Hi guys,
I'm just wondering if I have a shot at getting into UPitt's BS/MD guaranteed admissions program, seeing as their medical school is extremely competitive to get into.
Race and Sex: Asian (Vietnamese) Male
High School Type: I thought this would be important, but I'm not sure. I go to a technical/vocational high school where a majority of the students are financially disadvantaged (roughly 60% are on free or reduced lunch). I currently am enrolled in a relatively new, selective pilot program that focuses on medical science, ethics, and anatomy/physiology. (Note: I myself am not low income)
Class Rank/GPA: I am the valedictorian of a 381-student class/ My school does not calculate GPA on the standard 4-point scale for whatever reason and instead uses a 100 point scale instead. Weighted, my GPA is a 100.34.
SAT: On the new SAT, I scored a 1510/1600 and took the optional essay where I scored a 6 in Reading, 5 in Analysis, and 7 in Writing (all out of 8 points). (Probably retaking this for hopefully at least a 1530)
SAT Subject Tests Projected: Math II and Biology/Chemistry (Aiming for scores in the 700’s)
Note: I'm not sure if this means anything, but my school's average SAT score for the old test was a 1241/2400. On the new test, it's a 700/1600. I am the highest scorer that the school's ever had, according to my guidance counselor.
Classes Taken: Note: All of the classes that I’ve taken are the most rigorous that are offered at my school to each grade level each year, and there are a significant lack of AP classes (only one AP science course ).
Freshman Year: AP Biology, Honors English, Honors Algebra II, Honors Geometry, World History (regular class), Spanish I
Sophomore Year: Honors Chemistry, Honors English II, Honors US History, Precalculus (Not stated by school but I believe its calculated as an Honors class in factoring GPA), Spanish II
Junior Year: Honors Physics, AP English Language and Composition, AP US History, Dual-Credit Calculus with my local community college
Projected Senior Year: All my classes will be taken at the local community college (I will be a student at both my high school and the community college) as I’ve exhausted their course offerings (part of a special program they have for high achieving students in the school- roughly top 40 are eligible). Includes: English Comp 101 (or 102 depending on my AP results), Calculus II, Chem I, possibly World Civ (This is all first semester, second semester has yet to be determined).
The reasons for the apparent blanks in my schedule with each year are because those spaces are occupied by the program that I take part in at the school (it counts as a "shop" class).
Activities and Honors:
Tenor Section Leader of my school’s acapella choir (10, became section leader at 11)
1st Violinist at a youth orchestra sponsored by a local state college (6-11)
Safety Captain of a FIRST FRC Robotics Team (10-11)
-Team has placed within the top 50 robots in the world in the 2014-2015 season
-Multiple awards in the realms of safety and business (that I was directly involved with) at individual . tournaments
-Part of the winning “Alliance” at one of the regional competitions
Competitor for the New Jersey Science League- Chemistry: With my 3 other teammates, we’ve ranked 9th in the state for this category last year despite being one of the worst performing schools in general. (10-11)
NHS member (11)
I teach beginners how to play the violin for free; many of my students are economically disadvantaged (coming from places like Camden). (9-11)
I am a counselor for and founding member of a STEM camp for middle schoolers (10-11)
I am on the Board of Educational Opportunities, which means that I plan and coordinate out-of-school educational experiences for students in grades 9-12 at my school.
Copy Editor for my School Newspaper (9-11)
Nominated from my school to represent them for the Governor’s School of Sciences (11)
School Representative for STEM Outreach- I attend various events around the area and state to promote STEM and robotics (ex. the NJPSA convention in Atlantic City, local middle/elementary schools, board of education meetings)
Internship at a pediatric clinic specializing in internationally adopted children (Summer into 12, possibly ongoing through the rest of the year)
Principal's List for all marking periods as a student at the school
Other: I have dabbled in some small-scale activism within the school. When my school was redirecting the focus of the program by cutting free clinical opportunities (shadowing opportunities with various medical professionals and sites as well as more clearance and access than a normal high school student would have in hospitals) and otherwise watering down and lowering the academic rigor of the program, I was one of the main protesters to the changes which led to the school’s compromise of allowing some of the educational opportunities back and reevaluation of the difficulty of the new program which led to my appointment to the Board of Educational Opportunities.
So, are these credentials good enough to reliably get into these programs? Thanks in advance!
-Sam