I’m going to be a junior this coming school year and I have a list of schools that I’m interested in. I would appreciate if I could get some feedback to see how I would fair on these admission boards. I’d also be interested in suggestions of other schools that could fit me with my resume and intended major.
white female from an average public school in Indiana
Unweighted GPA: 4.00/4.00 (top 10)
Weighted GPA: 4.371 (top 10)
Junior year course load:
-Spanish 3 Hon
-Study Hall
-APUSH
-AP Literature
-AP Calc AB
-AP Bio
-AP Seminar
AP Lang - 4, AP World - 4
ECs
Marching Band (9)
Jazz Band (9)
Math Super Bowl (9)
Academic Decathlon (10,11)
Spell Bowl (10,11)
Cross Country manager (10,11)
Varsity Track and Field (9,10)
My intended major would be Pre-Med
Here are ALL of the schools that I have considered applying to:
UChicago
Northwestern
UMichigan
Purdue
IU
Again, I just want to see where I would stand at these schools, and I want to know if there are any other schools that I should consider that I have not listed here.
Do you have any standardized test scores yet? Also, you should run the net price calculators on the website of each school to see what it might cost. Michigan in particular is likely to be pretty expensive, since it is an out of state public university.
Chicago is the biggest reach of these. It also has a pretty different vibe than the others on your list. Not sure if you have visited, but you should – it is particularly intense academically.
I only have my PSAT/NMSQT from sophomore year, my score is a 1370. I’m taking the same PSAT again this fall, hopefully I qualify for NMS.
I know IU and Purdue will have the lowest cost as I’d be in state. And the others are very expensive.
And yes, I have visited UChicago. I loved it. Could you elaborate on why it would be a reach? Since I have my whole junior year to go, I hope I can improve my stats before applying to schools.
Chicago would be a reach for most students for its acceptance rate and general profile, in which students enter with the second highest SAT scores in the nation:
I think your GPA is great, but it isn’t everything. Also, you need more standardized test scores. You should have taken the SAT in sophomore year, and SAT Subject Test for World History. With that being said, best of luck to you.
I’m taking the world history subject test this fall, and I haven’t heard of many people taking the SAT their sophomore year. I’m taking it this school year, and then again my senior year.
Premed is not a major, it’s a track or path. You need to choose a major that you like and will get a high GPA. It can be any major, just add in the premed prereqs.
Go wherever you’ll have the least/no loans and can get the highest GPA. IU is probably your best bet of that list.
I wouldn’t go to UChi, NU, or UMIch as a premed. You’d likely get weeded out. If you’re serious about going to med school, why choose a school where all the other premeds will be tippy top students??? How likely would you survive the weeding??
When I apply to Northwestern I’m applying to HPME, if I don’t get into that I wouldn’t see myself going to Northwestern. I know I could definitely get into IU or Purdue, not cocky I just know. And I would label myself as a “tippy top student”, not top top but I definitely have the skills and motivation to be near the top. Only thing I have against me is my high school doesn’t prepare students for college or beyond. I
I’m not saying taking the SAT in junior year is a bad thing, but managing school classes, SAT, AP preparation, and other things will be a bit difficult. I took the SAT my sophomore year and now I can relax while my other friends are stressing out over it.
<<< And I would label myself as a “tippy top student”, not top top but I definitely have the skills and motivation to be near the top. <<<
Super. That still doesn’t mean that you won’t be weeded out when all of your premed classmates are top students like you. All schools weed. They have to. They all have too many premeds.
Northwestern has 300 students apply to med school each year. They probably have 600-800 freshmen premeds each year. Of the 300 who survive the weeding and actually apply, probably only about 180-240 get at least one acceptance to a US MD med school.