<p>I'm a senior. i go to a public school in yonkers, New York
Im trying for Columbia University and it is a HIGH HIGH reach. </p>
<p>Intended Major- Chemical Engineering</p>
<p>Gpa 3.34/4.0 Weighted
SAT 1720(CR- 520, M-570, WR- 630) will take again Dec 7th, Trying to reach 2000's.
ACT- 21(will not send nor take again)
AP courses - 11th grade - AP chemistry AP English (both scores of 3)
12th grade -AP Physics b, AP Calc AB, AP Statistics, AP English Lit, AP Gov/Pol
SAT2- 600-chem , thats about it and no chance for any retakes. Unfortunately.
Awards- Dominican Student Merit, Also this National Science Achievement Award</p>
<p>ECs- President of National Honor Society
Member of many clubs
Played sports,(9th grade)
Worked at Mcdonalds in 10th grade
Community service 100+
Teacher Recs- STRONG
College Essay- Strong, mainly because it made my teacher cry and I got great views and comments from other people.
supplementary material- will be a science research project I did.</p>
<p>State: NY
School: Public
Ethnicity: obvious- hispanic
Gender: Male
Income <40k
hooks: my rigor of a schedule, my SAT score ranked in my school and district is passed 85th percentile. Also my college essay.</p>
<p>Note: your hook is being a low income Hispanic student (possibly at an underserved HS?). A highly rigorous schedule is necessary just to be a competitive candidate for C, it’s not a hook. Sorry, I don’t mean to discount your essay, but 99% of members here who comment on their essay say how outstanding it is (LORs too).</p>
<p>Question: Are you looking at med school in the future (your member name) or do you plan to stay with engineering as a career?</p>
<p>I have taken math 1 but it isn’t a score to be proud of.</p>
<p>And yes, I plan on going to medical school. Choosing chemical engineering as major just for the rigor and I seem to be interested in its curriculum because I’m a science/math person.</p>
<p>I think you are being realistic when you say it is a high, high reach. Your scores will hurt you…SAT, SAT subject and even 3s (rather than 5s) on your AP exams. Also, as entonmom posted…I think you need TWO SATII subject test if you are not sending your ACT with writing. Can you take the January SAT Subject test? Otherwise I think you will have to send Math 1 and Chem.</p>
<p>That being said, no reason NOT to apply. You are being realistic about it as a stretch. It is for just about everybody. Just be sure to have lots of match schools too. </p>
<p>Did you get National Hispanic Honors? That would help, I think.
HSG</p>
<p>Let’s hope Jan. is okay for RD. A bunch of kids at my school are counting on it for various RD admissions!
Biggest draw back of Jan. is that it is truly the last shot. So if you are sick the day of the test, etc. you just have to push through and hope for the best.
HSG</p>
<p>Note: the bold and italics are Cs, not mine. I don’t think they could be any clearer.</p>
<p>OP,</p>
<p>I don’t do Chances, and I don’t think you need anyone to tell you your Chances. I have no problem with applying to an uber reach, as long as the rest of your list is composed of realistic admissions and financial safeties and matches. I know it often gives people comfort in knowing, ‘at least I tried’, and that’s fine as long as your list isn’t made up of similar longshots.</p>
<p>Beyond that, I think you should understand some sobering information about applying to med school. </p>
<ol>
<li>While a small handful of highly selective UG colleges may give you a slight nudge if you do well there, med school admissions is by far driven by gpa & MCAT score. Here is the data for Hispanic applicants:</li>
</ol>
<p>Notice, that one needs to get about a 3.5 gpa for even a 50:50 chance of admission. And believe me, if you go through the expense, time and energy involved, you want more than a 50% chance of being accepted. UG admissions is a walk in the park compared to the med school admissions process.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Very little, if any, gpa leeway is given for what are often considered more difficult majors, such as engineering. </p></li>
<li><p>Other things to consider about med school admissions: retaking the MCAT is frowned upon (it’s not like taking the SAT/ACT and there is no Score Choice); reapplying a second year is looked down upon and you are asked for reasons; every college class you ever take is used to calculate your gpa (this includes college classes taken in HS, retakes, etc., even if your college forgives a grade and it’s not on your transcript).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Wow.
This is a load of helpful information.
I guess the Jan 25th testing Date will be accepted. I will sign up for it. On the bright side, I have a lot of time for preparation, so I will hopefully see 700’s.
True. Medical school will be very difficult. I will have to work extra hard in college if I want a seat in a competitive medical school.</p>
<p>There is no reason to take both Math Subject tests, colleges only accept one. Most applicants interested in Engineering or selective colleges will take the Math 2.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is wrong thinking. You aim at being admitted to a medical school, period. Anything beyond that is gravy.</p>
<p>Math 1 is a safety just in case math 2 doesn’t go so well.
You’re right, but I would like to go to a top medical school, but in the likely case that I don’t, of course, I will settle for anything. Medical school is medical school. </p>
<p>What isn’t so appealing is that after I take those subject tests, I have my scores in like February 15th…</p>
<p>Math 1 may be on easier concepts, but it has a harder curve. Most people take the Math 2 after pre-Calc, so for someone in Calc, the concepts aren’t hard, but accuracy and speed are necessary.</p>
<p>Finally, taking 3 Subject tests in one sitting can result in fatigue.</p>
<p>Most colleges who want subject tests want Math2 as a subject test. Calculus is important for engineering so that is why Math2 is the best test to take for engineering majors. </p>
<p>You also need to list the colleges you want to see your subject tests on your score report before you take the January test. You can’t wait until you get the scores to then order them. Most colleges will take the scores from the January sitting but you have to list them so that the scores are automatically sent. Unlike taking the test junior year or in Sept when you have the luxury of time to be able to see the score and then decide; January sittings means the scores have to be sent automatically. The only exception would be colleges that on their website say you can send the scores later in the process. If you wait until mid Feb. to see the scores; college board says it will take them 2-3 weeks to send the scores and for most colleges that is too late in the decision making process. </p>
<p>If med school is your eventual goal then shoot for a college where you can have much success and be able to do well at that school. If you got into Columbia your stats would put you in the bottom percentile of the class. Instead perhaps you should think of a college where you can get the grades to go to med school. My DH and I both went to small liberal arts colleges where we did well enough to be accepted to top tier law schools (Yale/UCLA). The environment at our undergrad institutions was great and we both got a wonderful education. Good luck.</p>
<p>You mentioned Dominican somewhere in your post and it immediately caught my attention- because I’m Dominican too (and also from a low income area in NY)
Anyway, your stats aren’t necessarily the best for Columbia but based on your income & academics, I think you qualify for the HEOP Program at Columbia. You should check that out.
Good luck!</p>
