The Right Fit?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, I am currently a high school Junior, who clearly knows what to do later in his life, but is indecisive of which College to apply and in what subject to major.</p>

<p>I definitely know I want to be a humanitarian/physician who goes to third world countries and treat those in need of dire medical aid and assistance.</p>

<p>But here is the thing. I am more Math-Science than a literary-humanities person.
I love many things ranging from Music and Baseball to Math and Science, but I just don't quite know how I want to devote my four years of my life in college.</p>

<p>I would like to attend a well-known school, but prestige is not necessarily a crucial factor in my decision of college choices.</p>

<p>Academically and EC-wise, i think i am in pretty good standing for Colleges.</p>

<p>Here are some of my stats</p>

<p>GPA-4.000 Rank-Top 2%
SAT-2390
SAT II- 800 Math II Physics - 800 and US History- 800</p>

<p>EC</p>

<p>MUSIC!!- I have made 1st in Trumpet past 3 Years in my state and I love playing trumpet So much! There's no way that I will stop playing when I get to college so this is a big factor in a way.</p>

<p>Math & Science- I really enjoy problem solving. Especially Math and Physics!
I have qualified for AIME past two years and for the Physics Olympiad Semifinalist round this year. (Though I don't think I made beyond them this year). I would love to go to a college where it can offer strong Math& Science programs.</p>

<p>Leadership- I love being a leader as well. I am currently the Vice President of my grade in Student Council, and leaders in other clubs as well. I would like to attend a college that has decent student government/organization/frat/clubs,etc.</p>

<p>Sports- HUGE fan of Baseball. I have played Recreational Baseball for 5 years now and I love it! I'm not in any way good enough to be drafted for colleges, but I would love for my college to have good intramural sports life!</p>

<p>I basically summed up my life, and ultimately, i have to choose to what colleges I will send my applications, but it will be awesome if any of you can suggest potential colleges or majors i might be interested in as a future humanitarian physician.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Bump 10char</p>

3

<p>Didn’t you also win the blue ribbon for apple pie baking at the state fair?</p>

4

<p>Haystack, unfortunately I didn’t</p>

<p>But I think YOU were the one who won the Blue Ribbon, if im not mistaken.</p>

5

<p>There are many schools that would be delighted to have a student like you. There are some questions here that you need to answer:</p>

<p>1) What can my family afford (especially in light of the cost of medical school which is around $40k per year x 4 years for in-state schools and $60k per year x 4 years for privates). </p>

<p>2) Medical schools don’t care what you major in and generally don’t care much about prestige - they care a lot about GPA and your MCAT scores, and what state you are a resident of if you are applying in-state. Pick any school that has strong sciences (bio, org chem, inorg chem, physics) so you can fulfill the pre-reqs and do well on the MCAT. Only 60% of med students were STEM majors (can’t recall where I saw that stat), so study whatever you want.</p>

<p>3) What kind of academic and social environment is optimal for me? You may need to visit some schools to get ideas - size (large public, medium privates, LACs), location (urban/suburban/small college town, what part of the country, distance from home), culture (preppy, rah-rah, artsy, intellectual, quirky, granola, etc…). </p>

<p>What state are you from? Some states have a significant number of med schools seats reserved for in-state residents. Others (like CA) have very few relative to the number of applicants. If you are from a state that has lots of reserved seats, count yourself lucky and hang on to your residency!</p>

6

<p>You can major in anything (e.g. math, physics, music) and take the pre-med courses on the side. However, note that the pre-med courses have a lot of chemistry and biology, which may not be as interesting to a math and physics type of person as math and physics are.</p>

7

<p>@M’s Mom
@ucbalumnus</p>

<p>Thanks for your Reply!</p>

<p>My family’s total income is around 80k.
I’m not too worried about paying undergrad if i get enough financial aid,
but do Medical Schools offer financial aid to grad students? (hopefully i can make into med school in the first place)</p>

<p>And yes, i heard how it is a bit difficult to not major in STEM majors since the subjects one has to take differs and thus has to take more classes to graduate.
In the End I’ll probably go with the major I feel most interested in I guess.
Music or some sort of Science, maybe Physics.</p>

<p>Thats the thing with Physics though. There are so many people who are gifted with mathematical and intellectual ability in subject like Physics and Math. They seem to get things way faster than other people do. A lot of my friends get Physics concepts faster than I do and I get frustrated when I have to take more time to get grasp of those concepts. So im hesitant about majoring in Hard Sciences like Physics and Math.</p>

<p>I can’t say i particularly love Biology or Chem, but they are interesting at the least. I really love medical sciences though. I might be able to “handle” classes like Biology and Chem, but if i major in those, im not sure if i will be able to carry them through college as my major.</p>

8

<p>I’m not too worried about paying undergrad if i get enough financial aid,
but do Medical Schools offer financial aid to grad students? (hopefully i can make into med school in the first place)</p>

<p>Ah…but that’s the dirty little secret. MOST schools do NOT give much financial aid. </p>

<p>You need a strategy so that you ONLY apply to schools that you know FOR SURE would either give you HUGE FA packages or HUGE merit scholarships. </p>

<p>And…most med students do NOT get free money for med school. Most have to pay with loans. There isn’t much FA (free money) for med school.</p>

<p>What state are you in?</p>

<p>.</p>

9

<p>@mom2collegekids</p>

<p>Yes That is true that I most likely have to apply to schools that can help me with generous aids.</p>

<p>I sort of knew that Med School costs a lot of money, and there aren’t usually grants, etc.
Darn… </p>

<p>Umm, im sorry but i prefer not to tell which state i live in.
Privacy Reasons (Music stuff)</p>

<p>But I do live in SE USA.</p>

10

<p>Ok…so you’re in the SE. ( I understand the music/privacy issue…music and politics are biggies in the SE)</p>

<p>Are you a likely NMSF? I’m guessing that you might be with your ability to score highly.</p>

<p>Do you want to stay within a 1,000 miles or so?</p>

11

<p>Im not a NMSF, I didn’t do so well on the PSAT, because i was rushed on time
SAT was more of a practice issue.
More i practiced, the better i have become at it.</p>

<p>I don’t particularly feel the need to stay close to home.
I don’t have relatives living in the SE. </p>

<p>I really like changing environments and I would love to go places that are different from here as well!</p>