Going into Soph. Year (Need Tips)

[Stronghopeful]

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Ok, so I'm going into my Sophomore year.

My courseload is as follows:

Neuroscience
Genetics
Orgo
Physical Chemistry
Math 164

My GPA:
1st Semester: 3.61 (A in chem, A in calc, B+ in Humanities, B in Bio)
2nd Semester: 2.79 (B+ in calc, B+ in bio lab B in chem, B in English, C- in Bio) Ouch, I know.

EC: Student gov't basically.

What should I do during my soph year as far as EC's are concerned. Does it hurt that I haven't done anything this summer?

Also, does my 2nd semester GPA hurt me? I am highly motivated, and I will aim to pull off a 3.7+ this time around.

 

[MedAdComMD]

My advice is take a full-time course load, but not a full course load, so that you can get your GPA as high as possible. You should consider doing your degree in 5 years, instead of 4 if you are having trouble handling the amount of work.

As far as ECs, you should start clinical volunteering at a local hospital, occasional shadowing, and maybe research next summer.

 

[Stronghopeful]

Does my lack of volunteering or anything like that hurt me? And how about my second semester GPA?

I am confident that I can attain a 3.7+ GPA, at least, in the upcoming semesters. I was just very sick during the finals week, but that excuse will not stand obviously.

 

[Stronghopeful]

bump

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Never take organic + pchem. Both are extreme time skins. Neuroscience will be a time sink. Math 164 I assume is calc 3?, another time sink.

If I were you, I'd take Organic + Neuroscience + genetics + math. But yes, if you could I'd actually do neuroscience later and take a research elective instead.
I would exclude p chem because you'll be needing calc 3 or multi-variable calc done to be good in the class. As well as the fact that P chem is going to be a impossible class to do with a heavy course load.

In the course of things. You should begin some volunteering in the hospital this year. 2-3 hours a week will suffice.

 

[DoctorKazefa]

Does my lack of volunteering or anything like that hurt me? And how about my second semester GPA?

I am confident that I can attain a 3.7+ GPA, at least, in the upcoming semesters. I was just very sick during the finals week, but that excuse will not stand obviously.

I'll tell you what I wish I knew when I was a sophomore: grades matter, your MCAT matters, but the unwritten requirements of medical schools that frequently bites people in the ass is: clinical experience, research experience, non-clinical volunteering, shadowing experience.

Get all four (why give them any reason not to love you?), get a 3.7~ish each semester, rock the MCAT and you're golden.

Also, tbh that courseload sounds incredibly difficult. Physical chemistry destroys people and I'm sure you've heard of orgo being the time-eater. I don't know what kind of neuroscience you're taking, but any biology course requires a lot of work. Don't feel compelled to take a lot of difficult, medicine-oriented courses; every student will have the required prereqs, but it's much easier to spin the "I'm diverse and interested in diverse things" argument on secondary essays when your courseload is salted&peppered with other things that interest you.

 

[Stronghopeful]

yea sounds good