sp?). He is moving from a university that is doing away with their masters program. The good news is that he has teaching experience.

 

[tkim]

Just talked to Grace Mcsorley the premed counselor. I highly recommend that you schedule an appointment with her even if you are a nondegree student or are not officially in a postbac certificate program. You can get a composite committee letter from UMass even if you are nondegree and not in the postbac certificate program and are taking courses a la carte. Just make sure you see her.

Did she mention the 3 science classes (lab doesn't count - math does) from 3 different professors requirement in order to get a letter from UMass?

 

[blankguy]

Did she mention the 3 science classes (lab doesn't count - math does) from 3 different professors requirement in order to get a letter from UMass?

In my case that would be the only way to go since I've only taken science classes. If you do just the postbacc that's pretty much what you are going to end up doing anyway.

 

[jintonic5]

hey are you guys registered as non-degree seeking students? i am registered as a degree-seeking student, major undeclared. i decided to forgo trying to get the biochem degree cuz i would have to take all these distributions that i refuse to register for (freshman english? are you kidding me??).

i want to stay undeclared for the next year and just take the classes i want, but i'm afraid academic advising is going to hunt me down somehow. do you think they'll notice if i never move towards completing a major? or maybe i should just affiliate to something so that i can keep them off of my back? but then i have to deal with some professor who expects me to complete a major. i need to stay degree-seeking so i can continue getting those lovely financial perks of finaid what do you think i should do?

 

[blankguy]

hey are you guys registered as non-degree seeking students? i am registered as a degree-seeking student, major undeclared. i decided to forgo trying to get the biochem degree cuz i would have to take all these distributions that i refuse to register for (freshman english? are you kidding me??).

i want to stay undeclared for the next year and just take the classes i want, but i'm afraid academic advising is going to hunt me down somehow. do you think they'll notice if i never move towards completing a major? or maybe i should just affiliate to something so that i can keep them off of my back? but then i have to deal with some professor who expects me to complete a major. i need to stay degree-seeking so i can continue getting those lovely financial perks of finaid what do you think i should do?

Sorry about my very late response.
I am also non-degree. The only disadvantage of nondegree is that you are the last one to register. This is an issue with upper level courses since they have tight size limits. There are people who do apply and end up as degree seeking with no intention of completing their majors but I'm a little bit wary of doing that because it may make me look very bad. However it doesn't hurt to go to admissions in the Campus center and inquire about it, because some of the credits that you(Jin) took at Cornell will transfer and hopefully you won't have to take any of the general distribution requirements. Academic advising doesn't bother with nondegree seeking students as long as you maintain good standing.

Also if you haven't done so schedule an appointment with Grace McSorley.

For those of you who are in the Organic Chem 254 class the grades have just been posted. 28~29 A's
Here is the link to the course web site.
Course 254

There will be a new instructor next year so for those of you looking to take orgo next year don't rush out and get the text yet. The new instructor may change the course material.

 

[boomerang]

HI guys,

I read through alomost every posting on this thread.

I will be new to the Boston area and will be doing post-bacc and UMB.

I am having a hard time deciding what classes to take in the fall and who
to take them with.

I know I must take Biology II (offered at 6:00p.m.) and Organic.

I am also considering medical microbiology, geneteics, biochemistry...

I just graduated with a Master in Public Health with a 4.0 (and I worked full-time). So, I am no stranger to hard work. I do need to know (summation) who to take in the fall or what to take (will be taking MCAT in the spring 2006).

Any other info about moving to Boston (where to live) would be helpful.
Thanks

 

[ncalcate]

HI guys,

I read through alomost every posting on this thread.

I will be new to the Boston area and will be doing post-bacc and UMB.

I am having a hard time deciding what classes to take in the fall and who
to take them with.

I know I must take Biology II (offered at 6:00p.m.) and Organic.

I am also considering medical microbiology, geneteics, biochemistry...

I just graduated with a Master in Public Health with a 4.0 (and I worked full-time). So, I am no stranger to hard work. I do need to know (summation) who to take in the fall or what to take (will be taking MCAT in the spring 2006).

Any other info about moving to Boston (where to live) would be helpful.
Thanks

boomerang - a lot of people here on SDN can help you out. However, we need to know what you've taken already. Have you taken physics yet? It sounds like you've already taken GChem.

I did my post-bacc at UMB and had great success in getting into med school and on the MCAT. I took GChem with Carter, Physics (non-calc) with Mollow, Organic with Schwartz, Bio I with Hagar, and Bio II with some idiot PhD. I'd recommend all of those professors highly (except for the PhD guy) in terms of prepping you for the MCAT.

I've been out of UMB for a little over a year, but there are some current students who post here who can also answer your questions. But let us know what you still need to take. The other courses you listed are reasonable prep for med school... but they won't help you too much on the MCAT. They won't hurt though.

 

[boomerang]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I have taken all the required pre-med courses. I was pre-med in college but did not do well. Over the past 4 years I have been out I have taken Biology I (last summer) and Physics I (last fall).

McSorley recommended I retake courses that I did not receive an A or B in
previously, so that would be Biology II, Physics II, Biochemistry I and both sections or Orgo. Those courses must be retaken. I did receive a B- in Anatomy/Physiology.I don't know how important this is for the MCAT (or how much it would help me at this point).

Right now I am concentrating on those courses and then any others that would help me on the MCAT. I did well in General Chem but it has been
8 years since I took those classes. A refresher would boost my knowledge.

My Biological sciences section needs a serious boost. So, let me know what you think would be good to assist me in my independent MCAT prep.

I am looking into taking Cell Biology or Bichemistry/ Organic Chemistry/ Biology II and Medical Microbiology in the fall.

Let me know if you can help.

How did you prep for the MCAT.
Thanks

 

[ncalcate]

If you want to take the April 2006 MCAT, then, in my opinion, you should try to focus only on the 8 core science courses that the MCAT tests you on. Extra classes like biochem or Cell Bio might help a little, but in my opnion, I would only try to take those extra classes after you've mastered the content in the 8 core science classes. The last thing you want to do is to go above and beyond to learn everything in Biochem and then neglect G-Chem. On the MCAT, you might have only 1 or 2 questions that specifically get at material you learned in Biochem. Whereas you will have at least 35 questions that deal specifically with GChem.

G-Chem is very important on the MCAT. You might want to consider either taking the course or maybe sitting in it. Dr. Carter (an AWESOME professor) teaches G-Chem right before Organic at 10:30. You could always sit in his class, since you will likely be taking Organic at 11:30 in the same auditorium.

Bio II at UMB was somewhat of a disappointement. They don't have the time to teach you a lot of the physiology that you need to know on the MCAT - they wasted my time with stuff on plants and taxonomy that is not on the MCAT.

Bio I - I took it with Hagar - was very good. Everything I learned in it (except photosynthesis) was on the MCAT.

So if I were you, I would take:

Fall: Organic I, Physics II, and sit in GCHem with Carter
Spring: Organic II, Cell Bio?, GChem II with Carter

This is just my quick one-pass at what you could do. Get additional opinions so you make the best decision. However, I can't stress it enough that you should try to master the core 8 (Bio, GChem, Organic, Physics) classes before taking additional ones.

Also, I am travelling for the next week and won't be on SDN so I can't answer any responses you post. But good luck and I'll check back in a week or so. Plus, you'll get responses from other people too.

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I have taken all the required pre-med courses. I was pre-med in college but did not do well. Over the past 4 years I have been out I have taken Biology I (last summer) and Physics I (last fall).

McSorley recommended I retake courses that I did not receive an A or B in
previously, so that would be Biology II, Physics II, Biochemistry I and both sections or Orgo. Those courses must be retaken. I did receive a B- in Anatomy/Physiology.I don't know how important this is for the MCAT (or how much it would help me at this point).

Right now I am concentrating on those courses and then any others that would help me on the MCAT. I did well in General Chem but it has been
8 years since I took those classes. A refresher would boost my knowledge.

My Biological sciences section needs a serious boost. So, let me know what you think would be good to assist me in my independent MCAT prep.

I am looking into taking Cell Biology or Bichemistry/ Organic Chemistry/ Biology II and Medical Microbiology in the fall.

Let me know if you can help.

How did you prep for the MCAT.
Thanks

 

[Dave_D]

I did my post-bacc at UMB and had great success in getting into med school and on the MCAT. I took GChem with Carter, Physics (non-calc) with Mollow, Organic with Schwartz, Bio I with Hagar, and Bio II with some idiot PhD. I'd recommend all of those professors highly (except for the PhD guy) in terms of prepping you for the MCAT.

Wow, there's quite a few of us here arn't there?(Been taking classes at UMass for 2 years.) Anyway I just wanted to update one of the profs you were talking about. Schwartz isn't doing Organic anymore. She actually has finished switching to an administrative position. Personally I didn't like the way she taught the class when I took it in the fall.(Mostly because you couldn't talk to her in her office, she was too busy with other work. Ended doing alot of teaching myself.) Oh well, anybody that's taking Orgo II in the summer may see me there (Unfortunately I couldn't take the second semester during the spring, had a conflict with physics.)

Dave D

 

[blankguy]

Schwartz will be teaching orgo lab. The new guy is Dr. Salvatore. Biology at UMB though is a big disappointment. Dr. White while good a good professor tends to be skimping on the detail department. The instructor that I had last fall for Biology I was Dr. Ashok. She went into a lot of detail but was too disorganized. She is a Biochem lab instructor so when we got to the cellular respiration and biochem portion of the class she went a little bit farther than a standard bio class.

 

[boomerang]

Ok,

This info is great. It sounds like it will be

Fall: G Chem I, Orgo I and Physics II ( sit in on Bio class with Hagar)
Spring: Orgo II, Bio II, and Biochem/Math??

I am going to take your advise on G Chem, I agree it is very important.

I know you said you wont be here for a few weeks but
I was wondering how you prepared for the MCAT. Did you
take it the spring?

Thanks

 

[blankguy]

Ok,

This info is great. It sounds like it will be

Fall: G Chem I, Orgo I and Physics II ( sit in on Bio class with Hagar)
Spring: Orgo II, Bio II, and Biochem/Math??

I am going to take your advise on G Chem, I agree it is very important.

I know you said you wont be here for a few weeks but
I was wondering how you prepared for the MCAT. Did you
take it the spring?

Thanks

Do you seriously intend to take the MCAT next april? Because the proposed courseload may not leave you enough time to properly prepare for the MCAT next spring. Orgo II, Bio II and Biochem thats a heavy courseload.

 

[Dave_D]

Do you seriously intend to take the MCAT next april? Because the proposed courseload may not leave you enough time to properly prepare for the MCAT next spring. Orgo II, Bio II and Biochem thats a heavy courseload.

Yes, that does sound like quite a bit. I took only 2 classes (and an MCAT prep course) while I was getting ready for the MCAT last April. Oh for those that care I was in Cell Bio and Physics 114. It wasn't that bad but given what I heard of bio chem I'm glad I didn't take it. Also I was in Dr. Pitcher's Orgo lab in the Fall semester. (Just pointing this out since I'm starting wonder if I know any of the people that are posting here.)

Dave D

 

[boomerang]

Do you seriously intend to take the MCAT next april? Because the proposed courseload may not leave you enough time to properly prepare for the MCAT next spring. Orgo II, Bio II and Biochem thats a heavy courseload.

Blankguy,

Last August I took the MCAT while working a 40 hour job and going full time in a Master Program (graduated with 4.0). I did just as well as I did two years previous while just studying for the MCAT and working and got the same score.

For the two years I have been doing a 8:30 to 5:00 and then 6:00 to 10:00 everyday and through the summer.

Honestly, taking only three classes seems easy but because they are science classes I chose to do 3 classes each semester instead of four.

In the spring I will probably only want to take two lab classes and then a class without lab. I think it is doable. What I am debating is if I will take a prep course or just get the materials and do some self study.

Don't get me wrong, it is heavy in the spring but compared to what I have been doing it won't be as formidable as it sounds.

Blank guy, you have any advice on how to study next spring for MCAT.

I was actually thinking of reviewing all my sciences in the fall and then strat taking practice tests in the spring. What do you think?

 

[blankguy]

Yes, that does sound like quite a bit. I took only 2 classes (and an MCAT prep course) while I was getting ready for the MCAT last April. Oh for those that care I was in Cell Bio and Physics 114. It wasn't that bad but given what I heard of bio chem I'm glad I didn't take it. Also I was in Dr. Pitcher's Orgo lab in the Fall semester. (Just pointing this out since I'm starting wonder if I know any of the people that are posting here.)

Dave D

I was in Dr. Pitcher's lab last fall. My bench was right in front of where he sat.

 

[blankguy]

Blankguy,

Last August I took the MCAT while working a 40 hour job and going full time in a Master Program (graduated with 4.0). I did just as well as I did two years previous while just studying for the MCAT and working and got the same score.

For the two years I have been doing a 8:30 to 5:00 and then 6:00 to 10:00 everyday and through the summer.

Honestly, taking only three classes seems easy but because they are science classes I chose to do 3 classes each semester instead of four.

In the spring I will probably only want to take two lab classes and then a class without lab. I think it is doable. What I am debating is if I will take a prep course or just get the materials and do some self study.

Don't get me wrong, it is heavy in the spring but compared to what I have been doing it won't be as formidable as it sounds.

Blank guy, you have any advice on how to study next spring for MCAT.

I was actually thinking of reviewing all my sciences in the fall and then strat taking practice tests in the spring. What do you think?

I am struggling to figure out how to study for the MCAT now. I m using examkrackers and the 1001/101 books. They are good a cuting out all the fluff and background material.

But if you are going to do a full load of courses with the MCAT it might be better to do a prep course because frankly monkeying around trying to figure out your study plan is very distracting, but if you don't have the $$$$$ then you will have to get the books yourself and do it on your own. I think doint the practice tests in the spring is a good idea.

 

[boomerang]

I am struggling to figure out how to study for the MCAT now. I m using examkrackers and the 1001/101 books. They are good a cuting out all the fluff and background material.

But if you are going to do a full load of courses with the MCAT it might be better to do a prep course because frankly monkeying around trying to figure out your study plan is very distracting, but if you don't have the $$$$$ then you will have to get the books yourself and do it on your own. I think doint the practice tests in the spring is a good idea.

I have taken Kaplan Prep (2000). I heard princeton review was good.
As well as Exam crackers. Which one have you heard the best recommendations? Exam crackers is really expensive, I would rather
take something I don't have the books on (i.e Exam crackers,,???)

So who's orgo lab should I avoid?

Anyone taking Orgo in the fall??

 

[jintonic5]

anyone taking upper level bio classes this year? any word on the upper bio professors?

i'm committing myself and my sanity to doing a full time courseload of upper-levels.

g'luck to everyone taking the mcat this august-- i studied for the april one then choked the day of the test, and ended up leaving during the lunch break. at this point since i have already done the basic review, i'm just doing problems like crazy. i suggest for everyone that whatever strategy/books you use, make sure you get your hands on as many practice problems as possible and do them! in the end, if you don't have the stamina, it won't matter how well you know the material. trust me, i know from experience.