Going to apply next year, but I'm worried with my status

[treeert]

I transferred to the US after staying in a college for 2 yrs in Asia, switched my major to pre-med about a year and half ago and got my green card few months ago. I am currently still fulfilling the pre-req requirement for US med school and planning to apply next year. Here's some of my information:

I am having a cgpa of 3.71 with over 130 credits, sgpa of 3.8+. Part of the reason why my gpa was low is that I was being stupid when I was in my previous college and didnt think Gpa matter, making some Bs and Cs in some general courses and science courses. But over the 4 semesters I spent in the US, I've had 3.58 for one semester and 4.0 for 3 semesters.
I haven't had MCAT yet.
I have about 250~300 hours of shadowing experience with a primary care physician; 50 hours with a PA; 20 hrs with other three physician/nurses; and 120 hours volunteering in a non-profit organization. I have some volunteering hours/internship (plant bio and animal bio fields) in my country before I came here but I personally dont think it matters since it was done outside of US.
As for LOR... being unsocial all my life, I just realize the importance of getting connection with people. I am trying to get close with my professors and try to get their recommendations. So far I know I can get 1 letter from a science prof and 1 from non-science prof.
I dont have any research experience in US. It seems like that everybody around me have been doing research since they were in high school/freshmen year. But I didnt decide to go to med school until a year ago when I already had 2/3 of my college done. I only have one year left in college and I dont think there will be plenty time for me to stay in lab in the last year since I am trying to get all the pre-req done asap while working 20 hrs per week. I don't get involved in school activities enough either, so basically I wont have anything to mention in terms of leadership or variety in my resume. But that's the part I'll try to make up for during the last year.
Last but not least, I am Asian, which lowers my chance A LOT when comparing to other ethnic groups.

I am a KY permanent resident now, even tho focusing on the 3 med schools in KY would be a better way, my goal is to get into a top 50 school. However, with my conditions, I am not sure whether I would even success in getting into one of the schools in KY because I know that a lot of people in my school were rejected with a better GPA/EC than me. I am just worried. Could anybody give me some advice? Does research really matter? Should I give up my job to do research? Do I need more shadowing/volunteering? Would it be a waste for me to try to get into one of the top 50s ?

Sincerely

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[Horse Apiece]

GPA is above the national average. No one can have any idea what your competitiveness will be without an MCAT, but if you do well and apply smartly you'll be fine. Don't discount research from your home country, its more about the experience and learning than the actual research in many cases. 'Top 50" is arguable for what schools fit in that, but I would definitely try to get past that idea, and get to a point where you understand any school that accepts you and you would attend is the right school, otherwise you limit your chance for success. Being Asian doesn't put you at disadvantage, just means you don't have an advantage, you're chance of success is not dependent on your ethnicity, can't really push blame anywhere else in this case.

I'd say just chill. It seems like youre fishing here, but could just be neurotic, very hard to tell on this site, but really just chill.

 

[treeert]

GPA is above the national average. No one can have any idea what your competitiveness will be without an MCAT, but if you do well and apply smartly you'll be fine. Don't discount research from your home country, its more about the experience and learning than the actual research in many cases. 'Top 50" is arguable for what schools fit in that, but I would definitely try to get past that idea, and get to a point where you understand any school that accepts you and you would attend is the right school, otherwise you limit your chance for success. Being Asian doesn't put you at disadvantage, just means you don't have an advantage, you're chance of success is not dependent on your ethnicity, can't really push blame anywhere else in this case.

I'd say just chill. It seems like youre fishing here, but could just be neurotic, very hard to tell on this site, but really just chill.

Thanks for encouraging. I just get a bit scared after seeing people fail especially during this time. planning to study for MCAT this semester and make it next year. My advisor doesn't really help and gave me some wrong advice (such as, research being totally useless; where pre-req courses were done doesnt matter; gpas dont matter...). That's why I am having a panic and hoping to collect some useful information here.

 

[Horse Apiece]

Stickied at the top of the pre-med forum is an essential wisdom thread. I would start there.

 

[candbgirl]

Always start with your state schools even if you think you are too good for them. They are the absolute friendliest to their own residents. I'm confused about your GPAs but with a strong MCAT you should be okay for some schools. One suggestion is to really work on the CARS areas. You have an excellent command of English but you should read and write and study this area as much as you can! Everyone, even native English speakers have been known to struggle in this area. You should be realistic and understand that well less than 50 percent of applicants are accepted. So research and make a realistic list of schools. Only apply to schools you would attend if accepted .


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[treeert]

Stickied at the top of the pre-med forum is an essential wisdom thread. I would start there.

I guess that's what I'm going to do. I still have about one year left before the real chanllenge

 

[treeert]

Always start with your state schools even if you think you are too good for them. They are the absolute friendliest to their own residents. I'm confused about your GPAs but with a strong MCAT you should be okay for some schools. One suggestion is to really work on the CARS areas. You have an excellent command of English but you should read and write and study this area as much as you can! Everyone, even native English speakers have been known to struggle in this area. You should be realistic and understand that well less than 50 percent of applicants are accepted. So research and make a realistic list of schools. Only apply to schools you would attend if accepted .


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About my GPA... it is confusing... I spent 2 yrs in a different college in east Asia before I studied abroad, where I majored in applicable biology ( learn how to become a beer/wine factory worker...) and I hated it because I felt being deceived by the school ( it said that the major was bio technology but all we did every day was just learn how to operate fermenter). And due to the country's political stand we had to learn some bull**** courses. And I was very "decadent" since I didnt care about school at all... That was the time when I made some Cs and Bs( some of them were transferred to my American college). But during the time I studied in US, except for 7 credits I made B on, I had A's for all the others. I know my MCAT score wont be too low because I am confident with the science part and am getting materials for the verbal/socio/psychology part. I am just really worrying about my EC because all people around me are really competitive in terms of EC. I am going to apply state schools but never thought myself being "too good", instead, I actually worry that even the state schools wont accept me...But yea thank you for suggestion, I will start looking at schools and make a list.

 

[candbgirl]

Maybe one of the wonderful ADCOMS on here can help
you figure out your GPA questions with the foreign transcripts etc.. Sorry I misunderstood what you meant about the KY schools.


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