First Generation Student Need some honesty, how am I doing?

[allday94]

Hey! I am a first generation college student and I am looking for some advice. I feel like everyone I talk to sugar coats it and "believes" in me, but I am looking for someone to tell me if I am headed in the right direction or if my plan is completely irrational.

I currently have my AA from SNHU, I transferred to a local Community College because I missed the deadline to apply to the University of Utah. I took 1st semester of Bio (A), Psych 1010(A), Math 1050(B), Gen Chem 1(-A), and a few other major courses (All A's) while at the Community College (Only there 2 semesters). My Current GPA is 3.75 I am starting at the U of U this Spring and here is my plan for classes and such:

Spring 2016: Cell Bio, Gen chem II and a Major required Stats course.
Summer 2016: Physics I and II (The U offers a combo summer course they are accelerated so half semester each) And probably an Easy Major course
Fall 2016: Ochem I, Math 1060, and Biochem? (Maybe)
Spring: 2017 Ochem II, and some easy Major Courses.

I plan on taking the MCAT Spring 2017 and applying that Summer.

As for EC:
I have been a Training Coordinator/Medical Specialist at a Plasma Center for 3+ years now, I volunteered as an EMT for a month back in 2012, and was an Event Responder for 3 months (Only worked 3 events though total of 30 hours) in 2012. I have a volunteer position at a local ER that is pending, they are taking MONTHS to get me started. Research has been extremely difficult to find but I have an interview for a potential opportunity in Pediatric cardiology next week.

I feel as though my EC are lacking but I am not really in a position where I can quit my job and spend all of my time doing EC and school! (I also love my job and don't want to find a new one).....

Any feedback or advice is genuinely appreciated! I just want to know where I am at. If I am a competitive applicant, or what I could do to make myself a more competitive applicant.

Thank you!

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[Doxorubicin]

So far, so good. Make sure to kill your science classes at your four year university to show adcoms you can handle more rigorous science coursework than CC classes.

Your coursework schedule looks fair, but you need to make sure you take biochem or at least leave room to self-study it before taking the MCAT. I can't emphasize the importance of this enough.

As far as ECs go, the experiences you've listed sound good. Make sure you do some shadowing (some schools will ding you if you haven't shadowed) just to be able to talk about the role of a physician and learn a little more about the job. Otherwise, find something you love and explore it... Those are the best ECs to talk about!

Make ceramic pottery, play an instrument, sing, start a boxing club, hit the slopes, start crocheting, pour yourself into starting a non-profit, devote yourself to your research opportunity... Just find and do something you love that you can pursue with zest and zeal.

 

[allday94]

So far, so good. Make sure to kill your science classes at your four year university to show adcoms you can handle more rigorous science coursework than CC classes.

Your coursework schedule looks fair, but you need to make sure you take biochem or at least leave room to self-study it before taking the MCAT. I can't emphasize the importance of this enough.

As far as ECs go, the experiences you've listed sound good. Make sure you do some shadowing (some schools will ding you if you haven't shadowed) just to be able to talk about the role of a physician and learn a little more about the job. Otherwise, find something you love and explore it... Those are the best ECs to talk about!

Make ceramic pottery, play an instrument, sing, start a boxing club, hit the slopes, start crocheting, pour yourself into starting a non-profit, devote yourself to your research opportunity... Just find and do something you love that you can pursue with zest and zeal.

I am really big into nutrition? I don't know if that counts as a hobby? I have lost 94lbs since I graduated high school and really promote eating health (Wish I was as passionate about exercise but I'm not) I like to help friends and family with advice and guide them to getting on the right path.

As for MCAT prep. When should I start preparing and studying for the MCAT, how far out?

Thank you for your help

 

[Womb Raider]

I am really big into nutrition? I don't know if that counts as a hobby? I have lost 94lbs since I graduated high school and really promote eating health (Wish I was as passionate about exercise but I'm not) I like to help friends and family with advice and guide them to getting on the right path.

As for MCAT prep. When should I start preparing and studying for the MCAT, how far out?

Thank you for your help

Your MCAT prep starts by doing well in the classes that will be tested (bio, chem, physics, etc...). If you get the basic concepts down now you won't have to spend much time re-teaching yourself everything later.

Also, I had one massive formula sheet for each MCAT subject that I could use as a reference when i was doing practice questions/tests (made out of printer paper). This saves a lot of time, as flipping through pages of notes every time isn't optimal. Perhaps you could start working on things like this.

As for when to start actually studying for it, I think that really depends on your schedule. Some people devote month(s) to nothing but studying but it doesn't sound like you'll be able to do that with a job.

If you aren't a solid reader I'd suggest reading something regularly (even news articles would suffice) now, as VR is often the hardest for many people to improve.

 

[raiderette]

I studied for the MCAT spring of junior year while taking a full course load. If I could do it again I would have taken biochem in the fall. As it was, I was doing content review while learning the material. I can't stress enough how important biochem is on the new MCAT. If you can swing a lighter load your spring semester you can study that semester and take MCAT in May or June.

 

[Hospitalized]

MCAT will be the most important thing for you.