Pre-Med Hopeful - Chance me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>I'm a freshman in high school, and school's about to end in a week. Summer's coming up, and I wanted to know what I could do this summer to add onto my developing application for Stanford in about 3 years. So far...</p>

<p>Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Vietnamese (2nd Gen)</p>

<p>GPA: W 4.46, UW 3.86 (got one B+ this semester...)</p>

<p>AP's I'll take in the future:
Biology
Psychology
Chemistry
Literature
U.S. History
World History
Physics
Statistics
Econ/Gov</p>

<p>SAT's:
Currently averaging 2000+ (CR: 800, M: 660, W: 600)
I'll be gaining more in the future, hopefully. I've been in SAT prep since the 7th grade.</p>

<p>EC's:
Piano (probably doesn't count for much, considering my ethnicity)
Tennis (1 year so far)
Science Olympiad (State)
(I only recently found out that I was moving schools, so I couldn't really run for any leadership positions for any of my clubs from this year, since I'm not even going to BE there next year. 2 lost years wont hurt, right?)
I intend to start a World Vision club at my new school though.
I love writing, and take a strong interest in Journalism - I've been in my school's Yearbook class for one year, and took an active role in it. However, as I am moving schools, I'll have to start over from scratch, with nothing but recommendation letters to propel me at the start of next year. </p>

<p>Awards:
Orange County Register Writing Contest Winner (1st place), and more.
National Piano Guild, 4 years passing (I won't pursue any more though, I've lost my passion for it - and the time)
Presidential Letter for Academic Excellence
Science Olympiad, Regional: Anatomy - 4th, Wright Stuff - 2nd / State: Anatomy - 5th, Wright Stuff - 3rd (I intend to try out for the High School team next year too)</p>

<p>I intend to go on Project Vietnam next summer with my mother, as soon as I am 16. I had meant to go this year, but was unable to due to my age. We'll be traveling to Vietnam's more poverty ridden parts, where my mom intends to work as a dentist, pro bono. My sole role, I believe, will be to pretty much clean dirty equipment and control the younger children. </p>

<p>I will be going to a pretty wealthy, prestigious public school next year. They've sent plenty of kids to prominent UC's and lower tier Ivy Leagues.</p>

<p>Please, is there anything I can add to this this summer? As I can't go on Project Vietnam, is there anything else I can do to add to my application? And do I even have a chance, considering the path I've set myself on for my high school career? </p>

<p>I'm not set on any subject yet, but I KNOW that I want to be pre-med. I hope to become an ophthalmologist someday.</p>

2

<p>Always a chance: however, given female gender, not a recruited athlete and no specific mention of parents giving millions to S., probably < 7%. Happily, one can successfully complete a pre-med curriculum at a number of great colleges.</p>

3

<p>^Oh, please Dad2. This is the upteenth time you’ve posted something like this. Your sour grapes are showing and it’s not becoming. It’s kind of weird how adults who are annoyed with Stanford for not admitting their kids seem to keep hanging around this site instead of joining in the discussion where their kids will be attending…</p>

4

<p>^ <em>umpteenth</em> time, that is</p>

5

<p>I would be a recruited athlete - however, I AM moving schools next year. I intend to try out for the soph/frosh team next year, and try to make it to JV Junior year. That sounds alright, yes?</p>

6

<p>^to be a recruited athlete for tennis you probably should have been on your high school’s varsity team a couple years ago. That may not even be an exaggeration. You should definitely be captain by your junior year, and have national exposure by that time as well. Basically, if you just started thinking about being recruited for a top DI program, it’s too late.</p>

<p>Also I though I lost my passion for piano, but then I took a 1-2 year break, quit taking lessons, and resumed on my own. It’s a lot more rewarding. I’m practicing now more than I ever had before, even though no one is forcing/coercing me to practice now. </p>

<p>For Stanford, keep near-straight As in the hardest classes, be passionate and great in a few EC endeavors, be a great person (like personality wise), and you have as good a shot as most accepted students. Problem is that there are too many good applicants for Stanford to choose from, so they can skim the top off however they see fit. From what I’ve seen, they generally want interesting people who show a commitment to academics and enjoying life. Serious, boring, d-bags do not fit in well at Stanford.</p>

7

<p>Aha, Senior0991, thank you. :slight_smile:
Yeah, I’m looking into working at a nearby hospital. </p>

<p>And sorry, I didn’t really know what being “a recruited athlete” means. xD Ah, well. It’s something I enjoy - and I’d rather take Tennis as a sport than just plain old PE or Dance I. </p>

<p>I also agree with you about the piano thing. I just don’t like how, when I walk in, I get yelled at for not practicing ENOUGH, or playing it RIGHT. I’ve been playing since kindergarden, I’ve gone through enough competitions. I’m tired of getting Second Place - I want to shine on my own, under my own terms. So I quit. :/</p>

<p>I just don’t know… I want to be different so bad, distinguish myself from other applicants. But I really don’t know how to go about it…</p>

8

<p>everyone has the potential to distinguish themselves. There’s only one of you, so you just have to follow your own inclinations. People only stop distinguishing themselves when they try to be like someone else, something they are not. Granted some people are just more unique than others. </p>

<p>I think the best way to go about doing this is independently, not joining some clubs at your school (you can still do clubs, as they do have benefits). Just the fact that you are in a club with like 10 other people means you are not distinguishing yourself. If I could redo highschool, I would’ve definitely done more independent work. Like more private tutoring or spending more time on piano compositions and recordings. This would have been far more rewarding.</p>