Where can my Stats take me?

College Search & Selection
1

To Viewers:

As college app season begins, I still am fairly clueless as to which college I want to apply to. Quite honestly the only college I can honestly think of is the Naval Academy. However, I would like some suggestions for which colleges I should apply to. After a little research, I’ve realized that LAC’s will suit me better as they have closer professor-student relationships, smaller class sizes, and more opportunities for research.

Intended Major: Chemistry, Biochemistry, Possibly Mechanical Engineering

Ultimately want to be Pre-Med

“Resume”-

Academic Course Load:

Freshmen:

NJROTC 1
Pre-Calculus
Honors Biology
English 1 Honors
Fundamentals of Programming/ Computer Logic and Algorithms (First Semester/ Second Semester)
IB Non-Western Cultures
Spanish 1

Sophomore:

NJROTC 2
AP Calculus AB
Honors Chemistry
AP Language and Composition
AP European History
Accounting/ Introduction to Business (First Semester/ Second Semester)
Spanish 2 Honors
Track and Field (Shotput and Discus)

Junior:

NJROTC 3
AP Environmental Science
English 3 Honors
US History
IB Business and Management
AP Statistics
Spanish 3
Track and Field (Shotput and Discus)

Senior (Registered Courses):

AP Calc BC
AP Psych
AP Gov/ Macroecon
AP Physics I
English IB SL
Oceanography
NJROTC 4
Track and Field

GPA: UW- 3.7 W- 4.4

SAT I Super Score: 2190 800M, 700 W, 690 CR
PSAT: 216
SAT II: 790 Chem, 800 Math II, 740 BioEco
ACT: 32

-Principal’s Honor Roll (9,10,11)
-Athlete Scholar
-AP Scholar

College Courses taken at local colleges:

-Math 150A
-Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
-Introduction to Anthropology
-Music Appreciation
-Introduction to Art
-Sociology: Inter-Relationship Studies
-Liberal Arts Math
-History of the Americas
-California Government and Politics

Extra Curricular:

-Boy Scouts of America: Eagle Scout
-National Youth Leadership Training: Senior Patrol Leader (2015), Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of Service (2014), Troop Guide (2013)
-Giving Children Hope Secretary (2014-2015)
-People to People International Secretary(2014-2015)
-Serve a Warrior: President (2013/2014), Vice President (2014/2015)
-Department of Veterans Affairs Youth Intern: Biomedical Engineering
-Blandford Elementary: Youth Volunteer
-NASS Attendee

Not Official: At least 1000+ hours of community service

Thanks for all your advice!!!

2

Run the Supermatch engine on the left side of this page. Ask your parents how much they can pay and run the Net Price Calculator on each school’s web site.

3

LACs don’t offer mechanical engineering so if that’ s important, you need to take them off your list. The good news is that most reputable schools, including LACs, will provide good bio, biochem and chem and prepare you for med school. Med schools aren’t concerned with prestige - just GPAs, MCAT scores, recs. Lastly, avoid debt - medical school is expensive.

Supermatch is a good starting point. No one cares about what classes you took, only if your coursework was rigorous, your class rank, GPA and test score, financial situation and state of residence (which is why I think the response here is poor - it’s too much to read.) Lastly, we need more details besides LAC and major about what you are looking for in a school.

4

LACs usually do not have eng’g. They also don’t have as much research opps as universities. They’re also often in the middle of nowhere, so it can be more difficult to do your medically related ECs as a premed.

How much will your family pay each year? Have they run the NPCs on VARIOUS schools’ websites (different schools will who different net costs).

5

Regarding research, LACs offer full, non-competitive access to their primary faculty and facilities. The results of this collaborative atmosphere can be found through various outcomes such as Apker Award winners, Nobel Prize winners and future PhDs in general. Many also excel in furthering the goals of their premed students.

6

A LAC cannot compete with Stanford, MIT, JHU, etc., for big research grants.
Even on a per capita basis (dollars per student), a top university spends many times more per year than a top LAC on research. On the other hand … at a LAC you won’t be competing with grad students for research opportunities (or for the attention of top faculty). Unless you’re an exceptionally advanced undergraduate, your objective is not so much to cover a bleeding-edge research problem as it is to get a solid foundation in research skills. I suspect that top LACs tend to do at least as well in developing that foundation as top RUs do (although it must vary quite a bit by school, major, and individual).

Anyway, to answer the OP’s main question:
your qualifications are strong enough to at least be competitive nearly anywhere (esp. if you can raise your CR score a bit). However, if you’re serious about med school, then unless your family is very affluent you do need to think about costs. Most of the US News top ~20 LACs claim to cover 100% of demonstrated need. Many of the next ~20 at least come close. However, that only helps if you qualify for need-based aid, and if you can cover the “expected family contribution” (full sticker price minus aid). Run the online net price calculators on a few “full need” schools to see if they appear to be affordable.
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2014/09/15/colleges-and-universities-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need

7

Except for the Naval Academy, are you looking at schools that have Navy ROTC? Depending on the others in your congressional district as far as getting an appointment…

What state are you in and do you have geographic preferences?

I agree with the others about opportunities at larger schools having more of what you are looking for (when they have a great honors college to provide some of the selective opportunities to meet high stat kids’ needs/desires). You are looking for a school with strong eng, strong STEM, ABET accreditation in engineering area desired.

Auburn Univ has Navy ROTC among others, while UA has Air Force and Army.

Don’t know if you can ‘stack’ an academic scholarship along with ROTC at AU.

We love UA honors college - many wonderful opportunities. Very good advising for those students that want to meet pre-med requirements (advising, and additional programs like medical group ‘mission’ work on school break). Look for a school that has the advising you need to guide you through the steps to hopefully gain medical school acceptance.

There are honors programs at other large schools that may have what you are looking for as a ‘safety’ for not getting a Naval Academy appointment.

8

This is what @mightytiger98 has stated about his preferences: “I’ve realized that LACs will suit me better as they have closer professor-student relationships, smaller class sizes and more opportunities for research.” A well-considered, mature, essentially fact-based self assessment regarding fit should not be off-handedly redirected. The only possibly conflicting element regarding his preference for LACs is his interest in engineering, which as of yet has not been expressed as a certainty.

9

Break out the Fiske Guide to the Colleges and read about a bunch of the LACs and see which ones you connect with…

All of the first-rate LACs have great sciences for pre-med students.

To get you started read about Carleton, Grinnell, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, Pomona, and Reed all have notable science programs. Also consider Amherst, Bowdoin, Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Williams, Vassar, Middlebury, Bates, Kenyon, Occidental, Macalester, Oberlin. Also Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, and Bucknell, too.

10

As a source for further ideas: “The Experts’ Choice: Colleges With Great Pre-med Programs” (Available online). LACs from the list: Amherst, Bates, Bucknell, Carleton, Colgate, Franklin & Marshall, Grinnell, Hamilton, Knox, Muhlenberg, Pomona and St. Olaf.

11

Check out University of Rochester. Excellent school (though bigger than you have indicated you prefer.) They have NROTC.

I believe they also give pretty good merit aid.