Help me decide on colleges!!!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>First, let me give u my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.033
UW GPA: 3.98
Class Rank: Top 1%</p>

<p>ACT: 32 Composite (35E, 33M, 28R, 32S)
SAT II: Chemistry 770, Math 2: 740 Math 1: may take just to apply to harvard
AP US History: 4, Chemistry: 5, Macroecon: 5, US Gov: 5
AP Courses: AP US History (soph yr), AP Chemistry, AP Macroeconomics, AP Gov- Junior yr.
Senior yr: AP English, AP Biology, AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB, AP Psychology</p>

<p>Worked Blood Pressure and Blood glucose checks at Community health faires
Volunteering at Hospital (100-150 hrs)
Summer Research Program, very prestigious (about 300 hours)
Shadowed IM doctor, Anesthesiologist (>25 hrs)
Taught Sunday School Classes (150-200 hrs)</p>

<p>Paid Work at hospital, office assistant (800-1000 hrs) (22 hrs/week) (junior year)
Paid Work in Hospital Lab Senior Year (20 hrs/ week) (senior year)
Worked at a mall (40 hrs/week for 3 months) (summer before junior year)</p>

<p>Founder and President of Chess Club
Vice President of National Honor Society
Big Brothers and Sisters program (set up programs with little kids to get them interested in science)</p>

<p>Student Council Representative (9th)
Yearbook Editor (9th)
Freshman Track (9th)</p>

<p>Very low income (20K-25K)
Asian American</p>

<p>Now, I am thinking about applying to the following colleges and Medical programs:</p>

<p>Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford -through Questbridge
Upenn, Cornell, Duke, UMich, Columbia - regular decision (i guess)</p>

<p>BS/MD programs at the following colleges:</p>

<p>Rice, Northwestern , Brown
RPI, Union, Siena
George Washington , Boston University, University of Rochester
Penn State, USC, VCU
Univ of Miami, St.Louis Univ.</p>

<p>The problem:this list has 23 colleges....isnt that too many colleges?? Please help me shrink this down and based on my stats please give me some advice and where to apply etc.</p>

2

<p>Eliminate some in each category. Most kids could not do quality applications for all of these schools. The problem becomes they don’t do a good enough job for level of school that’s a match/slight reach and put lots of energy into HYPSM where chances are very slim for all, but especially slim for an Asian candidate with a 32 ACT.</p>

<p>If you’re not retaking the ACT, you have too many reaches IMO. </p>

<p>If you like your own state school and you know you have the stats for it and can afford it, cut other safeties. Take a hard look at financial aid which should help you eliminate some. Get serious about which match schools you’ll be happy to attend and cut the others. The vast majority of those applying end up at a match.</p>

3

<p>Eliminate the unnecessary Ivy League schools. Like don’t apply to Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, and Brown. If you are looking forward to a career in medicine I would say apply to Yale, Columbia, Penn and Cornell. Eliminate Brown and Princeton. Medical school admission’s care about the institution you went to, but they also accept a high number of applicants that went to their undergraduate institution. So Brown (Medical school isn’t that great) and Princeton (Doesn’t have a medical school) aren’t good choices. MCAT and GPA are the most important factors in getting admitted into Medical School.</p>

<p>Stanford and MIT are too similar schools. Both are excellent in engineering and the sciences, but MIT doesn’t have a medical school, so I would eliminate that and keep Stanford. Unless you plan on doing joint programs with Harvard. Other than that I would eliminate it.</p>

<p>Now you are at five institutions. Next I would eliminate Boston University and GWU because they are the one of the most expensive universities in the U.S. Even though you might receive scholarships and a lot of financial aid, I wouldn’t apply there. I would eliminate Rice because it is too similar in course offerings to the other Ivy League and private schools that you are thinking about applying to. Also Northwestern is a Big Ten school, so if you are interested in sports and going to games I would add that to your list. </p>

<p>I would keep Penn State, VCU, and University of Miami as safeties. They could come in handy. I’m sure they would give good scholarships as well. Eliminate St. Louis University.</p>

<p>Union, RPI, University of Rochester and the University of Michigan can be your target schools. What state are you from. Try applying to the flagship university that is in your state. That should serve as a match or safety.</p>

<p>So far I have come down to 12 schools. Visiting and location should also narrow down your list. You shouldn’t just attend a school based on academic purposes alone. Trust me you don’t want to be miserable at college. Social life is a part of choosing a college. Next thing I would do is visit. </p>

<p>This is my opinion on the schools. This is how I would narrow my schools down if I were planning to apply to these 23 schools.</p>

4

<p>^thanks for the help…</p>

<p>BS/MD PROGRAMS:
Rice, Northwestern , Brown
RPI, Union, Siena
George Washington , Boston University, University of Rochester
Penn State, USC, VCU
Univ of Miami, St.Louis Univ.</p>

<p>^i am not applying to these universities just for the heck of it…it is because they have GUARANTEED MEDICAL programs…so i am applying to more to increase my chances…</p>

5

<p>… I see what you are saying. Honestly though then you might want to eliminate some of them because you listed just too many schools. Applying to an Ivy League school is no joke. Their applications are all different and require a substantial amount of time, effort, creativity and sophistication. From that list I would only keep Northwestern, Rice, Penn State(Safety), Miami(Safety), and USC(Match). Then apply to Yale, Penn, Cornell, Brown, Columbia, Michigan(Match), and Stanford or MIT (Don’t apply to both). I doubt you will be rejected from Michigan. Since its rolling admissions apply early. You will get a decision in October, November and at the latest, December. That should put you at a good position. I would say apply to more match schools but then that is pushing it. Ultimately its your decision.</p>

<p>I still cut down your list by 11 schools. There are some unnecessary schools that you are applying to. Trust me when you visit some of the schools you are applying to, you will eliminate them.</p>

<p>Then again this is just advice. “Have it your way.”</p>

6

<p>so no duke? </p>

<p>and RPI, Union, and Siena programs are easier…so i might apply to those instead of Northwestern, Rice, and Brown med programs. good or bad?</p>

7

<p>You don’t increase your chances by applying to more schools, you increase them by applying to schools that are a good fit for your stats. Brown, for example, would be a major reach without applying to PLME. I’m pretty sure they publish stats of the students accepted, so have a close look before finalizing the list.</p>

8

<p>Just make sure you have 2-3 safeties and 3-5 Match schools. I don’t see how Brown is a “major” reach for this applicant. 3.98 GPA, Top 1%, 32 ACT, Amazing EC’s, Unique leadership, and community service. I don’t think Brown is a major reach, but it isn’t a match either. Maybe it is a major reach because you are applying to the MD program which is probably really competitive. Even more so than regular admission. </p>

<p>Its hard to give you advice on what schools to eliminate because attending any university involves many factors, not only by academics. Finances, location, organizations/clubs, personal characteristics, etc.</p>

<p>I would say keep Duke. That makes 13 schools. Add about two more matches or safeties. I applied to 15 schools and got into 10 of them. I will admit that some of my applications were rushed, but my counselor always tells me. “If you have a good amount of matches and safeties, apply to as many reach schools as you want.” There is the downside to paying a lot of application fees though, but I’m sure with your income, you will get a waiver.</p>

<p>You will get into Michigan, if you apply early.</p>

9

<p>bump…any other advice…</p>