I really want to go to Stanford. I am currently a sophomore in high school. In the future, I would like to become a gynecologic oncologist, which is a cancer doctor that specializes in treating female reproductive cancers. It seems that in order to get into Stanford University, you must have extracurriculars involving things you are passionate about. I’m having trouble finding any extracurriculars or volunteer work in my area involving oncology or even medicine. I tried to volunteer at my local hospital but I was to young. The only thing I have done is volunteer at a nursing home, where my mother works. I have 20 volunteer hours from volunteering at the nursing home. Does anyone have any ideas about any extracurriculars involving medicine (ie: volunteering, research, internships, competitions, etc.)?
Consider volunteering at Planned Parenthood, an extremely worthwhile organization that provides healthcare to underserved women. They use teens as peer counselors, among other things.
Do they have organizations in Sacramento CA?
Can’t you Google the answer to that?
Google didn’t really help me
Seriously? Three locations came right up.
What did you look up?
Okay, I found a couple of things
How about getting your CNA?
I’m not old enough to become a CNA
Ok so I guess I put you a year older in my head. I think you could start working on it Senior year though and then it would make it onto your applications?
Sure, thank you for your input
You may want to look into HOSA and/or Science Olympiad.
@chrysalism Thank you so much!
We don’t have HOSA offered at our school. Would I be able to start it though?
Hi, I’m going to be a sophomore in high school. I’m passionate about medicine, specifically oncology and gynecology. Are there any competitions related to these matters, or even medicine or stem in general?
I need help finding medical internships offered in CA. Also, I am 15 years old.
Stanford really looks for unique or quirky things for ECs in an app. Things that no one else would do.
You might read How To Be A High School
Superstar by Cal Newport for thoughts on ECs. But know that you can reach your goal through a lot of different colleges. It doesn’t have to be Stanford.
Try to shadow any doctors you can or intern wtih them, colleges love to see real world experience in the field of interest. Don’t skimp on leadership either, that’s another important part of the application. Focus on accruing volunteer hours and participating in science-oriented competition clubs at your school and excelling. You should also understand that with a roughly 4% acceptance rate, odds are you won’t get into Stanford, even if you do all the things suggested above and in the future by CC. You would need some really extraordinary EC, akin to curing cancer or starting Apple as a high school student (exaggerating a little) to get in. Finally, you are only a sophomore - enjoy high school while you can, don’t just keep thinking about college every second you get free. I made the same mistake my freshman year, but luckily I was guided correctly and changed my priorities. Colleges usually don’t even consider your freshman year that much, unless you continue ECs from freshman year through your senior year, in which case only your freshman year ECs matter. You haven’t even taken a PSAT yet, nor have you taken an SAT/ACT, Subject Tests or APs (please dont take any SAT/ACT/Subject Tests until your junior year), to even know if you’d be a viable candidate for Stanford. Who knows, in 2 years, your favorite college may have changed. I admire your drive, but just keep doing what you’re doing for now, do well in school, and involve youself in more clubs relating to science.