please help an undecided student

[undecided786]

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Here's my basic profile.
Northwestern
Sophomore
Industrial Engineering
3.34 overall gpa
3.41 science gpa
Indiana resident

What would you suggest I do in order to bolster my application? Northwestern is on the quarter system so I still need to take 1 quarter of physics, 1 year of organic chemistry, and 1 year of biology. As of right now, what MCAT score would I need to get into IU med school? Other med schools such as Case Western, Emory, Vanderbilt etc.? Thanks for all the help.

 

[mrmilad]

Well your gpa is on the low side and this is prior to taking your physics and chem, so I would recommend you Ace everything you can from now on. For your Mcat I would aim for 34-36. Obviously the higher you get the better your chances will be.

Really just try to push your gpa higher to around 3.5 ish. Maybe do something to stick out, some substantial research or something? In anycase best of luck to you.👍

 

[elyswim]

The fact that you go to Northwestern will probably help you out. From what I hear they have a very difficult pre-med program. Obviously try to get As in the rest of your classes. You'll still be on the low side of those schools, but should get into med school somewhere. Are you URM?

 

[aggie08]

Here's my basic profile.
Northwestern
Sophomore
Industrial Engineering
3.34 overall gpa
3.41 science gpa
Indiana resident

What would you suggest I do in order to bolster my application? Northwestern is on the quarter system so I still need to take 1 quarter of physics, 1 year of organic chemistry, and 1 year of biology. As of right now, what MCAT score would I need to get into IU med school? Other med schools such as Case Western, Emory, Vanderbilt etc.? Thanks for all the help.

Like the others said you're gonna need to get that GPA up significantly and do well on the MCAT. If you're going in with a 3.34 overall GPA you're going to have a tough time getting in unless you get a crazy high score on the MCAT. Even if you are at Northwestern and even if you are engineering, that GPA is going to kill you.

I don't think a top tier med school would even possible with that low of a GPA, but there's always an outlier.

 

[schrizto]

Northwestern's pre-med is notorious. It's supposed to have the hardest organic chemistry course in the nation. Also that is part of the reason why I decided against going there for undergrad 😛.

So NU + engineering major = that gpa could look decent if adcoms put those factors into consideration.

 

[Mattabet]

The fact that you go to Northwestern will probably help you out. From what I hear they have a very difficult pre-med program. Obviously try to get As in the rest of your classes. You'll still be on the low side of those schools, but should get into med school somewhere. Are you URM?

Hah! I went to Northwestern, Go U! There's definitely rigorous science, but the pre-med program is mostly difficult because it's not exactly defined what you should be doing, at least not outside Weinberg (at least, I suspect that's true in McCormick, I was a Communication man myself).

Ignore everything you hear from 1940 Sheridan. I found the premed support was a little lacking, and convoluted when I finally went in Junior year. Robin, who coordinates the packet of letters is nice though.

As above, I'd 👍 the raising your GPA a bit. Being above 3.4 is good, but you'll want to set your sights a little higher. The other thing you'll want to make sure you do are some relevant EC's - this is where I got myself into trouble. Evanston Northwestern Hospital (a few blocks east of Ryan Field) will let you volunteer in the Emergency Department (other places too), that might be a good place to start.

Good luck, kiddo!

 

[schrizto]

I was a Communication man myself.

Were you a communication sciences and disorders major? One of the major selling points of my college application to NU was that I wanted to major in it and had some experience with the field myself 🙂. I always thought it was awkward that CSD was in the School of Communication mixed in with film and dance majors and not in Weinberg.

 

[undecided786]

Thank you for all the helpful replies. I will definitely look into shadowing doctors and working in a hospital or free clinic of some sort this academic year and next summer as well.

Is overall gpa as important as science gpa? Also, which courses would fall under science gpa? Is math included such as probability and statistics?

If my gpa stays the same, what MCAT score would I need to get into IU med school? Vandy, Case, Emory etc.? 35? 38-40?

Also, would you reccomend taking additional science courses to boost the gpa?

 

[Long Dong]

Advice get the highest mcat you can. Take some time off just to study for the mcat if needed.