Course selection for 2nd year at Guelph, for MCAT prep?

[Guest joshto]

What courses would you recommend for taking in 2nd year at Guelph, while considering that I plan to take the MCAT the summer after my 2nd year?

I know orgo, biochem, but what else to prepare well for MCAT?

[Guest muchdutch]

All the basics if you don't already have them: inorganic chem, biology, physics, and some physiology might help in some passages as well.

[Guest aneliz]

Chemistry - Chem 1040/1050 - if you haven't already taken it

Organic Chem - not a bad idea

Biochem - both 2nd and 3rd year are decent

Physics - high school level physics is more than sufficient

 

Biology - 1030/1040 + Genetics (2nd year) + Physiology (Mam or Human)

 

Other - Critical Thinking (PHIL*2???) or any philosophy course for VR and WS practice

[Guest joshto]

Ive taken all the first year science courses...chem, physics, bio...

 

I know I need to take orgo, biochem and genetics, but beyond that Im not too sure.

[Guest acarpent1]

beyond that you're fine.. if you want to do a little bit better on the verbal reasoning, I'd recommend taking Ethics.. i cant remember the number.. it's 2120 or SOMETHING.. anyway the course is called "critical thinking".. it's pretty easy to get a good grade and it's a fun AND helpful course..

 

Also.. if you can get Tam for orgo, TAKE HIM.. he's amazing.. you'll do well in it..

[Guest joshto]

thanks...

could this critical thinking course pass as an english course? who teaches it?

 

any other recommend courses for Verbal reasoning or guelph courses in general?

[Guest joshto]

This course has first-year pre-reqs that I didnt fulfill (philiosophy).

 

Let me know if you know differently

 

 

any other recommend courses for Verbal reasoning or guelph courses in general?

[Guest rookiemeds]

Is there a reason you have to take the MCAT after second year? The third year physiology class at Guelph is awesome and will really help for the MCAT, but you definitely can't take it in second year.

 

If you're in one of the majors that is allowed to take this course I would seriously consider taking it in third year and writing the MCAT after that.

[Guest joshto]

Can this physiology be learned in a review course?

[Guest rookiemeds]

Hey Joshto,

 

Anything can be learned in a review course but the guelph phys course is great! Personally I would rather learn orgo in a review course (since MCAT orgo is pretty basic and you will never ever ever need orgo for med school) and do the phys course (because it's super interesting, awesome, and helpful for the MCAT and for med school).

 

Just some thoughts.

[Guest joshto]

A couple q's

 

Whats the name?

How tough is it?

 

I Hope to take it in 3rd year...

 

know of any easy courses for 2nd year?

[Guest rookiemeds]

It's called Human Physiology and I think it's restricted to HK and BioMed students. It's a tough course but super interesting and applicable.

 

As for your second question... I don't have an answer. I don't want to sound like an academic snob but I never chose courses based on how easy they reported to be. I chose courses that I was interested in, and it served me well. I tended to do better in courses that interested me than the "bird" courses anyways.

[Guest aneliz]

joshto... I suggest that you get an academic calendar, look at the courses that you are *supposed* to be taking in semester 3 and 4 according to the plan for your major and, if you are still confused, book an appointment to meet with your program counsellor. If you are looking for courses to fill in electives with, try flipping through the course descriptions in the academic calendar and see what interests you. You can also look up the course descriptions for things like Human physiology to see if it sounds interesting to you (and make sure that you meet the pre-reqs). Advance planning of your courses is essential to graduating on time with all of your requirements... not every course is offered every semester... and nobody is going to hold your hand to make sure that you take the right courses at university.

 

Check out the calendar online here:

 

www.uoguelph.ca/undergrad_calendar/

 

 

Also, the critical thinking course suggested to you as excellent prep for the MCAT verbal DOES NOT have any pre-reqs other than being a second year student (ie completed 5.0 credits) or having done a first year phil course if you aren't a second year or higher.

 

PHIL*2100 Critical Thinking F,W (3-0) [0.50]

 

A course designed to develop clarity of thought and method in the analysis and construction of arguments. By contrast to PHIL*2110, the emphasis here is upon informal principles of critical thinking and arguments stated in terms of ordinary language. Topics include the nature and methods of arguing, classification, definition and fallacies.

 

Prerequisite(s): 5.00 credits or 1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050

[Guest joshto]

Uh-oh! I'm at Guelph now just to remind you,

 

Orgo 1 (chem 2700) is only offered in the Winter semester, but I plan to write the MCAT next summer, meaning I will not have Orgo 2 (Chem 3750). What should I do to get around this? How important is Orgo 2?

 

Please Help!!

[Guest HP]

I took an English course (non-fiction literature) the semester before I wrote the MCAT and I think it made a big difference in my VR score.

[Guest darlaa]

I've not had a problem with any of the MCAT Orgo and have NOT been able to take Orgo 2 (it's yet to be offered conveniently for me).

 

Human phys at Guelph didn't have a program restriction last year, I'd be surprised if it did now. It's a great class, fantastic prof.

 

If you're stressed about getting the physiology in, maybe pick up a phys colouring book to get ahead or flip through the phys section of a MCAT review book to see if it's at least familiar.

 

If the Critical thinking doesn't work, Eng 1200 was good to me. I was able to improve my essay writing skills and learned to critically read fiction. Plus it counts as an essay-english course.

[Guest joshto]

Orgo 1 (chem 2700) is only offered in the Winter semester, but I plan to write the MCAT next summer, meaning I will not have Orgo 2 (Chem 3750). What should I do to get around this? How important is Orgo 2 to the MCAT?

[Guest BigE]

hey,

Just take Orgo 1 with Tam, one of the best courses taught at guelph imo. I was in biomed and took Orgo in the winter and did more than fine on the MCAT without Orgo 2 (wrote it after 2nd year), I think the only stuff from orgo 2 on the MCAT is a few reactions and some experimental Spec stuff.

 

What major are you in? Human Phys is taken by most people in 3rd year and is a great course (I dont think its restricted to HK and biomeds, only anatomy is). You probably wont be able to take in in 2nd year because its a 1.25 credits only offered in the fall. You can do fine on the MCAT without Phys, but do take it in the fall of 3rd year in case the MCAT doesnt work out as planned and you need to re-write.

 

I cant comment on the critical thinking class, I only took philosophy of med, but I dont know how much any class will really help you with verbal, I think its one of those things that just takes practice and confidence.

 

Cheers,

Eric

[Guest aneliz]

Don't worry about orgo 2... I wrote the MCAT having only taken orgo 1... it was fine. The extent of the orgo on the MCAT is essentially what was taught in CHEM 1040... however, seeing it in more detail will increase your ability to retain it (which is essentially what orgo 1 is all about). There may be a couple of reactions on the MCAT that are taught in orgo 2... but really, it is not an issue. If you don't absolutely need orgo 2, I wouldn't bother taking it. It is a hard core, chem major course that is not fun. The tone and teaching style and content is significantly harder than orgo 1.

 

I would highly recommend critical thinking to anyone... it will really improve your ability to 'deconstruct' the verbal passages... it is essentially a course of verbal reasoning. So, if you find yourself struggling with verbal, it can only help. That said, verbal does take practice and no course is a 'quick fix' to get a good verbal score.

[Guest joshto]

Would it make any sense to delay writing the MCAT until after 3rd year just b/c I want to get Orgo 2 done?

 

And isn't a full year of Orgo (ie. 1 & 2) required by the majority of US & Canadian med schools?

 

Also, anyone here heard anything about Music & Pop. Culture at Guelph? (Music 2150)

[Guest aneliz]

I don't think that orgo is required by a majority of canadian schools... the ONLY school in Ontario that required it was UWO and that requirement has now been dropped. I don't know about the OOP or US schools because I didn't apply there. That said, I didn't write the MCAT until after third year when I had done both orgo and physiology. Your choice.

 

As for Music and Pop culture, I didn't take it... but several people I know did. They said it was an alright course... not too difficult, but it did require showing up, sober, to the thurs evening class and there was quite a lot of time involved in the 'listening' sessions.

[Guest joshto]

Don't I have to take the course anywyas because most American schools require the full year of orgo????

 

I plan to take the MCAT in the August following next year.

 

I plan to take a prep course. What do you think I should do with the whole Orgo 2 thing???

 

Here are my courses and profs:

 

PHIL*2100*01 (7244) Critical Thinking P. Raymont

MUSC*2150*01 (7152) Music & Pop.Culture J. Stewart

MBG*2000*01XX (8294) Intro Genetics C. Schisler

BIOL*2210*02 (5845) Intro Cell Bio. M. Coppolino & G. van der Merwe

 

BIOL*2060*0101 (5840) Ecology S. Crawford

 

 

Any thoughts/comments/tips on profs or courses????

[Guest spitfireMkIX]

Had a different prof for Crit Think so I can't comment on that, aside from it being a good course. You can really tear apart others in arguments after taking it! Didn't take Music & Pop, but am told there is a new guy who's trying harder to make it not a bird course -- though it's still an easy course. Didn't take ecology.

 

Schisler is a great genetics prof, you know exactly what she wants. Do the workbook!!! Exams are like that, with a few true/false drawn from lecture notes. Text doesn't matter too much. Also get old midterms from Biology House.

 

Cell bio is a tough course, but I made it my goal to do really well and succeeded. Go to class, and if you're not writing down more info on the handouts based on the lecture you're doing something wrong. You only have to know info to the level of detail presented in class. Most everything in class is also in the text, so if you don't understand a concept read the associated part of the text. Otherwise, if you know the lecture material you're ok. Get old midterms for this class from Bio House too. They don't recycle too much but it gives you a good sense of the style, which helps.

[Guest joshto]

anyboyd know anything on this Ecology course?

[Guest darlaa]

I took it with Brian Husband a couple of years ago. It's a very straight forward class and quite interesting. The labs aren't rocket science and the TAs were great. Marks were easy enough to get if you put in the time required. It has the potential to be a good class for you too.

 

My personal comment on Music and Pop Culture is that it's much more work than most people expect-cool if you enjoy the subject matter, but if you're trudging through it, could be a long semester.

 

For me, this was a much easier course, though it's not offered until winter. There were essays but the practice with criticism was helpful in my other courses.

THST*2500 Contemporary Cinema W (2-3) [0.50]

The course is designed to give the student knowledge and understanding of contemporary cinematic expression.

Equate(s): DRMA*2500