First Semester Fail

[Instant Noodles]

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First semester of undergrad's turning out to be a failure in epic proportions since I'm failing epically, hence an epic fail, faceplant win, because it's like planting a face into the ground. Btw I heard the other day that tautologies are actually tautological, or am I just being fooled by circular logic? lololol

1. Got rejected from the research community before the term even started
2. Choose wrong 2 electives, they suck
3. Preforming way below ability GPA-wise
4. Had to drop out of volunteer research job in the specialty and department I want to go into eventually OH MUDKIPZ
5. On top of all this I'm only doing 1, ONE additional extracurric, arts-related, and it's only 4 hours a week. I do love it, but it's the ONLY thing I'm doing outside of class, no community service, no clinical experience...

I expect I'm on the road to being part of the 55% AMCAS rejected, or not even make it there, unless really work a lot harder and smarter and catch up with the competition. How did your first semester go (what did you do to hit the ground running, or what did you second term) and more importantly, suggestions for improvement?

I come from a somewhat large school, reputation not a noticeable advantage in the AMCAS, it's no ivy league lol

Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving

 

[wristbandMD]

First semester of undergrad's turning out to be a failure in epic proportions since I'm failing epically, hence an epic fail, faceplant win, because it's like planting a face into the ground. Btw I heard the other day that tautologies are actually tautological, or am I just being fooled by circular logic? lololol

1. Got rejected from the research community before the term even started
2. Choose wrong 2 electives, they suck
3. Preforming way below ability GPA-wise
4. Had to drop out of volunteer research job in the specialty and department I want to go into eventually OH MUDKIPZ
5. On top of all this I'm only doing 1, ONE additional extracurric, arts-related, and it's only 4 hours a week. I do love it, but it's the ONLY thing I'm doing outside of class, no community service, no clinical experience...

I expect I'm on the road to being part of the 55% AMCAS rejected, or not even make it there, unless really work a lot harder and smarter and catch up with the competition. How did your first semester go (what did you do to hit the ground running, or what did you second term) and more importantly, suggestions for improvement?

I come from a somewhat large school, reputation not a noticeable advantage in the AMCAS, it's no ivy league lol

Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving

Okay, it's your first semester so: Breathe!

A lot of students don't even volunteer their first semester, so simply considering it you are ahead of a number of applicants.

As for being rejected from the research community, this may have been because it is our first semester and you have no experience. Many researchers prefer older students who have taken more classes.

As for choosing two wrong electives, I wouldn't worry too much about it. They will most likely count towards some sort of general education requirement. If not, just forget about it. Lesson learned.

A lot of students do below par their first semester. As above, it's a learning lesson. You know that you need to do better the rest of college. Learning that early on is very valuable.

I'm sorry about needing to drop out of the research job you had, but hopefully you will find a similar position in the future. It sucks, but it happens.

Doing one extracurricular activity is fine. Like I said, a lot of students don't start this until later. Also, I wouldn't worry about it being arts-related. In fact, I would suggest continuing with it if it is interesting. Admissions likes to see applicants with more than just science-related extracurricular activities. It gets boring after a while, as you can imagine. Although it is important to get some clinical experience, I would suggest keeping this extracurricular.

This semester has been a learning lesson. You'll be fine. Just think positively and keep your chin up.🙂

 

[Catalystik]

Your first priority is GPA. All else could go by the wayside until you have adapted your study strategies to your new college environment and figured out how to get As. Take a step back, figure out what you're doing that isn't working, and make a course correction. Look at this as a life lesson that will make you stronger, give you some maturity, and give you some fodder for a future med school essay on a challenge you overcame. Mistakes don't keep you out of med school; failing to learn for them does, though.

 

[ArkAngel]

Your first priority is GPA. All else could go by the wayside until you have adapted your study strategies to your new college environment and figured out how to get As. Take a step back, figure out what you're doing that isn't working, and make a course correction. Look at this as a life lesson that will make you stronger, give you some maturity, and give you some fodder for a future med school essay on a challenge you overcame. Mistakes don't keep you out of med school; failing to learn for them does, though.

Well put indeed.

 

[BiochemGirlYay]

Holy bejesus its your first semester of college! As far as plans for going to medical school, I would worry less about your application status and more about

~Do you actually know if you'll LIKE medicine?
~If you're keeping in line with basic academic skills like going to professors for help etc
~Are you developing a positive social network?

Seriously, you don't need to have a lab job your first semester of college to get into a top medical school. But you WILL need to show that you're a mature, grounded human being who knows what medicine is all about and has proven an ability to deal with academic rigors

 

[BiochemGirlYay]

Also I disagree with Catalysik on one thing, I've always been told that shadowing should be done ASAP only because then you will know if you are actually pursuing the career that you want to

 

[deleted357625]

Also I disagree with Catalysik on one thing, I've always been told that shadowing should be done ASAP only because then you will know if you are actually pursuing the career that you want to

Well i think it should be done after some volunteer work.
So from there you already have some clinical exposure and understand how the routine of a physician might be.

I started volunteering in the ED then after i was done shadowed multiple physicians.

 

[CarlATHF]

Also I disagree with Catalysik on one thing, I've always been told that shadowing should be done ASAP only because then you will know if you are actually pursuing the career that you want to

You disagree with Catalystik? SHAME.

 

[docelh]

Sounds like epic gunner wannabe didn't pack the ammo along.

It's your first semester in college. You're presumably 17 or 18, and you already know what specialty you want to do 12 years from now? And then you gun for your ECs before you know you can handle the academic load?

There's a certain tinge of epic arrogance in this post.

 

[UpQuark]

LOL, if it makes you feel any better, I did jack squat my first year of college. At least you've had the initiative to find a research position (which by the way dont' worry about the rejection... you're only a freshman lol), a volunteering opportunity, a hobby (4hrs art - which is awesome!). Whereas all I did was sit on my nerdy geeky butt and get 3.90 first quarter (i guess thats okay)... but still did nothing EC wise at all!

Also, don't worry about electives, they're pretty much unnecessary classes that we all have to take to graduate (IMO). By the way you worry, I'm sure your GPA is nothing bad at all as what you would think. But, in the future, I would advise you to focus more on that GPA and balance out your ECs. Medical schools are not looking for 1000 ECs, they look for commitment and passion. If you can hold onto these, you're golden!