Big time desicion..... advice needed!!!

[RubRoss LSU]

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Here's my story:

This fall I will be a Political Science senior with minors in biological sciences and Spanish. I decided to turn pre-med after my Soph year so I've been playing catch-up with pre-reqs. Last fall I took 21 hours of credit and managed to pull a 3.8. I've always been a rather good student and try my best with everything. However, this past spring was all different. I completely took a nose dive. I went from having a science gpa of 3.78 to a 3.54 and a cumulative 3.71 to 3.57 . This summer I'm enrolled in O Chem II and 2 poli sci classes.

Besides all the extra curriculars and volunteer services that most people on here tend to do, I also play in the marching band. This year I was selected to be one of two section leaders for the trumpet section, a group of over 60 trumpet players. Besides of the awesome leadership position, I was honored to be selected because it is something I've always wanted to do. I have some conflicts though. Our preseason camp week is the week before the Aug MCAT. I would have to miss several days during the camp: monday and tuesday for a few hours because of TPR class, one sat for a diag and the MCAT Saturday. The band director knows of my conflict and said she would talk with the rest of the staff to determine if I would be capable of missing those specified times.

I also have a fear about this situation. I will be enrolled in 19 hours this fall, with classes such as Org Lab, Genetics, and Bio Chem among the science classes. I will be enrolled in upper level Spanish, Poli Sci and Sociology classes as well. Because of my non-stellar performance in Spring, I am unconfident that I will be able to maintain high grades and that I would slip into my grades for spring. I am applying to med school this year and do not want to take any risks to ruin my chances of acceptance into a school. I don't want Tiger Band to be the reason that I can't get in to med school because I will regret that I decided to be section leader and be extremely angry and upset. Conversely, I know I'm going to regret not being in Tiger Band. The thrill of marching and playing in front 92,000 screaming fans is an unbeleivable experience that I will never forget. It's difficult for me to comprehend that I may not be able to take the one opportunity of being in a leadership position, especially doing something that I love.

I convinced myself that I would do everything possible to maintain high academic standards while performing extra duties as sec leader. However, my girlfriend thinks otherwise. She is a few years older than me and dated another pre-med guy before I met her. He tried to get into med school 3 times and failed. His MCAT scores were in the upper 20's, had a 3.7 gpa but no volunteer or extra-curricular experience. I'm not like that. As you know I have research experience plus the vol. and ec's. My gif says that she doesn't want to go through another bf who can't get in to med school and she doesn't want to see my screw up my dream.

So as you can tell by all of my writing that I am in dire need of advice and help. Any opinions on my situation will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for your time and good luck with all of your endeavors,

Sincerely
Ross

 

[Flopotomist]

after reading this, my only advice is to dump the girlfriend.

 

[rjgennarelli]

So I'm guessing that your question is whether or not you should quit the marching band?

Your preseason camp couldn't be at a worse time. Missing an entire week of studying and a practice test one week before the MCAT will probably not improve your test score.

What you have been asked to do, however, although I wouldn't know, seems like it is not only an amazing opportunity, but quite an honor as well. On the other hand, you said that your cumulative went down about .2 points last semester alone. I am guessing that you will be a junior since you said that you will be applying to medical school this coming year. That must mean that, as you said, you did quite poorly last semester. Admissions commitees do not look favorably on applicants with declining grade point averages, so it would definitely be a good idea to do better this coming semester.

I can totally understand the way you feel about your ability to do well, but what you must remember is that you are in control, and you can do well. You've already proven that you can do well.

So your predicament really comes down to two separate issues: the MCAT and the grades. Now, I don't know what your entire schedule is like, but personally, I think you should sieze the opportunity of becoming trumpet section leader. Not only would it be another thing you could put down on an application, but it sounds like an awesome experience as well. On the other hand, I don't think taking a week off of studying, a week before the MCAT is a good idea. I don't know what your current situation is, but you're definitely going to have to find a compromise.

 

[rjgennarelli]

after reading this, my only advice is to dump the girlfriend.

Seriously, she definitely sounds like she's got some expectations of you.

 

[champango]

Seriously, she definitely sounds like she's got some expectations of you.

are you taking the MCAT this august? I would wait until you have finished some more pre-reqs. It sounds like you are rushing to do a lot of things at once. Take a deep breath, step back, and prioritize. In the end, what will you regret more- not doing band leadership, or not doing as well on the MCAT? you can take the MCAT some other time if you want to do both well.

 

[blue2000]

I would chime in to add that perhaps you should think of applying for med school the summer after you graduate from college. You would give yourself a whole lot more breathing room, and it would allow any graduation honors you receive to be on your application.

You are probably ready to get going on your career in medicine -- I understand and was like that when I was applying. But giving yourself an extra year may make the process a whole lot more successful, and trust me a year is nothing in the whole scheme of things.

 

[sgopal2]

Getting a good score on the MCAT takes priority over band, IMHO.

Tiger band -- does this mean you go to Princeton? If so then Princeton has an amazing placement rate for undergrads to med school.

 

[Learfan]

You appear to have taken on too many responsibilities. Very few people can truly excell at three or four major life tasks at once (school, MCAT, maintain relationship, band, maintain employment, etc.) Your recent GPA decline is very disturbing since this is a key factor in your application package. It is time to set some priorities before the situation spins out of control and you loose the high GPA that is critical to the med school application.

Before your go any further, list your priorities in order and then attend to them. This may mean something has to be deferred. For example, it would make sense to apply yourself diligently to school, work with the band and defer the MCAT and your application to a later point in life when the demands on your time were reduced. Do not get into the time crunch mentioned in your post as it is a sure set up for a disaster.

A low MCAT coupled with a declining GPA will look really bad to the adcoms. Do not take the MCAT unless you have given it your very best shot in terms of comprehensive single minded obsessive preparation. This one silly test has a disproportionate weight in your application package. Since applicants come from an immense number of academic backgrounds that defy any attempt at quantification and direct comparison, the MCAT serves as the means by which candidates can be measured on a uniform scale. Make this work for you not against you. A low MCAT score will prove to be a disaster. Remember the screening formula 10 * GPA + MCAT = Y where Y is a number that determines how competitive you are. If your number falls below 65 then your application will wind up in the circular file.

Based on advice I recieved during the application process, the band would be the lowest possible priority that would get dumped. FAST Most college athletic roles mean nothing on your med school application unless you won a major trophy or were an Olympic medalist. Think about it. You are wasting your valuable study time to put on a show so that the school can sell a few more tickets at some completely insignificant athletic event that will be forgotten in a week while you will never be able to recover that lost study time that may mean the difference between a 3.3 and a 3.6 GPA or a 29 on the MCAT vs a 34. Which will matter more in the long run? Who will care that you marched on a field playing a horn in some uniform? If you answered nobody then you are correct. Start looking out for number one quick or your med school application will wind up covered in number two. 🙁 🙁 🙁

Do not waste your valuable time working for free on a project that benefits the school. Focus your time on preparing the best possible application package and making yourself attractive to the med schools. College athletics are perhaps the single worst non-productive time sink available to the pre-med determined to succeed. Do not let these athletic non-events suck up your valuable resources.

 

[RubRoss LSU]

Getting a good score on the MCAT takes priority over band, IMHO.

Tiger band -- does this mean you go to Princeton? If so then Princeton has an amazing placement rate for undergrads to med school.

No, Tiger Band means LSU (Louisiana State University Tigers). I appreciate all the advice and I will write the band department to discuss the situation with them. I recently realized that if I were to be a sec leader, it would place a lot of responsibility on the other sec leader while I'm not there, so I don't know if the band dept is even willing for that. Anyway, if yo uhave more comments then keep them coming!

Thanks for the help everyone

 

[indo]

get a pre-nup if you marry that girl.

Tell her you've changed your mind about being a doctor and you'd actually like to be a biology teacher. You should be able to gauge your relationship based on her reaction.

 

[Termwean]

Ross,
I just graduated from LSU, and am about to start med school at LSU-NO. I would say that you should not quit the band. Being in the Tiger Band is an honor that you will remember for years to come. It will also look great on your application to medical school because ( I assume you want to go to one of the LSU med campus) the adcoms know the demands of being in the best band in the country. Listen....in my opinion, if I was in your shoes, I would slow things down a bit. I would finish undergrad, and thrive in the band. As others have said, another year is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. You enjoy your days in the band, your friendships, football/basketball games. Even if you have to take another semester to finish. Just make sure you use the LSU pre-med adcom...they are very helpful. If you slow down, you will be able to finish strong and with good grades, and hopefully a good MCAT.
I know and work with many people that applied with me; some got in, some didn't. A lot of these people graduated a few years ago. You will not be close to the oldest student if it takes you a few years post-graduation to get in. To give you an idea of the age spread of students in med school I will give you an example of a few people I know:
I started school at LSU after I got out off active duty military. I was 28. I started as a Bio major, but switched to Kinese after getting back fromdeployment to Afghanistan with National Guard. I applied to LSU-NO and LSU-SHREVE and got interviews at both. Cancelled Shreve after getting in to New Orleans. I will be 33 when I start...I have 2 kids. I have a friend that just got in after applying 3 times and getting a masters to over come a low GPA, he is 33. I have a friend that just finished 2nd year at LSU-NO, he has 4 kids and is 42. I have friends at work that are getting in, some on the first, some on the second or third applications, they are in their mid-20's. You have time!

Oh, by the way, i went to the wedding last saturday, of a drummer in the Tiger band...were you there? PM me if you have more questions
-Mike


oh yeah, your gfriends reaction is strange and shallow...to say that she can't handle dating a guy that was unsuccessful in getting in....after not getting in herself is stupid...almost like she is looking for a "Mrs." degree.

 

[Law2Doc]

My gif says that she doesn't want to go through another bf who can't get in to med school and she doesn't want to see my screw up my dream.

I agree with those others who indicated that the most troubling part of your post is the gf's reaction. If you are forever living in the shadows of her past loves' failures or are somehow only worthy to her if you can prove yourself by getting into med school, then your relationship is a bad one -- she is in it for the wrong reasons -- and the relationship is not likely to survive the rigors of med school anyhow. So if she accounts for more of your spare time than band, you may want to consider nixing the girl and keeping the band. Good luck.

 

[RubRoss LSU]

update for those who care (haha)

I'm going to talk to the band staff and address the situation in a meeting. Also, I am planning to take one less class so I'll be more sane for fall.... anyway thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[chameleonknight]

update for those who care (haha)

I'm going to talk to the band staff and address the situation in a meeting. Also, I am planning to take one less class so I'll be more sane for fall.... anyway thanks for all the help everyone.

Ross,

I would STRONGLY advise you to slow down your timetable and consider taking a year off after college, unless you really feel like you can score 30+ on the MCAT. If you have any questions, PM me.