Should I minor and stay another year?...

[ThatKidJayBo]

Apologies in advanced if there's a similar thread but couldn't find any that fit my scenario...

Little background: Didn't know what I was doing with my life until my sophomore year at a CC. Got my **** together. Decided to major in Kinesiology instead of IT. Took the necessary Bios, physics, sociology, etc. Transfered to a state university and decided to go on the premed track. Ended up getting put on academic probation my first semester as a transfer (more vigorous classes, bigger lectures, etc. Didn't know how to study) Got my **** together once again. Got a 3.7 the next semester.

My scenario: To complete my Kinesiology degree I only need four Upper Level electives and a Core and then the med school prereqs: Orgo II, Chem II. I was thinking of picking up a minor in neuroscience (read the classes and their description and got really giddy...) to compliment the Major and "show" med schools that I'm passionate about learning and challenging myself, especially since i'm coming originally coming from a CC. If I were to pick up the minor, I would probably graduate in spring of '15 as appose to spring '14. I don't mind the extra year..

Don't have research, yet.
Have reasonably strong EC's..
Will end up taking the new MCAT

Any thoughts, suggestions, "you're skrewed's"?, If I wasnt clear, i'll be glad to specify any details.. I'm all ears...
Thanks in advanced.

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[SOMBound13]

Doing a minor doesn't "show" med schools anything. Taking an extra year to graduate is often seen as a negative anyway.

Unless your sGPA and cGPA needs boosting (which might be the case), graduate and move on. Getting a minor in Neuro may end up hurting your GPA. Are the Neuro classes BCMP? If not, then taking them would be a waste. If you have to take any extra classes, take BCMP, ace them, and boost both GPAs at the same time.

What will your sGPA and cGPA be at the end of this semester?

Your best plan is to get all A's for this semester and the next two, graduate, then apply during a glide year.

 

[gyngyn]

Doing a minor doesn't "show" med schools anything. Taking an extra year to graduate is often seen as a negative anyway.

Unless your sGPA and cGPA needs boosting (which might be the case), graduate and move on. Getting a minor in Neuro may end up hurting your GPA. Are the Neuro classes BCMP? If not, then taking them would be a waste. If you have to take any extra classes, take BCMP, ace them, and boost both GPAs at the same time.

What will your sGPA and cGPA be at the end of this semester?

Your best plan is to get all A's for this semester and the next two, graduate, then apply during a glide year.

Agree. Minors are immaterial to medical school admission (so are majors,mostly). MCAT, gpa, experience and motivation are the things we will look for in your application.

 

[Omppu27]

I would just take your premed pre reqs and graduate and keeping taking the prereqs if those aren't done by graduation. As much as you'd like to that the neuro classes, putting that time toward ECs would be a better idea. However, if they do count toward your sGPA then i don't think it's hurt to take a couple. But a minor is like 5-6 classes and might need some other random prereqs which might all be a waste of time/money.

 

[ThatKidJayBo]

Agree. Minors are immaterial to medical school admission (so are majors,mostly). MCAT, gpa, experience and motivation are the things we will look for in your application.

Thanks everyone who responded. You guys are right. I can just use that time for MCAT prep/EC's/etc.

Thank again!

 

[JGimpel]

It looks like you're done with the majority of your pre-reqs so your new major should be MCAT. No minors are necessary or helpful in med-school admissions. You'll have plenty of time to experience the joys of neuroanatomy and neurobiology in medical school. Neurology clerkships are fairly easy to come by in those years as not many people think to try it out. The next priority will making sure you show enough clinical experience in medicine and can get at least one strong LOR from the person you interacted with the most and one from a DO in a primary care setting.