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I'm sorry for the long post... if you don't want to read my story skip to the last 3 paragraphs.
I probably differ a little bit from the majority of medical school applicants in that I only decided about a year and a half ago that I really wanted to go to medical school. I started off as a business major mostly because it seemed like a good, well-round, "can't-go-wrong-with-it" degree. After a couple years I was thoroughly convinced that it was not for me. I did a lot of "soul-searching" about what kind of profession I would enjoy having for the next 40 years of my life, and after wrangling with two or three choices finally decided I wanted to be a doctor. Ever since then I've received more and more confirmations that this is true.
I switched my major from business to a double-major in neuroscience - which I love and am quite passionate about - and Russian - which I already spoke somewhat fluently and I also enjoy. I've taken most of the MCAT pre-reqs and just have to finish up the 2nd part of Ochem and its lab this summer, and take a physiology class this fall. My plan is to take the MCAT in January 2011 and apply in May (Texas schools since I have residency) and June (any others) next summer.
My problem is that before I was set on what I wanted to do, I pretty much pulled all B's (nothing worse though) with a few A's in the easy classes. As long as I was better than a 3.0, I was pretty much content
. Even since then, it took me a while to figure out how to do well in hard science classes I had to start taking. I loved the material, and felt like I was learning tons, but just had a tough time pulling in lots of A's. I've finally figured out how to study and prioritize so I do well in those classes, but basically right now my overall GPA is about a 3.4 and my science is actually like a 2.9 thanks to a D+ 
I got but am re-taking (I know it still counts). I don't know how much this kind of stuff factors in, but I go to a pretty large, fairly well-known school and where they push really hard to fight grade inflation, especially in their science classes. Usually about half the class gets a C+ or above and the other half gets C's and below.
With a year to go until I apply, I have come up with the following game plan to revive my GPA, especially my science GPA, as much as possible to be somewhat more competitive: Instead of taking a mixture of Gen Eds, Russian, and science classes this Summer, Fall, and Winter like I had planned, I'm instead going to take exclusively science classes and basically finish up all my science requirements (plus a few more elective classes) a whole year before I graduate and then focus on my Russian after I apply. My theory behind this is that if I work my butt off and completely put my life on hold except for the necessities like spending a little time with my wife, I will be able to do well in all those classes and significantly improve my GPA by the time I apply. If I got A's in all of them, my overall would go up to a 3.6 and BCPM would be about a 3.5. I know it will be tough, but I feel like I'm in a "do or die" mode with my science GPA.
I have not forgotten that it is IMPERATIVE for me to do well on the MCAT, so my fall semester is 12 credits of classes only while I study for it. I'm still taking 3 credits of research experience (which I've been told counts toward my science GPA), so it will look like 15.. actually 18 since I'm taking an online class this summer but I probably won't finish in time for the summer semester deadline so the credit will show up in the Fall. Either way, I'll only have 12 credits of actual classes this Fall so I can hopefully treat MCAT prep like a 5 credit class and study all semester long.
What sage advice does the revered SDN forum community have to offer me? Is this idea smart if I have the follow through to pull off A's in almost all these classes, or would it be wiser to just take an easier load with some non-science classes? My overall GPA would be lifted about the same, but my science GPA would probably not break 3.2 or so. What about other general advice?
I probably differ a little bit from the majority of medical school applicants in that I only decided about a year and a half ago that I really wanted to go to medical school. I started off as a business major mostly because it seemed like a good, well-round, "can't-go-wrong-with-it" degree. After a couple years I was thoroughly convinced that it was not for me. I did a lot of "soul-searching" about what kind of profession I would enjoy having for the next 40 years of my life, and after wrangling with two or three choices finally decided I wanted to be a doctor. Ever since then I've received more and more confirmations that this is true.
I switched my major from business to a double-major in neuroscience - which I love and am quite passionate about - and Russian - which I already spoke somewhat fluently and I also enjoy. I've taken most of the MCAT pre-reqs and just have to finish up the 2nd part of Ochem and its lab this summer, and take a physiology class this fall. My plan is to take the MCAT in January 2011 and apply in May (Texas schools since I have residency) and June (any others) next summer.
My problem is that before I was set on what I wanted to do, I pretty much pulled all B's (nothing worse though) with a few A's in the easy classes. As long as I was better than a 3.0, I was pretty much content
. Even since then, it took me a while to figure out how to do well in hard science classes I had to start taking. I loved the material, and felt like I was learning tons, but just had a tough time pulling in lots of A's. I've finally figured out how to study and prioritize so I do well in those classes, but basically right now my overall GPA is about a 3.4 and my science is actually like a 2.9 thanks to a D+ I got but am re-taking (I know it still counts). I don't know how much this kind of stuff factors in, but I go to a pretty large, fairly well-known school and where they push really hard to fight grade inflation, especially in their science classes. Usually about half the class gets a C+ or above and the other half gets C's and below. With a year to go until I apply, I have come up with the following game plan to revive my GPA, especially my science GPA, as much as possible to be somewhat more competitive: Instead of taking a mixture of Gen Eds, Russian, and science classes this Summer, Fall, and Winter like I had planned, I'm instead going to take exclusively science classes and basically finish up all my science requirements (plus a few more elective classes) a whole year before I graduate and then focus on my Russian after I apply. My theory behind this is that if I work my butt off and completely put my life on hold except for the necessities like spending a little time with my wife, I will be able to do well in all those classes and significantly improve my GPA by the time I apply. If I got A's in all of them, my overall would go up to a 3.6 and BCPM would be about a 3.5. I know it will be tough, but I feel like I'm in a "do or die" mode with my science GPA.
I have not forgotten that it is IMPERATIVE for me to do well on the MCAT, so my fall semester is 12 credits of classes only while I study for it. I'm still taking 3 credits of research experience (which I've been told counts toward my science GPA), so it will look like 15.. actually 18 since I'm taking an online class this summer but I probably won't finish in time for the summer semester deadline so the credit will show up in the Fall. Either way, I'll only have 12 credits of actual classes this Fall so I can hopefully treat MCAT prep like a 5 credit class and study all semester long.
What sage advice does the revered SDN forum community have to offer me? Is this idea smart if I have the follow through to pull off A's in almost all these classes, or would it be wiser to just take an easier load with some non-science classes? My overall GPA would be lifted about the same, but my science GPA would probably not break 3.2 or so. What about other general advice?
