Am I even ready to apply or Gap Year?

[HopefulDoctor28]

Hey everyone, so about to enter my junior year of college and as everyone knows this is quite a critical year. I plan on applying the traditional route and I'm just looking if there is any advice you guys could give. My GPA is probably headed in the 3.7ish range for Science and 3.8 for overall. I am signed up to take my MCAT later this summer but will reschedule if I don't feel prepared. Aiming for a 512+ hopefully. Below are what my extracurriculars are shaping up to be.

-Membership in a Pre med Fraternity
-Volunteering with a non profit organization(aiming for 100-150 hours)
-Research for 1.5 years(Aiming to get some sort of publication or poster presentation next year)
-Leadership in 2 Student Organizations
-Leadership through 2 University Departmental organization(One of which is SG)
-Volunteer 2 semesters with local hospital

Right now aiming to get some more clinical and nonclinical volunteering opportunities in as well as shadowing. Have no shadowing as of now but will hopefully be able to shadow 2-3 physicians throughout the next year. Any advice will truly be appreciated. Thank you all in advance

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[HopefulDoctor28]

Bump?

 

[takeurmeds02]

Not detailed enough and no MCAT so impossible to judge

LOL does not compute.

 

[candbgirl]

So you have NO MCAT yet, and most of your ECs are in the "aiming for" category! It's really impossible to advise you with so little information. But I'd plan on a gap year so you have the necessary time to build a strong application. You really only want to apply once with the best application possible.


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[md-2020]

OP is still a sophomore. Everything looks fine to me, as long as he/she actually follows through on the plans (which aren't that unrealistic or anything) and scores decently on the MCAT. You're pretty on track for a normal application, IMHO. Not sure why some of my fellow SDNers are expressing otherwise--please feel free to enlighten me if I'm blatantly missing something.

Edit:

I'd plan on a gap year so you have the necessary time to build a strong application. You really only want to apply once with the best application possible.

I mean OP has a whole year to get some shadowing/volunteering in so

 

[HopefulDoctor28]

Thank you md-2020!

 

[Skydive Fox]

For a sophomore, I'd say you're on the right track (respectable GPA, EC's, etc) and wouldn't need a gap year as long as you (a) keep the GPA strong, (b) get shadowing hours & clinical experience, and (c) do well on the MCAT (note: this one is ultimately the key).

p.s. I think you're already way ahead of many of your peers by seeking advice this early and planning ahead. Keep this up and best of luck on the MCAT!