Extracurriculars for sophomore year?

[modernfam]

Hey guys,
I'm technically a freshman right now, but I got my associate's degree with my high school diploma and instead of completing my bachelor's in two more years, I was planning to spend an extra year to bring up my GPA and polish my resume. When I was working on my Associates at a community college, I was volunteering at a hospital transporting and delivering packages and services to the staff and patients for 1.5 years, participated in a summer program for teens interested in medicine at LECOM, volunteered with Phi Theta Kappa and the American Chemical Society, and I was an intern in a lab for a research and development company. I'm currently at a university and I joined Global Medical Brigades, Cancer Research Program, Generation Action (Planned Parenthood); but so far there haven't been many events or meetings. I also just applied to volunteer at the local hospital by the school and I was emailing professors to volunteer in their labs. I know I should be doing more and since my university is not exactly pre-med oriented, it's difficult to find activities to participate in that will give me that extra spark in my applications.
Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences that you might want to share and help me out!

Activities I would like to get started on by next fall:
- Research
- Shadowing
- Boost my GPA: 3.59

Also, I need help with courses to take next semester. I was planning to take Organic Chemistry I, Cell Biology, Physics, and a random elective.

Or instead of Physics, I would take Genetics.

Please help a girl out. Thank you!!

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[Catalystik]

1) I'm technically a freshman right now, but I got my associate's degree with my high school diploma and instead of completing my bachelor's in two more years, I was planning to spend an extra year to bring up my GPA and polish my resume. When I was working on my Associates at a community college, I was volunteering at a hospital transporting and delivering packages and services to the staff and patients for 1.5 years, participated in a summer program for teens interested in medicine at LECOM, volunteered with Phi Theta Kappa and the American Chemical Society, and I was an intern in a lab for a research and development company. I'm currently at a university and I joined Global Medical Brigades, Cancer Research Program, Generation Action (Planned Parenthood); but so far there haven't been many events or meetings. I also just applied to volunteer at the local hospital by the school and I was emailing professors to volunteer in their labs. I know I should be doing more and since my university is not exactly pre-med oriented, it's difficult to find activities to participate in that will give me that extra spark in my applications.
Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences that you might want to share and help me out!

Activities I would like to get started on by next fall:
- Research
- Shadowing
- Boost my GPA: 3.59

2) Also, I need help with courses to take next semester. I was planning to take Organic Chemistry I, Cell Biology, Physics, and a random elective.

Or instead of Physics, I would take Genetics.

1) Aim for some regular involvement in a non-medical community service for a cause you care about that provides face-to-face service to those in need IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY. International relief work isn't going to give the boost to your application that you hope for. Eventually, take on a leadership role with the organization. Your top priority is GPA repair, so don't let over-involvement in activities sabotage that goal. Clubs, in general, are of little value to your application unless they lead to leadership or community service opportunities.

2) Your coursework plan looks fine, so long as there are no more than two labs. Cell Bio, Genetics, and Physiology are the top three elective upper-level Biology classes to get in at some point. (Biochem I consider a requirement to do well on the MCAT.)

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I think you are going to come out ahead of many other pre-meds simply because you have your priorities in order. Good for you. I just applied to med school and have gotten as far as my first interview invite so any advice comes from a place of regret for having not done it myself or being very glad I did by the time I applied. Orgo, cellular bio & physics + another elective would be tough if you're intending to spend a decent amount of time outside the classroom, I wound't take this chance with your highest priority being GPA boosting. I wouldn't do both orgo & physics, 2 upper level science classes/semester is standard load (with accompanying non-science classes for a full course load). Honestly, physics was harder for me than any other class.

Replacing physics with another science elective (genetics) would still be difficult but more manageable.
Something I am very glad I did was do something aside from the 'cookie-cutter pre-med extra curriculars'. Find something that most importantly, you enjoy and secondly, looks good from an application perspective because of its uniqueness. Teach underprivileged middle schoolers to play the cello. Like catalystic was saying, this would look better if it was something in your community. Volunteer at an organic community garden and work your way to volunteer supervisor. Literally anything that is not med school oriented can be turned into an activity you can put on your resume. Find your passion and have fun.

I believe the word on SDN is that an average applicant will have 150 hrs of both clinical and non clinical volunteering. That non-clinical volunteering will look better if it is something most people aren't exactly comfortable with, not the sorta thing they do on their off days; the most common example is homeless shelters. This would look better than international volunteering because of the proximity and impacts on you. Likewise, the SDN recommendation (not as sure sure about this number but its not as important of a number) is 50 shadowing hours is average. The recommendation however, is a variety of specialties, the most important being primary care provider. Don't have 130 hours of only neurosurg. shadowing or you'll come off as a gunner. Get as many as you want in whatever field you want but well-roundedness is key here (a mistake I made).

Hope this helps!

 

[mwsapphire]

Sorry for barging in, but is 3.59 GPA really in a position where a ton of GPA repair is needed?OP, what is your science GPA?
A 3.6 sci GPA is not bad at all, getting it up to 3.7 should be sufficient, so I wouldn't hold off on EC's that much if I were OP.

 

[jm192]

Sorry for barging in, but is 3.59 GPA really in a position where a ton of GPA repair is needed?OP, what is your science GPA?
A 3.6 sci GPA is not bad at all, getting it up to 3.7 should be sufficient, so I wouldn't hold off on EC's that much if I were OP.

This is SDN where the average GPA is 4.2.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Sorry for barging in, but is 3.59 GPA really in a position where a ton of GPA repair is needed?OP, what is your science GPA?
A 3.6 sci GPA is not bad at all, getting it up to 3.7 should be sufficient, so I wouldn't hold off on EC's that much if I were OP.

A 3.59 is fine for getting into *most* state schools somewhere but if he wants to really make a standout app and go where he wants, that'd be my first priority. But yes, you can definitely go to med school with a 3.59

 

[jm192]

A 3.59 is fine for getting into *most* state schools somewhere but if he wants to really make a standout app and go where he wants, that'd be my first priority. But yes, you can definitely go to med school with a 3.59

Oh god. Not "most state schools."

 

[Catalystik]

Oh god. Not "most state schools."

No.

 

[modernfam]

Sorry for barging in, but is 3.59 GPA really in a position where a ton of GPA repair is needed?OP, what is your science GPA?
A 3.6 sci GPA is not bad at all, getting it up to 3.7 should be sufficient, so I wouldn't hold off on EC's that much if I were OP.

My sGPA is a 3.3

 

[Catalystik]

1) OP, what is your science GPA?
2) A 3.6 sci GPA is not bad at all, getting it up to 3.7 should be sufficient, so I wouldn't hold off on EC's that much if I were OP.

My sGPA is a 3.3

1) Your application goal for BCPM GPA should be about 3.64 or higher (the average for those matriculating).

2) I agree, considering there are two to three more years planned before application by OP, a 3.7 should be totally doable. But the transition from a CC to the university level can be challenging for those not expecting a more rapid flow of information and more rigorous expectations, and might take some time to adjust to new learning strategies. A GPA dip the first term is very, very common under her circumstances.

 

[modernfam]

Hey guys,
I'm technically a freshman right now, but I got my associate's degree with my high school diploma and instead of completing my bachelor's in two more years, I was planning to spend an extra year to bring up my GPA and polish my resume. When I was working on my Associates at a community college, I was volunteering at a hospital transporting and delivering packages and services to the staff and patients for 1.5 years, participated in a summer program for teens interested in medicine at LECOM, volunteered with Phi Theta Kappa and the American Chemical Society, and I was an intern in a lab for a research and development company. I'm currently at a university and I joined Global Medical Brigades, Cancer Research Program, Generation Action (Planned Parenthood); but so far there haven't been many events or meetings. I also just applied to volunteer at the local hospital by the school and I was emailing professors to volunteer in their labs. I know I should be doing more and since my university is not exactly pre-med oriented, it's difficult to find activities to participate in that will give me that extra spark in my applications.
Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences that you might want to share and help me out!

Activities I would like to get started on by next fall:
- Research
- Shadowing
- Boost my GPA: 3.59

Also, I need help with courses to take next semester. I was planning to take Organic Chemistry 2, Cell Biology, Physics, and a random elective.

Or instead of Physics, I would take Genetics.

Please help a girl out. Thank you!!

I really wanted to take Physics I with Orgo since I want to get through most of my science classes before studying for the MCAT next year. Has anyone taken Physics and Orgo? Also, if I were to take these classes, would Cell Bio or Genetics be more compatible with Physics/Orgo??

 

[Catalystik]

I really wanted to take Physics I with Orgo since I want to get through most of my science classes before studying for the MCAT next year. Has anyone taken Physics and Orgo? Also, if I were to take these classes, would Cell Bio or Genetics be more compatible with Physics/Orgo??

If neither has a lab, they'd be comparable. Both are usually intense and have a fair amount of required memorization. You might check a Rate My Professor-like website and see if one seems slightly easier and/or has a reliable grading curve at your school.

 

[chemdoctor]

This is SDN where the average GPA is 4.2.

Yes. That's the "average". SO there are still some people that have a higher GPA. Don't forget, a 540 mcat ...

 

[chemdoctor]

I really wanted to take Physics I with Orgo since I want to get through most of my science classes before studying for the MCAT next year. Has anyone taken Physics and Orgo? Also, if I were to take these classes, would Cell Bio or Genetics be more compatible with Physics/Orgo??

I took them both at the same time. I did really well in Physics and struggled a lot in Orgo. Just depends on what you can handle. A LOT of time will be dedicated to those classes alone because ti is not just rote memorization, but the understanding of concepts + application. What kind of Physics is it?

 

[modernfam]

I took them both at the same time. I did really well in Physics and struggled a lot in Orgo. Just depends on what you can handle. A LOT of time will be dedicated to those classes alone because ti is not just rote memorization, but the understanding of concepts + application. What kind of Physics is it?

College Physics 1

 

[chemdoctor]

College Physics 1

I think that should be possible then