Are my chances for med school shot?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I just finished my freshman year at Notre Dame. I am a mechanical engineering major (don't necessarily want to be an engineer, but I know this degree will set me up for a multitude of future careers that fit my interests, including engineering, business, and medicine). My freshman year cumulative GPA is not so good. I am wondering if I should bother filling my future electives with premed prerequisites, on top of an already rigorous engineering curriculum--or if my poor grades this year have already basically excluded me from being accepted into a decent med school, and I should just focus on doing well in my engineering courses.</p>

<p>Freshman GPA: 2.82</p>

<p>Foundations of Theology: A-
Intro to Engineering I: B
Honors Seminar I: B-
Calculus III: B-
Intro to Chemistry: C+</p>

<p>Physics I: B+
Intro to Engineering II: C+
Honors Seminar II: B
Intro to Linear Algebra/Diff Equations: C</p>

<p>...Not my best work. However, I am not an idiot and I am well aware that I didn't put nearly enough effort into my studies this year. </p>

<p>Assume I actually put in the time & effort, and get good grades (mostly A's) in my classes from here on out (coincidentally, this is the same exact thing that happened to me in high school, and I managed to succeed at pulling up my grades)...do I have a chance of being accepted into a good med school?</p>

<p>I am in a special engineering honors program that only 20 engineering students from my class were accepted into (based on high school performance). I currently work at an on-campus caf</p>

2

<p>For med school you might want 3.4+ by graduation… even if that meant going to a DO school.</p>

3

<p>They aren’t over, but you did really hurt your chances at top schools. If you got a 3.8 the next 3 years, you would only have a 3.56 GPA.</p>

<p>Make up for GPA with many hours of hospital volunteering and doctor shadowing, along with a strong MCAT score.</p>

4

<p>While shadowing and volunteering are important, they won’t make up for a low GPA. I certainly wouldn’t discourage you re outside opportunities, but you’ve got to get those grades up.</p>

5

<p>At this point, do you all think it would be better if I just focus on engineering, and maybe explore my business interest with any free electives? Premed is obviously a big commitment, and a major in itself, and I don’t know that I have the time or dedication to pursue something I don’t feel 100% passionate about.</p>

6

<p>^that is a question that only you can answer. Look, a degree in engineering is very respectable. I am a physician, and if I had to do it all over, I would not go into medicine. If you don’t feel that you can commit to the demands of medicine, then I would pursue what interests you the most.</p>

7

<p>I believe you should go for the major that you feel you will put the most effort into, even if you are better at the other. Intelligence without drive is like a bird without wings.</p>