any advice?

[dunson]

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if any of the below questions are answered in other threads please post a link

Im an English major, going into Soph year in a well respected honors program, 4.0 avg, will have great recommendations (close with the dean of my college and other profs already) and have been considering going premed.
basically, i want to know if it is ok that i havent done volunteer work yet (plan to, looking at options for summer/fall)
also, what kind of advice does anyone have for someone taking bio and chem as first sci classes since hs next semester

 

[ctaborda]

I would say to do your best on them... I know im stating the obvious but well its what you need to do!.

Also start doing volunteer work ASAP!, dont miss any more time.

Carlos

 

[skypilot]

My advice for the Bio and Chem is take them slowly maybe one at a time and over the summer and try to get an A. Bio might be the best course to take first for and English major.

As far as the volunteering goes, just make sure you have about a year before you apply and you should be fine. The main thing is to make sure you understand what you are getting into. 🙂

 

[dunson]

Thanks to the both of you for the tips.
The stats are very intimidating overall, i've heard many schools only accept 10% or less of applicants: are there simply too many underqualified applicants, or do so many people apply to thirty schools that it boosts up the amount that apply to any particular school? overall, with solid grades, decent experience and the a 30+ mcat is it that hard to get into a school at all?

 

[jlee9531]

Thanks to the both of you for the tips.
The stats are very intimidating overall, i've heard many schools only accept 10% or less of applicants: are there simply too many underqualified applicants, or do so many people apply to thirty schools that it boosts up the amount that apply to any particular school? overall, with solid grades, decent experience and the a 30+ mcat is it that hard to get into a school at all?

of course its hard.
you can do everything necessary and still not get in due to bad luck.
but for the most part, if you get the grades.
show genuine interest and well roundedness through your ECs
and express your ideas well (since you are an English major I assume this shouldn't be as tough) in your PS, secondaries and interviews...then be confident.

its not that the applicants are underqualified...its just thats theres too many qualified ones. theres lots of people with good grades and numbers, who do typical ECs etc...
its hard to distinguish yourself if you fall into that category. thats why some of the app process is based on luck. if there are 10 qualified applicants for one spot, what is that med school to do? it just basically has to pick one of them and if you are the one that gets picked then fortune has smiled up on you.

so its no use worrying about things you cant control like the admissions process, but what you can do is just be the best person you can be. good luck these next few years.

 

[skypilot]

It is easier to get into med school now than it has been for a long time. You have a 50% chance of being admitted. The odds are even better if you have above average stats, apply very early in the cycle, have good recommendations and some clinical experience.

 

[perambulate]

I was an English major in college, so I understand your predicament. I did an informal post-bac program a couple of years after graduating from college. For what it is worth, here's my two cents.

If you are reasonably sure that you want to go into medicine, I think your primary focus should be taking the pre-med classes and doing WELL in them. Early on, I think it is okay to make your classes/grades your first priority. LATER, when you've got a couple good grades under your belt, start rounding out your schedule with some volunteering (after all, you do want some real experience in the medical field that will validate your decision to go into medicine, bring you into contact with patients, etc.). Why am I saying this? I think it much easier to fill up your time with lots of ECs than it is to do really well in pre-med classes and on the MCAT. And if you start overloading your schedule with extracurricular commitments, you may find yourself making excuses for why you "don't have time" to study, etc. (and then you've got all of these great ECs but mediocre grades to show for it).

One thing is certain: at most medical schools, grades and MCAT scores are the gating item for admissions, i.e., if you haven't done reasonably well academically, they won't even get to your superb list of extracurriculars and volunteering. I'm NOT saying that ECs and interviews aren't important, because they are, but you've got to get the hard stuff underway first (and for most people, the pre-med classes and the MCAT are the biggest obstacles to getting into medical school).

 

[ctaborda]

I was an English major in college, so I understand your predicament. I did an informal post-bac program a couple of years after graduating from college. For what it is worth, here's my two cents.

If you are reasonably sure that you want to go into medicine, I think your primary focus should be taking the pre-med classes and doing WELL in them. Early on, I think it is okay to make your classes/grades your first priority. LATER, when you've got a couple good grades under your belt, start rounding out your schedule with some volunteering (after all, you do want some real experience in the medical field that will validate your decision to go into medicine, bring you into contact with patients, etc.). Why am I saying this? I think it much easier to fill up your time with lots of ECs than it is to do really well in pre-med classes and on the MCAT. And if you start overloading your schedule with extracurricular commitments, you may find yourself making excuses for why you "don't have time" to study, etc. (and then you've got all of these great ECs but mediocre grades to show for it).

One thing is certain: at most medical schools, grades and MCAT scores are the gating item for admissions, i.e., if you haven't done reasonably well academically, they won't even get to your superb list of extracurriculars and volunteering. I'm NOT saying that ECs and interviews aren't important, because they are, but you've got to get the hard stuff underway first (and for most people, the pre-med classes and the MCAT are the biggest obstacles to getting into medical school).

🙄 I concur

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

An ADCOM once advised me that he viewed hospital volunteer work as an introduction to the clinical setting, rather then a measure of the altruism of a medical school candidate. He saw it as unofficial requirement that helps a student understand what they are getting into. So IMO, get at least a year of volunteer work under your belt before you apply and you should be fine.

 

[ctaborda]

Shadowing a doctor would also help out.

 

[leia623]

if any of the below questions are answered in other threads please post a link

Im an English major, going into Soph year in a well respected honors program, 4.0 avg, will have great recommendations (close with the dean of my college and other profs already) and have been considering going premed.
basically, i want to know if it is ok that i havent done volunteer work yet (plan to, looking at options for summer/fall)
also, what kind of advice does anyone have for someone taking bio and chem as first sci classes since hs next semester

I used to be an English major before I decided to go premed (it was quicker for me to get a Biology degree than finish my English major). My advice on doing well in your prereqs is:1. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Science is very different from English and you need to study for it differently. For example, don't assume you can just read a chemistry book and do well on the test--you need to do tons and tons of practice problems. Get a tutor if you need to. 2. Don't rush and keep in mind that the labs will take up almost as much time as the lecture (for some classes). 3. If your math skills are rusty, either take a refresher or get a tutor. Both Chemistry and Physics are very math related. 4. Gather a support system of people who are willing to listen when you're frustrated and push you to keep going. The first semester is the hardest. After that, you start to get the hang of it, and it becomes fasinating and fun.
Lastly, don't freak out about the admissions rates. If you truely want to do this, you will make it. And when you hear of people with great stats that didn't make it, think of this story: An applicant with awesome grades, great MCAT scores and EC activities was interviewing at a med school. Her interviews went great and the admissions staff was ready to put her file in the acceptance pile. But then she went on a tour of campus with one of the admissions staff who happened to be 8 months pregnant. The admissions lady slipped and fell and was having trouble getting up because she was so pregnant. The applicant stood there and tapped her foot impatiently. Needless to say, she got a rejection letter. So don't lose hope. Good luck!