I think you have a very interesting profile and would not be surprised if you received an acceptance to any university on your list. Unfortunately, however, I also would not be shocked if the only acceptances you received were to U. Mass and UVM. It’s always hard for me to know that there are amazingly accomplished individuals who don’t get admissions to their favorite schools, and depending on how the application list is crafted, get shut out altogether.
As others have mentioned, your lukewarm interest, at best, for your safeties is concerning. As it was mentioned upthread, you shouldn’t apply to schools if you have no desire to attend them. There was a poster not too long ago looking to transfer from one of your safeties, and she had listed is as her safety thinking she’d never have to go there. I’d hate for you to end up at a safety, unhappy. Additionally, although your family is expecting for its income to jump back up $175k next year, there are no guarantees. Since there’s still time before RD dates are due, I would urge you to consider applying to some schools that have a higher likelihood of acceptance AND of being lower cost.
Although you have not asked, I went on ahead and looked up places with women’s varsity equestrian programs where I think your odds of admission are greater and with greater odds to have a lower cost than at the schools on your current list, whether your family’s finances aren’t as robust as expected or if your family indicates a willingness to spread your college funds across both college and med school:
Smaller Schools (as you have Middlebury on your list, I know you’re at least open to them)
Nazareth (NY): Lots of bio majors and interest in the health professions, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got the COA to be in the mid-$30s or lower.
U. of Lynchburg (VA): A lot of majors in bio fields but also a big emphasis on health professions, including having several professional health grad programs. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got the COA to be below $30k.
U. of the South (TN): I suspect you could get the COA to the mid-$40s here. It’s a strong school that gives generous merit aid because it’s similar to Middlebury…off in an outdoor wonderland. Small classes and lots of opportunities abound. A very proud alumni network.
Washington and Lee (VA): This is one that would require shooting your shot, but about 10% of students receive the Johnson scholarship, which is a full ride. It’s a strong school all around, and if you were able to get the Johnson, your COA would be $0.
Mid-Size or Larger Schools
Sacred Heart (CT): Lots of bio majors but also a strong emphasis on health professions. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got the COA to the mid $40s here.
Southern Methodist (TX): I suspect you could get the COA to the low $50s here.
Texas Christian: I suspect you could get the COA to the low $50s here, too.
My estimates are based either on this compilation of merit aid (percentage who receive and average amount) or on the net price for families earning $110k+ (which I sometimes use a proxy for potential merit if I’m not inclined to look at each school’s Common Data Set, but if you become interested in any of these schools, I highly recommend you do look at the CDS).
/sincere & concerned
Edited to correct information on the Johnson scholarship.
As far as I’ve read, you haven’t mentioned anything about your math courses and current level. This will be an important aspect for colleges reviewing your application. If you choose to state your level here, posters will be better able to offer opinions on your likelihood of admission at your current choices.
@premed_equestrian I hope that Brown embraces their holistic approach as they review you application with their final decisions. (And I hope you and your parents read the binding fine print when you decided to apply ED. - /stayed with genuine concern.)
You asked us to chance you, and the community is telling you your list is super reachy and your stats are not perfect or you do not have test scores to submit to them. Colleges like William and Mary and UNC out of state can be tough. With no test scores or class rank, these colleges do not have a lot of data to bank on. The Broad experience is fabulous, but almost everyone else has extremely significant accomplishments they are highlighting. Your unique challenges and gifts are something some AOs may gravitate to and see your potential. The current HS you are coming from (which some of us probably figured out or know one similar) has their reputation, so if the school counselor is putting in their letter you are in the top 10% that will help. I am unclear of the practices of the Boston area highly selective public high schools.
I know you do not want anymore schools, but I have one more to consider where you would get merit and be embraced for all of your gifts - RIT. Please take a look at the unique things going on there. It would be a safety with Merit for you, but also a place where you could thrive and where they already have extensive supports to do so. It is a gem often overlooked. And they even have an equestrian team based on a quick search - I really thought that might be a long shot. /said with a true love for the amazing things going on at RIT.
Oh, one more thing…And why BC for ED2? - rethink that…just hop on the T and walk around campus this week before they go on break. Do not ED2 anywhere- you need to compare all of your options. /kindness
If you want to do medical research related to genetic diseases, there are several paths to get there. Getting an MD is one such path. However, it is also possible with just a bachelor’s, or a bachelor’s plus a master’s, or with a PhD. It is possible to get a job after getting a bachelor’s, work for a while, and then return for a master’s or PhD (or both).
I have heard that it can be difficult for someone with just a bachelor’s degree in biology to get a job. It has been pointed out that there are a lot of premed students who do not get accepted to medical school, and that this might create a glut of biology majors with a bachelor’s degree. However, my daughter’s experience was pretty much the opposite. She had multiple offers relatively quickly with just a bachelor’s. It is possible that the issue might be that she discovered in university that she loved lab work and lab courses. Thus she had a lot of lab experience before she got her bachelor’s degree and started looking for a job.
I think that we each find our own way. The four years of getting a bachelor’s degree might be thought of as four years where you get to do some exploring and figure out a bit more about what that way might be for you.
I might also add that at the point that I got my bachelor’s degree, I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I figure it out over time (and it worked out).
You already have some good experiences (such as working at the Broad institute) that might help you start to find your way in life. You will get more regardless of whether you end up at U.Mass, or UVM, or Brown, or somewhere else. I think that this sort of experience can be quite helpful, and might be more important than the difference between any two of the many universities that you have applied to.
ETA…every student who is considering applying to medical school needs a plan B, because more students (and many well qualified) do not get acceptances than do.
If you want to do genetics research and help drive problem solving about genetic disorders, you do not need to be an MD. Please consider this option.
UConn would still give you the courses you need to apply to medical school should you still want to do so.
Adding…I do not agree that worcester is a “sketchy part of Massachusetts”. There are other colleges on your list that are in urban areas that are similar.
To be clear, if the OP were to get the Johnson at Washington and Lee her cost would basically be zero, not $20,000. (It covers room & board, tuition, expenses, plus gives a $7,000 stipend to pursue summer opportunities. In other words everything is covered).
The beauty is though - and maybe not for this student but they have some full tuition as well. So my daughter didn’t get Johnson but they came back with - finalist for the Weinstein - which is full tuition. Didn’t get that either. But they have full tuition other scholarships too.
Here’s the link to their other scholarships. Honestly, I think any LAC kid focused on $$ - that’s a legit kid - I say why not throw out the hail mary. Yes, it’s rural - but it’s gorgeous and you stumble down the hill into town…literally. Yes it’s the south - but there’s kids from all over.
If you are one of the lucky ones - it’s awesome (IMHO). Their scholarship availability is tremendous to those who win - and it’s not just a few.
Please take this with a grain of salt - the thing that struck me the most is the reason you went test optional - you claim that you didn’t have the time to take the SAT or the ACT. Taking a test would have entailed a commitment of only 5 hours on a single Saturday morning sometime over the past 18 months or so.
I admire your ability to overcome the physical obstacles you face and my comment is not meant to diminish those things. I just think that since you set such high goals for yourself, making the time to at least attempt one of the tests would have been a critical step if you were truly committed those goals.
Again, I’m not trying to disparage you - just a point for self-examination. The schools will never know you you couldn’t find the time to take the tests, but you will. I wish you the best of luck!
I honestly didn’t really have time to take it. I was so overwhelmed with everything going on in my life at that time- as lame as an excuse as it is, it’s true. But I feel as though I’ll still be a strong enough applicant…hopefully. /thoughtful
@premed_equestrian something to keep in mind. You might want to sign up for the ACT or SAT before you finish high school. If you take a gap year, you might find that some of your colleges won’t be test optional for students starting a year later. And these tests need to be taken during high school….not during your gap year. Just FYI.
I’m 45 minutes outside Worcester. I agree, too, re: college town, simply because there are 8 colleges in and around the city. It’s not a sketchy part of the state, but it is definitely not the safest “college town” around and that’s reason that many people choose not to go to school there. It’s crime rate #10 out of 351 Massachusetts cities and towns - that’s crimes per capita, not raw numbers of crimes.
To update this entire thread so far, I’ve gotten some decisions back.
ED1 to Brown- Rejected (which is okay!)
EA, Case Western- Deferred
EA, UVM- accepted with two scholarships totaling to a 50% ride
EA, UMass Amherst- accepted with admission to Honors College as well as recipient of Dean’s award (2k/yr)
I’m waiting to hear back from 3 schools this month, so let’s see!
No, I wasn’t invited to the Honors College there, but I’ll definitely ask now that you mention it! What’s the latest you can get invited to the Honors College, do you know?
One daughter was admitted to UVM with a presidential merit scholarship but without the honors college. She called and some time later they did invite her to join the honors college. I think that it might have been January when she called, and possibly February when they invited her to join the honors college. This was a while ago so I am not sure of the dates. She definitely knew before she needed to decide which university to attend.
The honors college dorm at UVM is very nice. Overall I am not sure that the honors college really matters much.
As I think that I said earlier both U.Mass and UVM are very good for premed (as are many other universities), and with the very good scholarships that you were offered at UVM and being in-state at U.Mass I am hoping that both will be affordable to you. Also, I have watched the equestrian team for both schools compete so I know that they have them. To me it sounds like you would be in good shape at either school. Congratulations and best wishes. Now you just need to see what happens with your remaining applications and decide which of these very good universities to attend.
As I might have mentioned above one daughter is currently working in biotech on potential treatments for one particular gene related illness. Reading this thread has reminded me just how very important this work is. I know that this is not easy work but it certainly is important to so many people.