Getting Into Stanford?

<p>I know that the acceptance for undergraduates is unpredictable, I've talked to a few alumni of Stanford but they didn't have several extra curricular activities but perhaps they had a passion. Their S.A.T. scores were within competitive range and their GPAs were good but not perfect. I've talked to a few people online who were rejected with perfect GPAs and amazing S.A.T. scores.</p>

<p>I want to become a neurosurgeon or perhaps go into neuroscience research when I'm finished with my initial studies but at the moment I do not have a passion. I would like to start chemical research now as a 'passion' but I live in a small city and I'm not sure how to start. I might be taking AP courses this fall but at a distant school at another school they offer I.B, I'm wondering if weather I should go to that school just for the program. Will it even make any difference in my acceptance if I excel in the program? Do passions make a difference? Are S.A.T. scores more important than the passion?! Should my passion/specialty just be a sport? </p>

<p>I know universities want you to do everything you are capable of doing but will not getting this additional diploma really make a difference? I am currently a sophomore, I'll be taking my some grade 11 courses during the summer so that in fall I will have the option of I.B. and AP as a junior. If I do well in AP as a junior I can focus on other things as a senior like getting a specialty but if I go with I.B. I may not have time to get one. I really like the medical area of Stanford and the school itself, I really want to go there but I'm a little confused.Help? What do I do?</p>

<p>(I know the tuition is very high but I plan on using student loans, I can start paying off my debt after several years of school if I still want to double major, minor and if I get accepted into medical school at Stanford, they should start sending the checks after about ten years as I'll still be in school for another 10 years then afterwards residency for 7 years and a two year fellowship if I'm going into neurosurgery).</p>

<p>I’ll only address the student loan comment. Loans to students are limited to $5.5K as a freshman, $6.5K as a sophomore, and $7.5K for Jr and Sr. If your family is high income your family will be expected to pay the difference. If your family is low income you should get good need based aid from Stanford. </p>

<p>You don’t have to have a “passion” Watch this: <a href=“Stanford--What factors affect decision beyond academic measures - YouTube”>Stanford--What factors affect decision beyond academic measures - YouTube;

<p>Well my family is upper middle class and here in Canada we make quite a bit compared to the average family although I’m not sure if my parents would really be eager to drain some of their money on my undergraduate. I did also admire McGill University for Undergrad but transferring for medical school after completing my time McGill would give me an even lower chance of acceptance, would it be better to be an undergraduate at Stanford then go into graduate school there or be an undergraduate somewhere else then transfer to Stanford for professional school? </p>

<p>As for the I.B. program It now looks like it won’t really make a difference but I’l be sure to decorate my application with other things that I think will make a difference in my acceptance.</p>

<p>Also I’ve debated with residents, doctors, alumni of Stanford and McGill University and it really does not matter where you go for Medical School that much, its really what you do with your degree rather than where you went for it unless you plan on becoming a well distinguished physician working for prosperous people or companies. But I really admire Stanford and It is my #1 choice for University, if I don’t get in I’ll be a little disappointed but I’ll be glad to attend other reputable schools.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>research: is there a community college in the vicinity? Can you contact the Chemistry Department Chair and explain that you’d like to work on research in a professor’s lab, you’re passionate about chemistry, you have these stats and credentials, how should you go about being considered and is there someone in particular you should contact? (All of this very politely and formally, you’re making a request for a privilege, not writing to your best friend :p. Letter should start with Dear Professor X… <- stating this because many students start off on the wrong foot because they write with the wrong tone and level of English…)</p></li>
<li><p>is the distant school a boarding school where you’d live, or would you have to commute?
How many IB/AP classes does your school offer?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>As a canadian citizen you would not be eligible for Direct Loans so it would be on your parents. </p>

<p>Not eligible for direct loans? Ah my parents are not going to like that ha ha! Maybe I can move to the states and live with one of my relatives until I gain citizenship or perhaps I could get duel citizenship for both Canada and The United States of America because the cost of a degree at Stanford is very high and the fact that I want to double major and minor will only increase costs.</p>

<p>As for how many AP classes my local school offers I’m not entirely sure, I was in french immersion for a decade so I speak french as well as two years of Spanish but I moved to a different province recently(where I’m typing from now) and now I’m in the middle of transferring schools. I plan on taking all the school has to offer but my first choices would be AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Biology and AP French (There are french immersion schools in my area so it is possible perhaps) if the school I chose offers them.</p>

<p>As for the I.B. Courses for the diploma, it is at a public school in a city about 4 and a half hours away from where I stay now and I may have some relatives there but I’m not entirely sure, I’d have to check with my parents. If the courses offered at the school include all HL Sciences I plan on taking them, if HL math is offered I’d take that as well. Some schools offer both I.B. and AP so if they only offer some I.B. Courses, I can see what I can do to fit in an AP Course that the school doesn’t have in I.B. . I haven’t decided on a school yet in the distant city or in my area but I’ll be checking for which ones offer the most AP or IB courses.</p>

<p>As for chemical research and asking a professor if I can help out, I’ll try that, I’ll be very formal and polite, I may even look for examples online for how I should approach this. In the email I’ll ask about prerequisites, what I need to have and what I can do to help, in anyway, even volunteering at the lab but not doing any research I wouldn’t mind as I would still be getting volunteering hours. And since I plan on going into medicine regardless of weather I’m accepted into Stanford or not, I plan on volunteering at my city hospital which is something I know I can do.</p>