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[berkeley2015]

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Hi folks,

I'm going into my 4th semester at Cal and and decided to be premed last semester (my 3rd semester). I was a low performing freshman am still under performing relative to my premed classmates as a sophomore.

I've already taken 2 classes P/NP, retaken a class to change a D+ to a B+ because I didn't know about the 'W' option, and have managed to get B's and B+s in almost all my classes except for Calculus I got B-. I also had to withdraw the semester before last because I took a really hard, weird, and unconventional course load consisting of two of the hardest math classes and the hardest philosophy class.

My GPA is 3.19 and I'm scheduled to graduate in spring 2015 and apply during the 2015-2016 cycle for the incoming class of 2016-2017.

I'm currently researching and volunteering at the Children's Hospital in Oakland and waiting to hear back from the UC Davis Premedical Surgical Program in the fall. I also want to work for Cal Athletics in the Sports Medicine Internship program.

I'm only taking 13 units this upcoming semester.

5 unit - Organic Chemistry
4 unit - Biology
4 unit - Upper-division Aging Human Brain course taught by my lab Principle Investigator.

I started taking an Introduction to Computer Science for Scientists and Engineers course this summer to learn MatLab for my research but my lab codes in python so I've ben almost exclusively learning python in lab while taking this course. Because of this, I changed my grading option to P/NP but haven't been doing the work for the class and am worried I might no pass.

I contacted the professor to see if he will accept late work which would increase my chances of passing significantly but is highly unlikely since he explicitly stated in the beginning of the course that late work is not allowed.

I truly am passionate about pre-health even though I don't have the experience and credentials to prove it and am currently figuring out what I need to do to gain the experience.

What do people think about situation? Am I completely hopeless? Can I turn it around? A friend recommended this forum for positive and constructive criticism and feedback so please don't let me down.

Best,

berkeley2015

 

[freakingoutabit]

First, you can always turn it around. There are people on this forum who have dug themselves out of holes far deeper than yours, so don't give up. 🙂

That said, you may need to apply at the end of your senior year or even after a 5th year. That NP could REALLY kill your GPA. If you really want to do this, from this point forward you absolutely must start making As. Ideally, nothing but As. You'll need to take enough science classes to bring up your sGPA, but I would avoid overloading your semesters so you don't get too overwhelmed and start falling behind. Figure out why you've under-performed over the past few semesters and fix it.

Also, is that D+ factored into your 3.19? If it wasn't, be aware that it will be when AMCAS calculates your GPA, and that's what med schools will see. AMCAS doesn't do grade replacement.

Aside from bringing up your grades, you'll need a solid MCAT score to be competitive, since you'll be somewhat limited in how much your can improve your GPA. There is a ton of advice for studying for the MCAT on this forum, but here's a tiny bit: give yourself plenty of time (ideally an entire semester with a light courseload) and don't take it before you're ready. Sounds obvious, but a lot of very smart people think that intelligence, sheer force of will, and a few weeks of studying are enough to get a competitive score, and that just isn't true for the vast majority of people. Before you worry about that, though, spend the next year making as many As as possible and doing some volunteering/researching. (Don't go crazy with the volunteering and researching, though. You have plenty of time to get volunteer hours, and your focus needs to be on GPA repair right now.)

As for ECs, you're definitely on the right track. Many schools also like to see volunteer work with the poor, so make sure that at some point you work with poor/underserved people in some capacity. You'll also need to cultivate relationships with professors, research coordinators, and volunteer coordinators for letters of recommendation. I'd recommend asking at least 6 people to write one for you, so start thinking about that now. Finding 6 people who will write a great letter isn't always easy, especially if you take lecture classes (or turn in your work late 😉).

It's daunting, I know, but you can do it! Just take it one day at a time and start making slow but steady progress in the right direction.

Good luck!

 

[berkeley2015]

Thanks for the reply. I no longer think I will NP my summer course since my professor is allowing students to submit late work which will significantly raise my grade in the class. I've looked all over the AMCAS website and cannot find the official policy on grade replacement. I've read some posts in this forum that talk about how AMCAS calculates GPA and some have suggested that it is on a school by school basis. Is this true? Could you link me to the page about how AMCAS calculates GPA?

My focus now is on my GPA and sGPA. I'm not overloading my courses and have planned out my next 5 semesters + summer sessions as follows:

Fall 2013

5 units - Organic Chemistry I
4 units - Biology 1B
4 units - C129 Aging Human Brain
1 unit - Elective

Spring 2014
5 units - Organic Chemistry II
4 units - Biology 1A
4 units - Elective
1 units - Decal

Summer 2014
4 units - Physics 8A
Start studying for the MCAT

Fall 2014 -
4 units - Physics 8B
4 units - MCB 102 Survey of Biochemistry
Study for the MCAT

Spring 2015 -
4 units - MCB C160 Introduction to Neurobiology
4 units - MCB 104 Genetics, Genomics, and Cell Biology
Study for the MCAT

Summer 2015
5 units - Neuro Elective
Take the MCAT

Fall 2016
4 units - MCB 160L Neurobiology Lab
4 units - Neuroelective

Spring 2016
Research, volunteer, work on a health clinic abroad, take easy science glasses to boost GPA

When do I need to apply to medical school if I want to be an incoming medical student in the fall of 2017? What cycle?

 

[freakingoutabit]

Oh, good! That's great that your professor is letting you turn in work late.

(1) I don't have that link, but I do know that AMCAS will include every undergraduate grade in your AMCAS GPA. In other words, if your college allows you to retake a class and then deletes the lower grade from your GPA but still lists that class and the grade on your transcript, AMCAS will include both grades in their calculation of your GPA. Does that make sense? AMCAS does not replace anything; they include every single grade listed on any undergraduate transcript. If your college allows grade replacement, the only way AMCAS won't include the lower grade is if your college deletes it from your transcript (which I can't imagine they do).

As for how individual med schools evaluate grades, I have no idea.

(2) If you want to start med school in the fall of 2017, you need to apply in the summer of 2016. I highly recommend starting any volunteering or researching you want to do at least a year before you start the application process. ADCOMS won't be impressed if you start volunteering right before you apply. Next summer would be a good time to start since you'll be taking a lighter course load. You don't need to dedicate a ton of hours every week, but longevity is key. 4 hours per week for 2 years is far better than 16 hours per week for 1 semester.

Also, if you haven't already, check out the upcoming changes to the MCAT so you'll know what to expect: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/

Aside from that, you plan looks great. Good luck!