How do I compensate for poor freshman grades and no extracurriculars prior to to freshman year

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
1

I’m currently a freshman in high school and I’m very interested in applying to BS/MD programs (more specifically University of Alabama at Birmingham’s early medical school acceptance program). I’m very anxious about my lack of extracurriculars started before high school because I’ve seen that many BS/MD applicants have been doing things such as sports and playing instruments for many years prior to high school and all of the one’s I’m doing I’ve just begun this year. Am I overreacting or is it actually important and should I focus more on building stronger extracurriculars?

Also, I’ve had a very rough freshman year and in the first semester I ended with a 3.25 unweighted GPA and a 3.56 weighted GPA. I see myself ending my freshman year with a 3.3-3.5 unweighted GPA. I know I can still pull my GPA up to be competitive enough by the time I apply, but I also know most successful BS/MD applicants have perfect GPAs. Could I possibly compensate for this with perfect standardized test scores?

2

@vblvr5 Nothing can be done on spilled milk. Move on.

  1. Focus on grades to ensure you get A from this point
  2. Identify few EC which you are interested and start participating
  3. Just execute your plans and see the outcome

Put emphasis to validate your desire to work with people who are sick, vulnerable, poor and not for check list for your BS/MD application.

3

Are you an ORM ( read Asian or Indian ) ? You have to lift your UW GPA and the rank in high school graduating class may matter.

4

I’m an URM

5

@vblvr5 -

-Don’t worry about what happened in the past. Focus on the present and future.
-Try to be as competitive as possible. Work towards a strong profile.
-Stats such as GPA, Test scores, APs are all important.
-Colleges look at high GPA, near perfect SAT/ACT, SAT subject tests, average kids have 8+ APs (scores: 5 or 4).
-A few focused ECs are more important than a lot of generic ECs
-A few hundred hours of volunteering, shadowing and research in medically related field has become the norm based on the stats of students who succeeded this year. --Take a look at “BS MD 2020/2019 results college confidential” forum
-Soft factors (essays) & interview are important. You need to pull material for these from your experience, in particular your medical experience
-Apply widely to 18+ colleges – choose from reach, match and safety schools. Choose both BS/MD and UG colleges
-Obviously, do not limit to BSMD programs in 1-2 states.
-Strategy is also very important for applications. Since you reached out in the freshman year, you are good here.

Good Luck

6

@vblvr5,

The important thing is you know what you want. Here is what I would suggest:

-GPA - Try to take good and easier honors or AP classes which might boost the GPA
-Standardized tests - You have enough time, but try out both ACT and SAT, if you can afford take some good tutoring on areas you are weak
-ECs - Do meaningful ones, not just working at a hospital, try to get patient interaction (Devil is in the detail)
-Reach out to universities and hospitals for research internships or clinical research
-Try having a very good summer program before summer of Senior year, try publishing a paper
-Sports and music - If you can excel and be a captain of a varsity team, you will be viewed differently (specifically will help you when you are not having close to perfect gpa)
-Music - Try excelling and get to state level, will be a true differentiator instead of spending time in math clubs and Olympiads
Essays - Have a good story and why you like medicine

Consider DO programs not just MDs, tend to be less competitive. Good luck!