<p>It is always acceptable. It’s unclear whether it’s a direct disadvantage (i.e. whether adcoms will automatically discredit you for it) – and English is unlikely to matter for this in any case.</p>
<p>However, I think summer classes are a pretty strong indirect disadvantage. You have the entire school year to demonstrate that you’re a good student; summer should be reserved for showing them another part of yourself, with full dedication and no distractions.</p>
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<p>what do you mean by discredit? Thanks BDM</p>
<p>That was a poor word choice on my part. The point is, there are two ways for something to hurt you: directly and indirectly. Directly is where somebody looks at your application and thinks you’re an inferior applicant for it. Indirectly is if it squeezes out something else – in this case, stronger EC’s.</p>
<p>when they say 1 year of chem (with lab) and 1 year of bio (with lab), do they necessarily mean 3 quarters of chemistry AND 3 quarters of chemistry lab, or just 3 quarters of chemistry (like gen chem) and 1 quarter of lab (gen chem lab)? It seems kind of tough to add like 10 labs into an already-full schedule… and yes, I’m an engineer, so time and space are of the essence.</p>
<p>Also, I once saw a table online where various classes were listed, and next to them, the number of med schools that require/highly recommend each class. Anyone know of this table or where to find it?</p>
<p>They mean the full year.</p>
<p>I’m planning out my four years and I’m thinking about applying the summer after I <em>can</em> graduate, senior year, giving me a year off, during which I plan to work in a research lab, and maybe take some interesting courses I wasn’t able to fit in previously. I plan to apply to the MD/PhD programs.</p>
<p>My rationale is just that I’ll have a larger course record to show and also more time to spend on various activities/ECs/my lab.</p>
<p>It looks like I can apply the summer after my junior year and still be fine in terms of having all the requirements/MCAT, but my hesitation with this is how much more rushed I’ll have to be. Of course, my hesitation with the fifth year is just the feeling that I’ll be older with so many more years of education left. Also, there’s the chance I might not get in anywhere and might have to face another year for reapplication.</p>
<p>How is my strategy for taking a fifth year?</p>
<p>Relatively few MD/PhD students, at least at my school, come in straight from undergrad. It is a little bit longer, but that’s par for the course with this degree.</p>
<p>In general, how feasible is it to work in a research internship program (like REUs) away from my primary university over the summer that I plan to apply?</p>
<p>These programs last for 10 weeks and might run from May to August. I remember reading that primaries/secondaries can be completely finished before school starts. Also, when are interviews conducted? During the school year? Thanks</p>
<p>Should be okay. Interviews are almost always during the year. Try to schedule yourself a day off per week, if you can, to try to miss as little school as possible.</p>
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That’s a long time in advance to be planning this stuff!</p>
<p>I’m a double major in Pre-Med and Management Information System. Is it bad that I have like a 3.8 with management+gen ed but my science gpa is like 3.2 (from 5 science courses)? I mean I have like 8 science courses left so I think I can bring it up but I think the most I can bring up to is like 3.5, realistically speaking. Just wondering. Sorry if this has been posted before.</p>
<p>I’m worried about my science GPA too. My roommate sent me this link (which didn’t make me feel any better):</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/downloads/gpamcat.pdf[/url]”>http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/downloads/gpamcat.pdf</a></p>
<p>Science GPA is at least as important as overall GPA – especially in the majors you’ve listed.</p>
<p>You will notice that the MSAR data is for accepted students, not matriculated students. For the very top schools (top 10-15), there won’t be much difference between the two groups. But, as you go down the list, the average matriculated scores/GPA will be lower than the average accepted scores/GPA. I personally think the people who wrote the MSAR got lazy or else it’s pretty amazing how the median MCAT at almost every Top 25 school came out to be 35.1Q.</p>
<p>i was thinking about majoring in computer science and also going premed…i also want to take foreign language classes…is this too much …let me know what you think…thanks</p>
<p>is it better to choose ucsd or ucb if im a neuroscience major going premed?</p>
<p>Quote:
I’m planning out my four years and I’m thinking about applying the summer after I <em>can</em> graduate, senior year, giving me a year off, during which I plan to work in a research lab, and maybe take some interesting courses I wasn’t able to fit in previously. I plan to apply to the MD/PhD programs.</p>
<p>WOW this is exactly the same thing i’m doing. stop copying!</p>
<p>I’m a double major in Pre-Med and Management Information System. Is it bad that I have like a 3.8 with management+gen ed but my science gpa is like 3.2 (from 5 science courses)? I mean I have like 8 science courses left so I think I can bring it up but I think the most I can bring up to is like 3.5, realistically speaking. Just wondering. Sorry if this has been posted before.</p>
<p>I’d rather have a 3.8 in management and a 3.2 bcpm than a 3.2 management and 3.2 bcpm.</p>
<p>the OP described the importance of community-based service
so how beneficial are non-medical EC’s? I’m thinking political organizations, campus magazine, leadership…</p>
<p>Useful but not a replacement for medical experience.</p>