Medical School . Where do I begin?
So I am a junoir in high school with a 3.5 GPA and 1800 SAT.
I come from one of the top 100th public schools in the nation and can get into some pretty good undergrad programs. I want to have a general plan for my future though. I want to be a pschiatrist so Medical school will be in my future. I very much like New York city. I am extremley independent and I would have no problem going to CUNY Hunter or another cheap school, finding a roomate and getting an undergrad degree with all honors and a estimated GPA between 3.8-4.0. I want to go to a medical school in New york city. But, I could also go to a much better undergrad program , prob get a 3.7 without honors but more expensive. My family is pretty well off but I dont want them to pay for everything and if I went to a new york city school I could probably hold a job. I am very mature and can fit in with city life , dorms and all that college baggage I could live with but I can also live without.
1 hour ago - 3 days left to answer.
Additional Details
1 hour ago
My Uncle went to Columbia University so I might have a slight shot their. What should I do? Where should I begin? Should I go to a harder better undergrad program or a decent one that is cheaper in the city where I will probably got to medical school. I am from southern California and My uncle lives near new york and is a dentist(MD) .
I have some extra corriculars to:
CPR certification
Lifeguard
2 national titles
200 hours community service
And more……..
So what undergrad program seems like the best and smarter, better choice all around. When should I start studying for the MCATS and what are some good majors (pre-med/chem./bio ….)
3 responses so far ↓
1 Crouching Doggie
A great question, but I took the SAT when the max score was 1600, so I don’t know what 1800 signifies, I’m sorry.
To get into med school takes a lot of hard work, critical thinking ability and a compassionate personality. The details of what you need to do will be made available from a ‘pre-med’ advisor at your undergrad institution.
2 blah blah
I’m a neuroscience pre-med student right now, and what they dont tell u is that you dont have to be majoring in the sciences to go to med school which will make it alot easier if you wana major in something else you do however have to take a number of courses they expect to see and that will prepare you for the mcats. Those classes are calc 1, general chem 1 &2 gen bio 1&2 gen physics 1&2 organic chem 1&2 bio chem would help, human anatomy, molecular bio, they also like to see extracurriculars, leadership positions, volunteering, a 3.5 gpa, and a score of at least 32 on the mcats, oh yeah and at least 30 hrs of hospital experience through a shadow program or internship, by the way you probably wont need most of this stuff once u get into med school…have fun
3 Pangolin
For undergraduate, choose a college where you will be happy, and major in whatever you enjoy learning about.
There is no such thing as a pre-med major - you have to major in something else. Some people choose bio or chem, because there is more overlap in the med school pre-requisites and the major requirements, but you can major in ANYTHING and still go to medical school. I majored in psych at a state school, and was accepted into several medical schools.
You want to pick a major that interests you so you’ll do well in it. I know people who majored in education, engineering, artsy stuff… you name it.
Unless you’re paying your own tuition, the choice of college is one that you make with your parents. Don’t choose a school you barely get into - you’ll have a harder time getting good grades.
Your SAT scores are a little low, but you should still get into a decent school. For a future physician, I’d expect an average of 700 on each test, minimum. Your English in your question isn’t great either (spelling errors, even with a spell-check button available), and little things like that will be noticed by undergrad and med school admissions committees.
Although you need to maintain excellent grades, you should also immerse yourself in the college experience and have fun! You have the rest of your life to work your butt off, which is exactly what you’ll do if you go into medicine.