What else should I be doing?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

I’m a rising junior at a large, not-so-competitive public high school looking at a future health career, specifically becoming an OBGYN. My dream school is Columbia university, a super high reach for anyone, and I will likely be applying early decision when the time comes. All my other schools besides a few local safeties are highly competitive as well (Georgetown, Princeton, NYU). I know this will be hard to accomplish, and I don’t have much time left, but I get the sinking feeling that I’m just not doing enough to get into these universities. What clubs should I start at a school that has a club for almost everything already? What can I do to prepare myself for pre-med? Thank you!

Some background info on me:
First gen college student
GPA: 4.0 Unweighted, 4.9375 Weighted
Mixed white/Filipino female
SAT: crap (1390 on the new scale), will be retaking
SAT IIs: haven’t taken yet but will take Chemistry, Literature, and Math II
ACT: haven’t taken yet but will be taking in spring of junior year
Classes:
Freshman year - English II honors, Math II honors, French I, French II, Speech and Debate honors, Gym, Biology I Honors, World History Honors

Sophomore year - English III AP companion course (honors credit, had to take it with the AP class), AP Lang, APES, math III honors, pre Calc honors, civics & economics honors, French III honors, Chemistry I Honors

Junior year (upcoming) - AP Calc (yearlong with honors companion course 1st semester), AP physics (same thing), AP lit (^), APUSH (^), student council (we have it set up as a leadership class at my school)

Extracurriculars:
Junior volunteer at a local hospital in the ICU, 4 hours weekly
Student council, possibly going to run for student body president
President of Beta Club (only offered as a club for sophomores at my school because of NHS junior/senior year, so I was only president for my sophomore year)
President of the Governmental Study Club
Member of the Wake Forest Launch for Leadership program
Interact Club Officer/11th grade leader
Participant in the Wake Forest Summer Immersion Medical Institute (not sure if this counts as an EC but I figured it was worth mentioning since I got in on scholarship)
Participant in the UNC Catalyst Conference (again, not sure if EC)

And there’s stuff I’m planning to do in the coming school year, such as

  • I submitted an application to get on the youth council of a cancer related charity
  • Joining NHS
  • Joining Girls in Stem (club at my school)
  • Joining HOSA
  • Joining EMS explorers outside of school (if they would email me back lol)
  • Joining NEHS (trying to show that I can maintain proficiency in English even if this is my last year taking it)
  • Trying to start an AcaDeca team at my school (this might flop idk)
  • Emailing professors to see if I can get involved in their research

I know I’m joining a lot of my extracurriculars rather late but at the beginning of sophomore year I wanted to be a lawyer so I wasn’t involved in much of the science related clubs. The reason I’m taking Physics instead of Bio or Chem is because I have to take it as an extra class outside of school since student council takes up two blocks on my schedule, and AP physics is offered online instead of in a classroom setting. I’m sorry if this seems more like a chance me but I just want to know, what else can I do to make me stand out as a future pre med student? Thanks!

2

Did you ;eave some classes off your list? You don’t have any foreign language or arts classes? Only 4 academic classes? Last year taking English? 4 years are normally required for hs graduation, you should double check but I think top colleges also expect 4 years of English.

You don’t have to join a million clubs to look good for colleges. Focus on what interests you.

3

I’d discourage you from starting AcaDeca because you have so many other EC’s. If English is not your first language and you want to prove your proficiency then take the SAT Subject Test for it. In some circumstances it might be good to join a foreign language club/Honor Society but in your circumstances you have so many EC’s that you’re participating in; I’m not sure that joining NEHS would be a wise idea.

I think you should continue with leadership EC’s since in the past two years you had leadership roles. If you can, try getting a significant role in NHS or any of your other clubs. EMS and HOSA would definitely look good on a pre-med applicant. I’d say that you’re on the right track - just make sure that you aren’t overwhelmed with your EC’s and homework.

4

@mathyone I have had 3 semesters of French as a foreign language and I ran out of English classes to take after AP lit my junior year (I took English I in middle school) so I might take a community college course if available but other than that I don’t have a lot of other options :frowning:

5

I would spend some time finding “match” school between safeties and ivys.
Make sure you would be delighted to attend any of the schools you apply to.

6

Please check the foreign language expectations for colleges that interest you, I think they usually prefer 3-4 years.

7

@pinklinks English is my first language, sorry for the confusing wording lol. I meant proficiency as in like telling colleges “I didn’t stop taking English after junior year because I suck at it I just ran out of classes” but I see what you mean, thanks!