Okay so lately I’ve got myself worried that I won’t get into this school because all the other schools that are an option for me are safety schools that I could definitely get into but would limit my academic ability (Maryville, SLU). I want to go into the pre-med program, mastering in bio/chem/biochem/etc, with a possible minor in leadership & strategic management
ACT
-Composite 31
-English 35
-Math 28
-Reading 25
-Science 36
GPA
-3.68 weighted
-3.4 unweighted
My counselor likes me so I could probably get a good letter from him
I work at Six Flags and I’m in charge of the crew a major ride (Mr. Freeze). I was offered the position early last July but then I was 16 and only about 3 months into my first ever job so I turned it down on the grounds that I wasn’t ready for the responsibility (I can leave that part out if it doesn’t reflect well on me but I like to think it validates any confidence I have in my abilities). By late august I was regularly assuming leadership at my home ride, the Boss, and I was formally promoted when the season started back in February. Now I’m in charge of the Freeze crew and my supervisors like me so I could probably get a good recommendation or two from them.
I think I can improve my ACT to at least 33 composite w/o superscore and bring my math to 30-31 & reading to 30+
As for GPA I only have 1 semester with no AP classes left before the ED deadline so there’s not a whole lot I can do with that
Do you think I can do it if I bring my ACT up a few points? Or should I start considering other options?
Oh and I’m registered as a Chickasaw. I don’t look native american at all, just white, but I am technically registered as one, if that helps at all.
The fact that you are a registered native American will help for sure. Also, do you know your rank within your class(or a rough estimate)? Your ACT will be good if you can get it to 33.
I think I’m 75th percentile/top 25% in my class on GPA
Would your parents be able to afford it if they had to pay full price?
I’m not too worried about price unless theres something I don’t understand about how college debt works. The way I understand, I can just get loans to pay off after school; and ideally I will be a orthopaedic surgeon (median starting salary is in the 300k range apparently) so college debts hopefully won’t be a huge problem. Right now I’d just prefer to focus on getting a good education over financial stuff. That said I certainly won’t say no to scholarships lol
@Drokrath Actually, you need to think about this now. Wash U, full pay for four years is going to cost between 250-300K. The maximum student loan that you can take is 5,500 your freshman year, with gradual increases for the next three years, for a total of roughly 27K. Depending on your family’s financial situation, you might be eligible for some federal funds. Your parents will have to make up the balance through their salaries, assets, savings, and possibly loans. So you need to sit down with them and find out what they are willing/able to pay. Run the net price calculator on the Wash U site to determine what your family’s expected family contribution is (EFC). If they are willing to pay that, you’re still not home free because Wash U does not guarantee to meet full financial need and historically has been known for gapping - offering financial package that does not meet full need. Merit-based scholarships are very competitive and there is no guarantee that you would get one.
With respect to admissions, being a member of an underrepresented group might help to offset a GPA that is somewhat low for Wash U. I believe there are also scholarships for underrepresented groups but they are also quite competitive.
I do not want to burst your bubble. However, it is best that you do a financial reality check sooner than later, before you apply to any schools. Go into the process with your eyes open.
Additionally, if you want to go to med school, you should minimize undergraduate debt as much as possible as med school is very expensive and will add further to your debt burden.
Good luck!