<p>Hi everyone! So my dad would really prefer for me to go to Marshall University. You probably have not heard of it but it is a university in West Virginia around 25 min from where I live. The thing is that I make straight As and push myself. Marshall has a high acceptable rate and while it is a decent college, I feel like if I have worked so hard in high school, I should apply to better colleges. I mean I could have been accepted into Marshall with Cs so why put in hours of homework and AP classes only to end up at Marshall. It is not a bad college by any means but I am not sure whether I should go there. I have never really been away from home and honestly, at home I don't really have any chores and I rarely ever cook for myself, have never done laundry, etc. My point is, I have never been in a situation where I have had to be on my own. So my dads theory is that I am not ready to go far away. Also, if I go to Marshall, I will get in completely free and come out without a single debt. So my question here is that should I go to Marshall or go away from home? Thx and sorry for the long story.</p>
<p>What schools are you thinking of going to and how much debt would they put you in?</p>
<p>What about West Virginia University, how to you feel about that school?</p>
<p>I don’t really plan on applying to ivy leagues because I don’t know if I will make it in. I know spectacular kids who have been turned down so my chances seem slim. I suppose WVU would be another option. The city it is in isnt that great and I have heard it is a party school, but I suppose I would have my independence. I want to be a doctor so do you think it is harder to get a job at a top ranked hospital if you come from a college that isn’t ranked anywhere near even like the top 100?</p>
<p>Oh and to answer ur other question, if I get great test scores, I might apply somewhere bigger and better. But as of right now, I was thinking of places like Pitt and uk. These colleges r not exceptional or anything but they r ranked higher than Marshall at least.</p>
<p>You hit on an important point when you mentioned that you can graduate with little to no debt…if you’re planning to go to medical school, you’re looking at huge debt from that degree. So think about the long term financial picture. Also, where you earn your undergraduate degree (as long as the institution is accredited) will have little to no impact on where you are eventually hired as a doctor. Where you are accepted to medical school will have much more to do with your MCAT scores and your record as a student than it will by the university’s name on your diploma. Also, institutions like Marshall offer many opportunities for undergraduate students to work in research labs which will help boost your med school application. As a higher ed employee, I strongly encourage you to visit the schools you are considering and make appointments to meet with the pre-med/pre-professional advisor, sit in on a class, and tour the research labs. Also ask for examples of recent graduates and where they are going to med school for a sense of what’s possible for you.</p>
<p>Thx for ur advice guys. Do u think I have a shot at a decent school with this:</p>
<p>I am one of the top 10 students in my class.
I have made all As and only one B sophomore year (1st semester) in high school.
For ECs, I don’t have anything dramatic:
- helped coach middle school tennis team ( only for one year)
- dance every year for local festivals (not at an actual dance academy though) (very passionate about it and want to minor in it)
- high school tennis team (only 2 yrs)
- dance team (freshman year)
- math field day team (every year)
- outstanding junior student science award recipient
- TREK program ( a summer program where u do research and lab work at the local college biotech building)
- Cabell County Honors Program
- National Honor Society
- I am planning on becoming president of the Spanish honorary and biology honorary
- Key Club (one year)
- will become part of physics honorary and chem honorary this coming up year
- MU Aplha Theta (math club)</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know if there is a section of an application where u list interesting things about urself or unique things u have done in the past but if so, I could say I am black belt in Tae Kwon Do. </p>
<p>I also forgot to mention that I have taken honors courses each year and ap courses junior year and plan on taking them again this upcoming senior year.</p>
<p>The only problem is my ap scores were not excellent and I do not know how much they r considered in the admissions process. I made a three in bio and a four in pysch.</p>
<p>My sat score was also not great at all. I made an 1810. However, it was my first time and I am sure that it will rise when I retake it this fall.</p>
<p>Sorry again about the long post and I really appreciate u all reading it!</p>