<p>I was top 1 or 2 students at a reasonably competitive boarding school. My SAT score was upper 2300s...however, I'm worried that I simply am not intelligent enough to gain admittance to a top medical school (I'd like to do MD/phD, even). I am confident in my work ethic, but just not impressed by my lack of high school national awards--no siemens research prizes, no real top national awards. </p>
<p>I'm curious: do high school students who were reasonably intelligent (stat-wise, with no significant national-level achievements) succeed and get into the top medical programs, or do the cream-of-the-crop in high school remain so throughout college?</p>
<p>we have a new winner for 'most neurotic thing I have seen posted on CC, excluding the 'my ivy is better than yours' debates.' I had a lengthy and rather harsh post written, but I decided the OP would probably not take it in the right way, so I'll simply say this: no one talks about what they did in high school once they get to college; it's no longer relevant. Period. Therefore, it is generally impossible to know if these people you mention even apply to 'top med schools (a generally vague and loaded term)' much less are the ones exclusively admitted. I'm going to go ahead and say no, it's not necessary by any means, and I doubt there is even much correlation.</p>
<p>Thanks for not bashin on me, but I just figured that since high school performance does somehow predict college performance (I mean, that's what they have AP's and SAT's for, right?), I thought perhaps some correlation does exist. I mean, supposedly the four years of high school are the most important years educationally.</p>
<p>I know so many people who were slackers/academically disinclined in high school who really bloomed academically once they were able to find something that interested them, and I've seen many cases of people who worked themselves to death in high school to be tops in their class, but essentially maxed themselves up and couldn't handle the competition and expectations at the next level in the same way.</p>
<p>Once you get to college, the four years of high school are of negligible importance. You drop high school info from your resume, nobody cares what you got on AP tests, etc. None of that stuff matters.</p>
<p>Your undergrad GPA and MCAT will be important, not your HS experiences. And ANY medical school acceptance in US is awesome, not just top schools. Be open and stop worrying and the best of luck!</p>
<p>How many people get a Siemens' award each year? Wikipedia says they have about 1600 entries and 300 get selected to progress through the competition...and there are like 17,000 people who get into medical school each year...I think you'll be okay without such an award.</p>