How am I Doing so Far?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Hi, I honestly don’t know for sure what career path I want to go into, but I have been considering pharmacy. If I do pursue pharmacy, I would be attempting to get into a pharmD program in the midwest, and would consider joining the armed forces after that as a pharmacist. Anyways, heres a little about me (note I don’t have SAT/ACT scores, as I have not taken them yet).

I am a junior in high school, currently taking PSEO (but also taking one class at the high school (ap calc)).

Current GPA
-3.38 unweighted
-3.7 weighted

Course load
I have taken every honors/AP class available since freshmen year, and started advanced math in middle school.

Even though my math isn’t strong grade wise (I’m a B average honestly), I’ve taken these maths in order from 6th grade to current grade-
Algebra 1
Geometry (high school gpa started kicking in, and I didn’t really try in 7th grade, so it hurt my gpa quite a bit)
Honors Algebra 2
Honors Trigonometry/pre-calc(freshmen year)
AP Stats
AP Calc AB

As far as social studies, english and science goes, it’s all honors (with APUSH being the one AP in those).

Extracurriculars
I don’t have many, in fact I only have one right now, that being Student Council, I really don’t have the time with my class schedules to attend high school extracurriculars, and stud. co. is already time consuming.
I did play football sophmore year, but it affected my gpa a bit and I have conflicting schedules, so I couldn’t do it this year.
I was also in jazz band freshmen year.

Volunteering/Job
I work a part-time job, 8 hours a week.
I volunteer at the hospital every other week for 3 hours, and plan on doing so for the rest of high school.
Did volunteer for teen court once in freshmen year.

PSAT Score-143
PLAN Score-22

So I’m wondering if I should do something else, or like what should I do with my life…6 more years of school and hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt doesn’t sound like fun.

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I’m assuming that 143 is based on the old scale, right? (Not seeing it for the new scale).
So, even if you increase that for your actual SAT score, I am not sure Pharmacy is for you.
Regardless, you’ll need to work seriously to increase that score when you take the SAT. Also try the ACT.
What about being a Physician’s Assistant? Excellent salary and career prospects, and only 2 years of grad school after college. Pretty much all colleges will do, but I’d recommend Juniata in PA and there are public universities too if you tell use what state you live in.
You seem to be pretty good at math - what about Data Science? There are programs at College of Charleston, Bryant, Virginia Tech.
Do you know what your parents’ budget is?

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@MYOS1634 the thing is my parents didn’t save up anything, so I’m basically going to be paying for college, hence why I’m taking some college courses now. I am decent at math, as I scored highest on those practice test in the math section.

I honestly don’t think that the practice tests will project my true scores (about 1600-1800 SAT, 23-27 ACT), because I never studied for the tests, and didn’t really care about them.

Otherwise, how is my rigor of classes looking? Considering I am taking real college courses, will my low GPA be made up for that?

Also, I think a physician’s assistant would also be a good career choice–is Juniata a competitive school? Am I able to be accepted into a competitive school?

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What math are you taking right now?
It’s too bad that from precalc as a freshman (ie., highly advanced), you ended up taking AP Stats sophomore year. Water under the bridge but what PSEO classes are you planning to take in the Spring and what are you taking right now?
To evaluate course rigor we’d need the list of PSEO classes you’re taking right now and what grades you’re making right now (do you have a college GPA)?

What state did you live in?

A high ACT/PSAT score is pretty much the only way you can fund college. So, if you haven’t been studying for them, consider them your job now on, because you need to up that score MAJORLY if your parents don’t have money for college.
What’s their EFC? Is it they have EFC 0 or that they can’t/won’t pay their EFC?

You can borrow $5,500. Depending what state you live in, it may mean that barring a high score, you’ll be stuck in community college… because even your public university may not be low-cost enough for you if your parents won’t/can’t help.
Your use of the term PSEO makes me think you may be living in MN, which has good access grants if you qualify financially, but you’ll need much higher test scores for the best deals.

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@MYOS1634 I am taking biology, rhetoric and research, western civilization I, and AP cal at my high school. We haven’t finished our semester yet, but my current college grades are A’s and B’s.

What college class do you suggest for next semester? Keep in mind I also need another English and history course to fulfill this years high school graduation requirements.

Yes I am living in MN.

Also, I don’t see what’s so expensive right now, and will possibly join the armed forces in the medical field so they help pay for schooling. But for the most part, I am completing 1-2 years of college for free already, and will simply have to pay for pre-med and the actual graduate schooling.

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Ask your guidance counselor: often, a semester college course counts as two semesters of high school.
What level of foreign language have you reached? I’d recommend taking level 2 if you finished level 2 in high school (as it more or less corresponds to level 3 in HS) or level 3 if you finished level 3 in HS.
For math, take Discrete Math and see if you can take an intro to programming or intro to CS class, plus a 200-level history class and perhaps a basic chemistry class if those are offered.

Juniata is a good “health professions prep” college.
http://www.thecollegesolution.com/how-my-daughter-made-the-most-out-of-college/

In Minnesota and nearby states, express interest at Gustavus Adolphus, UMinnesota Morris, UMinnesota’s CEHD and CFAN, Beloit, Concordia-Moorhead, etc.

https://gustavus.edu/
https://www.beloit.edu/
https://www.concordiacollege.edu/
http://www.morris.umn.edu/
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/
https://www.cfans.umn.edu/
http://www.d.umn.edu/
https://www.mnsu.edu

A lot of your choices will depend on how hard you prep for the SAT (taking it in November? December) and how high you score. A LOT of money for college rides on this, so spend time on Khan academy, with Up your Score, with Kaplan’s prep book, and taking practice tests then reviewing meticulously each mistake, doing questions that resemble the one that tripped you until you can get it right cold.

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@MYOS1634 Hey, I plan on taking the ACT this December, and will probably sign up for the SAT.

I have 3 years of Spanish, and have taken this year off due to college courses.

Anyways, I am thinking nursing school as well, so what do you think about that? Do you think I should pursue nursing? If so, any schools that you would suggest with direct admission?