<p>I am a Junior at Emory University, a school known for its pre-med program. Because there are so many pre-med students here, they do their very best to keep you from making it. I have just completed fall semester and received my grades. All was well until now. I received a C+ in physics, and a second C+ in another class. Thus far, my GPA was a 3.5, but is now a 3.3. I have a B average in my sciences, and have almost completed the required coursework. I have a year and a half of research experience in chemistry developing anti-cancer drugs. I have vounteer clinical exprerience and study abroad experience. </p>
<p>I plan to take the MCAT in April.</p>
<p>I desperately want to become a surgeon, but I am shaken by this semester's performance. </p>
<p>Well, you still have a chance. If you hit the average( 3.6/30 +ECs and research) and apply broadly, you'll get in somewhere. Also, there isn't anything that you lack that can't be made up for. If you have a low gpa, then get a really high MCAT. </p>
<p>But don't neglect grades. If you want to get straight A's, you'll probably need to study as hard as your health permits you.</p>
<p>you need to apply more colleges,wvu(morgantown),Marshall(huntington,wv).dont forget to aplly this two,and also albany med school.and new mexico.but best thing is work hard.</p>
<p>Nothing like the voice of experience. ;) I want to take this opportunity to thank the folks who have been through the fires of the app process, those who have been accepted to med school, those attending, and those practicing. Without you we are a "What are my chances?" board.</p>
<p>Wow. I am currently a sophomore at Wartburg College, and I am actually considering Emory University for med school to become a surgeon as well. I am sort of worried about my gpa (which is currently 3.7), but can somewhat "lower gpa" be compensated by "higher mcat score"?? </p>
<p>A little off topic, but are there any graduate school scholarships?</p>
<p>Seems you have done O.K. in the sciences and the C+ in Physics is an aberration. Are there any reasons why your grades dropped dramatically your junior year? Don't need to answer here but you need to ask yourself that question. If you have another semester of Physics, work hard to pull it up and show that it was an aberration. How did you do in Organic Chemistry? Are you majoring in the sciences? I have to admit that med schools generally do not like to see a downward trend in performance so I would be concerned. Just like in h.s., junior year should be an important academic year as you will have adapted to college and are focusing on your major (presumably your area of strength). MCATs help but I would say most medical schools prefer someone with good grades and relatively low MCATs than the other way around. In a way, medicine rewards hard work and persistence over pure intelligence compared to some other fields. Right now, I would say you are a borderline candidate unless you pick your grades up next semester. You may want to take a year off and have your senior year GPA factored in when you apply. </p>
<p>I am aware that Emory has a nomogram of GPA/MCAT scores and medical admission success of its students who have applied during the past few years. May want to take a look at that to gauge your chances after taking the MCATs. Good luck.</p>
<p>This semester was an aberration. My grades were actually steadily increasing each semester, with last semester peaking at a 3.9. My science GPA is respectable, and there is a very good explanation for my performance this semester. </p>
<p>Emory Univerity has many colleges within it. One such college is Oxford College, a 2-year school for freshmen and sophomores located at the original site of Emory's campus in Oxford, GA. After the two years, ALL Oxford students continue their education and ultimately receive their degree at Emory College. As a junior at Emory, I am actually more like a freshman. I was very unfamiliar with the campus, the organizations, the students, and the administration. Moreover, this was the first semester in which I doubled up my lab sciences while taking two other classes. The four classes and two labs more or less kicked my ass. </p>
<p>But the real problem was with my professors. I am one who performs well under the guidance of a good teacher. With a larger school comes new teachers and a much less interactive teaching style. My physics teacher, for example only offered office hours during another one of my classes, rendering his help useless. I have lessened my load for next semester and hardened myself to the understanding that all A's is all there can be. </p>
<p>I am not trying to apply to Harvard Med or JH, but it has been my dream to become a neonatal surgeon for some time now. I hope my experiences outside of class, as well as a strong MCAT will counterbalance this semester's difficulties. </p>
<p>I have a secondary question to ask the masses then. Does completion of a premedical course from a top school add any weight to an application? This question has been asked multiple times throughout the forums, but I cannot seem to find a clear answer. If that answer does not exist, so be it, but it's worth asking.</p>
<p>That pdf didn't really make any sense or help. To the poster: I would work your arse of the next semester (which you have already resigned yourself to do), and make sure you score a 30 or better on the MCAT. Also, make sure you really consider whom to ask to write your letters of recommendations, as everything is important in an applicant--not just grades.</p>
<p>As far as retaking the courses: Only retake them if you can be certain that you can get an A. Remember, the old grade will still be on the AAMC transcript, so if you do worse, then...well..just don't do worse.</p>
<p>Just stick with it and do your best. Medical school application is a complete crapshoot anyhow, so as everyone has said, apply broadly and apply in-state. Also, DO programs are alternate routes if you still really want to become a surgeon.</p>
<p>The Emory numbers on that .pdf provide no answers for me. They do not indicate GPA/EC/MCAT or anything, they are just acceptance numbers. Judging by the performance of my colleagues, I would say my contention is as good as any. I reviewed many other colleges' numbers, and if I am able to pull my average to a 3.4+ next semester and get a 30+ MCAT, I still have confidence in myself. Again, I do not intend to apply to the most rigorous choices, there are plenty of schools whose averages are in that range. And an average is an average after all.</p>
<p>Also, to the replier who asked about my orgo grade, i received an A both semesters.</p>
<p>I am an Illinois resident, with many in-state options available to me. I will do what I can in the future, but if all else fails, I have also strongly considered other avenues (orthodontistry, orthopaedic medicine, osteopathic medicine, PhD to professorship). My eyes are not shut to the possibilities. </p>
<p>Norcalguy, I see you have made it to medical school. Congrats, but was the capitalized 'NO' really necessary? The competition is over for you, so some tact is in order here.</p>
<p>... what on earth? You do realize that he was telling you that Emory doesn't give you a boost, right? You had asked that question just the post above.</p>
<p>The NO was in answer to your question "Does completion of a premedical course from a top school add any weight to an application?" I'm not sure if I made that clear. The capitalization was not for emphasis but rather to delineate the word from the rest of the sentence. My other option would've been to put "no" in quotes. </p>
<p>Emory's numbers, while not detailed, would worry me (or rather you since you are the one attending Emory). Most of the other top 20 schools boast acceptance rates of 75% or greater for that time period (2000-2004). Emory's numbers are only slightly better than the national average. I think the question to ask would be why. </p>
<p>Regardless of the reason for Emory's atrocious acceptance rate, I think the PDF would suggest that Emory students don't get extra consideration from med school. If they got extra consideration AND still only got into med school at a 55% clip, then that would be pathetic.</p>
<p>Thanks for clearing that up. I'm sorry for that, I didn't realize the intent. </p>
<p>You have a point there, and I cannot quite understand why Emory's numbers aren't better. Perhaps it's because they keep kicking our asses like this, without getting the respect they think they have. </p>
<p>Well, off to a new semester, thank you all. And again sorry to NCG for any misunderstanding, I am a bit nervous about this whole ordeal, as I'm sure you can understand.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you Homer, and you are definitely not alone. It sucks to have a bad semester, but I don't think it's all bad. As long as you learn and grow from the bad semester, as I did, it might even be a positive thing in the long run. It is also just one semester, as med schools often talk about trends, so if you keep increasing from here on out it shouldn't be a problem. </p>
<p>As for Emory's number, that's all they are, numbers. I'm sure someone over there can change it to 75% acceptance by simply changing couple of variables.</p>
<p>Thanks yg18. This was a definite learning experience, and I won't let it deter me from my goal. I've come so far, and this was just a burp. I'll be sure to post next semester's progress with the hopes of more feedback.</p>