<p>I have to agree with other posters. Focus on schools that aren’t quite as selective as HYSPM. Schools like Vanderbilt, WashU, etc are all within reach, whereas you would need a lot more to get into your top options. As inspiring as your story may be, your stats put you at a severe disadvantage for the very top echelon of schools. No matter what level of selectivity, grades and test scores are the most important factor.</p>