<p>Hi all!
I am about to start my senior year of high school and am running into some trouble with my college searching. I have browsed through hundreds of colleges but none of them are really sticking out to me. I need some suggestions!</p>
<p>Facts about me:
I live in Florida
Straight A's with the exception of 3 or so b's throughout my high school career
In a program similar to IB (it combines AP classes with classes from my program which yield international credit if you pass the end-of-the-year tests)
Act score: 30, but I am retaking it and am aiming for a 32
I have received the Wellesly award among other awards in the sciences as well as the Healthcare program I am in (along with the other program) throughout the last 3 years
I'm an officer in HOSA, in charge of the blood drives at my school this year, and will be doing clinicals in my local hospital so that I graduate as a certified phlebotomist ready for employment this year</p>
<p>AP scores thus far:
World history- 4, European history-5, English-5, US History-4, Chemistry-3 </p>
<p>What I want:
A small to medium sized college that has good science facilities and perhaps research opportunities. I want to be able to culminate relationships with professors and get individual attention if need be because that has proven to work best for me throughout high school. A hospital nearby that I could work at would be fabulous (I am graduating as a phlebotomist and will be able to work as one immediately after graduation..and I plan to!) as would other opportunities for students interested in the medical field. I want to major in biology because it is my favorite science by far!</p>
<p>I would LOVE to get out of Florida, but the only way I can is if I receive aid/scholarships/grants etc. because I come from a single-parent, middle class home. </p>
<p>Anywhere on the East Coast is fine. I really love Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia (anywhere with historical significance is a plus because I am a nerd)</p>
<p>If it helps, my other extracurriculars are:
~125 hours of volunteer work in local hospitals
20+ (ongoing) volunteer hours spent at my local Humane Society
Member of NHS for every year thus far
have done/plan on doing numerous walks and runs for medical associations and research because it is something that I am really passionate about
1 year JV soccer
1 year varsity lax (last year)
Other random clubs like Soph. steering, junior steering, environmental club, etc.</p>
<p>Take a look at Grinnell College in Iowa, a top 20 LAC, if you can brave the winters. Outstanding sciences, exceptional merit and financial aid, beautiful facilities, no distribution requirements, and amazing faculty mentoring. No hospital in walking distance of campus (which is adjacent to the small downtown area), but there are medical facilities at which you can volunteer.</p>
<p>UPenn, Columbia, Georgetown, JHU, Tufts, BC, and CMU come to mind quickly. All are selective, medium-ish, East Coast schools with good/great pre-med programs in or very near big cities with plenty of access to big hospitals.</p>
<p>WashU in St. Louis has a great pre-med program as well, but obviously not East Coast.</p>
<p>Tufts University School of Medicine offers an early assurance program for eligible students at participating Boston-area colleges. The institutions currently participating in this program are: Tufts University, Brandeis University, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, and Northeastern University.</p>
<p>You seem very self motivated and will probably have an easier time being a top student (high GPA – which is a big part of med school admissions) at a less prestigious university. Anticipating a lot of debt from med school, you should really consider schools that are affordable with few/no loans. Don’t discount the Florida publics completely.</p>
<p>UPenn = Excellent choice
Columbia= Excellent choice
JHU= Excellent choice
Tufts= Excellent choice
Georgetown = Good choice but better for liberal arts education
BC= Good choice but better for liberal arts education
CMU = Good choice
Ursinus = horrible school
Washington & Jefferson= horrible school
Allegheny = horrible school</p>
<p>For historical influence, Washington & Lee pretty much can’t be beat. The hospital there isn’t very big, although I know they love to give their undergrads research opportunities. They are also the highest ranked LAC that gives substantial merit aid- look into the Johnson scholarship. </p>
<p>William and Mary fits your description very well too, but since it’s public they don’t dole out much aid. They have merit scholarships, but they’re uber competitive, ony 4 per year.</p>
<p>Thank you all SO much! Seriously, it was all very very helpful! I will look into all of them! I love UPenn but don’t really feel that I am good enough to get in…is it even worth trying to apply to higher end colleges like this? As much as I would love to go there, sometimes I doubt that I’m really at that caliber.</p>
<p>You might as well apply. The 30 ACT is on the low side, but sometimes you really never know. Better to apply and lose $70 or $75, whatever the fee is, than the chance to attend your dream school. You can always retake standardized tests too, won’t hurt.</p>
<p>You never know! In fact I recommend applying to a reach school. The problem comes when students get over attached to the reach school. Just apply “just to see” lol.</p>
<p>I strongly disagree with the opinion that Ursinus and Allegheny are horrible schools. I don’t know much about Washington & Jefferson, but I have my doubts as to that judgment call as well. Ursinus in particular I think is underrated from what I see in my work.</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-great pre-med with strong medical alumni network including Nobel Prize Winner in medicine. HC has very nice campus 1 hour from Boston and the school has a $70 million new science addition. Holy Cross(don’T have to be religious) sponsors science internships and UMass Medical School is only few miles away(many HC alumns hold top positions at school).</p>