Keep your head up, I was in a very similar situation and really struggled in undergrad (T40), ended up graduating with a 3.2. I decided to do a masters where I knocked it out of the park, got a 4.0, and got tons of pubs from all the extra research I was doing besides my thesis. Decided to take some time off of school while working in research and now I ended up with six interviews, with one A. From someone that went through what you're going through now, it gets SO much better <3
I really appreciate this! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I feel like there’s such a lack of support amongst the Pre-Med students at my uni, so much so that people often single you out or belittle if you don’t have very high academic achievements.
Awww that doesn't sound very fun, just keep your head down and don't compare yourself to the others. I know it's easier said than done but you got it, we all believe in you and are on your side. If you ever have any questions feel free to PM me :)
It’s hard so don’t feel discouraged. That’s how it is suppose to feel. For studying, I watched YouTube videos (kharmamedic, Ali Abdaal) to find strategies and then tailored them to myself. Anki and Notion are great free tools.
For research I emailed a professor whose class enjoyed and did well in. She worked in research and got me into her lab.
Sounds like you’re doing a lot right so give yourself some credit and fix what you need to. I see no reason you can’t go to medical school.
I think you're just ignoring the other half of the posts on here with low stats. Sure, plenty of people have 4.0s on here but plenty of others also post about their acceptances with low 3's or low MCATs on a daily basis
Edit: the very first Sankey I saw just now had an UG sgpa of 3.25 and they had 2 II, 1 A w/ no research and only 100 hr each of clinical/nonclinical volunteering
It’s not that I’m ignoring those posts, I see them and I read them but my frustration stems from the sheer fact that when you’re being compared to others by med schools based on stats and scores it can be discouraging, especially because everything besides MCAT scores can be bought one way or another. A lot of people I go to uni with come from expensive college prep/private schools, their parents have connections with physicians from harvard, or they have private tutors for classes, etc. This post was purely a vent post (hence the tag). I am honestly just overwhelmed by the many factors needed to seem like a strong candidate for med schools and I don’t know where to start.
While appreciate your alternative perspective and extremely uncommon knowledge, I think that you are completely misunderstanding what I am saying. I do not believe that someone who has earned a 4.0 GPA does not deserve it, that is not what I have even insinuated to begin with. My college does offer free tutoring, however, the tutors that I have gone to have straight up told me that they don’t know how to answer my questions about content in my classes or they google it and give me the incorrect answer and this has happened quite a few times because the tutors are also students (they get paid for this, but the only requirement is that they have earned a B+ or higher in the class they are tutoring for). You also seem to not understand that people who come from higher-income backgrounds are at an advantage in comparison to their counterparts and institutions almost always accommodate to predominantly white students who come from high-income households. I KNOW that I can achieve my goals, however I am allowed to be overwhelmed and I am allowed to feel the way that I do because I was not brought into this world with privilege and my journey will absolutely be a lot harder than other’s. I do not hold bitterness towards others, but more so towards institutions that have historically been in place to hold people like me back. As for those kind of people surrounding themselves with other driven people, they of course will do so because those “other driven people” tend to come from similar backgrounds. Thank you and have a great day, your comment was VERY asinine and belittling to say the least.
My advice is that you need an outlet. I was in a similar position to you last year, (3.0 gpa) everything was about med school and med school only, I didn’t do anything for myself. I became an EMT last summer and everything clicked. “Useless” o-chem equations, amino acids, everything I memorized only to forget suddenly had huge relevance. I began learning to learn and the A-‘s and B+’s followed by themselves. In your post you mention taking whatever you can get, don’t do this! Don’t settle! Find something medical related that you love and that gives you energy just thinking about. For me it was joining the Enable Club at my school and getting involved in social sciences / psych research instead of wet labs. You were meant to be a physician, don’t let the details bog you down. Good luck!
Very very similar situation, stats, also a first gen going to a T30… I am a senior now applying to medical school. It is hard!! It is hard being a first gen and you are going to be a first gen Dr. that is fricking impressive. Remember this. Be proud of yourself and keep doing everything you can. Unfortunately we can’t change how those around us got to where they are and we also can’t change where we came from/the past. It is super easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing and how they are doing it even if it isn’t fair (it is especially easy to get caught up on this on Reddit). The only thing you can do is work on you and put this aside (this is support for you and also what I have to remind myself while going thru the struggle). It is tough. Sending all the support. :)
I finished undergrad with a 3.7 sGPA after getting well below a 3.0 my freshman year. I enjoyed college a lot. Went out 3 times a week (not saying you should but just being honest). Did research/shadowing during summers. Waited until after graduation to take the MCAT and get clinical experience. After 2 gap years I got into a bunch of schools including 2 top 30s. The point being the path to med school is non linear. For some people all they can think about is getting into med school straight after graduation and will do the craziest things to get there. You don’t have to do that. I took my time, enjoyed college, went out with friend, and will still start med school at 23. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You will get there
Very similar path here except I was not the going out type (too nerdy lol). Freshman year I struggled to scrape together a 3.0 sGPA and also got a couple of W’s. Graduated undergrad with a 3.6 sGPA (3.8 cGPA). Took some gap years, smashed the MCAT with a 52X, and had a great cycle when I applied 10+ II/5+ A.
My path was not linear and I think in a way adcoms appreciated the tenacity. In the end my application showed that even if I got knocked down I would regroup and try again. This is a valued attribute because medicine is gonna smack you in the mouth sometimes and you have to keep going anyway.
Chin up OP you can do this.
The best advice I can give you is to speak to as many other people going through this process as possible. Network as much as you can.
Yes, this obviously will provide you with a ton of important and useful connections that will help you in a variety of different ways along the way. Networking alone is probably the only reason Ill get in, if I do.
The less obvious thing it will provide you with is perspective. After speaking to a handful of people, you'll realize how many different backgrounds and paths find their way to medicine. You'll run into rich people, poor people, smart people, and shockingly average people. You'll run into clean cut, straight edge people, and you'll run into hippies and surfers. Frat bros and class validictorians.
The margin for age is WIDE too. Ive met more than one 30+ year old MS3 with kids. The guy who helps me out was a heavy machine operator on construction sites in VERY rural Iowa before starting at a community college at 27. Another was a women who had been a high school biology teacher for 8 years before applying to med school.
As long as you keep walking the path that leads you to medicine, it will lead you there. Some paths are long and some are short, some are hard and some aren't. But they all lead to the same place.
You’ll make it. This sub is way full of getting into only T5 med schools. The other “T95” schools are fantastic at their very worst. Remember, most doctors in the US didn’t go to Harvard. Being a doctor should be more important than being a doctor that went to Harvard. Take the general data trends on this sub and use them and forget the high rolling gunners’ accomplishments.
As a fellow first gen, don’t get discouraged as a first gen! You will draw a very strong narrative from these experiences and adcoms will see your compassion and determination thru your story. Just keep trying your best and it will show
I have a 3.7 too, nothing wrong with that gpa at all. Higher is always better still, but like a 3.65 is my minimum at least. Just grind out ecs over the summer
This sub is filled with the top 10% of applicants. Ppl who hit the average or even slightly above usually aren’t posting abt it. If u ever feel like u need to find out where you’re at, use aamc distributions to see what the averages are. 3.7 is around the average gpa for ppl who get into med school
I was literally about to go on this Reddit because I feel absolutely defeated after my chem exam and I just want an A but I’ll realistically get a B and I know it’s nothing as a freshman right now but as the years go on, it just keeps getting more and more competitive 😭
Sounds like you may feel as if you need to do everything perfectly, but you really don’t. Try not to withdraw from more classes and just do your absolute best. You can do this, and it is far from impossible!
Read the first sentence again. “I see so many posts…”. While it’s easy to get caught up in the posts (and I believe me, I have caught myself doing it too), GET OFF OF REDDIT!!! For your own sake, don’t compare. Everyone going into medicine is trying to be the “special snowflake” and everyone will always be better than you in one category or another. Keep your head down. Stay focused and believe in yourself.
Do yourself a favor and take a gap year to give you some breathing room. I was feeling very overwhelmed and thought taking another year would be the end of the world, yet looking back now with several acceptances I am so glad I did.
Keep your head up, I was in a very similar situation and really struggled in undergrad (T40), ended up graduating with a 3.2. I decided to do a masters where I knocked it out of the park, got a 4.0, and got tons of pubs from all the extra research I was doing besides my thesis. Decided to take some time off of school while working in research and now I ended up with six interviews, with one A. From someone that went through what you're going through now, it gets SO much better <3
I really appreciate this! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I feel like there’s such a lack of support amongst the Pre-Med students at my uni, so much so that people often single you out or belittle if you don’t have very high academic achievements.
Awww that doesn't sound very fun, just keep your head down and don't compare yourself to the others. I know it's easier said than done but you got it, we all believe in you and are on your side. If you ever have any questions feel free to PM me :)
Congrats!! What did you do your masters in? I’m looking at a 3.2 from a T40 right now and I’m about to go into my third year
I'll DM you about it!
Can you DM me too?
Sure!
Hey can you DM me too please
You got it!
Can you dm me too please?
Done!
Can you dm me too as well :) thanks
Heard!
Can you DM me too please? Thank you 🫶
>Consistent\_Design596 Sent! :)
Dm? Thanks!
On it!
Congrats to you!
Hope restored
It’s hard so don’t feel discouraged. That’s how it is suppose to feel. For studying, I watched YouTube videos (kharmamedic, Ali Abdaal) to find strategies and then tailored them to myself. Anki and Notion are great free tools. For research I emailed a professor whose class enjoyed and did well in. She worked in research and got me into her lab. Sounds like you’re doing a lot right so give yourself some credit and fix what you need to. I see no reason you can’t go to medical school.
I think you're just ignoring the other half of the posts on here with low stats. Sure, plenty of people have 4.0s on here but plenty of others also post about their acceptances with low 3's or low MCATs on a daily basis Edit: the very first Sankey I saw just now had an UG sgpa of 3.25 and they had 2 II, 1 A w/ no research and only 100 hr each of clinical/nonclinical volunteering
It’s not that I’m ignoring those posts, I see them and I read them but my frustration stems from the sheer fact that when you’re being compared to others by med schools based on stats and scores it can be discouraging, especially because everything besides MCAT scores can be bought one way or another. A lot of people I go to uni with come from expensive college prep/private schools, their parents have connections with physicians from harvard, or they have private tutors for classes, etc. This post was purely a vent post (hence the tag). I am honestly just overwhelmed by the many factors needed to seem like a strong candidate for med schools and I don’t know where to start.
[удалено]
While appreciate your alternative perspective and extremely uncommon knowledge, I think that you are completely misunderstanding what I am saying. I do not believe that someone who has earned a 4.0 GPA does not deserve it, that is not what I have even insinuated to begin with. My college does offer free tutoring, however, the tutors that I have gone to have straight up told me that they don’t know how to answer my questions about content in my classes or they google it and give me the incorrect answer and this has happened quite a few times because the tutors are also students (they get paid for this, but the only requirement is that they have earned a B+ or higher in the class they are tutoring for). You also seem to not understand that people who come from higher-income backgrounds are at an advantage in comparison to their counterparts and institutions almost always accommodate to predominantly white students who come from high-income households. I KNOW that I can achieve my goals, however I am allowed to be overwhelmed and I am allowed to feel the way that I do because I was not brought into this world with privilege and my journey will absolutely be a lot harder than other’s. I do not hold bitterness towards others, but more so towards institutions that have historically been in place to hold people like me back. As for those kind of people surrounding themselves with other driven people, they of course will do so because those “other driven people” tend to come from similar backgrounds. Thank you and have a great day, your comment was VERY asinine and belittling to say the least.
My advice is that you need an outlet. I was in a similar position to you last year, (3.0 gpa) everything was about med school and med school only, I didn’t do anything for myself. I became an EMT last summer and everything clicked. “Useless” o-chem equations, amino acids, everything I memorized only to forget suddenly had huge relevance. I began learning to learn and the A-‘s and B+’s followed by themselves. In your post you mention taking whatever you can get, don’t do this! Don’t settle! Find something medical related that you love and that gives you energy just thinking about. For me it was joining the Enable Club at my school and getting involved in social sciences / psych research instead of wet labs. You were meant to be a physician, don’t let the details bog you down. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this!
Very very similar situation, stats, also a first gen going to a T30… I am a senior now applying to medical school. It is hard!! It is hard being a first gen and you are going to be a first gen Dr. that is fricking impressive. Remember this. Be proud of yourself and keep doing everything you can. Unfortunately we can’t change how those around us got to where they are and we also can’t change where we came from/the past. It is super easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing and how they are doing it even if it isn’t fair (it is especially easy to get caught up on this on Reddit). The only thing you can do is work on you and put this aside (this is support for you and also what I have to remind myself while going thru the struggle). It is tough. Sending all the support. :)
Happy cake day!
Your low SES (socio-economic status) will give you a big leg up when it comes time to apply. That is the silver lining to the cloud. Wish you luck.
I can relate. Keep on moving. Keep asking questions. Keep fighting for answers. Give it all you got. It will all be worthwhile. You will get there.
I finished undergrad with a 3.7 sGPA after getting well below a 3.0 my freshman year. I enjoyed college a lot. Went out 3 times a week (not saying you should but just being honest). Did research/shadowing during summers. Waited until after graduation to take the MCAT and get clinical experience. After 2 gap years I got into a bunch of schools including 2 top 30s. The point being the path to med school is non linear. For some people all they can think about is getting into med school straight after graduation and will do the craziest things to get there. You don’t have to do that. I took my time, enjoyed college, went out with friend, and will still start med school at 23. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You will get there
Very similar path here except I was not the going out type (too nerdy lol). Freshman year I struggled to scrape together a 3.0 sGPA and also got a couple of W’s. Graduated undergrad with a 3.6 sGPA (3.8 cGPA). Took some gap years, smashed the MCAT with a 52X, and had a great cycle when I applied 10+ II/5+ A. My path was not linear and I think in a way adcoms appreciated the tenacity. In the end my application showed that even if I got knocked down I would regroup and try again. This is a valued attribute because medicine is gonna smack you in the mouth sometimes and you have to keep going anyway. Chin up OP you can do this.
Just gotta grind and ball out
The best advice I can give you is to speak to as many other people going through this process as possible. Network as much as you can. Yes, this obviously will provide you with a ton of important and useful connections that will help you in a variety of different ways along the way. Networking alone is probably the only reason Ill get in, if I do. The less obvious thing it will provide you with is perspective. After speaking to a handful of people, you'll realize how many different backgrounds and paths find their way to medicine. You'll run into rich people, poor people, smart people, and shockingly average people. You'll run into clean cut, straight edge people, and you'll run into hippies and surfers. Frat bros and class validictorians. The margin for age is WIDE too. Ive met more than one 30+ year old MS3 with kids. The guy who helps me out was a heavy machine operator on construction sites in VERY rural Iowa before starting at a community college at 27. Another was a women who had been a high school biology teacher for 8 years before applying to med school. As long as you keep walking the path that leads you to medicine, it will lead you there. Some paths are long and some are short, some are hard and some aren't. But they all lead to the same place.
You’ll make it. This sub is way full of getting into only T5 med schools. The other “T95” schools are fantastic at their very worst. Remember, most doctors in the US didn’t go to Harvard. Being a doctor should be more important than being a doctor that went to Harvard. Take the general data trends on this sub and use them and forget the high rolling gunners’ accomplishments.
As a fellow first gen, don’t get discouraged as a first gen! You will draw a very strong narrative from these experiences and adcoms will see your compassion and determination thru your story. Just keep trying your best and it will show
I have a 3.7 too, nothing wrong with that gpa at all. Higher is always better still, but like a 3.65 is my minimum at least. Just grind out ecs over the summer
This sub is filled with the top 10% of applicants. Ppl who hit the average or even slightly above usually aren’t posting abt it. If u ever feel like u need to find out where you’re at, use aamc distributions to see what the averages are. 3.7 is around the average gpa for ppl who get into med school
I was literally about to go on this Reddit because I feel absolutely defeated after my chem exam and I just want an A but I’ll realistically get a B and I know it’s nothing as a freshman right now but as the years go on, it just keeps getting more and more competitive 😭
Sounds like you may feel as if you need to do everything perfectly, but you really don’t. Try not to withdraw from more classes and just do your absolute best. You can do this, and it is far from impossible!
Read the first sentence again. “I see so many posts…”. While it’s easy to get caught up in the posts (and I believe me, I have caught myself doing it too), GET OFF OF REDDIT!!! For your own sake, don’t compare. Everyone going into medicine is trying to be the “special snowflake” and everyone will always be better than you in one category or another. Keep your head down. Stay focused and believe in yourself.
Do yourself a favor and take a gap year to give you some breathing room. I was feeling very overwhelmed and thought taking another year would be the end of the world, yet looking back now with several acceptances I am so glad I did.
lol ok so i reread my comment and your post and i did not eat. I want to say you got this fam. Edited ✍️:)