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Just wanted to start a thread for the premeds interested in the VCU CERT program. There's one for predentals, but not one for us! Who's applying/accepted? Feel free to share your stats!
VCU CERT 2015-2016
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I applied in January, and then realized my resume was missing mid February, then promptly sent it in. However, even though they received my resume by the end of February, I still haven't heard back. Since its now been 6 weeks I guess I should probably get in contact with them and see whats up. Anyone else applied or heard anything back?
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Well I emailed the program director and my application was just completed this past Friday. He said that a decision would be made and that I would here back in a week or two. Have you called them or sent an email? They usually reply back to me within 24-48 hrs.
Emailed them yesterday and they said I would hear back this week. Then received an email today saying I was accepted. I was also accepted to the med masters program at EVMS, so I guess I have a hard decision ahead of me. Do you think if you decline acceptance into the cert program it hurts your chances of eventually getting into vcu for medical school? Because right now vcu is where I want to end up for medical school, but if I end up feeling like the evms program is a better fit for me I want to make sure that decision won't come back to bite me later.
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Congrats!! I have applied to both schools as well. I hope that I hear back today as well!!! I don't think that would be very professional for them to put the effort into letting the medical school know that you declined the cert program. It may be that going to their cert program would increase your chances of getting in since they have a garunteed interview if you have 28 MCAT and >3.5 GPA. But EVMS is actually a masters program and you take classes with med students. So I think a good performance in that program would be welcomed by the VCUSOM admissions committee.
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btw, can you pm me your stats?
I'm hoping to go straight to medschool after finishing whichever program I do, so I'm sending out applications in the next couple months. I just want to do whichever program will make it more likely that I won't have to go through the hassle of completing applications again. They're such a pain in the butt. Hopey you'll hear back soon too!
I'm still new to this so idk how to pm stuff, but I don't mind just sharing them on the board.
34 MCAT (PS:12 VR:11 BS:11)
3.15 sGPA (should be a 3.2 after the semester is over)
3.3 cumulative GPA
260 hrs shadowing
284 hrs volunteering
34 MCAT (PS:12 VR:11 BS:11)
3.15 sGPA (should be a 3.2 after the semester is over)
3.3 cumulative GPA
260 hrs shadowing
284 hrs volunteering
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Awesome MCAT. And I would check previous VCU cert threads about applying right after the program. The general consensus is that it is not advised to apply to medschool till you complete the program. Either way, congrats to you and good luck!
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Yeah, I just know of people who have gotten interviews while attending the cert program, and then were accepted and started med school the fall after they finished. I also know it's pretty common for people to go straight from the med masters program to med school so that makes it somewhat more appealing.
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Yea I agree with that. I know that with EVMS, they send updates on your grades/performance throughout the year to their medical school, but I don't know if they will do it for others to which you have applied. I don't know if VCU does the same. The one thing about the EVMS program that has me concerned is that this year they are expecting the biggest class size yet. It has apparently trippled in size.
I was actually just looking at stats on that. Apparently the whole tripling in size thing is just a big rumor. They are expecting to have around 70-75 people in the one year program, and 10-14 in the two year program, and to still have 50 interview spots. So while that is an increase from this years class which had 58 people vying for 50 interview spots, it definitely hasn't tripled. Also, the people in the two year program obviously wouldn't be in the running for those interview spots.
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Yea, thats what seems to be indicated on their website. Hopefully the actual number of students who participate will be around the number they expect. I would imagine though that the 2 year applicants who greatly improve their stats would be in the running with the first year students. They have volunteering and physician shadowing opportunities as well as MCAT prep.
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Ohhh I see what you're saying. Yes, that does work to that class's benefit. I'm like you, I really want to go to VCUSOM, but I just can't deny that the EVMS program seems like more of a challenge/accomplishment. If I get accepted to both programs, I honestly don't know which one I'll end up choosing.
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Hey everyone,
I'm a current CERT student, just finishing up the year. Feel free to ask me any questions about the program, VCU in general, and Richmond (either in the forum or you can pm me if you're so inclined 😛). I was accepted to both the EVMS med master's program and VCU CERT, and I chose CERT since VCUSOM is my first choice, and I really wanted to show the school that I was committed to them. Also, I previously interviewed with VCUSOM and saw just how much they care about their students, which is not really the impression that I got from EVMS when I interviewed there (not to say that they don't care about their students, they may just not be as upfront about it!).
Though it's not a medical masters, you work closely with the med school adcom, and they will come and talk to you and tell you how to be a better applicant, especially if you're interested in VCUSOM. Also, though you're not taking med school classes, many of the professors that you will have also give lectures in the med school so when if you attend VCUSOM, you'll already know a good deal of the professors and how they lecture/test. I've had a really great experience with CERT, and I would be happy to answer questions if y'all have any!
I'm a current CERT student, just finishing up the year. Feel free to ask me any questions about the program, VCU in general, and Richmond (either in the forum or you can pm me if you're so inclined 😛). I was accepted to both the EVMS med master's program and VCU CERT, and I chose CERT since VCUSOM is my first choice, and I really wanted to show the school that I was committed to them. Also, I previously interviewed with VCUSOM and saw just how much they care about their students, which is not really the impression that I got from EVMS when I interviewed there (not to say that they don't care about their students, they may just not be as upfront about it!).
Though it's not a medical masters, you work closely with the med school adcom, and they will come and talk to you and tell you how to be a better applicant, especially if you're interested in VCUSOM. Also, though you're not taking med school classes, many of the professors that you will have also give lectures in the med school so when if you attend VCUSOM, you'll already know a good deal of the professors and how they lecture/test. I've had a really great experience with CERT, and I would be happy to answer questions if y'all have any!
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Hey beeboops, thanks for offering your advice. It is also my goal to get into VCUSOM, so I do have a few questions for you.
1) did you apply to VCUSOM when you started the program, or are you going to have a gap year? what have other students done?
2) was the timing of your interview also based on when you applied? (like, if you had submitted your amcas last year and are interviewing this semester to start medschool this Aug).
3) did you take advantage of the research opportunities, and, if so, did you find it relatively easy to find a mentor for research? Any possibilities of publications?
4) what did most students take for their first semester? Would you recommend anything more than the Physiology, Biochem, and Histology class, or is that in itself a full load?
5) how was the overall difficulty of the program? Did you find one semester harder than the other or was it generally the same throughout?
6) what is the grading scale? like A, B, C.. or A, A-, B+, B
7) how many students were in your class?
8) if there was anything you know now that you wished you would have known going into the program, what is it?
9) is there any other advice or experiences you think it would be beneficial to know?
Thank you so much!
Sorry for the long list in advance
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Hahaha, I don't mind. I'm gonna try and make my answers as detailed as possible just in case anyone else comes by and needs answers for the same questions.
1) I am taking a gap year and keeping up clinical experiences and volunteer experiences since these are both really important to VCUSOM. This is what most students do although there are some that did apply the summer before the CERT year started, but I wouldn't really suggest this imo. Just having CERT on your application isn't really considered a significant experience, and even if you do apply before the CERT year, the adcom suggests scheduling your interview after your fall grades are in. Additionally, if you finish the program with at least a 3.5 and a 28 MCAT (I'm unsure of what the threshold score will be on the new MCAT, but I've heard 500, maybe. Don't quote me on that though!), you'll get a guaranteed interview with the med school (a similar arrangement exists for pre-dental students if any of y'all are lurking around here 😛). For me, this is definitely a lot more enticing, but you do have the difficulty of figuring out what you'll do for the gap year. The CERT office is really helpful in figuring that out though!
2) I'm not sure I understand this question! I didn't interview for the CERT program, but I did interview for VCUSOM in 2013. I submitted my AMCAS pretty much the day it opened and interviewed in early September for admission fall 2014 (obviously, I didn't get in hahaha). For the guaranteed interview that you get when you finish CERT in good academic standing (mentioned above), your interview will be in late August provided that you get everything in on time (AMCAS, recommendation letters, transcripts, MCAT scores, etc.). If you're doing CERT 2015-2016 and decide to do a gap year (wait for the guaranteed interview), then you would interview in August 2016 for admission fall 2017.
3) I did not take advantage of any of the research opportunities as research is seen as "extra credit" to VCU, and I have strong enough experiences from undergrad. I focused mainly on bulking up my clinical and volunteer work. The adcom specifically suggests focusing more on clinical and volunteer and only doing research if you're solid on the other two. However, if you're really interested in research, I would definitely suggest doing it in the spring semester where things start to wind down a little (fall semester is rough). There's no problem finding a PI, and the program has a dedicated research coordinator that will help you get in contact with one. As for publications, honestly, a semester or even a year of research really isn't that much time to run a project, write a manuscript, get it reviewed, and get it published. This isn't a problem with the CERT program, it's just a fact. That's not to say that research isn't a valuable experience. You could definitely get a strong letter of recommendation from your PI if you build a good relationship with them.
4) Do NOT take anything more than physiology, biochem, and histology your first semester! It is a tough semester, comparable to the first year of medical school. Several people have told me that if you can survive the CERT year, then M1 will be a breeze since you're already used to the amount of work. Those 3 classes are what most students take. A very small number (this year it was 3 out of ~100 people) take cellular and molecular neuroscience instead of histology, but I really wouldn't suggest doing that unless you have a background in neuroscience. The second semester is a lot more relaxed in terms of electives, and you can take a variety of different things like systems neuroscience, cardiology, embryology, etc. It may be tempting to take certain classes because you think they'll look appealing to the med school, but this year is really about getting your GPA up so play to your strengths when choosing classes!
5) The answer for this will differ with different people, but I think we would all agree on the fact that fall semester was the toughest. Physiology is a tough class, not because the information is difficult but because of the amount of information you're expected to know. If you're good at memorization, it'll be a breeze for you, but if not, you'll want to dedicate more time to that class. For me, spring semester has been fairly easy, and I'm not sure if it's because I've finally figured out how to study or if my classes are truly easier. A thing that I had to work to adapt to was the fact that we had multiple professors for each class. I never had this in undergrad, so it threw me for a loop, and for every exam, I had to adapt to a new professor's style of lecturing/testing. That was probably the toughest thing for me when I began this program. Overall, I think CERT is pretty difficult, but this is only because you need better time management than you probably had in undergrad. What you learn itself is not that difficult though.
6) The grading scale is A, B, C, D, F. No pluses or minuses, and you can only get about one C to graduate from the CERT program.
7) I think for my class, it was probably around 100 when we started. After the fall semester, we lose a few people, but I'm not sure what the numbers are like now. I think for the class before me they started with 80 and dropped down to 60 at the end.
8) I wish I had a better study system in place before I started the program. I started studying the way I did in undergrad, which worked pretty well, but you just don't have that kind of time with the CERT program, and I ended up not doing as well as I could have on the first few physiology exams. You need to find a system that allows you to take in all the information but in a timely manner. I was kind of at a loss, so I talked to the CERT coordinators (all past CERT students) and got some direction on how to study, which you could definitely do, but ultimately, I think you'll probably have to figure out your own way, and it may involve a little trial and error, unfortunately. Just don't expect to be able to study exactly like you did in undergrad, especially if you're trying to juggle clinical and volunteer experiences at the same time as CERT classes.
9) I pretty much gave all my advice in the previous questions, but I guess I just wanted to throw in a plug for the program. I don't really have a comparison, but I feel that this program is so unique in its connection with VCUSOM and how the adcom really actually wants you to get into their med school. There's several events throughout the year aimed at helping you to get in, and you can always get personalized help with your apps and personal statements, etc. Additionally, the program is basically completely student-run, so the people advising you will have already gone through the program and really understand what you're going through. They totally act as your cheerleaders because they know how tough it is, and you can go to them with any concern. It's been such a great year, and I really feel that I've bettered myself as a candidate for med school because CERT program. Really hope you guys decide to join!
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Wow thank you so much for taking the time to write all that! It has been a great help 🙂 I accepted my offer earlier today and will be starting in the fall. Good luck to you and congrats on your success!
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Glad you decided on the CERT program! I think it'll be of great help to you, but just remember that you get out of it what you put in. I think that's the biggest lesson I've learned in my year here.
Hahaha, I may have been procrastinating studying for finals when I wrote all of that... but I'm glad you found it a great help 🙂
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Haha I was wondering about that given it is about that time for exams. Yea, I am devoting everything I have to making straight A's. I've had some time to think since yesterday and I have a few more questions is you have the time 🙂
What about the one credit classes where you attend seminars? Is it still to much in addition to the three heavy hitters?
What about the MCAT prep classes? Did you need to take advantage of those? Or was your MCAT already good before the program?
Are there fall/spring breaks?
Are the classes for second semester more of your choice, or are there ones that most students hoping to matriculate to medical school take?
That's all for now haha! thanks!!
What about the one credit classes where you attend seminars? Is it still to much in addition to the three heavy hitters?
What about the MCAT prep classes? Did you need to take advantage of those? Or was your MCAT already good before the program?
Are there fall/spring breaks?
Are the classes for second semester more of your choice, or are there ones that most students hoping to matriculate to medical school take?
That's all for now haha! thanks!!
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I only have to get a ~65% on the biochem final to secure an A, and I have to maintain a ~65% average in my other class to get an A soooo... I might be winding down a little, honestly, which is why I have time to answer all these 😉 plus, SDN has been such a big help for me in my journey, so I hope to be just as much help to you all! Anyways, your questions...
I actually took a one credit seminar class during the fall semester, and I didn't think it added all that much more work. You just have to attend ~10 seminars and write 1-2 paragraph summaries (mine were probably ~200-300 words each). Typically, the course director for the seminar class doesn't care if you fully understand what was presented, but you can't write nonsense, obviously. You get to go to a bunch of really interesting talks, and I would definitely recommend taking it during both semesters if you're interested in continuing on for the master's degree.
My MCAT was good enough before the program, so I didn't take the MCAT prep classes, and I don't know too much about them. Hopefully someone else in the program will stumble across this thread and help you out a little more. The most I know about them is that they're during the spring semester, so you should probably try and keep a lighter course load then since I would treat MCAT prep like an additional 4 credit class.
There is a spring break but no fall break aside from Thanksgiving break!
Classes you take second semester are more of your choice. The CERT coordinator should send out a list of acceptable electives towards the end of the fall semester when you should be thinking about registering for your spring classes. I'm not sure that there's classes that are looked on more favorably by the med school. I would say the majority of students take cardiology and embryology in addition to the second semester of biochem, which is required. I think most people take embryology because it's a 3 week course with one exam, but be forewarned: That one exam constitutes the entirety of your grade. I heard horror stories of people who got <70 on that exam. I think I've also heard that med school is interested in systems neuroscience since it's similar to what you'll be exposed to in med school, but I would just suggest playing to your strengths (your #1 priority is your GPA, after all) and taking what you're interested in!
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Thanks for all the advice and info! I just got my acceptance here Wednesday (Marked complete around April 1). Do you think most of your class is going to make the 3.5 needed to get an automatic II (if you have an idea)? Or is the program so rigorous that many don't quite make it...
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It's a pretty rigorous program, but I think roughly ~30 (out of 80-90ish, I think) are expected to make the automatic II. I'm not 100% on these numbers though. Of course, even if you don't get the guaranteed interview, it's still possible to have an interview with the school if your clinical, volunteer, etc. are all good.
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I just looked at VCU's website and this program has me intrigued. Even though my UG offers something similar this one looks a lot more promising. I just have a question as far as the GPA requirement it says you need a minimum of a 3.2 science GPA. So if I have a 3.2 after all my grades are replaced with newer ones would I meet the criteria? Or all of my attempts going to be included in that final minimum gpa?
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What do you mean after all your grades are replaced with newer ones? Are you retaking classes or is your uGPA below a 3.2? I know that the webiste says 3.2 is the minimum but I believe that somewhere on the website, it says that this isn't set in stone if you have outstanding circumstances or if all other facets of your application are strong (i.e. high MCAT, volunteer, shadowing, clinical experience). I think I get what your saying and I imagine that this particular program will use your final GPA. Keep in mind however that when you apply to medical school, AMCAS will average all of your undergraduate grades and give you a GPA that is different from your uGPA. Hope this helps
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Do you know if the program administrators can give that infromation? Like, if I asked them "out of the 80-90 students in the 2015 program, what percent made the 3.5 gpa, and of those, what percent had at least a 28 MCAT?" do you think they would tell me?
Also, I have a lot of clinical experience and will have at least two more shadowing opportunities before I start the program. I havent had much volunteering time in a few years now and I was wondering 1) whether or not clinical experience was favored over volunteer experience or if they are treated equally, and 2) if you know about resources at VCU that can help you find places to volunteer. Thanks as always 🙂
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I'm not sure if the administrators will give you that info, but you can always ask! (and ask how big the graduating class is because I'm not 100% sure it's actually 80-90 lol).
Clinical experiences are definitely very important to VCUSOM, but I think it would be worth it to look into volunteer experiences, especially non-medical, as well. The administrators do a good job of sending info your way about volunteer opportunities, but they try not to send them out during the fall semester since you'll still be trying to get used to the program and your classes. If you do any extracurriculars (research, shadowing, volunteering), definitely do not do them in the fall. Try to wait for the spring. The adcom understands that the CERT year is tough and actually do not expect you to take on anymore responsibilities than your classes, but if you think you have the time, I would definitely add in at least one more experience (e.g., shadowing one day a week, volunteering one day a week, etc.).
If you're interested in looking at some volunteering options early, you can always just google "volunteer in Richmond, VA". There's a ton of stuff that should pop up. Good luck!
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This sounds like a question for the program administrators. I'm not really sure what you mean by "all my grades are replaced with newer ones". I believe the GPA they use is the one that is calculated by your undergrad institution as it appears on your transcript. Don't quote me on this though and make sure to ask the program administrators if you're confused!
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I'm just trying to plan ahead here and I'm wondering how practical it is to have a laptop for class? My Mac has battery issues. Did you bring a laptop to class or did you take notes? Also, are all the students in the program in the same class? Or are there diff schedules? How are the class rooms, are they nice?
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Most people take laptops to class, but since you mention that your Mac has battery issues, maaaaybe that wouldn't work out for you. Most, if not all, of the classrooms do not have outlets anywhere near the seats. The classrooms themselves are fairly decent (except for the Egyptian Building where biochem is held - ugh), and the seats kind of look like the seats in a movie theater with a little desk that you pull up. I too have felt the pain of having a Mac with battery issues but also not liking to take paper notes. My computer, if I charged it the night before, is able to last through a 2 hour lecture, but it would definitely not make it through another 1 hour lecture, so I often charged it while I ate lunch (typically, you won't have a class between 12pm and 1pm). Depending on what classes you're planning to take in the fall, you should have some downtime between physiology and histology to charge your laptop. Idk if you'll have time between histo and biochem though since I'm not 100% sure what time histo is at.
There's no different schedules. Everyone in CERT is in the same biochemistry and physiology class (and histo, if you take that), but there's also PhD students and Masters students in these classes, so you get a wide variety of experiences, which I liked. The only criticism I really have of the people in my program is that they were a little clique-y. Don't be scared to make friends with the PhD students 😛
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To all who are attending the program, I have created a Facebook group for our class. Don't want to be the only admin and if anyone would like to help me manage the page, please let me know. Just search Facebook for VCU CERT 2015-2016
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I'm coming out of Facebook hiatus to join this page and continue offering you guys my advice, but I can't find it 🙁 Can you PM me a link to it? I'm probably doing something wrong lol.
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Yea I can't find it either
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Sorry guys, I don't know why its not pulling up when you search. I PM'ed both of you the link
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Here is the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/VCUCERT20152016/
A little over 20 people from our class will receive IIs for this year
How many people recieve IIs after they complete the program and go on to get a master's? Anyone know?
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Around 20-25 people (out of ~100) will receive the guaranteed interview. I don't know how many people that don't make the guaranteed interview cutoffs (3.5 GPA, 505 MCAT) also receive interviews though there are a handful. As for the master's program, probably like, 5-7 people continue on to get a master's degree though a lot of people do research informally during the gap year.
Is there a reason why more people don't continue to the masters program? Won't that help during the gap year. You can build bonds with the faculty while simultaneously during research.
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It costs money and does not significantly improve your chances any more than scribing would during your gap year. They always say that pre-dent students should do Masters, but I believe that changed now. For pre-med, it seems like nobody cares. I personally wanted to take a break from school before I go to medical school, and I still learn a ton as a scribe.
I understand a traditional master's will do little to help in med school admissions. But, I was thinking that you could build relationships with professors and faculty if you stay and do research during your masters. You could get clinical experience around richmond during your masters (maybe part time scribe, hospital volunteer, or even go to a hospice.)Were you in the VCU cert program and do you mind sharing you stats and experience? Also if you got accepted into medical school.
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Yes. PM me.
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You can do research without pursuing a master's. The master's program isn't just something that you transition into after the CERT program, you actually have to apply to it and be accepted. Master's students are also expected to commit a lot of time to their research whereas if you did research informally, you would have a smaller time commitment, but still be able to build relationships with professors, and you would have more time for other clinical experiences, which are valued more highly than research at many schools, including VCU.
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H
Hey delri, I'm currently in the program. There are a few other people in this thread who I think will probably give you some feedback too. So this is just my personal experience.
I applied with a 3.4 uGPA and had a 28 MCAT and was accepted. I had other ECs like research, shadowing, volunteer etc...
I'm currently in the second semester, and so far I am very happy with the program and I have had a lot of success. But you should keep in mind that it can either help you or hurt you. This program is very demanding, especially the first semester. The second semester is somewhat more laid back, but at the same time the second semester is also when you can really work on and boast your ECs. Academically it is a little easier but it is still time consuming.
I'm sure you know but the minimum goal in the program is to have a 3.5+ gpa and a 28+ or 505+ for the new mcat (if your a med student) and that will get you the guaranteed interview at VCU SOM. The program is run by previous CERT students who chose to help run the program during the glide year. There's a program administrator, a research coordinator, and a clinical coordinator. So three of the students who did CERT last year are now in those positions for my class this year.
They have been great and their goal is to help you get to where you want to be. That's really a broad overview of the program in terms of my experience, but if you have any more specific questions I'd be happy to answer them for you 🙂
Hey delri, I'm currently in the program. There are a few other people in this thread who I think will probably give you some feedback too. So this is just my personal experience.
I applied with a 3.4 uGPA and had a 28 MCAT and was accepted. I had other ECs like research, shadowing, volunteer etc...
I'm currently in the second semester, and so far I am very happy with the program and I have had a lot of success. But you should keep in mind that it can either help you or hurt you. This program is very demanding, especially the first semester. The second semester is somewhat more laid back, but at the same time the second semester is also when you can really work on and boast your ECs. Academically it is a little easier but it is still time consuming.
I'm sure you know but the minimum goal in the program is to have a 3.5+ gpa and a 28+ or 505+ for the new mcat (if your a med student) and that will get you the guaranteed interview at VCU SOM. The program is run by previous CERT students who chose to help run the program during the glide year. There's a program administrator, a research coordinator, and a clinical coordinator. So three of the students who did CERT last year are now in those positions for my class this year.
They have been great and their goal is to help you get to where you want to be. That's really a broad overview of the program in terms of my experience, but if you have any more specific questions I'd be happy to answer them for you 🙂
Thank you so much for the information elevatone, do you think there are any pros or cons per say about the program? Do you feel like it has helped you with matriculating to medical school?
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Have you thought about DO? SMPs are for ppl with low GPAs and high MCATs (like 3.2 and 32+)
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Pros: You definitely have the opportunity to increase you chances to matriculate. The program is difficult, and the VCU admissions committee knows that. I can't say for other schools - especially those outside of Virginia - how well know the program is known, so keep that in mind. Part of your tuition includes an MCAT/DAT prep course that you can take during the 2nd semester. I keep hearing that those who complete this program successfully usually end up doing well on the MCAT. You are provided with resources in order to engage in community service, and VCU really wants to see that. They favor non-clinical volunteering more so than clinical. The clinical coordinator also helps you set up physician shadowing. Most students have ~ 200 hours of shadowing by the time they apply, and this is doable during the second semester if you had success (3.5+) the first semester. Also, there are ample research opportunities available to you that you can explore during the second semester as well, and this is really nice if you choose to use your glide year to transition to the masters program. Finally, Physiology and Biochemistry are recorded (you are required to take these classes), so except for tests you don't have to go to those classes. Ultimately it's what works for you.
Maybe cons: The program is designed more so to satisfy the VCUSOM admissions committee and they always talk about the 4 pillars: good MCAT, good GPA, lots of clinical experience, and lots of volunteering. If you are aiming for VCU, these are the expectations you have to meet. I don't know where you are from or what you are used to but VCU is right in the middle of downtown Richmond. I came from the mountains and this was definitely a transition, but it really isn't that bad. The grading scale is A B C D or F - no + or -. So that is really a personal preference, and it can either help you or hurt you.
Cons: be prepared to have little life. For the first semester, Physiology and Biochemistry are every day, M - F. You CANNOT get behind. Thats why I said time management is essential because you have to figure out a way to devote a significant amount of hours to studying almost every day in order to stay on track. In my personal experience, there were a only a few times last semester when I had some downtime. Cost is another factor. Baseline is $25,000 and then there are extra fees. And you also have to consider housing, food, transportation etc... This is my personal opinion but biochemistry is unorganized and all over the place. And regardless of what you hear about histology - should you choose that as your elective in the fall - it is not easy! Stay on top of it just as much. Um.... that's real all I can think of. But, I will reiterate that this can hurt you as much as it can help you. I'm not saying it's impossible to get to medschool if you don't at least get the 3.5, but that should be the minimum goal.
This is just my personal opinion, and I hope other people will comment to give you more insight. The experience definitely varies person to person. Personally, this is the best decision I could have made for myself so far. I have no idea whether I will get into medical school for sure, but I do feel that after completing the program in May I will be closer than ever.
