<p>Hi everyone!
I'm a high school sophomore and I am in the process of making a list of colleges to apply to. My number one choice is Dartmouth, but I'm having trouble finding other colleges, especially safety colleges.
Just a little about me: I'm very passionate about medicine and will be going to medical school. I want a college that has a good premed school. I have a 4.0 GPA (un-weighted), 2300 SAT score and am president of Health Occupations Students of America at my school in addition to participating in other clubs. I've won competitions in student clubs--my highest honor being second in the state for an Future Business Leaders of America competition. During my junior and senior year, I'll be in the International Baccalaureate program at my school. I volunteer at a hospital. I don't participate in any sports, but I have a passion for yoga and am planning on getting a teacher certification for extra money during college and med school.
For colleges, I need a school with VERY high academic standards but I do not want a school with an EXTREMELY competitive environment (such as MIT or Harvard). I would like to go to a relatively small school.
If you could suggest some schools that are within reach for me, I would appreciate it. I need some more ideas, especially schools with good pre-med programs. I also want to get some safety schools on my list that I wouldn't particularly mind going to.
I'm curious: if I keep up my academic record, what do you think my chances will be to get into Dartmouth? I know admission is based off of more than GPA and SATs, but I just want a general opinion.</p>
<p>You already have a 2300 as a sophomore? With that score, if you have grades to match and are equally committed to your ECs then you have a pretty good shot at Dartmouth (at least as good a shot as anyone). Consider some of the top LACs for a more collegial than competitive environment.</p>
<p>Just how small of a school are you looking for?</p>
<p>With no knowledge of your geographical preferences, I’d suggest looking into both Rice (~3,000 undergrads) and Wash U (~6,000 undergrads). Both have very high academic standards and are reputed to have a less competitive environment than those of other schools of their caliber.</p>
<p>My size preferences is less than 6,000. Thanks everyone for replying. I’ll definitely look into these schools.
Do you think that going to a liberal arts college would hurt my chances in getting into a good medical school?</p>
<p>Claremont McKenna, Pomona, and Reed are great choices also on the west coast (I think there’s a stat about Reed graduating a lot of PhD students)</p>
<p>you probably need a safety school or two, I would put down your state flagship public university since you will probably get scholarships/honors college offers, and maybe a couple others</p>
<p>Okay. My state school is UNC Chapel Hill, which to most people is a big reach, so I’m not sure where that would fit. I’m thinking of applying to College of Charleston for a safety because they have a pretty good pre-med program.</p>
<p>I second Pomona and Claremont Mckenna. Because you want a small school without cut throat competition, I will add Amherst & Williams on the East Coast. Perhaps Wash U. in St.Louis?</p>
<p>UNC in state is a safety for you. Add William & Mary and Davidson to your list. Both have excellent placement to med schools as well as all around excellent depts in case you change your mind.</p>
<p>I agree with doctorb. While Carolina is not the safety school is used to be for in-state students, you’d get in with a good GPA and class rank on top of that SAT score. I’d recommend applying EA.</p>
<p>Duke, Wake Forest, and Davidson come to mind within NC. </p>
<p>In addition to the other great suggestions, you might want to look into Lehigh and Franklin & Marshall. Check out the BS/MD programs at some of the universities mentioned – particularly Rice/Baylor, Brown PLME, and Northwestern HPME.</p>