Junior year high school: I’m a little late to look into colleges and havent been focusing my past few years on what they want. unfortunately
I have some pretty decent academics; 36 ACT, 1590/1600 SAT, maximum GPA for my state/valedictorian. I’ll have 11 AP exams when I apply, right now I have (hg 4, wh 4, chem 5, calc ab 5, compsci 5) and this year’s tests haven’t happened yet but I’m guessing by practice tests (psych 5, physics 1 5, bio 5, calc bc 5, lit 4, ush 4), I’ll be doing 4 (maybe 5) during senior year
Unfortunately for EC’s I’ve been blind and have just about none. My best EC is a health org called HOSA where I’ve won some of their competitions at 8th (freshman) and 2nd (sophomore) places internationally.
Other than this all I have is a bit of jujutsu for 3 years (only 1 of which during highschool), 250 hours at a hospital, negligible (10ish) hours physician shadowing, a low level premed and research program at UCI, and NHS.
Aside from this I just have some hobbies like basketball, painting, and a huge amount of computer science which won’t help my chances for medicine. I’m not sure if these actually count as EC’s even.
When asked for leadership I am completely done for as I have no businesses or officer positions.
From the looks of it the top 30ish undergrad are probably out if all their applicants have my academics and are distinguished by EC’s. I don’t think I have any chance in any BSMDs whatsoever. I’ll still try, but what are my in-general chances and what class of universities do you guys think I may be accepted into?
If you write good/unique essays, you have a chance at many great colleges. I’d stick with LACs, and have a bunch of matches/safeties! But definitely apply to a couple of reaches. U could always get a job over the summer (or senior year) or intern somewhere or do some research, and that will help!
Regular decision applications don’t have to be submitted until late December, so you can do a lot for the rest of the year!
You definitely have the potential to land any school in my opinion. Your ECs are decent enough for it. From my experience, universities also emphasize diversity, race, experiences, perspectives, etc. Since one of your hobbies is painting, be sure to submit an art portfolio to the schools you apply to, even if you haven’t received any awards for your artwork, it allows you to elaborate on yourself as an individual and maybe impress the admissions panel.
@2384019814 One school to consider is Vanderbilt. They practically only care about scores and with your test scores and GPA you would be a shoo-in.
That said i believe you have good chances to other more competitive schools as well, (usnews top 10, ivies etc). You ECs might not be amazing but they are not horrible either.
It also depends on your race. If Asian, very very small chance for the top schools, if white small to OK chance, if Latino very good chance, if black or Native American you are a shoo-in.
Unless you are applying to the UK/Ireland (or a handful of direct entry 6/7 year med programs), you don’t apply directly for medicine in the US. Except for specific entry programs (such as architecture, engineering, some compsci) for most colleges & universities you don’t apply into a specific subject- most often you don’t even declare a major until your second year. Thousands of students apply to college saying that they are planning to applying to medical school - and most of them don’t. Colleges know that. They are perfectly happy for applicants to talk about their plans, but nobody checks up later and says- ‘but we admitted you to be a pre-med!’. If you want to talk about that as a goal, fine- but you can also talk about any other part of who you are, your goals & ambitions, etc.
Remember that ECs serve as proxies for who you are and what you bring to the community. Have you shown that you can stick with something over a period of time? do you have the time management skills and self-discipline to handle a demanding academic course load and do other things as well? have you shown that you can take on responsibility and deliver on that? can you have an important experience, learn from it and take it to the next level? Unless they need a bass trombone player (or some other specific skill/talent) and you are really good at that, they really don’t care much what you do- they just care that you do something and can articulate (in an interesting and thoughtful way) what that something means to you.
^ "Remember that ECs serve as proxies for who you are and what you bring to the community. "
I agree with this 100%. Also, for admission to highly competitive schools, you need to stand out to some degree from the thousands of other qualified applicants. ECs help you develop an identity and a focus. Grades, curricular rigor and test stores are a threshold that you need to show that you are academically qualified; but your ECs, essays, and letters of recommendation are where you show who you are as a person, and make a case for why you deserve a spot over someone else with similar academic qualifications.
Do not be discouraged. Your EC’s don’t neeed to match your career goals. If you have computer science ECs, that’s great. Think about how to tell the story of your EC’s the best you can. Way more important is spend a lot of time on your common app essay. Write essays for several of the questions and get advice on which is best and then refine it until you are sick of it.
Pick 3-4 reach schools, 2-3 matches, and 2 safeties. Run the Net Price Calculator on each school’s site (NOT the FASFA one). Talk with your parent about a budget. You don’t want debt going in to med school or surprises next April when you can’t afford that dream school where you were accepted.
Your stats are competitive for great merit aid. Lot’s of lists on here, particularly of publics but here are few to research.
Tulane gives a over 100 full tuition through Dean's Honor Scholarship and Paul Tulane Scholarship. Requires EA and separate application.
SMU gives approximately 25 full rides plus study abroad through Presidential Scholars, no separate application. More through Hunts which has an application and is more focused on leadershipship so this one isn't you.
Vandy and Duke give small number so worth a shot but odds are higher.
USC fair number of full and half tuition scholarships. Highly competitive but again, your numbers are competitive. I don't know what other factors they look at.
Plenty more. Dig as much as you can now and use your summer on common app and if applying to Tulane for those scholarship applications.
Honestly I think you have a great chance of getting in to Ivies still because of your impressive GPA and SAT score. Having almost perfect/if not perfect scores is rare and if you nail the essay, you have a fighting chance for sure.
Hold on ur ecs are NOT weak if u have international awards in HOSA… Seriously with is wrong with people on cc… That’s an amazing accomplishment… You’ll be fine
I want to shake every kid like you by the shoulders when I hear about your “non-existent” EC’s, and I am only half joking.
Apply to tippy tops. You have incredible scores and grades. Not every kid is Malala Youfsazai or Malia Obama. You do not literally have no ECs. What you really mean is you do stuff, but you haven’t cured cancer. The good news is, you don’t have to cure cancer to get into a great college. You have a clear message of health and medicine. Focus on that. Continue being involved with that over the summer. Maybe enter a few writing compteitton related to those things, becasue there are writing competitions for everything. Just google.
