Rejected REA, where should I apply to now?

College Search & Selection
1

Okay so I know most college apps are due in roughly three weeks, but I plan to spend as much time as possible cranking them out. I’ve just learned of my rejection to Stanford early action, and I’m wondering, what colleges best fit my resume? I’m looking for high matches/low reaches, as I already have a couple safeties I’ve picked out and applied to. So here are some general stats:

ACT: 35C, 33E, 36M, 35R, 34S,8W
SAT II: 770 Math II, 720 Chemistry
GPA (W): 4.69
GPA (UW): 3.83
Class rank: 8/300

Courses taken:
Freshman - English 9 Honors, Honors Geometry, Honors Biology, Spanish II Honors, Honors World History, Orchestra
Sophomore - English 10 Honors, AP US History, Algebra II Honors, Honors Chemistry, Spanish III Honors, Orchestra
Junior - AP Psychology, AP Chemistry, Honors Pre-Calc, AP Language and Composition, AP Government, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, Spanish IV Honors, Chamber Orchestra
Senior - AP Calc BC, AP Biology, AP Spanish, AP Literature, Honors Chamber Orchestra

ECs:
Lacrosse for 3 years (Varsity for 2)
Track and Field for 1 year
Model UN for 3 years (President)
NHS for 2 years (Secretary)
NEHS for 3 years
Spanish Club for 2 years
48 Community Service Hours
Tutor in math, spanish, government, and english.

Awards:
AP Scholar with Honor
Various Model UN awards on debate and decorum, and paper writing.
Small lacrosse awards.
3rd place at regional science fair.
Numerous academic awards in school.
Etc etc

I intend on entering the medical field and pursuing a degree in Oncology. My common app essay talks about how my experience with cancer has sparked my interest in the medical field. It is very strong in my opinion, as are my recommendation letters. Costs don’t impose restrictions for me as far as applications go.

Thank you for reading, I really do appreciate any assistance.

2

Does that extend to the net cost of attendance of college and medical school?

3

@ucbalumnus Yes.

4

Any suggestions? :frowning:

5

Selections from this online list will suit your basic criteria: “The Experts’ Choice: Colleges with Great Pre-med Programs.” You can easily find several high matches or low reaches from among this group.

6

U Southern California should be at the top of your list.
I think you would have a very good chance of acceptance there, but DO show them the love.
Rice, Vanderbilt are others you should apply to.
All 3 have teaching Hospital associated with the colleges and all offer fantastic premed training and research opportunities.
I’d also add some LAC’s, like Carleton unless you dont want smaller colleges.
Are Dartmouth and Brown on your list as well?

7

@menloparkmom I applied to UC Berkeley, and am considering USC.
I do consider some LACs, but I would prefer a larger campus feel, and am willing to attend one if I don’t get into some of those bigger somewhat prestigious universities.
I opted for UPenn instead of Brown, and am considering Johns Hopkins instead of Dartmouth.

Do you think any of these schools are reasonable given my qualifications?

8

JHU would be right up your alley.

Is WUSTL too small? Terrific Medical School, too.

How about Northwestern?

Don’t feel bad about Stanford. Unless you are a recruited athlete, you basically have a 1 in 17 chance to get in amongst the qualified applicants, like you!

Good luck!

9

@ColdinMinny I haven’t really considered WUSTL or Northwestern but they seem like great schools that I could find myself excelling at!

I kind of expected it with such a low acceptance rate. I’m also a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason, and I think I’m just meant to be somewhere else. :slight_smile:

Thank you!

10

Tufts is worth looking into as well. Bigger than the other NESCACS.

11

My list stands as this so far:
Johns Hopkins
UPenn
Columbia
Harvard (total reach I know)
Princeton (total reach as well)
USC
UChicago
Case Western Reserve

Thoughts on these?

12

Johns Hopkins for a pre-med? Just as reachy as Harvard and Princeton. Lots of ambitious pre-meds apply there. (It’s like applying to Georgetown if you are poly sci or int’l relations. You are swimming with the tide so it’s harder to stand out.) U Chicago, U Penn and Columbia are almost as reachy esp. for pre-meds.

Some schools that are like Stanford but more of a high match/low reach might be Vanderbilt, Wash U of St. Louis, and Rice) -especially if you add geographic diversity, which these schools are seeking. They are still very selective but not quite so stratospheric.

13

@N’s Mom I’ve researched Vanderbilt and Rice, but their locations are not appealing to me, and I can’t envision myself at either of those schools. I’m actually applying with Chemistry as my intended major, and International Relations as a prospective double major/minor. My entire application is more about how my experience with both of these has contributed to the person I’ve become and less about pursuing studies as a pre med major. I’m well aware of the selectivity of the previously mentioned schools, and have applied to safety schools I would be happy at if I don’t get into any of these schools. I’m just trying to get a list of colleges that I have a least a decent chance at gaining admissions to.

14

Just a heads up that Case Western Reserve is well aware they are often used as an Ivy league back up so they often waitlist high stats students in the first round. If you are truly interest in attending here then you need to make contact - try to attend a local reception. Even if you are waitlisted, it does not mean you are too late for one of their fairly generous scholarships.

University of Rochester is similar in many respects to Case Western (scholarships not as generous).

You may want to also take a look at the University of Pittsburgh - you could be be eligible for scholarship and they have many medical facilities in the area for research opportunities. I believe they also have the pre-professional programs available to guarantee entrance to med school.

15

@singermom4 Yes, I’m aware of the need to express interest in Case Western. I’ve visited the campus twice, gone to a college fair and informational night, as well as have spoken to many of the alumni. I’m genuinely interested in attending the school, and because it’s in-state for me, it would be a wiser financial option than most schools.

I’ll look into Pittsburgh. Thank you for the suggestion!

16

Note that no specific major is required to do pre-med. You do have to complete the pre-med courses, which are some science courses (but fewer than for a major in any science), plus English composition and usually some social studies courses.

There seem to be no safeties in that list. Are you ok with starting your college at a community college and then transferring to a university (probably an in-state public university) to complete your bachelor’s degree?

17

For safeties other than starting at a community college, take a look at these lists:

http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/ (with big scholarships, but some deadlines may have already passed)
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1562918-updated-list-of-schools-with-auto-admit-guaranteed-admission-criteria.html

18

@ucbalumnus my safeties are not on that list. They are state schools that I applied to EA like OSU. I just did not feel the need to list them as part of my list of reaches I have a decent chance at. Believe me when I say I have a plan for my college application process and am just looking for general low reaches/high matches suggestions.

19

You’ve got great stats.

I’d suggest Hopkins, Vandy, Northwestern, WUSTL, Emory, and Georgetown. Your stats put you in the middle of the conversation with these schools.

Have you shown any demonstrated interest in any of these schools?

20

@ChicagoSportsFn I have yet to consider Georgetown but its location alone interests me! And thank you, I was actually kinda worried that my stats weren’t too hot from some of the other posters on here.

I’ve shown vast interest in Hopkins and I think it’s my current top choice. But I’m worried they won’t accept me with my lack of medicine-related extracurriculars. As far as the rest of the schools go, I’m kind of applying to many of them on a whim, so the only interest I can possible express is through the Internet…