What should I be taking?/Do I have any chance of getting in??

I am a senior undergrad in behavioral neuroscience. I’m about to graduate with a 2.9, my science gpa is a 3.0 including my psych courses, I have not yet taken organic or physics yet, so I will be taking both of them over the summer after I graduate…and, I have not taken the MCAT’s yet, but will be taking them this spring… I have volunteered thus far at a rehab center, and am currently volunteering at a hospital and aiding a professor in his lab research at my school…do I even have any chance of getting into medical schools I apply to next fall??!..I feel like medical school and becoming a doctor is just a fantasy now

I would say you do have a chance. Having said that, doing really thorough MCAT prep to maximize your scores there could really help maximize your chances. I’m a little confused about your timeline. If you are taking MCAT’s this spring…would that be BEFORE taking organic or physics ? If so, back up here a minute! You may need to revise your timetable. You need to take these classes, and do well, particularly in Organic Chemistry. Med school certainly are looking at how you did in Organic. You cannot be well prepared for MCAT’s until having had the material being tested. Perhaps if you do not get those courses till summer, doing a very thorough prep (several months, and taking MCAT’s following that for the next years’ application cycle makes the most sense.


Kate

I personally would recommend against taking physics and orgo over the summer … they are both VERY intensive courses (I’m in physics right now, and it’s quite challenging and time-consuming, though by no means impossible!). Especially if you are going to take the MCAT later, as Kate suggested (which I also wholly agree with). Take your time. Don’t rush things. Do well in physics and orgo, do well on the MCAT. You DO have a chance. Doing things too quickly will only hurt you, in my opinion. Take your time and do it right.

Zike - If you read the MSAR book, it lists the GPA range [10th:90th percentile] … which is higher than yours for 99.9% of schools.


But, remember there is someone who was lower than the 10th percentile number … and maybe this person was over the 90th percentile for MCAT number.


Keep in mind, GPA is only one variable of your application… so use other variables to make your application stronger.