Pursue EMT at the cost of giving up more rigorous AP schedule for pre-med?

<p>HI. We are very much confused about the best choice to make regarding senior year schedule as it will likely impact scholarships and college admissions. My D's high school offers EMT certification; it requires 3 periods because she will have to travel to another school (even though it really only takes up two school periods). </p>

<p>I would really appreciate feedback on what might be the best alternative between the two schedules, with the classes that she wants to take. Which schedule might help her get into BS/MD program and should we instead try to plan to get a scholarship at an undergrad? </p>

<p>Current Stats:<br>
Took ACT at end of Freshman year and got a 33, with only a 6/12 on the essay. Note: she did not prepare at all since it was taken as part of gifted program and it is optional as to whether it can be part of high school transcript. </p>

<p>Sophomore, ranked 1/700. Un-weighted GPA: 4.0. Currently taking AP Stat, AP Chem, AP World History; rest of classes are honors classes. </p>

<p>Junior Year: Taking AP Calc AB, AP Lang., AP Biology, Dual Credit US History, Honors Physics, Spanish IV, Phys Ed
(Class rank will probably fall a little because she is choosing to take dual credit US History instead of AP US History and could take Phys Ed online and then take another AP Course)</p>

<p>Senior Year Alternative #1
AP Calculus B/C
AP Literature<br>
AP Physics<br>
AP Micro Econ (one semester)
AP Psych
Organic Chemistry or Computer Programming/ US Gov
Dance (required for Varsity Dance Team members)</p>

<p>Senior Year Alternative #2
AP Calculus B/C
AP Literature<br>
AP Physics
AP Micro-Economics (one semester)
EMT Certification<br>
US Government Online</p>

<p>She really wants to do alternative #2. However, if she does this her class rank will fall further because she will be taking less weighted courses than she could. </p>

<p>We are looking at only about 6 BS?MD programs because we cannot afford to pay some of the prices some are asking as they offer virtually no scholarship $ and our income is not very high. </p>

<p>BTW- she plans on doing a research internship at the end of her junior year and will do some hospital volunteer work this summer. She has been a competitive dancer since she was 5 (15-35 hours/ week, year round). She was asked to be part of the high school dance team as an 8th grader and won awards for high school dance team when she was a freshman. She is very creative person- but not so much of a leader; she is not into "politics". Recently inducted into NHS; active in Interact Club. </p>

<p>One school close to us is Miami University (Oxford) and it appears she could get a full tuition scholarship there with her ACT score (she will likely improve her score too). They require a "rigorous" course-load. </p>

<p>Would taking schedule #2 result in her being viewed as taking a non-rigorous course-load?</p>

<p>Would doing the EMT program at the cost of a reduction in her class rank be a bad idea in relation to scholarships or entrance to a BS/MD program? </p>

<p>Any advice would be much appreciated :).</p>

<p>Can you do EMT outside of curriculum? Just wondering. By the way which 6 programs you have narrowed it down to?</p>

<p>Just my opinion, but AP courses are a dime a dozen. AP Psych, in particular, is not particularly demanding. The EMT opportunity, on the other hand, sounds like an incredible opportunity that will not only give her some unique experiences during her senior year but also set her apart from the crowd. I wish my D had the option to do something like that! </p>

<p>@‌ sm577501
We have narrowed down the ones she is considering due to geographic reasons, cost (factoring financial aid, fit of the school from a social perspective, and fit of the school from an academic perspective)- applying to the following:</p>

<p>University of Rochester (far from where we live- but close to her dad’s home office, so we could visit often or even consider re-location). </p>

<p>Northwestern</p>

<p>University of Pittsburg </p>

<p>Case Western</p>

<p>Muhlenberg/ Drexel</p>

<p>Drexel/ Drexel</p>

<p>Also- University of Kentucky (not a real BS/MD program because admission is not guaranteed). </p>

<p>She will probably apply to 2-3 others as well and see how that goes. It seems that many who go this route apply to 15+ programs and that might be the only way to really increase a person’s odds.</p>