Is this a good 3 year plan for majoring in MCB/premed?

wannabestudent · July 26, 2009, 12:18pm

Anyways, I’m gonna be a freshman and I plan on doing the new Cell Bio emphasis within MCB-CDB. I’m also doing premed. Some of the upper division courses may be incorrect or updated by the time I actually get there, but this is just for the sake of a preliminary plan. I also plan on taking the MCAT of spring of sophomore year, and finish Cal in 3 years. To all current Cal students, does this tentative schedule seem doable? Or how should I change it?

<pre><code> Frosh Fall:
</code></pre>

Math 1a
Chem 1a
French R1A
Afr Amer Studies 28AC (Social and Behavioral Studies Breadth)(AC Breadth)

<pre><code> Frosh Spring:
</code></pre>

Math 1B
Chem 3a
Chem 3aL 
English R1B 
Bio1B

<pre><code> Frosh Summer:
</code></pre>

Chem 3B/ 3BL

Bio 1A/1AL
Physics 8A
History Breadth
Arts/Lit Breadth

Declare Major____

<pre><code> Soph Spring:
</code></pre>

Intern.Studies Breadth
Physics 8B
Philosophy/Values Breadth
MCB 102

<pre><code> Junior Fall:
</code></pre>

MCB 104
MCB 133A

<pre><code> Junior Spring
</code></pre>

MCB 133L 
MCB Elective
MCB Elective

Electives: Any upper-division MCB course EXCEPT 110, 180, 190, H196, 198, 199 or MCB labs.

rider730 · July 26, 2009, 2:40pm

Think you mean MCB 130A, not 133A, which is only taught in Spring. Upper division courses often are taught only certain semesters, sometimes only every other year, which is a KEY factor in planning your schedule and of course for phase I registration priority.

This schedule assumes you get into every course you want in the semester you want it. A number of the premed requirements are in high demand, but you are only likely to get into the ones you do in phase I. Some of your semesters have priority classes totalling more than 10.5 units.

However, the saving grace is summer session, when a fair number of the pre-med and major prereq and breadth classes are given. That is an insurance policy on your three year plan, but at the expense of additional fees for the summer semesters.

I didn’t total the units to verify that you met ALL the requirements - 120 units for L&S, 7 breadths, AC, MCB requirements, pre-med, at least 36 units of upper division courses, at least 6 units outside major department, at least 60 units taken in L&S, quantitative reasoning, foreign language and american history - but these are all constraints on your modeling that have to be considered.

stly · July 26, 2009, 5:51pm

for the 120 units, AP credits count so you can probably hit 120 units. you’re looking at maybe 90 units in your schedule there (didn’t add them up, just guessing).

one suggestion is for your breadth courses, take upper div’s so they count toward your 6 units outside major and your 36 unit minimum for UD’s. you also have some room in junior fall for some other courses.

like rider mentioned, your biggest challenge will be telebears and getting into all the classes you want so you do want to leave some room for changes.

also for your second semester freshman year, that’s a real tough load. i did chem3a/3al, math 1b, R5B course, and a 3unit breadth course and i was almost always behind on work. i suggest possible moving some courses around.

lastly, i do not know if you are aware of this already but most medical schools prefer you do the full 4 years rather than try to get through everything really quickly…

babydragon · July 29, 2009, 7:25pm

I strongly agree with stly on this point. If paying for college is an important issue for you considering the turn of events in California, then finishing at a public university in 3 years is reasonable, but not if you consider applying for medical school after that. In fact medical schools are so expensive these days, people who wish to pursue medicine must realize that they will most certainly fall into deeper debt than their peers.

With that said, a glance at your schedule tells me that you will probably be juggling 2-3 core science classes a semester, including summers. That leaves even the brightest students a congested amount of time to look outside the classroom for things they are interested in doing (extracurriculars). This is not to mention the toll it will take on your social life for the next several years.

Glancing from your schedule, you are attempting to take the MCAT without having finished Phys 8B. If you think high school SAT’s and Ap’s have prepared you enough, then go jump the bridge.

My point: Usain Bolt cannot outrun a Kenyan distance runner

tastybeef · July 29, 2009, 8:09pm

It looks good and totally doable. I know of many MCB kids who finish in 3 years.

Your schedule may leave you strapped for time to do research though.

sn0angel07 · July 30, 2009, 4:37pm

just wanted to bump this thread… do all med schools look at an applicant negatively if they graduate in 3 years? I mean you’re still applying at the same time as other students of your class (beginning of 4th year), you’re just not taking classes anymore. I just wanted to know since I came in with a lot of community college units, so it shouldn’t be a problem graduating in 3.

eyeheartphysics · July 30, 2009, 6:23pm

excellent example.

Is this a good 3 year plan for majoring in MCB/premed?

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