<p>1.) You’re never going to be identical to another candidate. And on the list of ways to distinguish you, HS volunteering is not going to be the first, or the third, or the fifteenth thing they look to.</p>
<p>2.) If somehow you ARE identical to another candidate, then you’ll probably both be rejected. Maybe you’ll both be accepted. You almost certainly will not have one accepted and one rejected.</p>
<p>3.) If you speak about your experience in the manner in which you express yourself in post #19, it will harm you. And the adcom will pick the other guy.</p>
<p>A couple extra hours of standing in the corner in the OR isn’t going to put you over another applicant. Do not put your HS hours on your med school application. You can maybe mention it in an essay but those “I’ve wanted to be a doctor ever since I was 5” essays usually get an eyeroll from me.</p>
<p>Even if you totally disagree with BRM, there is really no need for you to use a word as strong as “bullcrap”, “condescending”, “Grow up please.”</p>
<p>In fact, believe it or not (I think you may not), at SOME state school (but apparently not at yours), having an AP credit on a certain subject (e.g., AP physics C) could be (but not always) harmful as you will be forced to take advanced physics for physics majors – unless you happen to be the few premeds who enjoy taking quantum physics for physics majors. Also, to apply to a certain medical school in some state, you have to take certain introductory science classes – starting from an intermediate/advanced science class will not do. Not all state schools are created equal. At some private schools, even though most students come in with tons of AP credits, many of them “pretend” they have not taken these AP courses. So, the environment is even more different at private schools. – few students cares about having taken AP courses there as almost everybody has taken them.</p>
<p>Actually, I think BRM’s undergraduate experience is more similar to yours, as compared to most other CCers here, and I believe he meant well when he tried to share his past experiences (which he had many years ago) with you in his post. At least several of us here appreciate his helps from some to time in the past 5-6 years.</p>
<p>bauman,
"So you’re saying if was identical with another applicant, the fact that I volunteered there during HS would be completely irrelevant and they wouldn’t give me the edge over an identical applicant who didn’t? I simply can’t believe that. Experience is experience. "</p>
<ul>
<li>Application to Med. School does not include your experiences before UG. You might have had thousands of hours of whatever, and never sleep if that matters, but how they will know? You list only experiences in UG in AMCAS application. It is already too much to sort out among some 5,000 applications.</li>
</ul>
<p>I have a question kind of along the same lines as the OP. It’s about time for me to register for next semester’s classes and I was wondering how doable taking Bio and Gen Chem together was.</p>
<p>I really f’ed up my first semester schedule and am going to stuff a bunch of classes together. This is probably a ridiculous question, but for some reason I get nervous about this kind of stuff quite easily. I don’t know if its better to take bio one year, then chem the next, then physics, etc. or to squish them all together. I only ask because my major has nothing to do with these classes and my schedule for next semester will be stuffed, whether or not I squish bio and chem together along with all my ECs and other stuff going on.</p>
<p>Like I said, this is probably a ridiculous question so feel free to laugh at me. It just seems like there is not enough time in the day by time you factor in homework and studying to maintain a high gpa, ECs, and just the time it takes to live (i.e. eating)!</p>
<p>^No question is ridiculous. D. took Bio and Gen Chem together for whole freshman year. Both had Labs graded separately. However, you need to evaluate your own ability and difficulty level of these classes at your school. D’s Gen Chem. was her easiest science class, she ended up with all tests over 100% and was hand picked by prof to be supplemental instructor in Gen Chem, the best job on campus. First year Bio at her school, on the other hand is known weed out killer with cruel lab / lab reports. D. did well, but had to work extremely hard although she had both Honors and AP Bio (5 on exam) in HS. She had 18 -19 credit hours in first 2 years to allow lighter schedule in junior year (MCAT prep) and senior year (Med. schools interviews). D’s major is Bio ralated, but she is Music Minor. It is all doable, make sure you have your priorities straight. This is my D’s experience, you need to evaluate your own situation with your own set of variables.</p>
<p>High school stuff doesn’t mean ****…College is a time to reinvent yourself (for the better hopefully)…</p>
<p>
^^^ It depends on how strong you are in the sciences. I was just at a conference with a dean from Baylor College of Medicine, and a student (a freshman) asked if she should double up in the sciences, the guy replied “Upon matriculation [to college] if the high school background has not been particularly strong in the sciences and not as competitive as others it is recommended that in the first year in college the student take only one science course, such as chem, and one math course. In other words, do not take both biology and chemistry in the first semester of college. In the second year or perhaps the second semester, once the student has learned efficient study habits, then he/she take 2 science classes.” </p>
<p>This next part is interesting and deals with EC’s (ESPECIALLY FOR ALL YOU INCOMING FRESHMAN.)</p>
<p>Another freshman at my school asked the dean of baylor college of medicine about when to get involved in Extracurricular activities. The dean’s response:</p>
<p>" Similarly it should be stressed to students THAT THEY SHOULD NOT GET INVOLVED in EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES the first semester or EVEN first year of college. As time management is mastered, then in subsequent years, the extracurricular activities can be a part of the student’s activities. Remember a good GPA is necessary before medical school admissions officers will look at your EC’s."</p>
<p>^^^^ That surprised me the most. This only applies IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR ACADEMIC strengths/weaknesses. </p>
<p>BTW if you are wondering, the only reason I have the exact quotes from the guy, is because the conference was recorded by some of the pre-med advisers at my school, and posted online.</p>