So, I’ll be applying to Johns Hopkins for my pre-med college and was just wondering whether any Johns Hopkins students or applicants would be willing to give me any feedback!
I’m currently a student of Class of 2016 at TAMS (basically, an early college program situated in Texas), and I got into TAMS after my freshman year of high school.
My GPA is 3.75 (out of 4.0), and I’m co-leader of the High School Tutoring Group and secretary of Amnesty International at TAMS. I do swimming and piano after school and over the summer. I’m also doing research on developmental anatomy during my senior year.
Being a doctor has been my dream since I was 9 years old, and I haven’t wavered even once. Johns Hopkins is my goal college, so like I said before: If any Johns Hopkins students or applicants comes across this, I would really appreciate it if you guys gave me some feedback!
Your ACT is right at the 50% mark for JHU, but your SAT is a tad lower. When adding your GPA though, you fall a bit.
25% mark would be an ACT of 32 AND a 3.7 GPA, so you are JUST a tiny bit above that. If you can get that ACT to 33 and raise your GPA to 3.8, then you would be at the 50% mark with both things considered.
It’s good that your math skills seem to be your strongest area. My wife is a college chemistry professor, and she sees a lot of doctor wannabes come in and they can’t handle the math that is associated with the beginning freshman chemistry classes. Definitely need to be able to handle the math.
You have a shot at JHU, but you should also pick some safety schools.
@stepay Thank you so much! I’ll take your advice, and probably retake my ACT. By the time I apply to JHU, my GPA will definitely by 3.9, so I think I’m safe there.
I think you have a decent shot. Just make sure not to come off as a creeper wannabe in yur essay that your describe wanting to be a doctor because too much can come off as excessive. If you can convert that passion into a masterpiece in your essay, I think it can help (esp. Since you haven’t done much in that path it seems. No shadowing? Volunteer at hospital etc? I see research but that’s next year so it has less of a presence.). Either way, just try not to cliche it and make it seem plastic (show how much you love johns Hopkins and medicine, perhaps through an experience, preferably unique)
@andyis I have a lot of experience in the hospital, but it’s all unofficial and not on the records. I spent two years in a hospital setting (living in the hospital, basically), and I plan to write my essay on that time.
Thank you so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it!
I am going to apply as an ED applicant! But, won’t my chances be lower because everyone who applies ED would be super competitive and they would have viewed JHU as their dream school, right?
If you really want to go to medical school, I wouldn’t recommend JHU for you. Why? b/c your grades and test scores are touch-and-go for even getting in. JHU is famously grade de-flationary. The two big pieces of getting in to med school are GPA and test scores. As a not top-of-the-pile aspirant, you are more likely to get the GPA you need to get in to medical school someplace else.
Are you thinking that JHU undergrad will get you into JHU med school? Well maybe, IF you are top of the pile- and it is a very tough pile.
@HaruHarumi On the contrary, I think JHU ED definitely improves your chances, even if it is in a bit more of a competitive applicant pool. They really love ED applicants because many people in this pool don’t need a lot of financial aid and also love love love the school. JHU (and any university) loves people who love them back! I know the only two kids accepted to JHU applied ED, no one got in RD. But of course, only do ED if it’s absolutely your #1 choice!
Best of luck. Your GPA will be based on your three years of HS when you submit the application, and then if they review your first semester grades you will have a chance to up your numbers slightly. Maybe to 3.8 (but not 3.9). Try and get your test scores to the 75% level for JHU and you will improve your chances greatly.
@HaruHarumi, you misunderstood my post. I wasn’t criticizing your HS grades, I was pointing out that if you want to go to medical school, Johns Hopkins is probably not the best college for you.
The reason is that to go to medical school you need a high GPA and a high MCAT score. Johns Hopkins is well-known for ‘grade deflation’, which means that they believe that an A should reflect truly exceptional work and should be given out rarely (there is even an official policy of no grades of A+). If you get in - which is definitely a reach- you will be trying to get those few, rare As in order to get the GPA that will get you into medical school.
So, now think about your own situation. You are applying with a strong GPA of 3.75 (I am assuming that is unweighted- also, remember that JHU re-calculates GPAs and takes out non-academic classes)- but this year the average GPA for students enrolling at JHU was 3.92. I have not heard of the kind of active sabotage that @pearmetty describes, but I do know that JHU students work long hard hours.
If your long term goal is to go to medical school, I think you should look at applying to a school where you know that you can shine academically- where a really high GPA is a realistic idea.
plus i would look at all the changes being made to the health care system. the time doing paperwork vs the time seeing patients is so bad and its only going to get worse
