<p>Hi! I've been looking at a lot of pre-medical programs, and they seem incredibly hard to get into. I got an 85% in 11th (I'm still in the top 10th in my class of 100), and a 2050 on the SAT. I'm planning on taking the Biology and Chemistry SAT 2 Subject tests, and hopefully the SAT 1 again.
My extra-curricular activites from 9th grade (excluding the number of years I participated in an activity before) are:
Classical Dance (on my 4th year since 9th started, but I've been dancing from 2nd grade)
Flute (since 5th, so that makes it...4 years?)
Veena (it's a stringed musical instrument that originated in India)(1 year)
Individual Singing Lessons (3 years)
Violin (2 years)
On the School Newspaper (2 years)
Tennis Club (1 year)
Badminton Club at my neighborhood (3 years)
Set up a Library
Community service at a Rhumatology Clinic (2 years)
Shadowing an Orthpedic surgeon (2 years)</p>
<p>I'm also planning on publishing a couple essays in a magazine.
I did high school in an Asian country, so will that affect my chances? I actually had a bunch of issues with the accent and the way of teaching, which is why I did horrible on my final exam (which, incidentally, counts for 100% of my grade for the year).</p>
<p>Do I have a chance? I really want to get into the REMS program at the University of Rochester. Is that too ambitious? Should I look at another school? I'm also looking at UCSD, USC, UCLA, Iowa State University, and Case Western Reserve University.</p>
<p>I'm completely lost, so any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!</p>
<p>Applicants need hig GPA and SAT scores. D. did not get into PPSP at Case, she graduated #1 in her class. It is not clear from your post what is your GPA. I agree, you have to re-take SAT, try ACT, some people do better on ACT. I do not know anything about other porgrams on your list.</p>
<p>My school doesn’t have the GPA system. I’m actually living in an Asian country right now. I moved here for high school. My entire percentage is based on a single test (finals) that I took at the end of the year. The grading system is different here.
Do you think it’ll be ok if I just take the SAT and 2 SAT Subject Tests (Biology and Chemistry)? The ACT isn’t offered here.</p>
<p>I just listed out my extra-curricular activites. I apparently need to show that I’ve “made a significant contribution to the community and show an active interest in the medical field”.</p>
<p>EC’s are needed, but GPA and SAT/ACT comes first. Somebody will be recalculating your GPA for comparison purposes, you got to know where you are with it. It does not matter that school does not have GPA. For example, my D’s school does not rank, colleges still determine evey applicant rank based on his grades and class profile. Whatever unique feature of school, every applicant will still be brought to common comparison measurements, primarily, GPA, Test scores, class rank.</p>
<p>Does the GPA vary from school to school? I was under the impression that an 85% was a 3.2. I’m going to take the SAT 2 in Biology and Chemistry. If I do really well in those, do you think I’ll have a chance at the REMS program?
My class rank is 4 (out of 120). Does that help? Do the colleges also take the 12th grade first semester percentage into consideration? Will I have a better chance if I get a 95% in that?
I’m trying to decide if I should apply to the BS/MD program or the undergraduate program at the University of Rochester.</p>
<p>Rank 4 is very good, GPA=3.2 is not good, maybe you are incorrect calculating your GPA. Rank 4 at most schools would be very close to 4.0. But then, 4.0 is 100% (or even higher in case of many A+). It is hard to tell. Just apply widely, see what happen, nobody can predict outcome. Most programs require to be accepted to college before you get accepted to the program, I am not sure I undertand you last sentence: "I’m trying to decide if I should apply to the BS/MD program or the undergraduate program at the University of Rochester. "</p>
<p>I don’t really know about the GPA calculation. I just went online, and a website said that an 85% was a 3.2. Will my GPA depend on how well the other people in my school did?
The University of Rochester has a BS/MD program, but it’s not binding. So, you don’t have to go to the undergraduate program if you apply and don’t get into the BS/MD program.</p>