- Joined
- Jul 17, 2015
- Messages
- 89
- Reaction score
- 15
Hello all. I'm a rising senior at a large, state university. I am slightly non-trad, considering I went to community college for a year with the intent of becoming a paramedic before I decided I wanted to be a doc (I DID NOT take core science classes at community college- I've had to cram them into my schedule). Long story short, I intended to take the MCAT at the end of this summer but do not feel adequately prepared due to social distractions, work and financial issues (resulting in a serious lack of adequate studying). I will definitely be taking a gap year. Here are my stats:
-cGPA 3.52
32 credits until graduation (maximum POSSIBLE cGPA will be 3.65, not counting on that)
-Wrote one non-controversial opinion piece in my school's newspaper (it was published)
I intend to write some more articles for them and frame myself as a guest commentator
-Extensive (>5 years) EMT experience
Have done volunteer, paid-emergent AND paid-non-emergent consistently through out life of certification. I've developed some pretty good relationships in this community.
-Good 'why I want to be a doc' story, appropriately motivated
-Only have one LOR so far. It's from a non-science professor. I self study a LOT and so never really tried to develop relationships with faculty. I'll be working on that during my senior year.
-Shadowing to come
-No research and no intent to start it
Would it be wise for me to only take 12 or 13 credits during the fall semester, study for the MCAT during the extra time and take it at the end of winter? This would necessitate that I take an extra course during the summer/next fall (after I should have graduated). Keep in mind that virtually all credits I take now are in upper-level science classes, so juggling working+16credit hard science+MCAT prep isn't something I'm comfortable trying.
Also, what should I aim to do in my glide year? I love working as an EMT and am considering applying to work at a busy, urban EMS system (I'm from NJ and there's plenty of options here). I would like to be recommended something I may not have thought of.
I'm disappointed I won't be able to take it at the end of the summer like I had planned. Sometimes life gets in the way and I want to get it right the first time I take it.
-cGPA 3.52
32 credits until graduation (maximum POSSIBLE cGPA will be 3.65, not counting on that)
-Wrote one non-controversial opinion piece in my school's newspaper (it was published)
I intend to write some more articles for them and frame myself as a guest commentator
-Extensive (>5 years) EMT experience
Have done volunteer, paid-emergent AND paid-non-emergent consistently through out life of certification. I've developed some pretty good relationships in this community.
-Good 'why I want to be a doc' story, appropriately motivated
-Only have one LOR so far. It's from a non-science professor. I self study a LOT and so never really tried to develop relationships with faculty. I'll be working on that during my senior year.
-Shadowing to come
-No research and no intent to start it
Would it be wise for me to only take 12 or 13 credits during the fall semester, study for the MCAT during the extra time and take it at the end of winter? This would necessitate that I take an extra course during the summer/next fall (after I should have graduated). Keep in mind that virtually all credits I take now are in upper-level science classes, so juggling working+16credit hard science+MCAT prep isn't something I'm comfortable trying.
Also, what should I aim to do in my glide year? I love working as an EMT and am considering applying to work at a busy, urban EMS system (I'm from NJ and there's plenty of options here). I would like to be recommended something I may not have thought of.
I'm disappointed I won't be able to take it at the end of the summer like I had planned. Sometimes life gets in the way and I want to get it right the first time I take it.