Big Setback. Expert Advice Desperately Needed

[iampurestyle]

Hello everyone!! I heard about this site and it's wonderful.

I really need some advice, and I'd appreciate your opinions!!

I am a Penn State student (Schreyer Honors College) just about to finish up my English major and finish the pre-med requirements. I have been here 5 semesters. I originally put off medicine because I thought it would be better to take the sciences closer to graduation.

My gpa has been declining 3.82,3.81,3.74,3.62, and whatever I get this semester will be worse. I may even get a D in a class because of poor attendance. So that puts my gpa at about a 3.4, and my science gpa is 4.0(calc1 &2,bio1 &2, chem1)

I have had minimal volunteering (6 months tutoring math, 6 months hospital ER)

I received a research scholarship but my PI and I didn't get along so no rec. from him, and thus it was wasted time.

I just was accepted to do research with a prominent professor here, and my practice MCATs are averaging 12 bio 14 verb (I haven't had physics, so I don't know PS yet, but I imagine I can get a 12 with hard work).

My question is twofold. 1.) Should I stay until spring 2007 and add another major just to allow for more time to boost gpa, get research, & volunteering, or should I graduate next spring with only slightly boosted (assuming 3.8 avg. it'd be around 3.65) gpa and 1 year research and volunteering and settle for a lesser school?

2.) If I should stay, (my gpa might be around 3.75-3.8+) what major should I pick up?

I do have some great things going for me. I can speak French and Spanish almost fluently, have shadowed a few times, and have a patent pending. I imagine I could do well at interviews too??

So, I know right now I don't have a shot at many places. Should I stay 1 year or 2?

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[IAmAUser]

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[McDizzy]

Hello everyone!! I heard about this site and it's wonderful.

I really need some advice, and I'd appreciate your opinions!!

I am a Penn State student (Schreyer Honors College) just about to finish up my English major and finish the pre-med requirements. I have been here 5 semesters. I originally put off medicine because I thought it would be better to take the sciences closer to graduation.

My gpa has been declining 3.82,3.81,3.74,3.62, and whatever I get this semester will be worse. I may even get a D in a class because of poor attendance. So that puts my gpa at about a 3.4, and my science gpa is 4.0(calc1 &2,bio1 &2, chem1)

I have had minimal volunteering (6 months tutoring math, 6 months hospital ER)

I received a research scholarship but my PI and I didn't get along so no rec. from him, and thus it was wasted time.

I just was accepted to do research with a prominent professor here, and my practice MCATs are averaging 12 bio 14 verb (I haven't had physics, so I don't know PS yet, but I imagine I can get a 12 with hard work).

My question is twofold. 1.) Should I stay until spring 2007 and add another major just to allow for more time to boost gpa, get research, & volunteering, or should I graduate next spring with only slightly boosted (assuming 3.8 avg. it'd be around 3.65) gpa and 1 year research and volunteering and settle for a lesser school?

2.) If I should stay, (my gpa might be around 3.75-3.8+) what major should I pick up?

I do have some great things going for me. I can speak French and Spanish almost fluently, have shadowed a few times, and have a patent pending. I imagine I could do well at interviews too??

So, I know right now I don't have a shot at many places. Should I stay 1 year or 2?

As a former admissions board member, my advice is that the extra time will benefit you and improve your application. Your GPA is satisfactory, but the diversity of your extracurriculars is seriously lacking. Take the time to build strong relationships and volunteer your time. Shadow physicians, work at a hospital, try to get published, etc...

 

[humuhumu]

As a former admissions board member, my advice is that the extra time will benefit you and improve your application. Your GPA is satisfactory, but the diversity of your extracurriculars is seriously lacking. Take the time to build strong relationships and volunteer your time. Shadow physicians, work at a hospital, try to get published, etc...

Volunteer work in a hospital, shadowing, research, patent pending, tutoring, speaks three languages.... and you think this premed's extracurriculars are "seriously lacking"? Wow...

 

[LizzyM]

Take organic chem and physics between now & next April. Take the MCAT in April, apply as soon as AMCAS opens next spring/summer. Interview in 2006-07 for admission in Fall 2007. If you have an MCAT that is 36 or better and a gpa >3.5 with a very high science gpa you should be golden provided that you continue during the next academic year to volunteer, etc.

Then the question becomes, should you hang at Penn during the year that you are interviewing for med school or should you get a job. In part it may depend on the economy, what kind of work you think that you'd like to do and that would be compatable with travel to interviews, and what kind of job you can get. The alternative is staying at Penn. What would interest you? Penn has a well-known bioethics group and your strong verbal skill may come into play in that realm. Were you thinking a science major? Why? I think that you need to think about what excites you because this excitement needs to come through in your interviews. What you major in is less important than your enthusiasm for the subject. It takes all kinds to make a med school.

 

[iampurestyle]

Hey everyone. Thank you very much for your help. There's no better resource out there than you guys!


Lizzie: You give great advice. Thanks.

Yea, I was thinking of picking up a science major. Probably chemistry. What excites me is actually my thesis (which is a novel), but that has nothing to do with medicine.

So I should take the MCATs next april? Ok, I can do that. I thought another year would really make a difference but the poll says otherwise.

What about you? Where are you in the process or are you already a med student?

 

[YzIa]

Then the question becomes, should you hang at Penn during the year that you are interviewing for med school or should you get a job. In part it may depend on the economy, what kind of work you think that you'd like to do and that would be compatable with travel to interviews, and what kind of job you can get. The alternative is staying at Penn. What would interest you? Penn has a well-known bioethics group and your strong verbal skill may come into play in that realm. Were you thinking a science major? Why? I think that you need to think about what excites you because this excitement needs to come through in your interviews. What you major in is less important than your enthusiasm for the subject. It takes all kinds to make a med school.

The OP is at Penn State, not Penn ( I assume you are mistaking them?).

 

[riven5]

I'm a Penn State student in the honors college...I have both a liberal arts major and a general science major...briefly I would take the suggestions that people have given above. Specific to your situation, there is a volunteering office in the HUB and they guide you to a number of great programs that both look good and are worthwhile in and of themselves. Also, if you want to boost your GPA think about summer classes at PSU since I have heard they tend to be easier. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions etc. Good luck!

 

[LizzyM]

Oops, I saw "Penn" and missed "State". Never mind the suggestion re: bioethics, then. Advice still stands to focus on something you love. You can get admitted with a degree in English; no need for a second major.

I'm "on the inside" but not a med student. I'd rather not say where.