bad first semester = no med school?

[swim_chicka]

Hey all,
I was wondering if ya'll could throw your two cents in here for me. I am a sophomore (marketing/pre-med..I Know, I know), but during my freshman year I was involved in a highly selective computer science/business honors program (that I am know leaving for various reasons). I have a couple of questions relating to this:

1) I have four more years of college, so I will be graduating after 5 years in undergrad. I have been told this might hurt my chances of getting into med school. Is this true?

2) I had a kind of rough first semster (pulled a 2.8), but my gpa is now above 3.0 and should be above 3.5 after this academic year. How much will this hurt me when it comes time to apply to med school?

3) Because of scholarship limits and other financial limitations, I can only take 15-17 hours a semester. At my school, most pre-meds take at least 18...will this affect me any?

Thank you so much!!! Some of the advisors at my school are trying to talk me into doing the pre-pa program instead of pre-med...but that's not what I realy want to do...

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[Hero]

if your gpa has a significant upward trend they will over look your shady past just keep focused and work hard!

 

[racergirl]

1) I have four more years of college, so I will be graduating after 5 years in undergrad. I have been told this might hurt my chances of getting into med school. Is this true?

Nope, not at all.

2) I had a kind of rough first semster (pulled a 2.8), but my gpa is now above 3.0 and should be above 3.5 after this academic year. How much will this hurt me when it comes time to apply to med school?

Again, this won't hurt you at all. You have PLENTY of time to pull the GPA up. MANY people have trouble their first semester. Think no more about it--just focus on the future.

3) Because of scholarship limits and other financial limitations, I can only take 15-17 hours a semester. At my school, most pre-meds take at least 18...will this affect me any?

NO. I NEVER went full time in Ugrad, and this fact came up ZERO times in interviews. 15-17 credits is fine.

Thank you so much!!! Some of the advisors at my school are trying to talk me into doing the pre-pa program instead of pre-med...but that's not what I realy want to do...

Then don't. As long as you do well from here on out, you'll be fine.

 

[Katie]

Originally posted by swim_chicka:

1) I have four more years of college, so I will be graduating after 5 years in undergrad. I have been told this might hurt my chances of getting into med school. Is this true?

Since you are a double major I think this will not hurt you at all. I know of someone who took 5 years to graduate undergrad with a double major less stressful than yours and he is in the class above me at Tufts med.

2) I had a kind of rough first semster (pulled a 2.8), but my gpa is now above 3.0 and should be above 3.5 after this academic year. How much will this hurt me when it comes time to apply to med school?

Many people have a rough first semester or first year of college. One person who posts on this board had below a 2.0 her first semester of college and she received 3 med school acceptances, including both her state schools. If you can bring your GPA up to 3.5 or higher and score 28 or above on the MCAT you are definitely a solid candidate with a good shot of getting in (being that you are not a resident of CA). It is always best to shoot for above a 30, but a good number of people get in with lower scores (like me).

3) Because of scholarship limits and other financial limitations, I can only take 15-17 hours a semester. At my school, most pre-meds take at least 18...will this affect me any?

Shouldn't be a problem. I would think that med schools would appreciate that you took fewer credits and used the time to participate in other activities (volunteering, hospital work, research, EMT, personal hobbies, and the like). Med school admissions are about more than just grades!

Thank you so much!!! Some of the advisors at my school are trying to talk me into doing the pre-pa program instead of pre-med...but that's not what I realy want to do...

Don't let them talk you out of it; just bring up your GPA and be sure you apply to plenty of schools (both MD and DO unless you have a strong preference for either the MD or the DO). Good luck!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I got a 2.8 my first semester and pulled it up to a 3.66 by application time (it dropped after due to senioritis :wink: )....so just work hard from now on, and med schools will appreciate your improvement. First semester gpas are the easiest to explain :wink: I was pledging a sorority which took up all my time, but at interviews I just explained I had a hard time adjusting, and improved thereafter.

 

[Sweet Tea]

Don't worry about a bad first semester... I'm trying to overcome a bad HALF (oh how I wish that was an exaggeration) of my college career. You're lucky in that you can actually raise your GPA with upward-trending grades (my GPA was beyond help by the time my grades improved-- the average of 2.0 and 4.0 is just a 3.0). And don't worry about the number or credits or how long it takes you to finish... just do well, get your degree, and be prepared for the mcat. Relax and have a great summer-- get some ECs taken care of if it makes you feel better, otherwise just relax!! Best of luck to you!!

 

[swim_chicka]

thanks guys....
I went through most of high school wanting to be a journalist, then I had a chemistry teacher who looked at me and said 'you're going to be a doctor someday'. A year later I agreed, but I went through year one of college in denial....now I've accepted it, lol (My roommate wouldn't watch TLC at the end of the year because I'd study with Trauma life in the er and maternity ward in the background....it scared her).

oh....one more question. Are the questions on the real MCAT fairly similar to the practice ones in the registration book? (as far as level of difficulty, etc). I know the ones in the ACT book were always easier, so I was just wondering. (I got bored and did the practice questions and a thing off of a website one night....if you want to know how I did, let me know, lol)

 

[Sweet Tea]

registration book? eh?? i don't know about a registration book, but dude... don't worry about the mcat yet. you just finished your freshman year, right? trust me you have PLENTY of time to worry about the mcat LATER. go out and enjoy your summer!!!!!

BTW, glad to know there's another trauma life in the er/ maternity ward junkie out there