Can someone please give me some advice for getting into Medical School?

Question

I am a senior in highschool and my dream right now is to become a surgeon. I want to be careful about the decisions I make next because it will shape my future. I slacked off my junior year so my GPA is a 3.25. I think what I need to do is study pre-med in a community college for 2 years first to bring up my GPA and then transfer to a University. My dream is to attend Berkeley but I know this will take lots of loans and lots of hard work. Any advice would be SO helpful. I just wanna the best way that I should do this.

I'm not asking for "easy answers". I'm asking for some advice.

Answer 1

What a lovely question. I encourage you especially because you know what your dream is and many young people haven't a clue. Then, I want to tell you that your GPA is not bad at all! This is what I discovered on your behalf from others who have attended community colleges with intentions of going on to University....Don't try and take courses you'd take in medical school while you are in community college. It could set you back a year or two until you transfer to a 4-year. Also most schools require you to have your year of bio, math, and chem done if you plan to transfer over as a life/physical sciences major.

I have heard from a lot of reliable resources (including Judy Levine on ExamKrackers) that med schools will look more at how you did when you transferred from CC to a 4-year. Did you still manage to do pretty well, or did you struggle in the new enviroment? Also taking those upper div bio courses such as genetics will help as well. I would ask you this - why are you thinking of "community college first"? I am thinking you can get into a 4-year school with the GPA you have and with some strong letters of recommendation from teachers, community and or religious leaders, any background you might have working in the community in leadership or supportive roles, etc. and submitting lots and lots and lots of applications for scholarships, grants and loans if necessary. I don't know where you live, but there are many states who are supportive of students who are trying to attend college. Last, but not least - do you have parents or family who will help? If not, you might consider declaring yourself independant. I know a young lady who was a ward of the court and at the age of 18 was on her own - she had decent grades - like yourself - and the state PAID FOR HER ENTIRE COLLEGE EDUCATION! She went on to law school and is now a practicing attorney. Please go online and get all the information you can....seek the help of your guidance counselor(s) and hang in there. Write to Berkeley NOW and start a chain of correspondence with someone in their offices. Try to get on a 'first name' basis - meaning you are in contact with the same person - give them all of the pleasant personality you have - and earn their trust . It is possible someone from the 'inside' can help you. I would not give up until I got what I wanted. Today's young people have lost the idea to fight for what they want. With what I have read from you so far, you appear to be one who would go outside the box to get the job done. I believe you can do it. You know what - if Berkeley is where you want to be- I'd try to find a school out there who would accept me. At least you'd be in the area and would not have to pay out of state fees. I also know a young man who left Alabama because he wanted to attend college at Howard in Washington, DC. He didn't have any money to go. He worked for one year BEFORE he even got into Howard and saved as much money as he could. Went to the Dean not once, twice, but three times until this man realized this boy was not going away - this is what he wanted. The Dean assigned him to a 'mentor' and he and the mentor got along so well - he received much help and assistance because they saw how serious he was about wanting to go to college there. He graduated, attended Med school and after some years (he lived in Nashville for a while attending school), and is now a practicing OBGYN in the state of Mississippi. You can do it!

Answer 2

Well, your 3.25 GPA is definitely not going to get you into Berkeley right out of HS. You will NEED to go to community college first and transfer in. I would recommend that you move to the Bay Area or East Bay, enroll in a community college (Diablo Valley, Vista, etc.) and take your gen ed requirements. You will need to earn at least a 3.0, but probably more than that depending on your intended major (AVOID MCB!!!). UC schools, including Berkeley are remarkably generous to transfer students. It does NOT hurt to transfer in.

Being in the East Bay is best because you can take UC Extension classes and do summer school at Berkeley (that way, if you do really well, it'll show the Cal admissions reviewers that you can handle the work). If you weren't already a CA resident, establish residency while you are at comm. college. Cal's tuition for in-state students is half that for out-of-state and international students.

and take these courses to satisfy pre-med reqs.
1 year general chem (with lab)
1 year organic chem (with lab)
1 year general biology (with lab)
1 year intro. physics (with lab)
1 year English
1 year calculus

I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, though, but the pre-meds at Cal are extremely driven people and have been prepping for this since kindergarten. I was a straight A student in HS, and so were ALL of my classmates at Cal. With your current grades, you will have a LOT of uphill climbing to do to catch up to them.

Answer 3

Med schools probably won't care about your high school GPA. Go to a 4-year school and work hard. Some schools offer early enterance programs where you apply after your 2nd year and are guarenteed admission into med school. I don't know if Berkeley does this, but tons of good schools do.

PS. Don't major in pre-med. Anything you need to know, they will teach you in med school. Most schools just require a year each of Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, and Physics (each with a lab). Also, some require a Math like Calculus.

Answer 4

Yes, you can get a lot of what you will need from a community college. Required history math and English. Chemistry and whatever pre-med courses they offer. I believe you will also need at least one language. Berkley is a good school, but there are cheaper alternatives. If you're good enough, you can teach along the way to help with expenses.

Answer 5

Hate to break it to you but, going to a community college to raise your GPA will probably worsen your chances. Go to a good 4 year school. Med schools won't look at your high school GPA, so don't worry about that. Also, if you think Berkeley is going to be hard, medical school is A LOT harder!!!! Challenge yourself now, don't take the easy route.

Answer 6

What "Bob" said.... Also, try to get a job [paid or not] in one of your prof's research labs - great source for a recommendation letter AND you get experience in the field. And, be sure and ace O-chem. That's a weeding-out course for med school admission. You know the rest: high GPA, great MCATs....

Answer 7

The best advice is to not ask someone else on Homework Help to give you easy answers.