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I am about to enter my sophomore year at an East Coast University and I'd like to run something by you. My advisors have suggested that i take Organic Chemistry and Physics concurrently since I will be studying abroad the fall semester of my junior year. They've also suggested that I take my MCAT in August 2000 and again in April of 2001 if my scores aren't satisfying enough the first time.

I have a 3.667 GPA and I may be majoring in Biology. I have already taken general biology and chemistry. My fall semester looks something like this: organic w/lab, physics w/lab, cell biology and a literature course. With all this in mind, I have a few questions.

First, what are medical school admissions committees likely to think about this? Is it right in believing they might look at me as someone dedicated and motivated enough to study medicine? Second, is it a good idea to take these three sciences classes the same semester or is it suicide??!!

One more thing, with such a heavy course load I will have no time to join clubs or do volunteer work my sophomore year. I plan on volunteering in a hospital the fall of junior year while abroad abroad and again in the spring of my junior year at Syracuse. Is this too late to begin my extracurricular activities/volunteering??? Thank you so much for the opportunity to discuss this with you. I really appreciate it. Thanks.

First, I will give you a general rule to live by: In the end, your GPA is much more important to your prospects for getting to medical school than the intensity of courseload you take.

I do not recommend that you take classes just to get over requirements--I think you will be much better off getting top grades and applying a year after you graduate than taking on more than you can manage successfully.

If you think you can manage this coureload and still get top grades--then by all means go ahead and take the classes. Organic chemistry is a very hard class. For most people, physics is also hard because the concepts are novel and it requires much problem-solving. Cell biology may not be conceptually hard but it is work intensive--there are many little facts you will need to learn and it will eat up a chunk of your time.

So, you ask: what medical school admissions committies will think of your heroic act? I cannot speak for them. But, I can tell you what I think they will think: most won't notice for the simple reason that they do not care enough if you take two science classes or three per semester. They get thousands of applications from people taking four, three or two science classes per semester.

Your motivation and qualification is better exhibited by the quality of your performance. Quantity is good, but alone it is meaningless.

I guess admission committees may look funny at your GPA/application if you took one science class and got a C and got four A's in four art classes with a high overall GPA.

So, I think taking the courseload you plan to take: Orgo, Physics, Bio plus labs might indeed qualify you for the inclusion in the Order of Kamikazi. So, suicide it may be.

If you plan to go to medical school immediately after college, it may be late to start extracurriculars in your junior year: I suggest that you do not overwhelm yourself your sophomore year and then you might be able to do one or two extracurricular activity. If you start extracurriculars in your junior year and apply in your senior year, you will only have one year to show since you will have sent your AMCAS application the summer before your senior year. Also, do not try to participate in every club or volunteering opportunity. You're better off doing fewer things but doing meaningful things than just belonging to one organization or another.

Again, extracurriculars are important but do not sacrifice your GPA on extracurriculars by spending half of your time volunteering.

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