GPA concerns + shadowing question

[Adamska]

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Perhaps I'm being paranoid, let me know if so. I'm a sophomore with a cumulative 3.7 GPA and a 3.67 (can I round this up to a 3.7 on posts? lol) science GPA, and I don't know if I will be able to get it to a 3.8 by application time (though I'll be trying to, of course). Can a strong MCAT offset this?


Also, I was considering shadowing at a hospital for the next 3 weeks, but I'm told that I need to do volunteering throughout the semester instead. Which one should I choose?

 

[gettheleadout]

Perhaps I'm being paranoid, let me know if so. I'm a sophomore with a cumulative 3.7 GPA and a 3.67 (can I round this up to a 3.7 on posts? lol) science GPA, and I don't know if I will be able to get it to a 3.8 by application time (though I'll be trying to, of course). Can a strong MCAT offset this?


Also, I was considering shadowing at a hospital for the next 3 weeks, but I'm told that I need to do volunteering throughout the semester instead. Which one should I choose?

Bro Harvard's average is like a 3.8, if you've got above a 3.7, chill, don't worry about your MCAT offsetting anything, just worry about doing well on it independent of your GPA. Also, if you have no clinical exposure at all, shadowing would probably be the best introduction, since it tends to be the highest yield in terms of quality of experience vs time spent. Ideally you'll want some of both though, and clinical volunteering is typically expected (shadowing is a passive role, whereas when you're volunteering you're doing something affecting the patient.)

 

[Adamska]

you're right, it shouldnt be a "choice" between one or the other haha. Thanks man.

 

[Potatoman1800]

You're still a sophomore and still have plenty of time. Get some shadowing in here and there with a few different specialties and docs, then volunteer at a hospital/clinic for 4-6 hrs a week (or during the weekend). Add research when feasible. Keep up with your schoolwork and you should be fine in the year you have to apply.

Get creative with your other ECs, but be sure these are things you want to do over the period of time you do them.

 

[underscore]

Perhaps I'm being paranoid, let me know if so. I'm a sophomore with a cumulative 3.7 GPA and a 3.67 (can I round this up to a 3.7 on posts? lol) science GPA, and I don't know if I will be able to get it to a 3.8 by application time (though I'll be trying to, of course). Can a strong MCAT offset this?

Stop it.

Also, I was considering shadowing at a hospital for the next 3 weeks, but I'm told that I need to do volunteering throughout the semester instead. Which one should I choose?

Check out what kind of volunteering you can do. If it's something directly hands on, great, go for it. If not, go shadow (especially if you haven't done it before!). The quality of either program is more important than what it is. In other words, you want to get the most out of the time you put in.

 

[panasonic52]

If you choose to do volunteering, really make sure it's something you enjoy. You will most likely get interviewed about ECs, and you'll sound more passionate and genuine if you actually enjoyed what you did. It will probably give you more to talk about as well