<p>Hi im stuck and i need to figure this out. give me suggestions/ideas/anything please!
Two choices basically, involving studying abroad and not</p>
<p>1)
Study abroad in HK - fun, new experience and a + for med school sort of..
Take easy distribution classes/ required college classes for grades that dont' factor in
Take Mcat in June/July after coming back from HK, meaning will have to somewhat study while in HK
Most Likely I will not be able to find a job/volunteer much, due to experiencing new things and study MCAT</p>
<p>2)
No study abroad, stay in Cornell
Take MCAT in June/July, take easy courseload, can study for MCAT during school year
Get some volunteer hours/work hours or something
Drop Orgo to take it spring Jr year because i'll be here. Reason is I might end up with a B- in the class due to many factors lol..</p>
<p>So basically i can't decide if I should go have fun and experience new things or if I should concentrate on grades/MCAT and get bored here. Anyone ideas on which one I should choose? I know i'll have to choose at the end based on my judgment but just interested in opinions! Maybe something will pop up that will change my view of things!</p>
<p>I think sometimes new experiences like those you will have abroad can change one’s overall attitudes and refresh oneself particularly if you are burned out. On the other hand, my internist recently told me that when he interviews med students for the hospital’s residency program, he usually ends up selecting those candidates who stayed “home” and worked in a lab, doing research or community service than those students who studied abroad, because they are more dedicated and serious-minded.</p>
<p>Why don’t you just study in June/July after coming back from HK and then take the MCAT in August?</p>
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<p>Why would someone interviewing for residency care about what the med student did in college? Unless he’s talking about med students who did rotations abroad.</p>
<p>I’m studying in HK now. The workload is MUCH less than Cornell (students I’ve met that exchanged-in to Cornell in the past agree wholeheartedly). This is true across HK universities from other cornell exchange students I have talked to. So since you won’t be spending as much time on coursework, you would definitely have time to study for the MCAT if you want to. (I might begin studying for the GRE while I’m here to). </p>
<p>Also, you can’t work in HK as an exchange student, but you shouldn’t be spending your time here working anyway. Hong Kong is a great place to study abroad and I’ve had great experiences so far!</p>
<p>@vivace13, wow i’m surprised that someone from HK studying abroad is checking this forum! =D. do you know anything about HK polytech? I heard its not as popular as the other 2 but thats where i want to go =). shame we can’t work =(</p>
<p>@norcalguy, I’m not sure if June/July will be enough time for it. and august seem kind of late. I heard its not recommended… especially for someone with a poor profile like mine</p>
<p>It that’s the case…why not consider a year off? I was against it…but it’s probably the best decision I made. I’ve been able to earn a very decent salary, strengthen the weak points in my profile and take a much needed education break.</p>
<p>id like to try first, if i dont get in i’ll reapply. im not really super against it but i prefer not taking a year off because i want to finish school asap. im getting old =(</p>
<p>now that people say its super easy… i guess i can study a bit in HK and then continue studying. now only thing left is orgo… my grade is tremendously low right now and drop deadline approaching! i just dont feel like doing orgo! haha its so boring</p>
<p>Oh, didn’t realize that was the summer before applications. I thought you were a freshman?</p>
<p>It’s generally not a good idea to use the “apply and see” method. It is hard to get into a med school after being rejected once. Unless you substantially improve your application the second time around, they will not accept you the 2nd time. Your best bet is to prepare your application well and apply ONCE.</p>
<p>I really don’t get the rush to get into med school though. Does it really matter in the end, if you end up practicing for 36 vs. 35 years? Once you get into med school, medicine will be your life and it will be hard to take time off (especially when you have $100,000+ debt sitting there accruing interest). We’re talking about a minimum of 7 years of medicine non-stop. Sometimes, a year off to recharge (and improve your app) is a good thing, especially if your application is weak/borderline.</p>
<p>well i guess its not really teh rush to get into med school, its more like the rush to have a stabler life. i feel like i have no idea where my future lies, everything changes if i dont get into med school after several tries. the process is always the same, high school aps, college, med school, residency, job etc, i just want to end the cycle and the sooner i start teh sooner it ends (assuming i dont get fired too fast after i find a job)</p>
<p>besides i think a persons lifespan is already very short, i dont want to take a year off if its not necessary, it also feels weird when all my hs/classmates are 1 year ahead, not that it really means much, but it does seem weird, its as if i got left back hahaahahh</p>
<p>I’ve met people at poly-u (as they call it here), but only local students, not Cornell students. I don’t know too much about it though except it is pretty well regarded here and internationally (in the top half out of the 9 universities). It also has a pretty convenient location. </p>
<p>Being in HK is quite a relaxing change from the rigor at Cornell. Plus, I don’t have to deal with another ithaca winter! (hasn’t gone below 60 since I’ve been here). And since I don’t have much work to do, I have time to time to waste at CC (which I don’t have at cornell!). Now you know why my posts are at strange hours…I’m not really up at 4 in the morning!</p>
<p>i see. i guess i’ll go as of now, if my gpa drops to hell this semester, i’ll stay in cornell, if its somewhat decent by my low standards i’ll go! thanks for everyones comments! i never knew HK was that easy!</p>
<p>Sorry to hijack this thread but I have a premed sorta related question too…</p>
<p>I planned on saving Genetics for my senior year because I didnt want it to lower my gpa, but then I had my freshman planning meeting the other week and my advisor said that we should take it earlier because its a foundations course</p>
<p>So I was wondering if I really should take it before senior year and will I need it for the MCATs.
Thanks in advance :)</p>