I am looking for some advice on my situation, and I appreciate any that you may have to offer.
I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was in high school, and I didn't want to go to college unfocused, so I joined the Navy the end of my senior year of high school. I advanced quickly, knocked out a few Gen Ed courses at a university in Hawaii, and volunteered for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, where I spent most of my time teaching Afghan soldiers how to use computers. I believe that I gained very valuable leadership experience among other things, during my short career.
As of last July I am out of the Navy after 5 years of service. I only racked up about 16 credits, and I had a 2.9 gpa, due to attempting to take online courses while in a combat zone.
I enrolled in school at a 4-year college that was formerly a community college, full time last August, and I have earned all A's except for getting a 89.3 (B) in Calculus 1 last semester. I am currently applying to transfer to the University of Florida in Spring '11. ***** I will have completed Bio 1 & 2, Chm 1 & 2, Calc 1 & 2 and Phys 1 as far as Pre-med related courses, by the time I transfer.
****** This means that I will be taking Org 1 & 2 at UF. UF requires that students complete 60 credits for their degree (mine is Biology - Pre-professional track) at UF, and that they do it in 2 years from the date you enter. For me to complete my degree on time, I will have to take courses during both summers, the first summer I will have Organic 2 and Microbiology. This is the summer that I was planning on studying for and taking the MCAT, because even though I won't apply until the following year, I feel like all of the material will be fresh in my head.
- So my first question is: Is it crazy for me to plan on studying for the MCAT, while taking Organic 2 and Micro during the summer?
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- The next bit of advice I was looking for was about whether I am on the right track or not as far as EC's.
-Since I have been home I have been in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and I have spent somewhere around 150-200 hours mentoring and spending time with my little so far.
-I am a member of my school's Earth Club, and an officer in the Chem Club, and will likely be the President of the Earth Club next semester. In the Chem Club we do experiments with middle school students, and in the Earth Club we do a lot of beach cleanups.
-I am in summer classes now, but will be volunteering at a local public health clinic for the rest of the summer most likely, as well as during the fall. I will also be getting about 50 or so hours of shadowing done before I transfer in the spring as well.
-Lastly, I am still waiting to hear back from a local institute that does neurological research, specializing in Alzheimer's. If they allow me to, I assume I will only be there as a volunteer, but I figure that some exposure to a research environment is better than nothing. Unfortunately, there are no research opportunities at my school.
-As far as teaching goes, I was hoping that my experience in Afghanistan would be a valuable asset to my application. I was also thinking about tutoring at my school next semester as well.
-My last undergraduate semester at UF will be Fall '12, and I plan to do undergrad research my last two semesters. So I would have the following Spring and Summer before med school open to possible graduate research.
________
Well, what do you guys/girls think? Do you have any advice or suggestions for me to keep/get on track?
Thanks
I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was in high school, and I didn't want to go to college unfocused, so I joined the Navy the end of my senior year of high school. I advanced quickly, knocked out a few Gen Ed courses at a university in Hawaii, and volunteered for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, where I spent most of my time teaching Afghan soldiers how to use computers. I believe that I gained very valuable leadership experience among other things, during my short career.
As of last July I am out of the Navy after 5 years of service. I only racked up about 16 credits, and I had a 2.9 gpa, due to attempting to take online courses while in a combat zone.
I enrolled in school at a 4-year college that was formerly a community college, full time last August, and I have earned all A's except for getting a 89.3 (B) in Calculus 1 last semester. I am currently applying to transfer to the University of Florida in Spring '11. ***** I will have completed Bio 1 & 2, Chm 1 & 2, Calc 1 & 2 and Phys 1 as far as Pre-med related courses, by the time I transfer.
****** This means that I will be taking Org 1 & 2 at UF. UF requires that students complete 60 credits for their degree (mine is Biology - Pre-professional track) at UF, and that they do it in 2 years from the date you enter. For me to complete my degree on time, I will have to take courses during both summers, the first summer I will have Organic 2 and Microbiology. This is the summer that I was planning on studying for and taking the MCAT, because even though I won't apply until the following year, I feel like all of the material will be fresh in my head.
- So my first question is: Is it crazy for me to plan on studying for the MCAT, while taking Organic 2 and Micro during the summer?
------
- The next bit of advice I was looking for was about whether I am on the right track or not as far as EC's.
-Since I have been home I have been in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and I have spent somewhere around 150-200 hours mentoring and spending time with my little so far.
-I am a member of my school's Earth Club, and an officer in the Chem Club, and will likely be the President of the Earth Club next semester. In the Chem Club we do experiments with middle school students, and in the Earth Club we do a lot of beach cleanups.
-I am in summer classes now, but will be volunteering at a local public health clinic for the rest of the summer most likely, as well as during the fall. I will also be getting about 50 or so hours of shadowing done before I transfer in the spring as well.
-Lastly, I am still waiting to hear back from a local institute that does neurological research, specializing in Alzheimer's. If they allow me to, I assume I will only be there as a volunteer, but I figure that some exposure to a research environment is better than nothing. Unfortunately, there are no research opportunities at my school.
-As far as teaching goes, I was hoping that my experience in Afghanistan would be a valuable asset to my application. I was also thinking about tutoring at my school next semester as well.
-My last undergraduate semester at UF will be Fall '12, and I plan to do undergrad research my last two semesters. So I would have the following Spring and Summer before med school open to possible graduate research.
________
Well, what do you guys/girls think? Do you have any advice or suggestions for me to keep/get on track?
Thanks
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