<p>I just finished my first year in College. My current cumulative GPA is 3.8.</p>
<p>My first semester:
Business Management for Non-Business Majors B
CalculusA A
Advanced Writing A
Introductory to Music A</p>
<p>I did one one month intership in a lab during my winter break. I learned some basics of Research stuff. I think I need more extracurricular stuff and I need some advice for it. </p>
<p>My second semester:
Gen Chem I A-
One credit freshman seminar class A
CaculusB A-
Introductory to Sociology A
Introductory to Writing 101 A</p>
<p>This is my next semester's schedule(not sure):
Gen Chem II
Gen Chem I Lab?
Cellular/Molecular Biology
with Lab?
Elective(s)?
Introductory to Writing 102 </p>
<p>I haven't decided my major, but I am thinking to chose something that is closed to pre-med requirement. English is not my first language and I don't have any AP credits. I think I will have too much work to do if I choose something that is not related to pre-med requirement. Nevertheless, I am considering a back up plan if I cannot become a doctor. (P.S. Can Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Psychology provide me a decent income after completing four years undergraduate study?)<br>
I am currently not a U.S. citizen and a permanent citizen. I know med schools are expensive but I heard many top schools offer loans to international students if you can get into their schools (they promise you will have money to complete your education if you can get into their schools). Are most of the state med schools expensive (compare to undergraduate study in state colleges) ? </p>
<p>I need some advice that can increase my possibility of getting into the good med school. Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>Hey User1991
Correct me if I’m wrong, but you haven’t taken Biology yet have you? As in General Biology. You said you have no AP credits and only took general chemistry as a freshman. I think you need to make sure you have taken General Biology as a sophomore if you are doing pre-med. Also, you might want to look into taking either organic chemistry or physics with general biology as a sophomore, or you can wait until you are a junior for that.</p>
<p>Most US med school do NOT have loans for international students. In fact, many US med schools require that you either 1) deposit 4 years of tuition payments in advance in an escrow account or 2) pay your first year COA in advance (including living expenses) and show a letter of financial responsibility that proves you can pay for your future attendance.</p>
<p>State med schools generally accept few to no international students, and those they do accept are expected to pay the full OOS COA. (Generally in the $45,000/year and up range.) State med schools have no money whatsoever to lend to internationals. (They have none to loan to their in-state students either.)</p>
<p>Just wondering, I see the saying “get into a good med school” a lot on this site. If you are fortunate enough to get into med school, is there really such a thing as a “bad” school?</p>
<p>However, I agree with WOWM, schools in the US barely offer any scholarship money to in-state or out-of-state students. Internationals have a very minute chance of getting any money to attend school. I do, however, believe that there are a couple funds for international students, if you can find any information on them.</p>
<p>Duke is the only US medical school I’ve found so far that says up front it will help finance (thru 7% loans, repayment due upon graduation) international students. Penn, WashU, JHU, UC-SF, Stanford, UWash all specifically say they offer NO FA to internationals.</p>
<p>So the “top schools” idea is largely a myth…</p>
<p>If you aren’t a citizen of the US or Canada or a US green card holder, I wouldn’t bother applying to US medical schools. The interview and admission rates for applicants to US medical schools with your citizenship status are so low that you’re virtually assured to be unsuccessful.</p>
<p>gimmedat
Thank you for your suggestion. I haven’t taken Biology but I plan to take Biology next year. I am not sure when I will take Physics, but I am willing take olgo in my junior year.<br>
WayOutWestMom
Thank you for your information. I understood some difficulties I might have to face in the future.
BAlambis
Thank you for your suggestion. Becoming a doctor is already a very lucky thing. I might look for information about those funds.<br>
shades_children
Thank you for your comment. It’s very difficult to become a doctor in US as a foreigner. I just searched Google and I realized that state med schools don’t like foreigners, but private med schools don’t care where you came from. I have been in U.S. for several years, and I have endured some similar situations in the past. I hope the financial barriers can be solved
by the time when I apply med schools.</p>
<p>Here are are my thoughts:
I should still work hard academically and get the best GPA as possible. Same for MCAT.
Money problems need to be solved. Nevertheless, I might work several years after college to amass some money for med school. That’s why I need some suggestion about my major. Do anyone know any majors that can help you to earn significant amount of money (not a lot, but ok) for med schools?
I am Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, psychology, computer science, and specialized health science majors( physical theraphy)? P.S. I also have family member in U.S. who can support me financially. They tell me not to worry until the end of my junior year.
I know becoming a doctor for me , I still have hope.
I would also like to have more comments about my next semester’s schedule.</p>
<p>User1991, Once in a while, some applicant might post at SDN that she/he got into a medical school as an international. But the odds is definitely against you if you are still an international when you apply.</p>
<p>I know a case that an international who had already graduated from a medical school could not land a “nice” job (“nice” = in a city. The job offer she could get seems to be in a very rural area and she needs to pay some head-hunter company which essentially ripped her off) as a doctor. When she finally got her green card through her husband’s work in the engineering field, she then very easily found a job in a nice city. (But I heard she ended up being a doctor who worked part time only due to the fact that she needs to raise a family. But she could have a job easily when she could afford the time working full-time outside of the family again.</p>
<p>It is no coincident that a very high percentage of students in the PhD programs (instead of medical schools) are internationals: They work very hard, and they are cheap. More importantly, they have such a high barrier to overcome in order to go to a medical school (financially, mostly.)</p>
<p>Here’s the most recent list I could find (2009) which details admission policies at US med schools, including the availablity of financial aid.</p>
<p>[NAAHP:</a> Medical School Admission Policies Towards Non-U.S. Citizens](<a href=“Home - NAAHP”>Home - NAAHP)</p>
<p>Working to amass the funds necessary to pay for a US medical school is wonderful fantasy. With a bachelor’s in any of the field you list (with the possible exception of computer science and only then if you’re very, very good and very lucky), you will not find a job that will pay enough to both live on and save a quarter million dollars in a few years.</p>
<p>Also, depending on your visa status you may not be eligible to work in the US after graduation.</p>