MCAT Syllabus Explained

Mahnoor Leel

1st Year

UHS issues syllabus of MCAT each year but problem is that the syllabus is quite confusing itself. It becomes difficult to decide which topics to prepare and which ones to leave. So, here the syllabus of MCAT’15 is explained. Most probably, there won’t be much change in syllabus of MCAT’16.

                                     BIOLOGY

                    Part 1

·         Chapter 1      

“Biology in the service of mankind” till the end of chapter

·         Chapter 2

    Table 2.1 on first page + From   Carbohydrates till the end

·         Chapter 3 

  Complete

·         Chapter 4    

§  Following sub-topics from “Structure of a generalized cell”

1)Plasma Membrane

2)Endoplasmic Reticulum

3)Ribosomes

4)Golgi Apparatus

5) Centriole

6) Mitochondria

7)Nucleus

§  “Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell” given at the end of chapter

Comparison of typical plant and animal cell is not given clearly in the textbook so you can do it from here 

·         Chapter 5    

From “Life cycle of Bacteriophages” till the end.

·         Chapter 6    

“Structure of bacteria” + “Importance of bacteria” + “Use and misuse of antibiotics”

§  All topics mentioned above complete

·         Chapter 7  

     Nothing

·         Chapter 8 

From start of chapter to end of “Nutrition in fungi” + Table 8.1 (At least you should the typical examples of different phyla) + Zygomycota & fig 8.8 + Importance of Fungi

·         Chapter 9    

Nothing

·         Chapter 10  

From start of chapter to end of coelomates and then Porifera, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes,Nematoda and Arthropoda. 

§  To be on safe side prepare the phyla mentioned above completely.No need to do any other phylum.

·         Chapter 11   

   Complete

·         Chapter 12           

“Digestion in man” till the end.

·         Chapter 13  

From “Respiration in man” upto end of chapter

·         Chapter 14

“Pumping organ-The Heart” (complete) + “Lymphatic System” + “Immunity and  its types”

                      Part 2

·         Chapter 15

“Concepts in homeostasis” + “Excretion in human” to “Kidney transplant” (complete topic)

·         Chapter 16 

“Endoskeleton” (Page # 30) + From “Human Skeleton” to “Movement of bones”

·         Chapter 17

“Biological clocks and circadian rhythms” + Neurons (Page # 60) + From “Central nervous system” till end of “testes”

·         Chapter 18  

“Reproduction in man” till the end.

·         Chapter 19

   Nothing

·         Chapter 20

“DNA as hereditary material” till the end of chapter.

·         Chapter 21

“Meiotic Errors”

·         Chapter 22

“Patterns of Sex Determination” (Humans) + “Sex linkage in humans” till  the end + Definitions of Mutation, Epistasis, Gene, Allele and Multiple allele.

·         Chapter 23

“From cloning of gene” upto “Analyzing  DNA”  + “Transgenic Animals” + “Cloning of transgenic animals” + “Gene Therapy”

·         Chapter 24

From “Inheritance of acquired characteristics” to “Neo-Darwinism” + “Evidences of evolution”(The fossil record)

·         CHAPTER 25

“Succession” (Complete)

·         CHAPTER 26

   Nothing

·         CHAPTER 27

“Man’s impact on environment” till end.

NOTE:

Last year there was a huge confusion regarding Chapter no. 5 according to UHS syllabus i.e Kingdom Plantae and Animalia. Both of the kingdoms were included in “contents” but in “learning outcomes”,only topics related to Animalia were there.To eradicate this confusion the issue was put forth by students in Orientation Seminar held by UHS at RMC. The team clearly told the students to ignore “contents” and prepare topics present under the heading of “learning outcomes” only!

Same goes for other such chapters within the syllabus.

                 CHEMISTRY

                   Part 1 

·         CHAPTER 1

Complete

·         CHAPTER 3

Full chapter except “Plasma state”

·         CHAPTER 4 

From start of chapter (topic 4.1) to topic 4.2.7 then “Crystals and their classification” till end of chapter.

·         CHAPTER 5

Start of chapter to “Properties of neutron” + Table 5.1 + “Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle upto end of chapter.

·         CHAPTER 6 

Full chapter except “Molecular orbital theory”

·         CHAPTER 7

  Complete

·         CHAPTER 8 

Full Chapter

·         CHAPTER 9 

From start to “Parts per million” (Topic 9.1.5) and then “Colligative properties of solutions” (Topic 9.6) to the end.

·         CHAPTER 10 

From start to “Applications of electrochemical series” + fuel cells

·         CHAPTER 11

Complete

                   Part 2

·         CHAPTER 1

Full chapter except “The position of hydrogen”

·         CHAPTER 2 

Topic 2.2.1 ( Point no.4,5,6) + Topic 2.2.2 ( Point no.1,6) + Topic 2.2.3 (Oxides & Hydroxides) + Topic 2.3

·         CHAPTER 3 

Topic 3.5.1 & 3.5.2

·         CHAPTER 4

Nitric acid preparation + topic 4.5.1

·         CHAPTER 5

Start to topic 5.6 then topic 5.7.6 ( Uses of noble gases)

·         CHAPTER 6

Table 6.1 and 6.2 + Topic 6.2.1 (e & f) + Topic 6.3

·         CHAPTER 7

Topic 7.7 to end

·         CHAPTER 8

Nomenclature of Alkanes and Alkenes + Topic 8.3.4

(Combustion,Oxidation,Halogentaion with mechanism) + Topic 8.4.1(Dehydrohalogenation of Alkyl halides,Dehydration of alcohols,Dehalogenation of vicinal dihalides)  + Topic 8.4.4

·         CHAPTER 9

Topics 9.3.4 to 9.3.7 + 9.5.2 (Halogenation,Nitration,Fiedel-Crafts reactions) + 9.5.3 (Halogenation)

·         CHAPTER 10

Topic 10.5 complete

·         CHAPTER 11

Topics 11.2+11.2.1+11.2.2+11.2.4+11.2.5+ 11.2.6+11.2.7+11.3+11.5.4+11.5.6(Nitration & Halogenation)

·         CHAPTER 12

Topics 12.1 + 12.3+12.4+12.5.1(a) 1,6 + 12.5.1(b) Reaction with 2,4-DNPH + 12.5.1(i) + 12.5.3 +12.6 (3,4)

ü  Mechanisms not required.

·         CHAPTER 13

13.2 + 13.3(1,2,5)+13.6(a)(b)+13.7.1+13.7.2+ 13.8 till end

ü  Mechanisms not required.

·         CHAPTER 14

   Complete

·         CHAPTER 15

15.4.1(Nitrogenous fertilizers)

·         CHAPTER 16

Topic 16.2.2 till end of chapter

                        PHYSICS

                       Part 1    

·         CHAPTER 1

1.1+1.2+1.3+1.8 + Table 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4

·         CHAPTER 2

2.4+2.5+2.6

·         CHAPTER 3,4

      Nothing

·         CHAPTER 5

5.11+5.12

·         CHAPTER 6

Complete

·         CHAPTER 7

Full chapter

·         CHAPTER 8

Topics 8.3+8.11 + Side box on page # 162 + table 8.1+ Values of gas constants

·         CHAPTER 9

   Full

·         CHAPTER 10

10.1+10.2+10.3+10.4+10.8+10.9+10.10+10.11+10.12

·         CHAPTER 11

Full except “Entropy”

                      Part 2

·         CHAPTER 12

From 12.13 to end

·         CHAPTER 13

Topic 13.4

·         CHAPTER 14

14.1+14.2+14.4+14.8

·         CHAPTER 15,16

   Nothing

·         CHAPTER 17

Topic 17.1+17.2

·         CHAPTER 18

Topics 18.12+18.13+18.14

·         CHAPTER 19

   Nothing

·         CHAPTER 20

20.3 upto end of chapter

·         CHAPTER 21

Topics 21.2+21.4 to 21.7+21.11 to 21.13 + Table 21.1,21.4

             ………………………….

§  Those topics of syllabus which aren’t from FSc textbooks can be prepared from KIPS Entrance Test Series(KETS)

          …………………………….

P.S This is how I perceived the syllabus. Errors may be there.Never follow anything blindly.Think about everything on your own and do what you think is right and in case you are unable to decide whether to do a topic or not,then remember zyada knowledge km knowledge se behtar hai!

Good Luck :)