please help, need biiiig time advice on MY PLAN to get into medschool 09

[supernareg]

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BACKGROUND

i'll be applying 08 for 09 matriculation... taking mcat in april/may of 08.

my overal GPA now is 2.8, and my science is about a 3.2
my first 2 years of community college i didnt know i wanted to do medicine, so i just sleazed along and got a 2.4, i transferred to a California state university and my 1st year there was a 3.7 (dean's list, and also these are the requirement classes, the 2.4 was in general edu. such as theatre arts, history, etc). that pulled up my accumulative GPA from 2.4 to a 2.8.

i was originally going to apply this year, but my current stats are way too low, so i'll apply next year, that way i have another year of A's contributing to my GPA along with a superb upward trend... 2.4 ---> 3.7, and i'm planning to rock the MCAT, i want to get ATLEAST a 30. i'll take it in april or even may, apply early in june, VERY broadly, to about 25 schools (starting from the bottom up, plus all CA schools) along to D.O schools. I'm a BIOLOGY major BTW

EC's:
Volunteer Lifeguard Instructor, CPR instructor, possible research for 1 year.
Working exp: ER tech for 2.5 years at time of matriculation, ambulance emt for 8 months, lifeguard + swim instructor
Awards: dean's list a few times, and "distinguished service award for rescuing and reviving a non-breathing patron at ______ pool on july 21, 2004" << so proud of myself !


MY PLAN
originally to apply this year, i was cramming in my upper division bio electives into 17 units per quarter to grad summer 08 and get into medschool fall 08. but since i wont be matriculating till fall 09, i'm planning to ease up my course load... as in taking 1 or 2 science classes per quarter along with cushion classes (easy low level classes, non science to boost my GPA), + research for 1 year (starting junish 08 till graduation summer 09). So basically i'll have a higher GPA (cause of easy A's in lower division classes), research, and higher BCPM cause i'll have had another year of science classes (with A's).

OR should i do this:
still maintain science courseload 1 or 2 classes per quarter till graduation AND a double major (since i'll have 2 years to complete it) in another non-science field that interests me... such as ________.
This way i'll have 2 majors: biology and _______, but NO research, still increashed GPA.


Which option would help me most?

 

[nick_carraway]

I wouldn't suggest the double major unless you're truly confident that you'll do well and if you're suddenly a pro at managing your time. LizzyM has said that adcoms generally don't care about multiple majors. Do you want to do it to please adcoms? Make yourself more well rounded? Perhaps research in that field would be more interesting in interviews than getting another major and generally ECs will be more beneficial to your app than more classes.

Otherwise, I'd suggest focusing on your single major and getting that GPA up. It sounds like you're already doing that but I don't think science classes are your problem. A 2.8 overall and a 3.2 BCPM suggests a very low GPA in all other classes. Focus on finishing your major and getting the BCPM up while you're at it but also focus on taking more non-BCPM courses to get up your AO GPA. After all, AMCAS will prominently display overall, BCPM, and AO GPA by academic year and a deficit in any one is sure to be noticed.

 

[dbhvt]

Take your time. You'll be more likely to get your GPA up and be involved in meaningful ECs.

A few specifics:
I wouldn't worry about your non-science GPA at all. Your overall GPA and BCPM GPA will both improve with A's in science classes. It would be a waste of time to take non-science classes for the specific purpose of raising your non-science GPA.

If you are hoping to improve your application for matriculation in 08, starting research in June of 08 will not be terribly helpful. If you start now, you may actually be able to get it on your application.

Your primary focus, however, needs to be improvement to that GPA.

 

[senseiturtle]

You're much better off getting 4.0's in a single major, than 3.6's in a double major. I'd stick to one and continue that trend.

For research, joining a lab right now will help a little, but your GPA is the MUCH more critical issue. It seems like you'd be a great candidate for something we at LSU call "3999", which is a research-for-credit type of thing. That way, you get a little research experience, and you can get A's to bump up that GPA. Two birds with one stone.

You've got the idea of what you need to do, but let me forwarn you than you might be looking at a 2010 matriculation. You'll need to see some big-time fruits of your efforts quickly, because adcoms don't pay much attention to "future plans," so the work you will be doing from late summer 08 to spring 09 won't be recognized fully until the following cycle.

Don't give up hope though! Upward positive trends are highly favored. The road is tough, but it's worth it.

 

[supernareg]

anyone else?

as far as the future plans... the work that i do from 08-09 will be mentioned in any interviews i get, MD / DO.

what can i do now to make myself stand out incredibly? from now to summer 08?

 

[Meatwad]

anyone else?

as far as the future plans... the work that i do from 08-09 will be mentioned in any interviews i get, MD / DO.

what can i do now to make myself stand out incredibly? from now to summer 08?

Overload with ALL A's, research with publications, loads of volunteering.

That would probably help you out, but the chances of getting all A's and balancing all that isn't so great. Why the rush? Why do you have to apply by a certain time? Take your time and do all the things mentioned above, that is the best way for you to make yourself "stand out incredibly."

 

[supernareg]

so i can only do A's? nothing else will matter?

 

[Meatwad]

so i can only do A's? nothing else will matter?

Huh? Not sure I understand what you meant by that.

Just get good grades, do some volunteering, maybe a little research if you can, and just diversify yourself. Don't try and cram massive amounts of each of those things at once; a bit of each (obviously, though, you need the good grades first and foremost at this point). Don't be so set on applying by year 20XX, that's all. Take your time.

 

[patrickd223]

Nobody else wants to say it so i will. You will not get in with a 2.8 or even a 3.0 if you pull it up to that. You will most likely have to do a post-bacc program if you want to get into medical school. Look at the stats yourself, check the MSAR. Persistence is the key for your success, dont give up.

 

[MattD]

It's true, you're in for an uphill battle. According to Excel it's gonna take you around 130 ADDITIONAL hours of 4.0's to get your GPA up to 3.5, which I think is on the low end of the averages. That's based on the assumption that you have about 90 hours currently. How do you overcome this? I have no idea, that's a LOT of extra coursework. Maybe talk to the admissions office at some of the schools you're interested in and ask what would make your application most competitive? 7-8 years of undergrad is a lot, I might try to find another solution. On the other hand, 60 hours of 4.0s would get you to around a 3.3, which may be competitive for DO schools. Good luck, I hope you make it!