<p>Hi, I'm going to be a junior in high school this coming September. The topic of college is still a little ambiguous, so I've been doing some research the past few days. I want to go to a school with a good pre-med program (yes, I know there is no such thing as "pre-med", but you get the idea). My school doesn't post GPA scores any more but my overall average is probably 93 ~ 95 in my sophomore year. Because I came from Canada after middle school, there were some complications with freshman year registrations so I ended up taking non-honors classes. I'm not really sure how it will affect my college applications...but I took all honors and an AP class (will be taking more in my Junior/Senior years) this year. I've also been studying for the SAT reasoning test, I stand around a 2100 but I'm sure I can receive a higher score if I study more. </p>
<p>The thing that is bothering me is the fact that I haven't been really active in extracurricular activities in my past 2 years.. I really regret it but looking back, I was really struggling to simply adjust to the new environment. Yeah it's an excuse, so I'm trying to repair this year. I'm trying to volunteer at a hospital nearby and will join more clubs next year, but is it too late? Plenty of people are much more active in school activities than I am, so I can't help but think that my efforts will be somewhat worthless (speaking in terms of college applications). How many clubs should I join next year to make up for everything?? </p>
<p>The schools that I'm interested in are UCLA, UCB and Cornell...yeah I'm sure my chances are slim right now, but is there even hope for me if I try? Thank you for your time and/or suggestions! Or if you can suggest other schools that might be suitable for me, I would really appreciate it !</p>
<p>As I understand it, ECs are only an issue in the very top schools, but I could be wrong. In any case, join the ones that sound fun to you, because then you’ll have essay topics you can really enjoy. Don’t join the ones that you think will impress college admissions officers, because what impresses them is your work ethic and enthusiasm and commitment.</p>
<p>Many / most schools require a couple SAT II subject tests - look at UCLA, UCB, Cornell, and other college pages under Admission / Freshman admission and you’ll find their requirements.</p>
<p>Well Cornell requires 2 subject tests, so you’re going to have to take at least that many. If you are applying to an Engineering school or Applied Science you might have to take a specific 2 subject tests (usually Math 1 or 2 and Physics or Chem).
Cornell without EC’s is a high reach regardless of stats like GPA and SAT
Are you in CA?</p>
<p>^ No I am in NY. I’ll be taking physics and AP bio next year…as well as precalculus, are there subject tests for those? I’m a little confused with the system. </p>
<p>I’ll try to join and do more ECs next year, thanks !</p>
<p>Then UCLA will be reeaaallly difficult to get into, being out of state lowers your chances a lot.
Joining next year won’t show the commitment that they want to see, it’ll show you realized you needed something to put on your app. Joining next year is better than not joining at all but realize it won’t change the fact you didn’t do anything those other years. Don’t take this as a don’t apply, you’ll never get in if you don’t apply, but as a you need some safeties and matches on your list.</p>
<p>Colleges want leadership. So, instead of just volunteering at the hospital, start a group at your school and recruit people to volunteer for some specific, innovative thing at the hospital. (For example, maybe you could start a little day care service for children, grandchildren or siblings of patients. Perhaps you could start an entertainment service where kids go in and perform in some way. Or, you could start an activity like making memory books with the older patients. Or, start a group that does a fundraising activity for the hospital, like a benefit concert with youth bands, a haunted house, or a dance. Or, collect children’s books for newborns or patients. These are just off the top of my head - you can think of other ideas but you get my drift!) You will have to write a proposal, present it to someone at the hospital, get approval, and implement the project. At the same time, study for 15 to 20 minutes a day for the SAT so that you can get your score up as much as possible.
Are you still a Canadian citizen? You might consider Canadian colleges where the tuition is much more reasonable. Or, are you a resident of New York State? You might think about SUNY Stonybrook, where tuition is reasonable and the sciences are very strong.</p>
<p>What is your legal status? If you are a US citizen or legal permanent resident, you are a domestic applicant and can apply for federally determined (FAFSA) financial aid. If you aren’t, you are an international applicant even though you have a US high school diploma. You need to know that now.</p>
<p>The other thing that you do need to know is how much your family can afford to pay for your education. Sit your parents down and have The Money Talk. Find out how much they can pay each year, where that money is coming from, how they feel about you taking on student loans, and how they feel about you working during the summers and during the school year.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, if you are Canadian the universities there are considerably less expensive than peer institutions in the US. Find out how your parents feel about you studying there.</p>
<p>Yes I currently possess Canadian citizenship. I’ve discussed tuition with my parents and as far as I can tell, they are willing to pay anywhere as long as I want to go to the school, since they always emphasize experience and all that. They don’t want me going back to Canada because they personally favor American colleges (though I will be applying to a Canadian school). If it worked their way I would be going to Cornell or U-Mich. Or by my mom’s standards …Harvard…which I highly doubt. They are slightly against my going to the west coast for studies but again…I don’t think they would oppose if I were to really come to such a conclusion. </p>
<p>Thanks for the details about leadership levirm ! I’ve actually been leading a fundraiser for Humane Society this whole summer as well. I think that should work in my favor somewhat</p>