<p>Hi
I am a new member of the college confidential website. i am currently about to go into 8th grade. My dream is to get into Stanford University and study medical. Could anyone give me advise on anything that could be helpful to get into Stanford? I would appreciate it </p>
<p>thanks,</p>
<p>vivek_g</p>
<p>Wow, it’s great that you’re thinking about college already, but there’s no need to rush. In my opinion, 8th grade is really a little too early to seriously be thinking about college. Just concentrate on getting good grades in middle school (after all, Stanford doesn’t even consider freshman grades). Explore whatever classes or subjects you find interesting. Get involved with school activities (but don’t force yourself to be in clubs just b/c they “look” good.)</p>
<p>It’s great that you already have a dream school. But before you start filling out those applications (four years in the future), please think carefully about WHY Stanford is your dream school. If it’s your dream school b/c you want to go into medicine, why limit yourself to just that school? There are plenty of other great colleges w/ fantastic med programs (ex. UCLA). </p>
<p>Just a few of my thoughts. Hope you find this at least semi-helpful.</p>
<p>Take the hardest classes available, and get good grades (you pretty much need straight As through HS). Most importantly, find something you love doing, and do it really-really well.</p>
<p>If anything, do what I have kind of failed to do. Have a passion, but go beyond just achieving. Using the example of music: Don’t just be a gifted pianist, teach other students or found a music outreach program. You want to go into medicine? Don’t just be a top-notch competitor in your assorted olympiads, but also try to conduct research at a local university over multiple summers and if you want to go even further, submit research in competitions like Siemens or Intel. Also, know that at the undergraduate level, you aren’t really studying “medicine”, but taking requisite courses and an additional assortment of classes of your choosing. Take skyraptor’s advice to heart as there are many colleges that will give a great education in not only your pre-med reqs, but also a focus on other programs outside of a premed track.</p>
<p>Oh…and study well for things like SAT’s and subject tests and take them once or twice, but know that these things in conjunction with grades, are only a foundation on which to build a unique personality and focus. Analogically speaking, it’s for the home itself that you buy the property, not the foundation. Nevertheless, if a base is weak, even an amazing house will fall down flat. Oh, and I probably made no sense whatsoever in this entire post and for that , I apologize.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advise guys! What are other great colleges that have great medical schools like Stanford (I was thinking of becoming a cardiologist or a pediatrician)?</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Now that is way to early to consider which medical school you should go to. First you should focus upon high school and doing well. Don’t focus upon something that is almost a decade away. You have around 9 years and between those eight years your mind can change. Wait until you begin colleges to start thinking about which med school to go to because that’s where you might change your mind. I have a friend who was a valedictorian in high school and she initially wanted to be a doctor but then she became more interested in public health (policy) and law and now she is going to do a MPP/JD program. My suggestions is that you should wait and first focus on high school. Focusing on med school is totally useless if you haven’t even started high school. Of course I’m not saying you should abandon your thoughts on med school. I’m say that you should 1) focus on preparing yourself for high school 2) focus upon doing well in high school after you start and 3) focus upon getting into Stanford during your high school years. Don’t focus your energy on medicine when med school is around 9 years away. I mean it’s great that you are thinking about becoming a doctor. But I think it is way to early to make plans and choosing which one you should go to though I do advise you to keep that thought in mind. Take life one step at a time. Enjoy your middle school year. Enjoy your high school year. Everyone I have spoken to thought that high school went by way to fast. They want to go back and relive that period of time. Enjoy the ride. Do something you are going to enjoy in high school. Don’t stress about med school before you have even started college not to mention high school. Take it one step at a time.</p>
<p>Volunteer at the hospital. Call volunteer services ASAP. They’ll surely help out. Not only do you help others, but you also get medical experience, and most colleges like to see community services on your application.</p>
<p>Thanks for ur help</p>
<p>hey guess what? Stanford med school is actually not that good. In addition, you have to finish undergrad before worrying about med school. Just enjoy life for now.</p>
<p>
You have to be 16 to volunteer at hospitals.</p>
<p>Develop a personality. Gain life experiences. Above all, do what you love to do. Don’t stick to the typical over-achieving bubble (school until 3, academic clubs until 5, violin practice until 7, dinner until 8, homework until midnight, sleep until school). </p>
<p>Have fun! Enjoy your life while you still can. Starting junior year, it goes downhill for 1.5 years.</p>
<p>Lol and if you are wondering what you do that last .5 years: you slack off because you got accepted to college (unless you got waitlisted to a college you really want to go to).</p>
<p>Thank you!!</p>