Want To Get Into Med, But...

[kerplunk]

Hi, I am a senior at a south jersey high school right now. I will be applying to colleges starting this September. The field of medicine is something I truly love. I want to help people and find it to be my passion. However, I have one problem in my way. I am not the smartest kid around. My SATs are lacking at a 1680 (I know, I'm dumb), 620 in math, 540 in writing, 520 in reading. My class rank is 80/401 and my weighted GPA is a 4.28 or 4.3. I volunteer at the local hospital in the pharmacy and am studying to get my personal trainers cert by the NSCA.

So my questions to you are:

1) Do I have a chance to major in Exercise Science/ Pre-Med at a school like Rutgers (which I am in love with)?
2) What do I need to do NOW in order to make sure I can get into med school?
3) Please help me. I want this more than anything. I am applying to Rutgers, but I'm not sure they are going to care that this is what I love when reading my application.

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[StIGMA]

First off, you are more than capable of getting into medical school.

The three main factors in admission are grades, MCAT, and letters of recommendation. So, pick a major that you can maintain a 3.7+ GPA. Start off your first semester of college with a reasonable load that you will be able to succeed with.

For me, most of my letters of rec (which are excellent) came from professors I met during or after my sophomore year. I had one letter of rec that was during the summer following my freshman year. Get to know professors who are in your major, and try to take classes that are small so you can stand out. Make it a habit of knowing your prof's very well - that they know you are mature, intelligent, and a person they believe would be a good physician. I would recommend doing at least 1-2 years of research beginning your sophomore or junior year. (1) for the experience (2) for the rec letter.

As for the MCAT, as long as you learn - actually learn, read the text - for your classes, reviewing for the MCAT will be better. You review as much as you need to in order to improve your score. You can do this with enough determination and patience.

Also, get involved with your premed club, volunteering activities (non-medical as well as medical), and shadow physicians. Also do leadership and other activities that you enjoy/would do anyways for fun.

Good luck!

 

[kerplunk]

First off, you are more than capable of getting into medical school.

The three main factors in admission are grades, MCAT, and letters of recommendation. So, pick a major that you can maintain a 3.7+ GPA. Start off your first semester of college with a reasonable load that you will be able to succeed with.

For me, most of my letters of rec (which are excellent) came from professors I met during or after my sophomore year. I had one letter of rec that was during the summer following my freshman year. Get to know professors who are in your major, and try to take classes that are small so you can stand out. Make it a habit of knowing your prof's very well - that they know you are mature, intelligent, and a person they believe would be a good physician. I would recommend doing at least 1-2 years of research beginning your sophomore or junior year. (1) for the experience (2) for the rec letter.

As for the MCAT, as long as you learn - actually learn, read the text - for your classes, reviewing for the MCAT will be better. You review as much as you need to in order to improve your score. You can do this with enough determination and patience.

Also, get involved with your premed club, volunteering activities (non-medical as well as medical), and shadow physicians. Also do leadership and other activities that you enjoy/would do anyways for fun.

Good luck!

Thanks man, I appreciate the fast reply.

I am actually just hoping to get into Rutgers as pre-med first. I'm scared I wont be able to as my grades are lacking when compared to a lot of other people. But, I think I can maintain a good course load at college and do fairly well.

 

[StIGMA]

I do not know much about Rutgers, so I cannot help you there. Check with your high school advisor/etc. Perhaps retake the SAT/ACT if you can improve and get it in before you app is submitted or as an update (if this is possible).

In all reality, it does not matter where you go to undergrad, although you would like to at least start at the minimum at a public, large state university. Rutgers would be excellent, but if you do not get accepted, it is not the end of the world.

Also, you can get into most schools after you first year of college as a transfer student. Make sure you GPA is stellar though. So, if you do not go to Rutgers, you can very likely transfer there. Look up transfer student stuff on their website, just so you have a knowledge base to go on if things don't turn out well the first time.

 

[kerplunk]

I do not know much about Rutgers, so I cannot help you there. Check with your high school advisor/etc. Perhaps retake the SAT/ACT if you can improve and get it in before you app is submitted or as an update (if this is possible).

In all reality, it does not matter where you go to undergrad, although you would like to at least start at the minimum at a public, large state university. Rutgers would be excellent, but if you do not get accepted, it is not the end of the world.

Also, you can get into most schools after you first year of college as a transfer student. Make sure you GPA is stellar though. So, if you do not go to Rutgers, you can very likely transfer there. Look up transfer student stuff on their website, just so you have a knowledge base to go on if things don't turn out well the first time.

Thanks man. Once again, Your a great help.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm not sure about Rutgers admission policies but I want to reassure you that your SATs won't kill you. I only did slightly better on them and I'm in the application process right now-I survived getting into undergrad.

 

[QofQuimica]

1680!! Back when I was in school, the highest you could get on the SAT was 1600.

All kidding aside, OP, you are doing fine. You do not have to be a genius to get into medical school, but you do have to be willing to work hard and make a significant number of personal sacrifices. The best advice is to take things one step at a time. This process is a marathon, not a sprint. Right now you should focus your efforts on pulling excellent grades during your senior year and avoiding senioritis. Keeping your GPA up will help you with getting into Rutgers or some other college where you think that you can get a good education and excel. Once you are in college, you should take your general ed classes, pick a major in anything you want (exercise science is fine), and take the premed coursework. Get involved in one or two activities that are meaningful to you starting in your freshman year, and continue to participate in them all through college. After you finish the pre-reqs, you will study for and take the MCAT, and *then* it will be time to worry about trying to get into medical school. Best of luck to you.

 

[ylrebmik]

Hi, I am a senior at a south jersey high school right now. I will be applying to colleges starting this September. The field of medicine is something I truly love. I want to help people and find it to be my passion. However, I have one problem in my way. I am not the smartest kid around. My SATs are lacking at a 1680 (I know, I'm dumb), 620 in math, 540 in writing, 520 in reading. My class rank is 80/401 and my weighted GPA is a 4.28 or 4.3. I volunteer at the local hospital in the pharmacy and am studying to get my personal trainers cert by the NSCA.

So my questions to you are:

1) Do I have a chance to major in Exercise Science/ Pre-Med at a school like Rutgers (which I am in love with)?
2) What do I need to do NOW in order to make sure I can get into med school?
3) Please help me. I want this more than anything. I am applying to Rutgers, but I'm not sure they are going to care that this is what I love when reading my application.

uhhh yeah... you're fine. My scores are lower than that and I'm not even worried... I just didn't try in high school...

 

[kerplunk]

uhhh yeah... you're fine. My scores are lower than that and I'm not even worried... I just didn't try in high school...

Yea, I didnt try either. Not sure why, I just feel like our school is one giant competition that I couldn't compete in because I wasnt I jock or what not or because my parents arent doctors like everyone elses.

 

[Terpskins99]

1) Do I have a chance to major in Exercise Science/ Pre-Med at a school like Rutgers (which I am in love with)?
2) What do I need to do NOW in order to make sure I can get into med school?

1. Yes
2. You can maximize your chances by doing well in school, acing MCATs, getting solid recommendation letters and having solid extracurriculars (especially research and volunteer hospital work).

As someone interested in "exercise science", one field of medicine that may appeal to you is PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). Other fields you could look into are sports medicine and orthopedics. I would consider contacting physicians in the area that specialize in these fields and inquire about volunteering/shadowing opportunities. The best situation would be one where you could get involved in a research study of some sort and have the chance to make a poster presentation (or possibly even a co-author for a publication).

 

[MilkmanAl]

The three main factors in admission are grades, MCAT, and letters of recommendation.

LOR's almost certainly don't carry anywhere near as much weight as GPA and MCAT score at most schools (unless you have a negative rec in which case you're screwed no matter how awesome the rest of your app is). Your personal statement and extracurriculars are also very important, but the ranking after GPA and MCAT will vary by school and how good or bad each thing is. Anyway, I think the point Stigma was trying to communicate is that it's important to get to know your professors.

So, pick a major that you can maintain a 3.7+ GPA.

More importantly, pick a major you enjoy. Don't pick something easy just because it's easy. Now, if aerospace engineering is your passion, you might want to steer clear of that because of the GPA hit you'll take. I tacked on a (astro)physics major because I liked it, but it was a big part of why my GPA sucked.

You'll be just fine in college. Go have fun and work hard, and you'll be set up fine for med school.

 

[kerplunk]

LOR's almost certainly don't carry anywhere near as much weight as GPA and MCAT score at most schools (unless you have a negative rec in which case you're screwed no matter how awesome the rest of your app is). Your personal statement and extracurriculars are also very important, but the ranking after GPA and MCAT will vary by school and how good or bad each thing is. Anyway, I think the point Stigma was trying to communicate is that it's important to get to know your professors.

More importantly, pick a major you enjoy. Don't pick something easy just because it's easy. Now, if aerospace engineering is your passion, you might want to steer clear of that because of the GPA hit you'll take. I tacked on a (astro)physics major because I liked it, but it was a big part of why my GPA sucked.

You'll be just fine in college. Go have fun and work hard, and you'll be set up fine for med school.

Thank you.

 

[kerplunk]

1. Yes
2. You can maximize your chances by doing well in school, acing MCATs, getting solid recommendation letters and having solid extracurriculars (especially research and volunteer hospital work).

As someone interested in "exercise science", one field of medicine that may appeal to you is PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). Other fields you could look into are sports medicine and orthopedics. I would consider contacting physicians in the area that specialize in these fields and inquire about volunteering/shadowing opportunities. The best situation would be one where you could get involved in a research study of some sort and have the chance to make a poster presentation (or possibly even a co-author for a publication).

I think Sports Medicine is what I would like the most.

 

[malfee]

Haha, the OP sounds exactly like me!

I want to go to Rutgers too! (New Brunswick, right?)

I even want to take the same major as you! (Exercise Sciences!)

According to CollegeBoard's page on Rutgers, their median SAT scores are as follows:

Critical Reading - 530-630
Math - 560-670
Writing - 530-640

So, you're not doing as terrible as you think, at least not by Rutgers' standards apparently.

One of the nice things about this major is that almost all of the med school pre-reqs are included in the major's standard curriculum (4, 4 Bio // 4, 4 Chem // 4, 4 Phys), and then you can take Orgo in your elective slots.

Also awesome about Rutgers is that they have their HPO, or Health Professions Office (http://lifesci.rutgers.edu/~hpo/default.htm). They have a few requirements of the student, but they seem like they would be invaluable in pursuing a career in medicine.

I wish you the best of luck, as you sound like you want to do exactly what I want to do! Maybe I'll see you in some of my classes next year, who knows!

 

[kerplunk]

Haha, the OP sounds exactly like me!

I want to go to Rutgers too! (New Brunswick, right?)

I even want to take the same major as you! (Exercise Sciences!)

According to CollegeBoard's page on Rutgers, their median SAT scores are as follows:

Critical Reading - 530-630
Math - 560-670
Writing - 530-640

So, you're not doing as terrible as you think, at least not by Rutgers' standards apparently.

One of the nice things about this major is that almost all of the med school pre-reqs are included in the major's standard curriculum (4, 4 Bio // 4, 4 Chem // 4, 4 Phys), and then you can take Orgo in your elective slots.

Also awesome about Rutgers is that they have their HPO, or Health Professions Office (http://lifesci.rutgers.edu/~hpo/default.htm). They have a few requirements of the student, but they seem like they would be invaluable in pursuing a career in medicine.

I wish you the best of luck, as you sound like you want to do exactly what I want to do! Maybe I'll see you in some of my classes next year, who knows!

I want to do Sports Med too! lol.

Wow, where are you from?

Edit: And yes, New Brunswick.

 

[malfee]

I want to do Sports Med too! lol.

Wow, where are you from?

Edit: And yes, New Brunswick.

I'm in Staten Island, New York, the forgotten borough. I'm only 18 miles from the New Brunswick campus, so it's theoretically a 30 minute drive without traffic. I have family in New Brunswick and East Windsor as well actually.

 

[kerplunk]

I'm in Staten Island, New York, the forgotten borough. I'm only 18 miles from the New Brunswick campus, so it's theoretically a 30 minute drive without traffic. I have family in New Brunswick and East Windsor as well actually.

Lucky you, while I'm in NJ, I'm still 2 hours away from the Campus. Its really an extraordinary campus. I love every bit of it.

 

[malfee]

Lucky you, while I'm in NJ, I'm still 2 hours away from the Campus. Its really an extraordinary campus. I love every bit of it.

I haven't visited yet, but I'm planning to very soon. It's really my number one school right now, so I'm pretty excited!

 

[kerplunk]

You'll love the campus. Its got everything from a Country setting to a suburb setting to a city setting all in one college.

 

[ylrebmik]

Yea, I didnt try either. Not sure why, I just feel like our school is one giant competition that I couldn't compete in because I wasnt I jock or what not or because my parents arent doctors like everyone elses.

well you still have over a fricken 4.0... I don't even have a 3.0. but ohh well it's not college yet. and besides my GPA... extras and ACT... i'm totally set for college... but it isn't college yet so I'm not worried.

 

[desidp12]

W.O.W.!!!

i was in the same position as you about a year ago. i will be a freshman in college this coming fall.

firstly, r u planning on taking the october SATs? you can cram some studying in now, esp in reading, so that u can get a better score.

and rutgers. GAH!!! i absolutely love rutgers!!! i really wanted to go to RU, new brunswick. it is one of the premier public colleges for premeds in our area. (im from central jersey) but i got into an 8 year med program at monmouth univ. with drexel med. i have to maintain a 3.5 and get a 29 on the mcats in order to move forward into med school. u should definitely look into that. i thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that the program was right for me. plus they were very generous with aid. (RU is really not that great, u need really high sat scores to qualify for their scholarships. i only got $5000 from them) the only bad thing about RU is that there is a lot of competition amongst pre-meds, intense/cut throat. i know about 10 ppl in premed and they work their arse off to maintain a good gpa along with dealing with gunners. and it is also harder for u to get recognized in such a big school. throughout high school, i did research at the microbiology dept. at RU and it was a blast. but it took so long to get recognized for my work! it was only when i was published that they actually knew who i was. but thats my experience.

and i have heard a lot of negative things about the pre-health office. they take a darn long time to get a rec letter for u. they are very slow at things, but u have to be persistent with them. they have so many pre-meds. so i would find a good contact during freshman year at the office so that u can use ur contact later on during junior year.

all in all, you do have a good enough score to get into RU along with extracurriculars. with the motivation u can definitely succeed at RU. thats wht is so good about it! some schools have a particular atmosphere. but bc RU is so big, u can 'find' an atmosphere where u can succeed and do well.

pm me if u have any questions...

 

[kerplunk]

Thanks

 

[malfee]

What would be considered as a high number of pre-meds for a school? According to RU, they had 376 students apply to med school from the class of 2007. Is that high? I don't have any other schools' statistics to make a comparison with.

I'm confident I'll succeed academically if I go to RU, but I am a bit worried financially. Unfortunately, my family can hardly put any money towards my education, so I'm relying on federal aid and private scholarships. I've been looking for private scholarships lately and am in the process of writing an essay for a HUGE $25k scholarship. Most of the other ones I was looking at were for smaller purses ($500, $1000, $5000 for some), but every little bit helps in my situation. The worst case scenario is that I have to turn to student loans, but I really really want to avoid this as much as possible, for obvious reasons.

 

[kerplunk]

What would be considered as a high number of pre-meds for a school? According to RU, they had 376 students apply to med school from the class of 2007. Is that high? I don't have any other schools' statistics to make a comparison with.

I'm confident I'll succeed academically if I go to RU, but I am a bit worried financially. Unfortunately, my family can hardly put any money towards my education, so I'm relying on federal aid and private scholarships. I've been looking for private scholarships lately and am in the process of writing an essay for a HUGE $25k scholarship. Most of the other ones I was looking at were for smaller purses ($500, $1000, $5000 for some), but every little bit helps in my situation. The worst case scenario is that I have to turn to student loans, but I really really want to avoid this as much as possible, for obvious reasons.

Consider getting your real estate license when you turn 18. Work during the summer as a real estate agent and selling one house can give you upwards of $6,000. Also student loans. Thats my plan. I dont have money at my disposal either, and now with the economy its looking even worse for me.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Loans aren't the curse many people make them out to be. You gotta do what you gotta do, so take out those loans if your federal aid and scholarships don't add up to enough. Look at it as an investment. I'd advise against working during school. Take loans out before you do that.

 

[malfee]

I'd be willing to work on campus in one of those work-study programs if it was to reduce my tuition.

 

[TheWildcat08]

two things...

1) being smart has nothing to do with being successful. Most of my friends are smarter than me, but what sets me apart is my sickening work ethic. when im driving to go volunteer , at every red light i'll go over powerpoint slides. when im at the movies, ill read notes before it starts. i make the most out of any spare time i have. it all adds up. if you really want it, then you need to work for it. there are very few naturally intelligent people.

2) make sure you are doing extracurrics. but don't make them all about science. everytime i meet a kid whose life centers around medicine and nothing else, it gets annoying and i lose a little bit a respect for them. you gotta make sure you are doing other things. if medicine is the ONLY thing in your life, then you're gonna become depressed and stressed very fast. do intramural sports, take on a leadership position in a non-science organization, or something outside of the field of science. don't get me wrong, you gotta volunteer, research, shawdow and do all the other things. but you also have to make sure you are doing other things that you love so med schools see that you're a normal person who has other interests.

 

[MilkmanAl]

1) being smart has nothing to do with being successful

I know this is hyperbole, but I thought I'd make it perfectly clear that work ethic alone is insufficient. You can work your ass of all you like, but if you can't wrap your brain around the concepts you're being taught, you're screwed. Work ethic and smarts can make up for mild deficiencies in each other, but that's about as far as it goes.

 

[kdburton]

First off, you are more than capable of getting into medical school.

The three main factors in admission are grades, MCAT, and letters of recommendation. So, pick a major that you can maintain a 3.7+ GPA. Start off your first semester of college with a reasonable load that you will be able to succeed with.

For me, most of my letters of rec (which are excellent) came from professors I met during or after my sophomore year. I had one letter of rec that was during the summer following my freshman year. Get to know professors who are in your major, and try to take classes that are small so you can stand out. Make it a habit of knowing your prof's very well - that they know you are mature, intelligent, and a person they believe would be a good physician. I would recommend doing at least 1-2 years of research beginning your sophomore or junior year. (1) for the experience (2) for the rec letter.

As for the MCAT, as long as you learn - actually learn, read the text - for your classes, reviewing for the MCAT will be better. You review as much as you need to in order to improve your score. You can do this with enough determination and patience.

Also, get involved with your premed club, volunteering activities (non-medical as well as medical), and shadow physicians. Also do leadership and other activities that you enjoy/would do anyways for fun.

Good luck!

Just out of curiosity... How do you know that your LORs are "excellent?" Did you read them somehow?

 

[Terpskins99]

I know this is hyperbole, but I thought I'd make it perfectly clear that work ethic alone is insufficient. You can work your ass of all you like, but if you can't wrap your brain around the concepts you're being taught, you're screwed. Work ethic and smarts can make up for mild deficiencies in each other, but that's about as far as it goes.

Not to get argumentative, but 90+% of your success in medical school is work ethic. There is very little in medicine that is difficult to grasp (well, outside of people skills anyway... ). If you have the smarts to get into med school, you're almost certainly going to be fine with regard to understanding everything they throw at you.

 

[desidp12]

My guidance counselor let me read ALL of my rec letters. if they dont let u, u can always ask them to read it and rate it as excellent, very good, good...

 

[Burnz]

If you really want to be in that field and you are happy in what you are doing for sure you will succeed. Just pray and study hard. If they see that you really have desire in that field they will get you but make sure to keep your grade high.

 

[dtepper]

<<< High School: 2.9 GPA Bottom 1/4 of Class
<<< College: 3.82 GPA ?? of Class (no grade inflation)

Simply put, don't let high school grades (or anything AT ALL! you writing this down?) deter you from something you want to do, especially something like medicine. You'll be fine, relax, take a deep breath, then take another, and another.

A couple of things about Rutgers:
1. I don't go there but know it pretty well since my gf goes there and lives with me.
2. I don't know they're requirements, sadly, sorry, especially with the new SAT. [oldcrotchetyvoice] Back in my day [/oldcrotchetyvoice] our SAT was out of 1600.
3. If you get in, try not to get too caught up in the drinking scene. Very prominent in the dorms.
4. If you don't get in, unless Rutgers is the only choice for you, its not a problem at all as far as med schools go. They don't care where you went, they just care about the numbers. So, wherever you go is fine, whether it be Rutgers or elsewhere.
5. Have fun (that doesn't involve drinking or smoking pot the night before the exam), Relax (which doesn't involve aforementioned activites), and find friends at college that support you, whether they be similar or different majors.


Good Luck!

 

[StIGMA]

Just out of curiosity... How do you know that your LORs are "excellent?" Did you read them somehow?

The point was that I have known all my lec writers for at least one year and have interacted with them numerous times. They know me from class and out of class. Many of them I interact with as a teaching assistant or with lab business. They have told me and my pre-med committee person has said they are good.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Not to get argumentative, but 90+% of your success in medical school is work ethic. There is very little in medicine that is difficult to grasp (well, outside of people skills anyway... ). If you have the smarts to get into med school, you're almost certainly going to be fine with regard to understanding everything they throw at you.

Oh, yeah. I mostly meant in the context of actually getting into med school. Of course, being crazily smart doesn't exactly hurt during med school, I'd imagine.