Gail Said:

The GED, High School Diploma, and Further Education...?

We Answered:

You can get your GED the difference will be the testing you have to take to get into college. My suggestion would be to go to the community college for at least the first year, you have to take certain pre requisites no matter where you go and the credits are transferable. That way you have proven yourself capable of college level work.
Some universities will not allow you access to courses with a GED , no idea why, but I suppose they have their reasons.
If you are going to go to a tech school, then you will just take a placement test, no biggie.
Good luck and do it now, education is something that no one will be able to take from you.

Bryan Said:

What postgraduate degree should I do?

We Answered:

Well, if you don't like teaching but you love writing, proofreading and research, then you should look into journalism. Journalism is a discipline of collecting, analyzing, verifying, and presenting information regarding current events, trends, issues and people. Those who practice journalism are known as journalists. Try looking at these websites: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism, www.journalism.org.

Pamela Said:

What can you do with an english degree?

We Answered:

Yes, there are Creative Writing degrees. Johns Hopkins University is one of the best schools for that particular major I believe.

Teaching is the primary job field for English majors, but you can do something for companies that involve writing and recording.

Terrence Said:

What would a medical school like to see in a student? Personal expereinces welcome.?

We Answered:

Your excellent grades give you some options. You might consider a dual degree program that enables you to get your undergrad at the same time you get your MD. These are six year programs versus the standard 4 year undergrad and 4 year med school. Numerous med schools offer the program. You can Google the term "Dual Degree" or "Six year Medical school" to learn which schools offer that program. You appear to be an ideal candidate.

You're correct in that med schools prefer a well rounded student. The minimum requirements of 90 semester hours in the prereq sciences are the basics for all US med schools and many med schools inform potential students that those prereqs are all the science courses they should take and to fill out their course load with other classes.

As to whether you should pursue a BS or MS...that depends on what your interests are. If you plan on going into research, then yes, by all means pursue a MS at a minimum. Most researchers have PhDs. But if you simply want to become a physician, then anything beyond a Bachelor's is taking time away from med school.

Most potential med students apply to an average of 12 med schools. I would advise you to look at the state universities within your own state first (for two reasons: 1) Your own state's universities are going to be the least costly and 2) State universities give preference to state residents versus out-of-state applicants. All US med school's education programs are very similar due to accreditation requirements. The ranking of schools includes non-education issues such as tuition costs, size of the library, geographic location, parking spaces, etc. When you consider the fact that all a medical school teaches you is the basic sciences, paying more money to attend a prestigious school doesn't make sense. I often advise potential students that a medical school is like learning a foreign language. Who cares where you were taught as long as you learn to speak the language well.

I would also refer you to the Association of American Medical Colleges web site (www.aamc.org) The schools know what questions are frequently asked (or should be asked) and have already provided answers.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Audrey Said:

How does someone with a not-so-good high school transcript get into a good college?

We Answered:

I think the best option would be going to a community college and doing really well there, then after two years there and getting an associates degree, apply to a more prestigious college and get your bachelor's degree there after two years. Then, from there you can either get a Master's degree or look for a job in the field that you like. Good luck to ya.