I am looking to go to college for pre-med and major in one of the sciences, probably biochemistry. I am only a junior, so the list below is not completely what colleges will see, but it is majority. I was wondering what my chances of getting into Ivy League Universities are or which ones you think I would make (if any).
GPA: 4.0 unweighted, currently 5.0 weighted
Class Rank: 1 of 324
AP’s (15 total):
Sophomore- Statistics (5) US History (4) Art History (4)
Junior- Calculus AB, Biology, Physics I, Psychology, Human Geography, English Language
Senior (planned)- Calculus BC, Chemistry, European History, Economics, Literature, Government
ACT: 33 (36-Math, 35-Science, 31-Reading, 28-English)
SAT II: 800-Math II, 780-Math I, will take Biology or Physics and Literature
Independent Study in Cancer Biology
EC’s:
Served as Class President
Helped start a club for students with learning disabilities so they could do fun activities and socialize as well as develop bonds with new students
Coordinate tutoring program for students struggling in math as well as tutor all high school math subjects
In the process of starting a math and chess club
Volunteered in local hospitals for past two summers
Clubs: Quiz Bowl (President), NHS (Junior Representative), Key Club, Model United Nations, Debate Club
Achievements:
Many math competitions in school, county, and state
Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair- 2nd Place as Freshman and 4 special awards
I am retaking my ACT’s in February in hopes of getting a 34. Are there any weaknesses I can improve on? What are my chances of getting into the upper and more lenient Ivy League schools?
If you get a 34+ in February that will boost your chances.
However, there are really no “lenient” Ivy-league schools. All of them have 10% or lower acceptance rates. And besides, they all have very different characteristics, different locations, different things that they are good at/known for…I recommend for your college search you think about the things that are important for you in a college (besides name and prestige) and identify solid safeties and matches, then choose a few Ivy League schools as reach/dream apps.
General pre-med advice from a college senior pre-med student: shadow doctors and do some medical volunteering if you’re serious about being pre-med. It’s a long and difficult journey, and you have to be prepared for the inevitable (long years of schooling, dealing with the death of patients, dealing with bureaucracy and issues with negotiating insurance policies, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt, mastering the pre-med course material, prepping for the (expensive) MCAT, etc.).
Becoming a doctor isn’t for everyone. You’d be surprised at how many people say they’re going to do pre-med at the beginning of their college careers and end up not being able to cut it. There are so many hoops that you have to jump through and you have to be willing to sacrifice just about everything for your career.
Also, don’t apply to Ivy League schools just for their prestige. If anything (especially if you plan on going the pre-med route), you need to make sure that you find a school that has a suitable environment for you. You are much more likely to be successful as a pre-med student at a good “lower tiered” school with a supportive environment and plenty of opportunities than just applying to a top school that, in the end, won’t be the best fit. Ivy league isn’t for everyone. Explore plenty of other options and really do your research.
Plus, a lot can happen in a few years. During my junior year of high school, I was dead set on being a music major. Now, I’m a pre-med student, majored in Public Health with a double minor in Chemistry and Biology (something that I didn’t think I was capable of let alone interested in during high school), finished all of my pre-med coursework (with all A’s), and now I’m in the process of applying to medical school. Knowing all of the disadvantages of medical education (especially the expenses and the stress) and being committed despite those challenges shows true dedication. I wish you luck. Do plenty of exploring.
Just some background: I ended up attending a decently ranked (but not very top) women’s college in an area with a ton of medical and public health internship and volunteering opportunities. Overall, I have a 3.9 GPA and a 4.0 science GPA. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to achieve that if I went to a different school. Now, all I have to worry about is the MCAT.
College is what you make of it. The place doesn’t matter.
Also, with the medical volunteer work: I’m not just talking about basic grunt work. I’m talking about actual patient interaction (there are plenty of programs that have this setup). Volunteering for a few months at a hospital doesn’t give enough indication of what you did as a volunteer. It’s one thing to volunteer just to clean and make copies. It’s another to actually be involved with the patients and the medical professionals. Do that on top of shadowing a variety of doctors. Time to open up that phone book and start calling. You’ll get a lot of “no’s”, but you’ll get some “yes’s”. Just make sure that they’re reputable. You don’t want to shadow any quacks.
Or better yet, ask the doctors directly at your local hospitals. A lot of times, administrative staff will tell you “no”, but a lot of doctors are more lenient.
Also, educate yourself on public health issues. It isn’t enough to just be smart in science. You have to be able to understand the body and the underlying social/environmental/economic/political factors that contribute to health.
OP, you are on the right track. Where have other top students from your school gone in the past few years. That may be one of the best indicators of your chances. Also, what state are you from?
You are clearly a smart kid, who will be able to figure out what the single digits acceptance rates mean. I think your grades/awesome schedule is amazing, and your test scores are competitive now, with a chance of improving.
So perhaps that means you have double the chances of the “average” applicant. Instead of a 9% chance you may have an 18% chance. But that’s only at one of the schools - and I suspect you will apply to several top schools.
You will definitely be in consideration for several of these schools.
Do you think your gender, ethnic background, legacy or first gen status, and/or state help you or hurt you? These are of course factors that you can’t control, but they are things that the schools do consider.
More advice: it is a better decision as a pre-med student to go to a school where you can maximize your GPA and not accumulate tons of debt. GPA and MCAT are everything when it comes to med school admissions. That’s why it’s SO IMPORTANT to find a school that will allow you to be able to do that. Med school is expensive. Don’t waste precious money on undergrad when you can save it for med school.
Lenient Ivys looking pretty good at this point. But as one of the posters said about pre-med…don’t go to the ivys just for prestige. I know many people who went to Ohio State or a big research school on full rides pre-med and they are best off. Something to consider
IMO a difference between a 33 and 34 is negligible and won’t make the difference between an admittance or rejection. ECs are a little weak; they sorta seem like a laundry list to me. Also, regarding your GPA, I doubt you have a 5.0 W. you’d need to have As in all AP classes to receive that GPA and it appears that this isn’t the case for you. All things else, I think you have a chance. It may be slim, but it is for all applicants. Good luck.
Your GPA/test scores are all good, but your EC’s seem a little fluffy to me. If anything, I would recommend trying to get involved in something you’re passionate about instead of looking for resume builders. Honestly, if you’re planning to go to med school, it’s not super important how prestigious the college you’re enrolled in is. GPA and MCAT are everything, and it’s much for worth it to go to a school where you have a good scholarship/are less likely to accumulate debt/loans at. Don’t put too much stock into admittance into an Ivy when going to a less prestigious school sets you up better financially for the long haul that becoming a doctor is.
@highshooler507 you are definitely competitive for the ivies. just try to research the schools as much as possible to decide which ones fit best your academic, research, professional and social interests/needs. The ivy league schools are not identical. Each has its own distinct vibe, culture and strengths.
@ap012199 My current (Junior Year) GPA is actually 5.0 because I have all A+'s in 6 AP classes. What about my EC’s seems weak and any advice on strengthening them?
You only have about half a year until you start applying. Maybe do a meaningful Internship over the summer to bolster your application. Regarding the GPA… what is your cumulative GPA?