PreMed Advice: MCAT, Gap Year, etc... (really stressing out)

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>Hello, I hope i am posting in the right section. I got logged out when i tried to submit the thread so i will be rewriting it. I am a junior in college and i am at a crossroads at the moment. Should i apply to med school this June or should i hold it off and apply to med school the June right after my Senior year?</p>

<p>I recently began studying for the MCATs and was overwhelmed with all the stuff i needed to relearn. I was going to try to take the test in April that way i would get my score back before registration opens. I was also going to take a prep class but that closed before i could get in. The class would have been on Saturday which would have been the best for me. I can still try to take the class elsewhere and at a different time. Though the placement might not be ideal. </p>

<p>My GPA is average. Overall i have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and a science GPA of 3.5. All my grades are usually As and Bs. With the only exception being a C+ i got in O Chem (3rd quarter) due to family issues. </p>

<p>My extracurricular activities is not very good. What i currently have is:
Working on Campus: 10-15 hrs a week (Freshman-current)
AMSA: Sophomore Year (Chapter closed afterwards)
Health Care Internship: 6ish hours in which we basically shadow departments (Junior Year)
Safe Walk: 1 Quarter (Was part of the pilot volunteer groups)
EMT-B: Got my Certification sophomore year doing night classes (still trying to find some volunteer opportunity i can use this in)
The reason my Extracurricular Activities are not great is because i usually start at 8 A.M and go to 5 P.M. As a result not many volunteer opportunities really happen after 5 P.M. Also on weekends i go home to work with my father. </p>

<p>I guess what i am trying to figure out is if i should try to apply this June or wait a year? What would be my best bet and what would be my chances if i applied right away?</p>

<p>If i applied this June i think if i put in a lot of work i could still probably do well on the MCATs though I'm still scared. </p>

<p>If i waited a year and applied Senior Year i would potentially have more time to try to get more extracurricular activities in and more time to study. (Then in the gap year do some volunteering or working to help pay back loans/save for school expenses)</p>

<p>I know this is a long read with a lot of grammatical errors (its really late right now). It probably is more rough than my original post. </p>

<p>I appreciate everyone who took their time to read and respond. Thank you.</p>

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<p>“average GPA” and “not very good” EC’s cries out for a gap year. It’s a no-brainer, IMO. It would afford you time to study for the mcat, and better your ECs.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>btw: unfortunately, C’s are all too common in OChem, and I doubt that an addendum citing ‘family issues’ would be of any value, so I would not recommend it. (not that you were, but I was just adding $0.02.)</p>

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<p>Def gap year. Focus on classes and ECs during the spring semester. Do MCAT and research or some other thing during the summer. Senior fall can be focused on classes, ECs and lining up what you will do the following year and then senior spring you can start working on your AMCAS so that you can submit as soon as it opens.</p>

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<p>Not to sound all philosophical or anything, but if you’re asking this question, concerned about your GPA, overwhelmed by the MCAT, and unsure of the strength of your CV…the obvious answer is to wait!</p>

<p>I love the idea of taking your gap year to do volunteer work or to earn money to pay back undergrad loans. Just keep in mind that med school is EXPENSIVE and the likelihood that you would make a big enough dent in the sticker price over just one summer is unlikely (and if you can–I want that job!), so if you’re getting a job to pay for med school…I think you’re better off focusing on getting into med school, and tacking that summer’s worth of salary onto your student loans. Just my opinion though.</p>

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<p>I’m adding a +1 to the rec to wait.</p>

<p>For all of the reasons mentioned above.</p>

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<p>Joining the chorus. </p>

<p>D1 will have taken 2 yrs off between UG and med school. It went by quickly and enabled her to not only strengthen her application, but gave her a break from school, an opportunity to work full time and reenforced her desire to become a physician.</p>

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<p>Thank you for everyone’s response.</p>