One Terrible Semester + Regarding ECS

[Gcuvier]

Terrible Semester
So after hs, I attended a community college and registered for 4 classes my first semester of college. To keep it short, I failed 3 and earned a B in one class. Why? Well I wasn't motivated because my intentions never were to attend a community college and I wasn't exactly sure what I was going for. About two years later (now), I've managed to earn nothing but As and Bs with maybe more As than Bs, and I currently possess a 3.57 GPA. I've never been more motivated in my life! With this blemish on my transcript, what are my chances? Last time I met with my advisor, she said she was impressed and believes I actually have a chance to get into med school. What do you think?

ECs
I just started volunteering at a local hospital about a month ago and plan to be there until I transfer out to a 4-year university next Fall. However, it is my first EC as an undergrad (sophomore) and feel extremely ashamed of that. I do plan on being even more involved when I transfer but I'm really impatient and would like to get things done sooner. Should I stick with this one EC only given my course-load is heavy this semester or should I wait till next semester to partake in more? Also, how do pre-med students shadow doctors? I'm sure you just don't walk up to a doc and ask to shadow them....or do you?

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[Goro]

Keep up the good grades and get a decent MCAT score and you'll be fine.

I don't understand your problem with the EC. You need patient contact experience to demonstrate that you know what you're getting into and that you really want to be around sick people. Whjile I also believe that the GPAs need to be kept as high as possible, you also need to show that you can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Terrible Semester
So after hs, I attended a community college and registered for 4 classes my first semester of college. To keep it short, I failed 3 and earned a B in one class. Why? Well I wasn't motivated because my intentions never were to attend a community college and I wasn't exactly sure what I was going for. About two years later (now), I've managed to earn nothing but As and Bs with maybe more As than Bs, and I currently possess a 3.57 GPA. I've never been more motivated in my life! With this blemish on my transcript, what are my chances? Last time I met with my advisor, she said she was impressed and believes I actually have a chance to get into med school. What do you think?

ECs
I just started volunteering at a local hospital about a month ago and plan to be there until I transfer out to a 4-year university next Fall. However, it is my first EC as an undergrad (sophomore) and feel extremely ashamed of that. I do plan on being even more involved when I transfer but I'm really impatient and would like to get things done sooner. Should I stick with this one EC only given my course-load is heavy this semester or should I wait till next semester to partake in more? Also, how do pre-med students shadow doctors? I'm sure you just don't walk up to a doc and ask to shadow them....or do you?

 

[Gcuvier]

Keep up the good grades and get a decent MCAT score and you'll be fine.

I don't understand your problem with the EC. You need patient contact experience to demonstrate that you know what you're getting into and that you really want to be around sick people. Whjile I also believe that the GPAs need to be kept as high as possible, you also need to show that you can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Yeah I see that. What I'm asking though is whether schools value quality over quantity or vice versa. I'm currently volunteering at a hospital so I'm definitely getting a glimpse of what it's like. I plan on spending at least 200 hours there before I transfer out from my cc.

 

[Goro]

Schools expect quality AND a minimum quantity!

Yeah I see that. What I'm asking though is whether schools value quality over quantity or vice versa. I'm currently volunteering at a hospital so I'm definitely getting a glimpse of what it's like. I plan on spending at least 200 hours there before I transfer out from my cc.

 

[Gcuvier]

Schools expect quality AND a minimum quantity!

Got it, thank you so much for your help!