Tutoring.

[priyanka]

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I love to tutor, I ve done it for the high school kids. Inorder to do it for college students, I'll have to take a particular class and also a practicum. So, that is going to be extra time consumed there. I have most other variety of experiences, including research,etc, but tutoring.
Do you guys think I should go ahead and take that class so that I can tutor O-chem and the like in future? Or should I just continue with research ?
Is tutoring given a lot of weight by the adcomm?

Thanks

 

[jiy76]

no one cares about anything other than gpa or mcat if your stats warrant an interview your E.Cs are fodder for conversation thats about it. Do whatever you like because you like it not because you think the adcoms will like it. They only care about grades and mcat. You can start a nationwide tutoring organization if you don't have the stats it doesn't matter and it won't help you. So spend time doing what you like and make sure you do well on the mcat and in class.

 

[bewitched1081]

no one cares about anything other than gpa or mcat if your stats warrant an interview your E.Cs are fodder for conversation thats about it. Do whatever you like because you like it not because you think the adcoms will like it. They only care about grades and mcat. You can start a nationwide tutoring organization if you don't have the stats it doesn't matter and it won't help you. So spend time doing what you like and make sure you do well on the mcat and in class.

not quite true

 

[nimer1456]

Do what you like... dont just do it b/c you think adcoms will like it. I am a TA, I tutor and I do research... yeah, it is a lot of work but I really enjoy all that I do. Tutoring college students is more fun because they will challenge you. They will ask you things you dont know how to answer.

Basically... does it matter if the adcoms will be impressed? not really... do things b/c you want to, not b/c you think you have to.

 

[Quynh2007]

right, that's why people with low gpa and mcats have never gotten into med school 🙄

to the op, i love to tutor, and was telling a lot of ppl my experiences make be a better candidate to be a prof or teacher since I tutor and teach from kids to 50 yr olds. I love teaching, and plan on doing some type of teach for america deal, and I really want to end up doing child psych. since you ask whether to continue w/ research or do your practicum, i think it's really up to you, but, don't go through undergrad regretting your decisions, do what you feel is best. at this point, you already have research experience, so in my opinion, do the practicum so you have another experience under your belt. but then again, i've never done research and so i don't really have an objective opinion. it would have been (and will be...taking the art of teaching next semester) doing something that will make me a better tutor.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

my gpa is low and my mcat is ok
i have lots of ECs and when my interview was over my interviewer -- whome i though hates me by the end of that hr -- said something on the lines of how involved and ambitious I am in my service to my community and how my love for medicine through my collegiate activities seems genuine and applaudable. I felt like crying but I am glad she saw past my mediocre performance

Also I tutor
Its worth the training sessions – like another poster said “ do it if it makes YOU happy”…do what your passionate about and that passion will shine out and attract people to talk about it during your interview.

 

[Medikit]

I don't know, I just started tutoring and learned on my own. I now think very highly of my abilities because of some of the awesome feedback my great students have given me. I think that if you understand the material and know how to relate well with students then tutoring shouldn't be that difficult. If you get frustrated easily and can't explain things very well to other people then you probably won't be a good tutor, even with training... I imagine the same thing is true for a clinician.

 

[swifteagle43]

Don't tutor if it will even hurt you gpa by .01

 

[priyanka]

Like I said, I have tutored HS kids, so its definitely something I love and enjoy doing. So yes, I'm doing it, especially since it will strengthen my knowledge of the MCAT based material beucause tutoring will make me go over it again and again.
Nonetheless,truly appreacite all the advices.

 

[HeHateMe]

no one cares about anything other than gpa or mcat if your stats warrant an interview your E.Cs are fodder for conversation thats about it. Do whatever you like because you like it not because you think the adcoms will like it. They only care about grades and mcat. You can start a nationwide tutoring organization if you don't have the stats it doesn't matter and it won't help you. So spend time doing what you like and make sure you do well on the mcat and in class.

Boy are you misinformed. your activities can make up for a lot. it is true that there are minimum numbers that you have to get in order to be accepted to certain schools, but I know people who have unbelievable stats and were waitlisted at schools because their ec's sucked and I know others who had much worse stats, although not bad, and were accepted right away because they did lots of cool stuff. Your statement might be true for some lower teir schools, but there is a reason that Harvard and Hopkins have an average mcat of 33 while Wash U is 37.

 

[drguy22]

i tutor O-chem and genetics...and i used to tutor calc 1 and pre calc ...i loved it! and it does count...escpecially if u tutor for a program where a med school funds a part of it (NJMS helps with funds for the program i work for)🙂 😀

 

[jiy76]

no, i didnt say EC's werent important but DON"T do them to impress adcoms! do them cause you like them. If you have a ton of ECs but low grades or mcat its not gonna help. ADCOMs care only about mcat and grades first if you have that they can be selective about EC's later when they inteview you. Hardly anyone gets accepted based on EC when they lack numbers thats all I'm saying. I wish it weren't true but it is

P.S once you get into the 33 range on the mcat you already proved you rocked the exam. there isn't much difference once you get passed a certain score. Besides the guy with a 33 will get in to a lot of other places assuming his gpa is decent. The EC is nice to have but concetrate on whats really important. You are talking about icing on the cake here.

 

[priyanka]

no, i didnt say EC's werent important but DON"T do them to impress adcoms! do them cause you like them. If you have a ton of ECs but low grades or mcat its not gonna help. ADCOMs care only about mcat and grades first if you have that they can be selective about EC's later when they inteview you. Hardly anyone gets accepted based on EC when they lack numbers thats all I'm saying. I wish it weren't true but it is

P.S once you get into the 33 range on the mcat you already proved you rocked the exam. there isn't much difference once you get passed a certain score. Besides the guy with a 33 will get in to a lot of other places assuming his gpa is decent. The EC is nice to have but concetrate on whats really important. You are talking about icing on the cake here.

nah, I never said I wanted to impress the adcomm. I asked how much weight they give to it, because I had two choices, just wanted to select the best one. Don't we all prioritize? As far as the liking for tutoring is concerned, my first sentence stated it explicitly.

Nevertheless, I see what you are saying, grades and MCAT are certainly important, but I made this post after taking that into consideration. Ofcourse there was no way for you to read my mind and I did not mention it. So no worries. Let's chill this topic. 🙂