Traditional application route or wait?

[ruieu]

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Hi everyone! I recently declared my major (Neuroscience!), which actually stressed me out about how close I'm getting to my MCAT and med school applications. I wanted to get some advice or hear some outside opinions about when to apply to med school. Some background info about me: I have a GPA on the lower end due to my struggle to adjust to college during freshman year, but it's definitely on an upward climb. After this semester, I'm projected to have a 3.4 GPA and hopefully, if I do very well junior year, maybe a 3.5-3.6. I'm currently doing clinical research under a psychiatry lab and volunteering four hours/week. I still have no shadowing experience, but I'm planning to really get in shadowing hours this upcoming summer break, as well as continue research and volunteering.

My concern was whether it would still be feasible for me to spend this summer studying for the MCAT like I planned and taking it a little earlier, after the first semester of junior year. I'm hoping to get an MCAT score that can make up for my GPA. I'm worried my 3.5-3.6 GPA might not be good enough yet come application time. I'm definitely aiming for med schools with students who had records like me and not planning to apply to any prestigious schools or anything. I've heard differing opinions from older premeds and my advisor/adults about this. I guess what I'm saying is I could wait until after senior year to apply, but I really wasn't planning to take a gap year, and I'm just wondering if applying during the "regular" time is still doable or if I should resign to a gap year/applying later.

Any input is welcome! Thank you!

 

[Forever Geebs]

Don’t take MCAT until you’ve completed prerequisites AND are confident you’ll adequately prepared. This is an exam you don’t want to rush so minimize your risk at all costs. You don’t want to have to retake it.

Raise GPA to the best of your abilities but a ~3.5 is fine, especially if your cumulative and science GPA is in the same range.

You need clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours. Non-clinical experiences and helping underserved population preferred. You’ll want to aim for 150 hrs each by the time you apply.

Target 50 hours for shadowing, and if you plan on going DO route, consider shadowing a DO physician, too.

Best of luck to you.


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[katie24seven]

Taking a gap year was the hardest but best decision I made. It gives you the time you need to prepare for the application cycle to ensure you only have to go through it once. Don't feel like you have to apply as a junior just because it's "expected" because I honestly don't know how people can balance that kind of workload. I've met way more people both in med school and applicants who took gap years than who didn't. So take the time you need to be the best applicant you can and enjoy the journey.