Decided to go into pre-med junior year - HELP!

[m911]

Hi guys! I'm a psychology major at GWU and I'm heading into my junior year. I've decided that I will apply to medical school next summer and take the MCATs in April/May.

Problem: I haven't taken a SINGLE science/math pre-req. I know that this is a problem, so I have decided to take bio, chem and physics as my only 3 classes this coming up year all at the same time (though I may take an english class each semester too).

Will taking BCP at the same time in the same year look bad or weird? Does stuff like this happen all the time? Most importantly, will this impact my application? Let's assume that I did average on the MCAT, though in all standardized testing I've ever taken (including psychology GRE which was a BIT**) I've achieved scores about the 95th percentile. I have a 3.89 GPA and a very strong background in the sciences (I went to a private school for the sciences, but they DIDNT OFFER AP UGHH).

Help!

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[camo]

Hi guys! I'm a psychology major at GWU and I'm heading into my junior year. I've decided that I will apply to medical school next summer and take the MCATs in April/May.

Problem: I haven't taken a SINGLE science/math pre-req. I know that this is a problem, so I have decided to take bio, chem and physics as my only 3 classes this coming up year all at the same time (though I may take an english class each semester too).

Will taking BCP at the same time in the same year look bad or weird? Does stuff like this happen all the time? Most importantly, will this impact my application? Let's assume that I did average on the MCAT, though in all standardized testing I've ever taken (including psychology GRE which was a BIT**) I've achieved scores about the 95th percentile. I have a 3.89 GPA and a very strong background in the sciences (I went to a private school for the sciences, but they DIDNT OFFER AP UGHH).

Help!

There is nothing wrong with taking those 3 classes per se, but you also need to consider that you need organic chemistry for the MCAT as well.

My advice to you is just extend your graduation date to a year later. I mean what's the rush?

 

[loveoforganic]

I did all my prereqs freshman and sophomore year and am a psych/chem double major. You should have plenty of time in the next two years to get your prereqs done. However, I think you're probably going to be best served applying the year following your graduation because you should take all those science prereqs prior to the mcat, which requires a few months studying itself. You're also going to need volunteering, clincal experience, and shadowing. Two years may be adequate time for all of that, but maybe not, and since you should need the extra year for the mcat anyway, it leaves you more time to enrich your app.

 

[Mattabet]

I agree with above. It's going to be really hard to do Biology, Physics, and Chemistry all at the same time, with labs, and then do the MCAT without Organic. You're setting yourself up for failure. My advice would be to take a couple of those, see how you like it, and then get the next two in a fifth year and take the MCAT prepared.

It's good that you do well at standardized tests, but without the background information, test-taking skills alone aren't going to let you skate on the MCAT. Take an extra year if you really want to be a good Med School applicant.

 

[wanderer]

Hi guys! I'm a psychology major at GWU and I'm heading into my junior year. I've decided that I will apply to medical school next summer and take the MCATs in April/May.

Problem: I haven't taken a SINGLE science/math pre-req. I know that this is a problem, so I have decided to take bio, chem and physics as my only 3 classes this coming up year all at the same time (though I may take an english class each semester too).

Will taking BCP at the same time in the same year look bad or weird? Does stuff like this happen all the time? Most importantly, will this impact my application? Let's assume that I did average on the MCAT, though in all standardized testing I've ever taken (including psychology GRE which was a BIT**) I've achieved scores about the 95th percentile. I have a 3.89 GPA and a very strong background in the sciences (I went to a private school for the sciences, but they DIDNT OFFER AP UGHH).

Help!

If those are your only 3 classes, and you have an interest and strong ability in the sciences, you shouldn't have a problem, but obviously it's hard to tell if you've never taken any of those classes. Don't take the MCATs before organic though, unless you wanna be working for an 11 or so instead of 15 on the BS (and this is assuming you get all the bio questions right). You can begin studying for the other subjects while taking organic so that you can get a respectable overall score.

You can still graduate on time but you will have a gap year.

 

[m911]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

I agree that taking an extra year would be ideal, but that's not possible. I'm on a student visa from France and the second I stop attending school I will be deported. It's my strong desire to go to medical school in the US.

Will I really be setting myself up for failure? Please be as blunt as possible. Will taking BCP with labs and not taking organic and studying for MCATs destroy me? Am I better off applying to graduate school for psychology?

 

[camo]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

I agree that taking an extra year would be ideal, but that's not possible. I'm on a student visa from France and the second I stop attending school I will be deported. It's my strong desire to go to medical school in the US.

Will I really be setting myself up for failure? Please be as blunt as possible. Will taking BCP with labs and not taking organic and studying for MCATs destroy me? Am I better off applying to graduate school for psychology?

Parlez-vous francais... Moi aussie.

When we say take an extra year, we are not saying stop taking classes altogether, but rather take extra time to finish pre reqs. It is highly advisable to take Organic chemistry before MCAT. Failure to do so could result in a score that could potentially prevent you from going to med school.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

have u considered how being on a student visa will affect your application?

 

[MDtobe31311]

Well, why don't you take a fifth year? I know a lot of "super seniors" as we call them at my school that do a fifth year to finish prereq classes for graduation, or they are double/triple majors and want the extra year. With all the science classes you'll be taking for premed, maybe you can look into a science degree you could double major in and that way you could stick around at GWU for another year. It would allow you to apply at the end of your senior year (this way you'll have organic under your belt for the mcat), but not get deported. Just a thought.

 

[m911]

have u considered how being on a student visa will affect your application?

No, not really. I can just have it renewed to last me throughout medical school.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

No, not really. I can just have it renewed to last me throughout medical school.

and then?

 

[chicubsfan]

I would take orgo I and II during the summer after your junior year, while studying for the MCAT and applying to schools. Will be a brutal summer - but if this is your only option and you want to make it work, you will.

 

[Poliscidoc]

Yea orgo I and II in a summer or do CHEM I & II in a combo first semester, then Orgo I & II second semester. Some schools offer these type of classes to Pre-Med students but maybe not yours, but I would at least check.. But let me tell you.. IT SUCKS

 

[FutureBostonDoc]

I had a somewhat similar situation... decided to do pre-med late, was on scholarship so had to get all my classes done in 4 years (unless I wanted to pay for them). I ended up taking Orgo I, Cell Bio, Physics I (as well as a psych class and was also working on my senior thesis) all in one semester, and it was definitely not the best idea I've ever had (my grades were OK, but definitely not my best work). Although I know your situation is different due to visa issues, I think you should spread out the classes a little more.

 

[plaz]

and then?

He (or she) just needs to marry someone by then haha

 

[gnomeski]

bio+chem junior year, orgo+physics senior year. or take one of these the summer before senior. work in easy math classes. apply a year late

 

[Evergrey]

Hey,

I was in a similar situation to where you are, two years ago. I hadn't taken any science classes at all in my first two years, and decided to go pre-med after.

My biggest advice to you would be -- if at all possible -- try not to cram everything together. I took 4 semesters and a summer class to get all my coursework finished (4 chem classes, 2 physics, 3 bio, all with lab) and did some science research on top of it. I'm now studying for the MCAT to apply next year -- which means I'll have spent 3 years as a pre-med.

Honestly, I'm not sure it's possible to take any less time. It will be extremely difficult.. if you're finished with most of your major requirements already, then that will certainly simplify things.