High School Regrets/your Experience

[miajah]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm a grade 12 student going into general sciences at the University of Alberta next year with high aspirations of making it to emergency medicine one day! Recently, we had a info session at our school regarding medical school and it really scared me because it seemed like everyone had their ECs together since birth. I am an AP student, I work two jobs (tutoring center and student researcher), volunteer, and have leadership positions in multiple clubs within my school. Some people are telling me that none of this counts for med applications, while others are telling me it's not enough.

 

My question is: what did you do in high school and would you do anything differently if you could go back? Do you suggest focusing more on grades or ECs?

 

Thank you all so much! This forum has been life-changing.

[Fresh fry]

First off: deep breath, everything is ok.

 

Now, take another.

 

You are fine. first myth: you can't use high school stuff on an application. Lie. I used my high school volunteering and it happened 10 years before I had applied (I was an older applicant). High school grades don't count for anything towards med, where they matter is in getting you into university and getting you scholarships. If ever you could slip up on a course high school is the time. No med school asks for high school grades. Your extracurriculars are great, keep at it and stay engaged in things that you love to do and get meaning from and enjoy. 

 

The next step is obviously choosing an undergraduate program you can do well in and doing your best full time. Your undergrad grades make up the majority of your application so this is where your focus should be on, extracurriculars are important but take a back seat. been on this forum for many many years and the one mistake people make is sacrificing their GPA for an EC. Your GPA comes first and foremost and it is better to have a high GPA and no ECs than the other way around by far. It is easiest to make up for a lack of ECs than it is to play catch up on GPA. This is the most important thing you can know about the med process. YOUR GRADES ARE CRUCIAL AND NOT EASILY REPAIRED, ECS ARE THE EASY PART.

 

Emergency medicine: don't get focused on specialty yet. Not only is it very far off but you have a 90% chance you will change your mind. I changed my mind about emerge (not that you are me) but saying that you don't have all the pieces of the story just yet. Keep working towards it by all means but know that it is the final piece of the puzzle so to say.

 

This is a marathon not a sprint. 1) get into university 2) get good grades 3) write the MCAT in year 1 or 2 4) stay engaged in ECs you enjoy but are balanced with your studies 5) Apply to med 6) start looking at specialties.

 

GL, welcome to the forum, don't forget to tip your waiter.

[miajah]

First off: deep breath, everything is ok.

 

Now, take another.

 

You are fine. first myth: you can't use high school stuff on an application. Lie. I used my high school volunteering and it happened 10 years before I had applied (I was an older applicant). High school grades don't count for anything towards med, where they matter is in getting you into university and getting you scholarships. If ever you could slip up on a course high school is the time. No med school asks for high school grades. Your extracurriculars are great, keep at it and stay engaged in things that you love to do and get meaning from and enjoy. 

 

The next step is obviously choosing an undergraduate program you can do well in and doing your best full time. Your undergrad grades make up the majority of your application so this is where your focus should be on, extracurriculars are important but take a back seat. been on this forum for many many years and the one mistake people make is sacrificing their GPA for an EC. Your GPA comes first and foremost and it is better to have a high GPA and no ECs than the other way around by far. It is easiest to make up for a lack of ECs than it is to play catch up on GPA. This is the most important thing you can know about the med process. YOUR GRADES ARE CRUCIAL AND NOT EASILY REPAIRED, ECS ARE THE EASY PART.

 

Emergency medicine: don't get focused on specialty yet. Not only is it very far off but you have a 90% chance you will change your mind. I changed my mind about emerge (not that you are me) but saying that you don't have all the pieces of the story just yet. Keep working towards it by all means but know that it is the final piece of the puzzle so to say.

 

This is a marathon not a sprint. 1) get into university 2) get good grades 3) write the MCAT in year 1 or 2 4) stay engaged in ECs you enjoy but are balanced with your studies 5) Apply to med 6) start looking at specialties.

 

GL, welcome to the forum, don't forget to tip your waiter.

Thank you so much!! Admist the stress of finals and diplomas, your kind words have been exactly what I need! Wishing you the best of luck with whatever you choose to pursue

[Fresh fry]

NP

 

You are going to get a lot of conflicting info, even on here. Like anything in life make sure you are evaluating your sources and don't be scared to dig. Go through the U of A acceptance thread and get an idea of what kind of ECs people have. Unfortunately some people will even mess with you on purpose. Tight race, lots of competition. Sometimes it is just ignorance or confusion; there are lots of med schools with different policies. Here is the one thing that is absolutely true about the whole process though: it may take a few attempts but people with good GPAs, reasonable MCATs, and active and engaged ECs find their way into medicine. Take each step as they come with an eye on the next one and don't let anyone or anything get in your head.

 

I am a U of A resident. Not to try and add weight to what I am saying just that re: high school ECs I am speaking from experience.

 

See you in a few years

[Meridian]

Thinking a long way back   -   my advice would be to just focus on preparing for your first year University ---  don't look too far past that for now.  So many of the brightest high-school students have trouble maintaining grades in first year.  An exciting new University, super large classes, being away from home, adjusting to self-learning and time management, making new friends - there are many reasons to get distracted and have GPA trouble in first year. . Frosh week and then blink and you are already at mid-term exams. One grade below 80% tanks your GPA for that year.  As Fresh Fry indicates, for Med school interviews, GPA is king.  

 

One other thing to consider looking at is if there are summer research opportunities at your University.  Keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to talk to profs.  Get leads from upper year students.  Wait and do this leg work in December time-frame for the next summer. 

[miajah]

Thank you both so very much. So many people are so reluctant to help and answer questions, so I truly appreciate that you guys have taken time out of your day to give me advice! Hoping you both thrive in every endeavour

[Bambi]

The transition from h.s. can be brutal. Your grades in h.s. do not indicate how you will do academically in university. University is a new beginning. Get your academics under control before doing ECs. Set your priorities to accomplish your goals. A strong work ethic is important as are stress and time management and studying smart in terms of what works for you. Don't be a party animal and choose a s.o. with care, you don't want an unstable or needy person who pulls you down. 

[miajah]

Thank you! I'm praying university won't kill me

[siobhan1998]

I just recently graduated from high school this past June and I'm currently in my first year of a BSc Honors at the U of A. I just went through the exact same thing!

 

I think the important thing to remember is to relax. Everything will be fine. University is definitely intimidating at first, but once you get into the swing of things in the Fall term, everything will be ok. 

 

As for ECs, I'm currently doing a few and I've found that if anything they actually help me manage my time. Because I have specific times that I'm volunteering or at a meeting for a student group, I've learned to budget my time much better and get my work done early. That being said, as the Fresh fry said, it's so important to focus on your grades first. Grades are EVERYTHING when it comes to med school applications. ECs can sometimes take away valuable studying time and it's important to understand that it's ok to say no to ECs if you need to study. Especially around midterms and finals, school can get very hectic.

 

Best of luck with your diplomas! Glad to see you chose U of A!