Some Questions

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a high school junior, and I've been looking into schools for a while now. I just got my SAT scores back from my first SAT, so I figured I'd post and see what you guys think of some places for me. </p>

<p>For a little background, I'm from Long Island, and I want to be a doctor of some sort. Therefore, I'm probably looking to go into biology. (I know that sometimes it's better to have another major, which would make me more "well rounded" but I don't really know what else I'd do...) I'm NOT looking for a big school in any way. I really want to know my professors. Still, I don't want a tiny school either, where after college it'd be like OMG people!</p>

<p>In school currently, my schedule (and first quarter grades) is
honors french (93)
AP English (93)
Honors US (yeah, I didn't want to take AP, I hate history) (93)
Honors Accelerated Precalculus (95)
AP Bio (90)
health (no idea)
Orchestra (97)</p>

<p>I'm also in the independent research program at my school. During the summers I've done research at SUNY Stonybrook, which I'm going to continue to do this summer. I worked on a project with polymers this summer, didn't really like it, but I have a different mentor for the summer. With this summer's project I hope to enter competitions like Intel and Westinghouse.</p>

<p>I'm also on track and cross country. Have been for 3 years so far except for winter in freshman year and xc this year. I've been a captain since sophomore year, as well as scholar athlete each season. (It's fun. I def won't run in college though. I haven't gotten any honors for it, I'm not good, I just have a lot of friends in it, and it keeps me in shape, so it's nice.)</p>

<p>My SATs were 1320 with the first two, 1910 all three (CR 690 M 630 W 590) I'm definitely going to take it again, but for a first shot I was basically pleased.</p>

<p>My list of thoughts of colleges: (I emphasize that this is just thoughts. I encourage suggestions on what to add or take away) I'm only looking at colleges from Maine to Maryland but I ask for suggestions because I'm a little confused. I'm honestly not sure how hard I want to work in college, meaning if I want a really competitive atmosphere or not. I don't know if I'd freak out under pressure like that, or it would motivate me to work. I kind of assume the former. I feel like the list is really small, and I feel like I don't know where else to look, so it would be nice to get a real human's opinion, as opposed to just that of a guide book.</p>

<p>*University of Rochester *
I've liked for a long time. They seem to be strong in a wealth of majors. It's seemingly a good size, not too small, not too big, and it's in New York! I'm not sure about the academic climate, especially among science majors. Don't really know many details about it.</p>

<p>Lafayette College
Seems cool as well. I've kind of heard it's a "rich kid school" which might be annoying, but it's a smaller liberal arts college, which is enticing. I know the academics are tough, but I like a lot of aspects of it. (i.e. they have a strong alumni network, it's in Pennsylvania, academics seem strong, i'd know my professors, they're into girls that want to do science...)</p>

<p>Dickinson College
Started looking at it when I was considering majoring in French to supplement a medical education. Decided now I totally don't want to do that, but for some reason I couldn't really take it off...</p>

<p>SUNY Geneseo
Good size, state university with more of a private feel. That's certainly good.</p>

<p>Boston University
This is another one that seems to contradict what I want in a school, but I like the fact that it's in a collegey area, (not that i'd really mind being in the middle of nowhere, I was thinking of Colby for a while as a big reach) it has a med school, and i think a reasonably good reputation? I just recently started looking into this one, so I don't really know much about it.</p>

<p>I don't really have safeties, which isn't cool, but I do have a year still to think about it and finalize everything. </p>

<p>Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. If there's any background that I left out, please tell me and I'll add it.</p>

<p>Thanks!!</p>

2

<p>bump....????</p>

3

<p>You are showing a lot of maturity in your approach. I'm impressed. You are realistic, honest with yourself, and not rushing yourself into any decisions. I'm very impressed. Well, Rochester is a great choice for you. Dickinson is good as well. Both of those places will have a lot of premeds. You will have to stick to your game plan and not let them stress you. You can do it- you seem to have the maturity and stability. Boston University is a good choice, too. It is well known and is moving up in the ranks. It is so big that you will have tons of options for majors and social activities. If you like BU, you may want to look at Northeastern as well. Bates College in Maine is worth looking at- SAT not required and 100% med school admission rates many years. They may be looking for a higher GPA, but you may be able to make a good case for yourself. If you are a girl- Barnard or Bryn Mawr may be worth looking at for the individual attention and access to professors.</p>

4

<p>I don't know if you have had a chance to visit any schools. If not, you should consider a couple of trips for this Spring. As one trip you might consider: Binghamton, Geneseo, Rochester, and Vassar. Allow a full day for each and be sure to email ahead and arrange an interviews with admissions and with bio faculty members.</p>

5

<p>great, thanks for the replies. onemom, thanks for your opinions. edad, yeah, my sister's a senior, so the college visits have kind of been monopolized by her, but in the spring i'll definitely visit.
Anyone have any thoughts on Lafayette, or any other schools to add?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

6

<p>University of Rochester has an excellent pre-med program with good advising from both the pre-med adivisors and input from the respected U of R med school admissions staff. Somewhere on their web site you can see what the MCAT scores and medschool destinations were for the premed students from last year. The adjacent hospital offers opportunities for research experience and volunteerism. They are building a new biomed engineering bldg. U of R is a national and international university and many of the very best students from local high schools go there...valedictorians, salutatorians, top 5%. I have known quite a few from local high schools who have gone there...really outstanding students with great talents in science, music, creative writing...lots of ECs...and really nice people. The ones I have known are hard-working but not cut-throat...willing to help each other with projects and studying.</p>

<p>My impression of SUNY Geneseo is that it attracts some top NYS students as the top LAC in the SUNY system. It is hard to beat the price if you are a NYS resident. But, the budget is still a tight state budget, the faculty quality has not kept up with the quality of students which has improved mostly within the last 20-30 years from a teachers college level. The culture and climate are still very much like a state university. I wouldn't go there except for financial reasons (which is not necessarily a bad reason). It can't compare to U of Rochester.</p>

<p>Boston U is big and urban and good. Not at the level of U of Rochester in biomedical sciences area. Boston is a great city in which to be a student.</p>

<p>Lafayette and Dickinson are very nice LACs. I know less about them. I am sure they provide excellent pre-med preparation.</p>

7

<p>Vassar- great idea, edad.</p>

8

<p>OneMom's post about women's colleges got me thinking of Wellesley (Barnard's in the city, not a huge fan, and Bryn Mawr's very small) Does wellesley seem like a fit?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

9

<p>edit: I know Wellesley is a reach, but is it a reasonable reach, and does it seem like a good school for my interests?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

10

<p>I kind of feel like I'm a science nerd who debates cloning on the weekends and devours books on the history of philosophy while sipping caramel macchiattos or how ever you spell that. A lot of the good bio schools seem very med based, and while of course that's what i'd eventually want, i'd also not want it to be the full focus of the school. i'd like people that are into the existence of god or what it really means to love someone or something. like, random stuff that you can talk about. you can't really talk about the process of mitosis. </p>

<p>what do i do?</p>

11

<p>Wellesley might be a match, and you would be able to take classes at MIT. However, from your self analysis above, you sound like someone who should look at the University of Chicago. There are premeds there, but it is geared more toward people aiming at research careers in the sciences. It sounds as if schools with a preprofessional focus are not for you.</p>

12

<p>yeah, i think it's true that i probably don't want a preprofessional school so much. i guess i'll look more into liberal arts colleges? the university of chicago is interesting because it's a university without a huge graduate focus and it's more into thinking and stuff. but i think chicago would be a huge reach (and besides, it's in illinois) is there anything else with that kind of focus?</p>

<p>thanks</p>

13

<p>Grinnell has a similar atmosphere to University of Chicago. So does Shimer, but it's tiny, and also in Illinois. (Grinnell is in Iowa.) Given your statistics, and that you seem to prefer the East Coast, looking at serious liberal arts colleges may be your best option. How about Bryn Mawr? University of Rochester has a lot in common with U Chicago, but sounds a little more preprofessional, and has a lot of Ivy-backup bitterness.</p>