<p>Wow, I never knew the actual stats. of those getting 30+ collegestu: Perhaps pre-health advising should perhaps stress the issue. I actually think that is generally better to have a lower GPA and a higher MCAT than the other way around. This is the general trend seen among top school applicants who may be considered “less competitive” that still get in somehow. Emory bucks this trend and it obviously hurts. The pre-health advisors should maybe emphasize that it’s okay to take really some easy science course in the case of a crowded schedule of some sort (ECs, very heavy courseload, MCAT prep.) but in general the student should take the more challenging courses/professors known for good teaching and do the best they can (even that involves employing every learning resource possible).<br>
Collegestu is definitely right: You should consider taking bio and chem together, and then the orgo. physics combo sophomore year. That’s a more traditional track that seems to work. Like most, you can take NBB 301 junior year. As said, taking bio junior year is indeed a bad idea, because they still have to take 301, 302, 401, and several electives that will require 141/142. Needless to say, a load such as that will be hard to manage senior year. Also, in terms of MCAT prep (normally people start sophomore/junior year), waiting that late to have legit exposure to biology is probably a bad idea.</p>