<p>Hey, so I'm a high school freshman. Young, I know, but I sort of obsess over college :P Right now, I aspire to become a doctor, and my dream school is Tufts.
I have upperclassman friends who regret slacking off during the freshman and sophomore years, and they tell me to give it my best right from the beginning. Any advice on how to build up a good transcript from the start?
I was a straight A student in middle school, and I'm on the track to taking AP Chinese sophomore year. I'm running for student council president. This year I'm taking honors biology and math. If it matters, I'm half Asian and half black, and I attend school in Asia.
Any advice is appreciated a LOT :]</p>
<p>I’ve been helping my high school sibling research this topic so here are my conclusions:</p>
<ol>
<li>High School</li>
<li>Develop a strong foundation in math, physics, chem, bio, and all relevant topics (anatomy?) By a “strong foundation”, I mean understand the basics NOW at a fundamental level rather than re-learning it again in college because you just memorized it in high school. As a doctor, you will need this knowledge later so start absorbing it now. You want to go beyond memorization. Understand the concepts rather than regurgitating the material.
-----Read outside of class on scientific/medical advances (magazines, books, even tv shows like on PBS) and ask questions (to teachers, to yourself which should prompt research). This will keep you interested in the material and you will go beyond having just surface-knowledge. </li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>AP classes are important. My school did not offer AP so when I considered pre-med briefly, I felt that I was way behind. If you have scores of 5 and maybe 4(some colleges count it, others do not), you can take it as a credit or be placed in an accelerated course depending on the college. Advanced classes might last a semester while regular classes take one year. With advanced classes, you can move ahead to more advanced classes and even more opportunities. </li>
</ul>
<p>-VOLUNTEER. In the US you can volunteer at hospitals from 16 and even 15 yrs. Not sure about abroad. With this experience, you can better understand how those bio/chem concepts work in a real-life setting. You might start at the bottom but perhaps you can work up to the areas you are really interested in. By the time you start college, you should have a few years of experiences which will open doors for internships, work, and research. </p>
<ul>
<li>Summers: Look for programs. There are some US programs for high school students interested in the medical field but they can be pricey. </li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>College</li>
<li>Pre-Med: Research the requirements. You will need to integrate these in your schedule. </li>
<li>Know your options: Some students choose to pair pre-med requirements with a degree of their choice. Others choose to pair it with a science degree. </li>
<li><p>Internships/Research in lab</p></li>
<li><p>Research, Research, Research</p></li>
<li><p>Start looking for following information
----What does Tufts Undergrad look for in a student? : grades (GPA), test scores, activities, etc.
----What field are you interested in? What path must you take to get there?
----Take a look at what the MCAT covers. (Test for med.school)
----Research medical schools and what kinds of students they are looking for. Sometimes they give you an idea of what sort of experience they expect the student to have. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I agree that you have to give it your best from the beginning. Some people say freshman year doesn’t count. But you’re doing yourself a disservice if you aren’t taking advantage of the education that you will need later. Good Luck, you’re off to a good start with Honors Biology and Math and trying to develop your leadership skills.</p>
<p>
Take rigorous courses and do well in them.</p>