Hey everyone,
I’m a 16 year-old high school student starting junior year in Sept. 2010. In the later months of my sophomore year, I decided to apply to college early. I’ve read much about early graduation but I feel my case is different. I have lived and attended school in many different countries. I finished my freshman year of high school in Dubai where I attended a private school with high standards. My grades were not very good (GPA in the low 3s). I did my sophomore year in a Maryland public school and it proved very unchallenging as a recieved a 4.0 gpa year round while being an all-season athlete. I have planned, planned and planned some more for my junior year in maryland to be as beneficial to my college application as possible. I have realized that nothing on my application sets me too far apart from other applicants. The average good grades, good sports, class president, multiple sports awards, math olympiad awards, home evidence including some software developement (in love computers) and piano pieces I have written. Its hard to believe that in that long list I didnt mention my favorite subject of all, medecine. I have done hours if not days of research driven by interest alone. It is, arguably, very difficult to show excellence in the field of medecine at such an early stage. Yes, interships are a good start but I need to show colleges that I do have an inclination to medecine and the human body. I guess straights A’s in AP Biology helps but I need more than just that.
** I would like you guys to help me figure out how I can exhibit extreme interest and excellence in medecine on a college application. **
I am open to all suggestions and comments. Thanks in advance everyone. 
The spelling is “medicine.” Normally I don’t correct spelling or grammar online, but this it seems important enough to point it out.
No one majors in medicine as an undergraduate. At best, a pre-med major if offered and desired. Most often Bio or Chem or something similar. So there is NO reason to have to show passion for medicine to get into and undergraduate degree program at a college.
I would actually recommend that you bolster your people-skills in areas tangential to medicine because it will 1) help you decide if you really want to be a doctor vs. a researcher and 2) it will help later when you do apply for medical school. Be a volunteer at a hospital, hospice, retirement home. You don’t need to do anything “medical” – be a smile, an assistant at recreation time, a companion, a reader to the blind, etc. And actually, this kind of volunteer work <em>would</em> help with undergrad admissions as well.
Also, you don’t need to go to an expensive name-brand college for undergrad. Go to a solid, affordable college. Med schools look at your MCATs and your college GPA… NOT the college name. Really.
High School is <em>not</em> about prepping a student for medical school. It is about prepping a student for the rigors of undergraduate studies. So don’t try to make too much out of HS… just do well in your math and science as good prep for college.
Thanks annikasorrensen,
I really appreciate your reply. I do understand that “medicine” (careless error) is not an undergraduate major but pre-medical studies represents, almost, a concentration or pathway for the courses you choose. I’m in no way suggesting a jump from HS to med school as that would be ridiculous although I have heard from many sources that colleges look for similarities between a transcript and a major. Similarly, an applicant hoping to enter as an engineering major may present awards in a certain robotics competition. As I am not going undeclared, my major would be something in the area of biological sciences. Being more specific this time, (my apologies) how “deep” or involved is an internship or volunteer work going to be?
I appreciate your advice on the college of choice although under the circumstances, I must disagree. That may be because my intention for going to a name brand university is not for the name it self but for the reason that name came about in the first place. A school like johns hopkins looks great on paper alone but I want to go to johns hopkins for the excellent internship oppurtunities and the excellent curriculum. Prestigious universities are prestigious for a reason.
Thanks again.