<p>@juillet I see. I think I understand LACs a bit better now! Thanks a ton.
I know I still have a bit of time left until I really have to decide, but going over everything, I think I still prefer national universities over LACs, though that’s completely just personal preference. I may have to look closer into LACs (since I’m completely unfamiliar with them) but as of now Harvard and Princeton are both looking very attractive to me.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 That list is very helpful, thanks! And it’s a huge confidence boost that you rate me so highly out of the applicant pool. I will definitely look into Questbridge, thanks for the tip. Does Questbridge make a big difference in terms of admissions? Since we’re assuming the colleges I’m applying to cover 100% of demonstrated need anyway, I don’t think Questbridge provides any financial advantage (I may be wrong.)</p>
<p>I suppose but its school of engineering is decent (compared to other top schools) and it’s one of the most well-rounded schools, which is attractive since I’m so unsure about what I want to do.</p>
<p>Pre-med is just a set of courses (mostly frosh/soph level science courses) that can be taken at any good school, alongside any major (although engineering other than chemical or biomedical may be a tight fit in terms of finding schedule space).</p>
<p>Note that many pre-meds get “weeded out” before applying, either because their GPAs are too low*, or because their MCAT scores are too low. Of those who apply, only about half get into any MD medical school in the US.</p>
<p>*Pre-med grading scale for college courses:
A = acceptable
B = bad
C = catastrophic
D = disastrous
F = forget it</p>
<p>Many of the pre-med courses are included. Engineering majors will take more and more advanced math and physics courses than needed for pre-med, so those should be automatically satisfied. English composition courses are typically required anyway. Chemical engineering majors will take the general and organic chemistry courses that overlap with pre-med (and possibly part of the biology courses). Biomedical engineering majors will likely cover most or all of the frosh/soph level pre-med science courses. An additional biochemistry course may be needed; psychology and/or sociology pre-med requirements can be fit into the breadth requirements.</p>
<p>How the heck did you come up with a 1 in 20 or 1 in 10 prediction, @MYOS1634? I can’t think of any possible way to accurate calculate those odds.</p>
<p>If you’re asking for personal opinion, OP, then I do think that pre-med + engineering is a bit overkill. especially at a competitive school, it seems like you have the potential to be really stressed out. But some people really want to integrate engineering and medical training, and plenty of students do it every year, so it’s a personal decision.</p>
<p>You should definitely apply to Questbridge–there are advantages and there is nothing to lose, at the least it is a quality award to put on your resume. For Jr year, the College Prep Scholarship application is opening this month. You can get a paid for summer college experience, mentoring, conferences and other support. For the Questbridge Scholars Program applications open August of your Sr year. If you are a finalist it is an award for your application. If you choose, you can do college match which will give you a paid 4 year scholarship with no family contribution and no loans. Otherwise most, but not all, colleges will include loans in your package. Your student loans could total 27,000 so I’d say that there is a possible financial advantage. It is also like getting to applying ED up to 8 colleges instead of just one, if you are willing to match. There is more to delve into, but you might check out the Questbridge sub-forum under the Financial Aid forum.</p>
<p>To learn about premed track schools and other considerations, browse the forums for that, there is already extensive discussion. </p>
<p>You have qualifications for top schools, but they are always very difficult in terms of admissions. So you need your affordable safeties and match schools so you will have choices. But UC’s can be that for you if you apply widely.</p>
<p>@juillet are there any clear advantages to integrating engineering with pre- med? Does it open any new opportunities for med school or career wise in the future?</p>
<p>Not much advantage if you do go to medical school and become a physician. The main advantage (compared to majoring in biology like half of medical school applicants) is better backup options at the bachelor’s degree level if you do not get into any medical school or choose not to attend.</p>
<p>@juillet: without ED, the percentage of admission was about 5% last year (likely to be 3-4 this year). So, 1:20 is the reasonable odd. For candidats with a hook (such as being low-income, since Harvard is trying to recruit low income students) and a nearly perfect record like OP’s, odds are higher, so 1:10 for convenience’s sake since we can’t really “predict” anything - this is just a rough estimate for OP to keep hopes in check but not renounce.</p>
<p>Questbrige multiplies the odds of getting in because students who apply through it are mentored and preselected. Your odds of getting into an elite school are multiplied by three and for schools in the top 30 multiplied by 5 (if you compare regular RD students to match students. You could compare odds of ED vs. Questbridge and still get higher odds for Questbridge). However remember that Questbridge is selective. You can apply for the summer mentorship program as a junior, and the summer of your senior year you can apply for the College program. You’ll be able to choose 8 “matches” and if a college on your list chooses you they guarantee to cover your financial need without loans. Then you have the regular round where Questbridge students are especially identified compared to “non-pre-selected” candidates. All Questbridge candidates are exceptional students from lower-income families.</p>
<p>Very importantly: do not fixate on a specific college. Any college (university and LAC) in the top 25 will get you where you want to go.
Go see your counselor to get your test fee waivers and application fee waivers.</p>
<p>I agree that the UC’s would be good safeties for you since you’re pretty sure of getting into at least one among UCB, UCLA, and UCSD.</p>
<p>One must be careful in comparing acceptance rates for ED/SCEA, Questbridge, and RD applications. Although there is typically some advantage in the first two types of applications, it is not obviously quantifiable from information available to the “outside”, because the applicant pools are not the same strength.</p>
<p>The Questbridge National College Match application allows the applicant to effectively apply ED to a ranked list of up to 8 schools. If matched, the student’s highest ranked school will offer admission with a full scholarship. This is binding (meaning the student agrees to attend if admitted), except for a few schools which are non-binding. See <a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-why-apply”>http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-why-apply</a> . Due to the binding nature of admission (except for the few non-binding schools), the applicant should consider his/her list and ranking carefully.</p>
<p>I started to respond to OP, thinking I had read thru all the posts, only to find I was really on page 1 of 3. So I elided my post. Instead, I’d just like to observe that these are really good posts and OP should find them quite helpful. CC at its best here.</p>