kachhan

Hello all, I'm a high school senior at one of the largest school districts in the country. I have begun applying to colleges with the hope that they are understanding of something tragic that happened to me in the summer of 2011; my father died in a tragic accident, this naturally had a tremendous effect on me as a person and on my academics. My junior year grades suffered for it, but I have great ambitions and goals to reach in life. I want to attend medical school and become a neurosurgeon, nothing will stop me from that goal.

I am applying early action to Georgetown, UVA, and George Mason, and I'm applying regular decision to VCU (Honors College, and maybe the B.S./MD program), and George Washington(Honors College and 7 year B.S./MD program). My stats follow:

Objective:

Intended major: Biology

Freshman Year Classes:
PreAP English 9- B+
PreAP World History- A-
Geometry HN- B+
Biology 1 HN- A-
Spanish 2- B
Personal Finance- A
Health & PE- A
Years GPA: 3.857 (weighted)

Sophomore Year:
English 10 HN- B
AP World History- A-
Algebra 2 HN- C
Computer Science- A
Chemistry 1 HN- B+
Spanish 3- C+
Health & PE 10- A-
Years GPA: 3.5 (weighted)

Junior Year: (worst year of my life, as the grades will now show)
AP English Lang- B+
AP US History- C
PreCal w/Trig HN- B-
Human Anatomy- B-
AP Chemistry- C-
Physics 1 HN- B
Spanish 4- B-
Years GPA: 3.157 (weighted, oh boy...)

Senior Year Courses:
AP US Government/Comparative Government (2 AP classes in one)
AP Biology
AP Statistics
AP English Literature
AP Seminar
Astronomy
Gourmet/ Intl. Foods


AP Scores:
AP World- 4
AP Lang- 5
Did not pass APUSH or Chemistry, both teachers were terrible, but that is no excuse. I will not be reporting those scores.

SAT Scores:

05/01/2010 (Took it freshman year)
CR: 670 M: 590 W:640 Total: 1900

03/10/2012
CR: 690 M:640 W: 620 Total: 1950

Superscore: 1970

ACT: Not taking it

Subject Tests: Will be taking Biology, Math 1, Literature on October 6

Subjective:
Recommendations: Excellent ones from AP World and AP Lang teachers, equally strong one from counselor (knows my situation very well, she said she would speak on it to the best of her ability).

ECs/ Honors:
Volunteer Work with a large NGO (I will not specify for privacy reasons): 10 hours/week almost year round since 8th grade. WELL over 1200 or so hours. Cannot give a more specific number because I have not been keeping track.
Attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
Member of the Science Honor Society
Member of the Model UN at my school (newly founded in my junior year)
Varsity Indoor track (10th grade only)
Tutored 7th grade math students (<50 hours)
Member of the National Society of High School Scholars
Varsity Letters for Academics
Honor Roll (freshman year only)
National Merit Qualified
Unspecified honor with above listed NGO
>100 hours of work at my father's private practice

Essays: I like to think that my essay writing skills are fairly good, not sure how I will do on these.

Georgetown Interview: Went fairly well, interviewer seemed impressed when I described some leadership positions I had to take part in.

I know that I am EXTREMELY unqualified for all of my choices except Mason and VCU, those are my safeties right now. I just hope the admissions officers will see what I've been through, and that my essays will effectively reflect that. Getting into the 7 year program for GW would be a dream come true to me, and a massive relief to my mother who now worries constantly about my future. However, Georgetown is my top pick right now. I LOVE the area and campus.

Please chance me? Should I even bother applying to the honors colleges or GW's accelerated program and resign myself to a sad 4 years at VCU?

ArtsyGirl13

I personally would not apply to the honors college or BS/MD programs if I where you (I am not applying to BS/MD program because they are a major reach and I have a 3.9). Your test scores are low and even if you ignore your junior year your grades are still realistically too low for those programs/schools. Also know that Georgetown is a huge reach. I am sorry but Georgetown seems unrealistic, you need around a 3.9 unweighted and over a 2100 on the SATs to have a decent chance and it is unlikely you will get the scores you need on enough subject tests on the first try. Have you considered focussing on applying to less selective schools and then trying to transfer?

Also a side note for BS/MD programs, from my understanding they tend to focus on your math and science grades which are the lowest grades on your transcript. Truly BS/MD programs are extremely competitive. When you apply to college I would recommend declaring undecided even if you intend to have a science oriented major.

intparent

To be blunt, I believe you need more safeties/matches on your list. You can still reach your goal IF you have great grades in college and do well on the MCAT. But even if you get into a reach school at this point, your previous grades (ignoring junior year) and test scores do not indicate that you are going to have a verygood GPA in a tough program. Better to back down a little bit, regroup and get great grades in college, and focus in on the MCAT prep. You may have all the drive and determination in the world, but your test scores and grades do not indicate that you will thrive in most of those programs. Beef up your safety match list, and hit the ground running in college at a program that is better in your academic range (score and grade-wise).

kachhan

So being in the middle 50% of SAT scores for georgetown, along with a LOT of volunteer hours acceptance to GU is still impossible?

Catria

It is possible provided that you don't do the BS/MD program.

But it's still a reach... if you even have a safety, please tell it to us.

kachhan

My top choice right now is Georgetown, my safeties are Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason. I know that there is a 95% chance of getting rejected from the BS/MD programs and the honors colleges for VCU and George Washington but I am going to try anyway, it can't hurt.

kachhan

Bump. Anyone? Please?

kachhan

Another bump...need advice.

awal13

Yes, I recommend you look at a BS/DO option. They tend to be less selective, and you can STILL become a surgeon afterwards. My brother got into the Gannon University BS/DO, but chose not to go. I think you will be well qualified - I really think you should look into these programs.

kachhan

Any thoughts about georgetown?

kachhan

another bump...some insight would be much appreciated guys. Also would like to add that I am south asian (India).

kachhan

another bump..

ArtsyGirl13

Being Indian will hurt you a bit, it is an over represented minority. I am not sure what else you want to hear/know. We have said it before, you are looking at programs that you are under-qualified for and while yes it is good to have reaches applying to a ton of them and a couple match/safeties is not the best plan. Georgetown and BS/MD programs are often as hard to get into as ivies/top schools in the country (after all Georgetown is one of the top schools in the country) and your transcript has more Bs and Cs then As. I am sorry, but really I would focus on finding and applying to more matches if I where you.

kachhan

So they will completely overlook the fact that my dad died and the huge amount of volunteer work I have? I was hoping that would make up for the low grades and medium-ish SAT score.

ArtsyGirl13

No, they will look at the fact that your dad died and they may or may not recalculate your GPA without junior year and/or not focus on your grades from 11th grade. But even without junior year your GPA is way too low, with just 9th and 10 grade you have around a 3.7 weighted with a negative grade trend and realistically for where you are looking a 3.7 would be low for an unweighted GPA let alone weighted. Your SAT is average to lowish for these schools/programs, so that part won't help. As for your community service, it is great, I wish I had that on my resume (I only have like 400-500 hours by time of application), and schools will probably love it, but rarely if ever do ECs make up for an applicant who does not really have the grades or scores to be a strong applicant.

Once again I am not saying don't apply, I am just saying don't apply to 10 different schools/programs that are high reaches when there is a good chance you will rejected by all of them (as is the case always with high reaches). Pick a few (no more then 2 or 3) and make your applications to those schools great, but focus on applying to schools that are matches and safeties, so that when your acceptances and rejections come you will have options and not just be stuck at the one safety you applied to.