Where Do I go From Here- Suggestions please.

[bengirlxD]

Hey guys new to SDN,

I currently am finishing my freshmen year right now and I have to say that I am doing really well. I just want to know some suggestions for improving my "Pre-med resume". Currently I have a 4.12 gpa (This semester I believe I will have the same GPA as well) but I feel like this will go slightly down as I progress on to taking harder courses but hopefully I am able to keep it in the 4.0 range. As for my extracurricular activities, currently I am volunteering for the hospice division for United Health Group and am waiting on a research assistant position. I also give virtual educational lessons in Psychology(Hoping on expanding on to other subjects as well). Some of my academic merits are that I am a Gates Millennium Scholar and part of the Honors College at my college. I would like to know how my progress is going so far and any other suggestions to make me a better medical school candidate.

My Dream Schools Are:
Harvard
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Vanderbilt
Emory

Hopefuls:
Meharry
Leonard Miller
UNC Chapel Hill
Wake Forest
Maryland School of Medicine
USF Morsani

Safeties:
Virginia Tech
Mercer
Medical College of GA
Morehouse

If it helps my race is Southeast Asian and my household income is lower class. Another interesting fact I can point out is that I am a nationally ranked Amazon Reviewer. Do you guys think this is worth putting down in your AMCAS?

EDIT: My university has a 4.3 GPA scale but it is adjusted for scholarships to a 4.0 scale. So adjusted it is a 4.0. I know it can be confusing...

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[allantois]

The GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale, thus if your school has an A+ grade it is still counted as 4.0; so you need to keep that in mind. Ivy med schools like to draw from Ivy undergrads; state schools are heavily biased towards in-state students; and HBCU med schools are not particularly looking for Asians; also income does not determine disadvantage in admissions at this time. You might want to invest in MSAR to look up any of the schools you are interested in.

On the other hand, you are off to a great start as a freshman.

 

[625233]

How do u have a 4.12? The highest GPA you can earn is a 4.0.
Also, slow down pal, it's your freshmen year. A lot of people do well there first year of college because you've yet to take any class deemed difficult by nature. Come back when you've gone through calculus/stats, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. For now just keep doing what your doing, and maybe start shadowing.

 

[bengirlxD]

How do u have a 4.12? The highest GPA you can earn is a 4.0.
Also, slow down pal, it's your freshmen year. A lot of people do well there first year of college because you've yet to take any class deemed difficult by nature. Come back when you've gone through calculus/stats, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. For now just keep doing what your doing, and maybe start shadowing.

Yeah my University does it on a 4.3 scale. But they do scale it down to a 4.0 when calculating scholarships so when it is adjusted, it is a 4.0

 

[bengirlxD]

The GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale, thus if your school has an A+ grade it is still counted as 4.0; so you need to keep that in mind. Ivy med schools like to draw from Ivy undergrads; state schools are heavily biased towards in-state students; and HBCU med schools are not particularly looking for Asians; also income does not determine disadvantage in admissions at this time. You might want to invest in MSAR to look up any of the schools you are interested in.

On the other hand, you are off to a great start as a freshman.

Thank you, Yes my school does show a scaled to a 4.0 version as well. I guess I will remember to post the scaled gpa rather than the actual in the future. As for the HBCU Morehouse is in my home state so I am just applying there for safety and it is really close to Georgia State University(Where I currently attend) where my partner will be getting her Masters.

 

[bengirlxD]

I love SDN.

Freshman posts: "Calm down guy! You have plenty of time. Stop worrying about med school."

Sophomore/Junior posts: "What have you been doing all this time?! Why didn't you think about these things sooner!"

OP - Keep killing your grades. Start research when able, area not important. You are on track, good job and keep it up!

Haha thank you. I will look into research as you have stated. The reason I have so much stuff going on already is because I'm really Type A. I have to always be doing something to keep me going and motivated. It is not that I am trying too hard it is just that I love doing rather than not doing.

 

[NonTrad16]

How your university calculates grades is largely unimportant, it's how AAMC calculates them that matters. Offhand I see no conversion for a 4.3 grade scale to an AAMC method, so I would check with your registrar... AAMC has tweaks for many systems, including quarters, universities with plus and minus, only plus, only letter grades, percentages, etc. So you need to figure out how they will calculate your GPA, and that is the GPA that will be the most important. (Science and general).

Otherwise... Just keep doing well, and don't put the cart before the horse. Making school lists (reach, safety) as a junior without an MCAT is largely pointless. As a freshman... It's a fun game but I wouldn't make any bets just yet.

 

[bengirlxD]

How your university calculates grades is largely unimportant, it's how AAMC calculates them that matters. Offhand I see no conversion for a 4.3 grade scale to an AAMC method, so I would check with your registrar... AAMC has tweaks for many systems, including quarters, universities with plus and minus, only plus, only letter grades, percentages, etc. So you need to figure out how they will calculate your GPA, and that is the GPA that will be the most important. (Science and general).

Otherwise... Just keep doing well, and don't put the cart before the horse. Making school lists (reach, safety) as a junior without an MCAT is largely pointless. As a freshman... It's a fun game but I wouldn't make any bets just yet.

Yeah totally. I just want to have a general outline before it gets serious

 

[Jagon]

Make time to develop a serious cocaine habit, and then go to rehab. That'll be good material for your personal statement.

I second this.

 

[CognitiveNeuro]

nationally ranked Amazon Reviewer

How in the hell is that going to help?

 

[DrHart]

Another interesting fact I can point out is that I am a nationally ranked Amazon Reviewer. Do you guys think this is worth putting down in your AMCAS?

That's awesome lol! Definitely something I would mention in passing in a personal statement or secondary. Not exactly an extracurricular activity though. One of vandy's secondary questions is an autobiography of yourself. Probably best in something like that imo