Getting in to medical school

<p>I know I am in high school but...
I am really concerned about if medical school will be impossible to get into or not. I am not a natural genius, and have to work very hard in school.
I want to go to great undergrad schools (Dartmouth, BC, UPenn, Georgetown, JHU, even Duke), but my grades freshman year really screwed up my GPA and I do not think I will do steller on my standardized tests.
I really want to go into medicine and I really want to go to a great medical school like Yale, Havard, Dartmouth, Northwestern, U of Chicago, or Duke. I know I should not aim for such hard to get into schools but I would love to go to one of those schools. I also am worried I will do bad on the MCAT. I am passionate about science, and I work very hard.
Well, my question is can I go to an average undergrad school (Holy Cross, Fordham, Providence College, or villanova), have a fun college experience, and still get into one of these schools if I work hard? I just feel like that level of med school requires natural ability and hard work just doesn't cut it</p>

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I just feel like that level of med school requires natural ability and hard work just doesn't cut it

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Certainly this is true.</p>

<p>But it's also true that plenty students with plenty of natural ability end up at, say, 'Nova. Excellence trumps reputation.</p>

<p>I know people who are natural geniuses can end up going to average colleges because of a lack of motivation
but what about the kids who are not naturally smart and work hard?
are those med schools possible?</p>

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kids who are not naturally smart

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It depends. If you ACTUALLY mean somebody close to the national mean, then no, I think medical school is probably a pipe dream.</p>

<p>The national mean among college-bound seniors, for example, is approximately an SAT score of 1000.</p>

<p>If you mean somebody who is not among CC's best and brightest, then I would say not to worry about it.</p>

<p>I am above average
I know these grade school standardized tests mean nothing
but I was in the 99th percentile
I am in practically all honors (I worked for it)
I do good in school, but I try hard.
If I completely relaxed I would probably get 91-92 percent in my classes
But I always plan to work hard well I am in school</p>

<p>I just don't want to die of exhaustion in college</p>

<p>It sounds to me like you haven't even taken the SAT's yet. Worry about those first. Premed comes later.</p>

<p>i am also fairly worried about applying to med school although i am currently going to be a freshman in college at Cornell University...I am a hard worker, but no genius like Jack77...I too would like to go to a reputable med school...I know there is no formula for getting into med school, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions...classes to take (calc 105 vs cal 112), research/volunteer opportunities and importance (ithaca location wise isn't great), extracurric importance(heard this wasn't important)...gpa importance/range...(i don't know what to expect and that SCARES me)...MCAT expectations, etc....THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!</p>