How am I Doing?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>All right, I know I'm only a rising junior, but I'm going to take the SATs/ACT/PSAT in a few months, and I want to make sure that I'm a strong applicant for several Ivy Leagues, including Yale, Princeton, and Harvard.</p>

<p>So, aside from how am I doing, what advice would you give me in order to have a good chance at top colleges?</p>

<p>BTW, I apologize if this post is too long!</p>

<p>Location: Michigan
Ethnicity: Hispanic immigrant (Cuban)</p>

<p>GPA (UW): 4.0
GPA (W): 4.056</p>

<p>I've taken the hardest courses available at my school.</p>

<p>APs:
10th
AP US History (Took the test, expect a 5)</p>

<p>11th
AP Biology
AP American Gov.
AP Spanish (Self-study)
AP Psychology (Self-study)</p>

<p>12th
AP Calculus
AP Physics
AP Statistics
AP English
AP European History
AP Comparative Gov. (Self-study)</p>

<p>ECs:
Academic Decathlon
Student Council (Will be President senior year)
Everett Excellers (Wil be President this year)
Ingham County Youth Commission (Will have a leadership position this year)
- Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee
- Co-Chair of the Government Education Committee
Class of 2009 Committee (Will probably be Treasurer or Secretary this year)
MSU High Achievers (Received college credit for taking a Biotechnology course)</p>

<p>*<em>Will be in National Honor Society this year.
*</em>I'm in the process of finding a mentor in order to do an independent health/science-related research project.
**My major in college will most likely be Biology/Biological Sciences (Pre-Med).</p>

<p>Community Service
192 volunteer hours</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Volunteer at a local library
(May 2006 - December 2006)</p></li>
<li><p>Research Volunteer at a Thoracic and Cardiovascular Foundation
(June 2007 - August 2007)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Work Experience:
Library Page at a local library; 10 hours/week.</p>

<p>Awards:
Honor Roll
Ventures Scholar
Sophomore of the Year (School Award)
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Speech
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Interview
Academic Decathlon Highest Team Scorer</p>

2

<p>Bump please...</p>

3

<p>Bump again...</p>

4

<p>Let's see....you have URM status, so you have as good a chance as any of getting into an ivy...can't say which one or how good of a chance because they're all a bit funky with admissions. However, given that you haven't provided a class rank or SAT score, it's actually really hard to say whether or not you'll get into an ivy.</p>

<p>As far as coursework and grades and ECs, you look pretty good though, keep up the good work.</p>

<p>And how do you know you'll be student council president your senior year?</p>

<p>I'm a rising senior, so all of the above is not written from experience.</p>

5

<p>I forgot to post my class rank, I apologize. I'm 1/491.</p>

<p>Also, I know I'm going to be Student Council President when I'm a senior because I am the only student from my grade that has been involved with Student Council since freshmen year, so experience is the #1 most important thing when choosing a S.C. President (in my school).</p>

<p>Any more advice/opinions?</p>

6

<p>Olive, as the mother of a URM who did very well this year (see the acceptance thread), I agree with the above poster that it looks like you're on the right track, but it's hard to say for sure given the lack of standardized testing. Did you take the PSAT this year? </p>

<p>A couple of thoughts on your course selection. Are you a native Spanish speaker? If so, how about taking a new language rather than AP Spanish, as that really doesn't say much about your intellictual drive. Also, how about AP Chem instead of AP Stats or AP Comp Govt since you're thinking about premed?</p>

<p>Also, be sure to have a well balanced list, with both academic and financial matches and safeties that you'll be happy to attend. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>AP Chemistry is not offered at my school, and I don't feel I have the necessary tools I need in order to study and prepare adequately by myself for the exam. I will take Chemistry this year, though. I also started taking French in high school, but scheduling conflicts prevent me from continuing with the language. </p>

<p>Thanks to the helpful replies!</p>

<p>BTW, I'm a female, if that makes any difference.</p>

8

<p>Hey jsut wondering, how do you have a 4.0 unweighted and 4.056 weighted when you take the hardest courseload poossible/?</p>

9

<p>Olive,
That sounds reasonable. Try to get some time to study for your Jr. year PSAT's and get on the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Also consider applying this winter for some of the competitive programs for the summer after Jr. year: MIT Mites, TASP, Caltech YESS, CMU SAMS, Cornell Nanobiotechnology Internships, Clark U Summer Science Program, Texas Tech Clark Scholar and Grinnell Honor Scholars (not sure if they're still doing this one).</p>

10

<p>Thanks for your advice, entomom! I am definitely going to apply to some of these programs. I do hope they offer financial aid, though.</p>

<p>Any more advice?</p>

<p>Also, how do I compare with other students who are also gong to be following the Pre-Med track? I know that there will be some students with independent research experience. I am trying to find a mentor, but no luck yet. If I don't have independent research experience by the time I apply to college, will I still be competitive for top colleges?</p>

11

<p>All of the programs I listed are free except for transportation to and from the site. Your resume looks good, but apply to several as they are all highly competitive and some only accept a small number of applicants.</p>

<p>One more thought, several schools have programs where they fly in and house URM students for the weekend to visit. Most of these opportunities are in for the fall or spring of Sr. year. However, you may want to register on the websites of schools you're interested in so that you can get on their radar for these types of programs. Some of them that I know of are: WUSTL Discovery and Multicultural weekends, Amherst Diversity open house, Cornell (mostly for Engineering, you may have to pay transportation), Dartmouth Bound, Carleton, Swarthmore, CMU, Tufts, Macalester, Kenyon, Williams, Wesleyan, Emory Multicultural, Grinnell, Rice Vision and Vanderbilt MOSAIC.</p>

<p>In answer to your question about premed. I think most colleges take premed with a grain of salt as so many students change their minds after a year or two. Also, I assume you know that a BA in a science is not manditory for med school. As a matter of fact, they often look for people with a range of experiences. What schools will be interested in is that you're a Latino with good grades and scores who is interested in the sciences and possibly medicine. If you can't find a mentor, do something else in the medical field like volunteer in a low income clinic. Use your knowledge of Spanish to interpret between Latino patinets and doctors. Also, most of the summer programs I listed are oriented towards science. The main place where a research internship in the medical field will help is if you're planning on applying to one of the the combined BA/MD programs. In those programs they're looking for evidence that you know what medicine is about and will stick with it for the 7 to 8 years necessary.</p>

12

<p>Question--if you only have 2 (I assume from a previous post) years of a language (French), even though there are scheduling difficulties, will this hurt your chances? Even though you are a native spanish speaker? Just something to consider, as I don't know the language requirements for the ivies/top schools</p>

13

<p>I don't think so. The reason why not continuing with French was easy for me was because I am already fluent in another language other than English (Spanish). Will this hurt me?</p>

<p>So, am I competitive for Ivy League universities even without independent research experience and projects?</p>

14

<p>Bump once more...</p>

15

<p>We need scores to be able to predict your chances. Considering your URM status, I think that you definitely have a good shot so far. Harvard is still iffy though. Being pre-med doesn't exactly help either, but you still have a great chance. The universities you mentioned are low reaches [I wouldn't say high match though, since they get so many stellar applicants], unless you bomb the SAT.</p>

16

<p>So, being Pre-Med hurts me?</p>

<p>Thanks for the great replies!</p>

17

<p>In most cases, yes, being pre-med isn't a plus for your application. I'm not telling you to not apply as a pre-med. Just keep in mind that there are TONS of applicants who are pre-med.</p>

18

<p>Well, would I be considered a competitive Pre-Med?</p>

19

<p>Bump, for the last time.</p>