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Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Could you posters answer the following questions for a high school student on a college application who wants to become a pre-medical student in college?</p>

<li><p>What standardized test is preferred, the SAT or ACT?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be the recommended SAT Subject Tests?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be good significant extracurriculars?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be good leadership positions?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be good volunteer/service work?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be good honors and awards?</p></li>
<li><p>What would be good college summer programs?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>
[quote]
1. What standardized test is preferred, the SAT or ACT?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
2. What would be the recommended SAT Subject Tests?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
3. What would be good significant extracurriculars?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
4. What would be good leadership positions?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
5. What would be good volunteer/service work?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
6. What would be good honors and awards?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>
[quote]
7. What would be good college summer programs?

[/quote]

Subjective. Depends.</p>

<p>I think you get the point. There's really no concrete information to give here. This seems to be another one of those "what looks best", something that itself is nonexistent.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, but you can give me a good idea as a pre-medical student. I want to make my focus (medicine) clear to college admissions officers and I was hoping to get a couple of ideas from this site. Thanks.</p>

4

<ol>
<li>What standardized test is preferred, the SAT or ACT?
Take the SAT- much harder than ACT. much more legit. 2400 > 36. </li>
<li>What would be the recommended SAT Subject Tests?
Math IIC, Bio E/M, Chem.</li>
<li>What would be good significant extracurriculars?
Volunteering, clubs, sports.</li>
<li>What would be good leadership positions?
President, leader.</li>
<li>What would be good volunteer/service work?
Helping, tutoring, volunteering, performing service.</li>
<li>What would be good honors and awards?
National honors</li>
<li>What would be good college summer programs?
Prestigious summer programs.</li>
</ol>

5

<p>Kind of vague... could you be a bit more specific? Thanks a lot, though for an actual response. :)</p>

6

<p>I understand, but it just seems like you're taking the wrong approach in the first place - you should seriously do the activities that you feel like doing, and by me telling you a couple of things myself, it defeats the purpose of your choice. Reading your post seemed like you wanted the people on here to tell you what to do so that you can simply do them like a robot and, that's boring/ridiculous. Either way, I'll just assume (from your limited info) that you're into science, math.</p>

<p>I'm really not the best person to ask about these things, but I've learned quite a lot from this website...let's see what I remember. I'm kinda bored and since I was unhelpful in my first post, I'll just see what I can post.</p>

<p>Nationwide math tests such as AMC might work, and for science there's the subject Olympiad tests in the contest area. Your questions are general and different for everyone; I really don't think it matters what EC's you do, but go for more a science focus I guess, such as science team? Working at a hospital? I'm not sure about this.</p>

<p>The SAT/ACT thing doesn't matter. Nothing's better. As for the subject tests, that doesn't matter as well, but I'm assuming that it'd be better to pick science/math subjects, esp. medical-related ones like chem/bio? I know nothing about summer programs. You'll have to google that yourself.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for a much more helpful response. :) I'd just like to clear it up that I am familiar with a lot of the more obvious activities and such, I was just hoping to get into some more in depth activities (never heard of AMC until you mentioned it, that kind of thing).</p>

8

<p>In response to the SAT being more difficult then the ACT, another question arises. My parents are going to make me take both. Going by the SAT to ACT conversion chart, if I score higher on the ACT then the SAT by one deviation (i.e.: I score a 36 on the ACT, and between a 2340-2390 on the SAT), which score should I submit? Thanks.</p>

9

<p>Bump. Come on people, please help? Thanks.</p>

10

<p>Send in both.</p>

11

<ol>
<li>What standardized test is preferred, the SAT or ACT?</li>
</ol>

<p>Both are looked upon equally, colleges give no preference either way. Definitely do the writing section of the ACT. The ACT may require 2-3 Subject Tests with it, so remember to take those. </p>

<ol>
<li>What would be the recommended SAT Subject Tests?</li>
</ol>

<p>Definitely Math 2, 1 type of science (Chem, Physics, Bio E/M), and 1 in the humanities (Lit, Language, etc.)</p>

<ol>
<li>What would be good significant extracurriculars?</li>
</ol>

<p>Anything you show passion for. Something towards which you contribute significant time and effort. As for specifics, that varies with the individual. </p>

<ol>
<li>What would be good leadership positions?</li>
</ol>

<p>President, leader, captain</p>

<ol>
<li>What would be good volunteer/service work?</li>
</ol>

<p>Traveling abroad to do service work, hospital, local/community work, essentially any way you feel you can give back to the community </p>

<ol>
<li>What would be good honors and awards?</li>
</ol>

<p>Something recognized at the state level or the national level</p>

<ol>
<li>What would be good college summer programs?</li>
</ol>

<p>Don't do the CTY, NYLF, etc. type of stuff because its all profit driven. Pretty much those whose parents can afford the bill will go. Not much weight is given to these. Internships at a local college or business will be much more meaningful.</p>

12

<p>Alright, so is it recommended I take two science SAT Subject Tests or one science and one humanities test? Keep the responses coming, people! Thanks.</p>

13

<p>You can have great SAT/GPA/etc but if you plan on medical school in the future there are a few things you need to consider:
College GPA- If you go to a college that is top notch but you pull a -3.0 don't expect to go to a tip top med school if at all
MCAT-Do well on that. study during sophomore year and on
Passion. Think about WHY you want to do medicine. What have you done for medicine or to pursue you dream to be a doctor. This is one of the biggest point besides the other two. And don't put down "for the money" because that wont cut it.</p>

14

<p>1. What standardized test is preferred, the SAT or ACT?
Doesn't really matter.
2. What would be the recommended SAT Subject Tests?
Bio - If there is one. Haha.
3. What would be good significant extracurriculars?
Some African relief programs.
4. What would be good leadership positions?
President of said club.
5. What would be good volunteer/service work?
Hospital. Read to the old, deaf ladies.
6. What would be good honors and awards?
Nobel Peace Prize.
7. What would be good college summer programs?
Humanitarian mission to Africa. In your case, supplying shots for Tb or even Malaria.</p>