Doing Well in LSA (Pre-Med)

<p>I'm a senior in high school, who just got admitted of the waiting list for the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. I was wondering if there are any tips to be a successful student at the university. I will admit that in high school, I didn't necessarily try hard. Minimal studying, but I got decent grades to apply to some schools that were reaches. Can anyone give me any advice on studying habits, fraternities, research opportunities and concentrations and just any advice dealing with the college life and transition. I'm looking into a career as a surgeon. I'm interested in neurosurgery and I was wondering if a concentration in neuroscience would be a smart idea?</p>

<p>I was in the same boat as you. It felt like I never read a novel in high school if a spark note of it existed. I barely studied for tests and never proof-read any of my essays. My SAT and ACT scores were mediocre. However, my grades were alright and I participated in a few varsity athletics in high school.</p>

<p>I just finished my first year at UofM and applied to the business school with plans of doing business/pre-med. I managed to stay focused all year, and ended up with a pretty good GPA. If you buckle down and prioritize, you will be fine.</p>

<p>Thanks for the response. I would like to get into Pre-Med and I want to pull off a high enough GPA in order to go to a very good medical school. I guess its all about time management and prioritization. Any other tips on classes such as organic chem, physics, and bio?</p>

<p>it’s all about time management - stay on top of your **** and you will be fine. I was a mediocre student in HS came to UM and have a 3.89 cum after 2 years. but i will admit my gpa took a big hit this past semester (My dad’s company went under, Uncle died, grandfather got sick, and family decided to move 5 states away - kinda a lot to deal with all at once… but as long as one manages their time well and stay on top of everything you will be fine) But it’s college - to most people it only comes once in a lifetime so enjoy it and dont take it too seriously.</p>

<p>Sorry to hear that you had such a bad go of it this past semester deuspatriND. Better luck going forward!</p>

<p>deuspatriND is correct. Just stay on top of things and make sure the things you do, you enjoy. That will make getting good grades, fantastic LORs, and accomplishments come more naturally. Also don’t procrastinate, do go to lecture, and don’t try to take too many premed core courses at once.</p>

<p>exactly. I am a poli-sci major but i have taken all but 2 of the pre-reqs for med school - orgo 2 and second part of physics. and i spaced it all out. so just take it as you can deal with the course load and enjoy it. it’s college.</p>

<p>Can someone explain how concentrations work? For example If I get a good enough GPA to apply for the Honors College, how will a concentration in Neuroscience be an advantage for medicine?</p>

<p>Your ‘concentration’ is irrelevant. It won’t help or hinder you. Major in whatever you want, do well in the med school pre-requisites, get involved in some extracurriculars, do well on the MCAT, and you will be fine.</p>

<p>@Entertainer: don’t think of your academic studies as an ‘advantage’ for medicine. med schools DON’T CARE about your majors or what you took as your concentration. its just about your GPA and LOR to over simplify. 60% of med students are english majors. so it really doesnt matter what you take. just do well and do the pre-med requirements.</p>

<p>Well no. I mean would it prepare me for med school if I’m in a certain concentration for the field I would like to get into, if I do get to medical school and after. I’m interested in neurosurgery, so would a background in neuroscience aid me?</p>

<p>sure it would be beneficial just giving that background but test the waters at school first. A lot of times kids will come in going head first into English or chemistry or what have it and then by senior year thy regret it and are miserable. Moral of the story - hunt around, maybe you’ll like art history or something, find what you really like to do, then take the pre-med classes in conjunction with what you are majoring in - get the grades to cut it and you’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Hmmm. Thanks for the advice. I don’t really know anything else that interests me in the slightest except for psychology, history, and mostly the biomedical sciences. I will explore, but I will begin taking the pre-med requisites starting my freshman year. Anyone know how organic chem is? I hear it involves intense memorization and things like that. Can anyone share their experiences with Chemistry and Physics?</p>

<p>definitely find something that interests you. you’ll enjoy your classes more. as far as organic chem, my thoughts were that its not memorization at all, all conceptual up until the last few chapters in organic 2</p>

<p>i’d say get started on premed stuff, maybe take a class and a lab per term so you can explore your interests in other stuff while getting the premed reqs out of the way.</p>

<p>Look at the big picture here. You have 4 years to learn about whatever you want, and take advantage of that. If you’re premed, you’ll have to take the premed courses as well. If you want to be a doctor, but like French, then be a French major with the premed coursework. I’m a Cell Molecular Bio major b/c that material really interests me, and I enjoy the research that I do. If you take a major b/c you enjoy learning the material, then you are going to do astronomically better than if you take it b/c you think it will get you into medical school. If you want to get into medical school, you need a great GPA, solid MCATs, and LORs (and some research/experience, but that’s way down on the list compared to the first 3), and these 3 things are likely to come much more easily if you are learning what you would like as well as enjoying your time in college.</p>

<p>And don’t worry about grade compensation for engineering or english majors etc. The same thing is true, if you like studying engineering and want to be a doctor, then do it and do great, and then apply to med school.</p>

<p>Well the only subject that I really like is biology. So I will probably pursue that at Michigan. Thank you for the responses. Hopefully I will have a great academic and social life at Michigan.</p>