Advice For Premed Freshman?

[Stapled_Pencil_Flesh]

Hello,
I am an incoming freshman. What advice would you give to me for my first year in college and what should I prioritize in order to have a good, productive year? Thanks!

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[deleted972488]

First piece of advice is to stay off this website at least until junior year.

Second, getting good grades should take priority over everything else. Don’t stretch yourself too thin in the beginning with extracurriculars (I did and my GPA shows it).

Third, once you have your grades under control, start looking for shadowing, volunteering, and research opportunities. Start these by sophomore year if you don’t want to take any gap years (but there’s also nothing wrong with taking a gap year or ten).

 

[Planes2Doc]

Volunteer. Volunteer. Volunteer. It sure beats entry-level clinical jobs, which end up taking a lot of time. The money is pocket change compared to future earnings as a physician. So get yourself a volunteering gig in the emergency department, med/surg floor, or wherever. Focus on your grades and MCAT.

 

[SM25]

My advice is to make your Freshman year as easy as possible for yourself so that you start off strong instead of having a lower GPA which can seem frustrating trying to improve. Start some volunteering if you haven't and be consistent for the next few years.

 

[chemdoctor]

Start studying for Organic Chemistry

JK

Enjoy yourself and focus on your grades. Try to build some strong relationships with professors (talk to them, go to office horus, etc.)

Then, sophomore year, start to get some volunteering in... research and everything will follow

Also, do NOT neurotically check this site. As mentioned above, stay off this site until junior year bro

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

1. Don't take more than 2 STEM classes (labs are 1 credit but class is 4 hours)
2. Engage in school activities i.e. have fun
3. Do some volunteering if possible thru school clubs (may get leadership later)
4. Think about research and start approaching labs (for spring semester or sophomore year)
5. Careful with using IB/AP credits for pre-med classes.

 

[2022futuredoc]

Just finished my first year:
1. start volunteering
2. go to professor's office hours
3. make sure to have an activity that allows you to get your mind off of school (like a sport)
4. most importantly, study hard and get good grades

 

[DokterMom]

1. Develop good study habits. If you were able to coast in high school, fully expect that NOT to work anymore.
2. Learn how to study effectively and efficiently. Pace yourself and don't cram.
3. Treat college as a full-time job, so don't waste some of your most productive hours (mornings) on non-productive activities (sleeping late).
4. Don't neglect to have fun. Develop friendships and a healthy social life with positive people.
5. Take care of your health and develop healthy self-management habits. Party on the weekends and with some degree of moderation.
6. Do develop relationships with your professors if it's at all possible.
7. Above all, do NOT commit any academic integrity violations!

 

[Dwightdawkins1]

what would be the best thing to do if i'm starting college with an AA completed while in high school?

 

[TaiLopez]

what would be the best thing to do if i'm starting college with an AA completed while in high school?

Study the MCAT really well bc I know alot of people in your situation who have weak science backgrounds from their AA degree and as a result struggle with their MCAT. Not saying you do, it just seems to be a common theme

 

[TaiLopez]

Hello,
I am an incoming freshman. What advice would you give to me for my first year in college and what should I prioritize in order to have a good, productive year? Thanks!

In order of priority:

Good grades. Make lots of friends and have deep meaningful relationships with them. Enjoy college. Continue hobbies you love. Get involved and stick with organizations you really enjoy and try to become a leader within those organizations. Explore things you always wanted to do, whether it be designing websites, dancing, starting a business, painting, sports, etc... volunteer a lot with organization you feel you are having a strong impact. Get a summer job. Try research out and if you like it do it more. See if you can get scholarships. After prerequisites are done, start preparing for the MCAT.

And above all, always make time for friends and family.

 

[CaptainWEMT]

1. First semester focus on making the transition to college (homesickness, getting good grades, making friends, learning to be independent...)
2. Once you have started making the transition, start getting involved with activities/clubs that you enjoy
3. Once you have successfully made the transition first semester, begin to look for clinical and research opportunities
4. Make some time to have fun- in the grand scheme of things this is probably the easiest year you will have.

 

[Dwightdawkins1]

Study the MCAT really well bc I know alot of people in your situation who have weak science backgrounds from their AA degree and as a result struggle with their MCAT. Not saying you do, it just seems to be a common theme

Thank you!!

 

[907914]

First piece of advice is to stay off this website at least until junior year

While my gut tells me to agree with this, I will say that if I didn't hop on SDN as early as I did then my PS would be a total clusterfudge and my preparedness for the application cycle would be zilch.

If you have a sufficient academic advising at your school, stay off SDN until at least Junior year. But if you are like my Podunk U where the premed advisers didn't even know the new MCAT had a psych section....Utilize SDN to its fullest.