<p>IRSC is a good college for early college high school but NOT if your goal is to enter med school. In short, you should absolutely dual-enroll there for a more rigorous high school experience, take as many classes as you can as a high school student, but NOT attend as a college student.</p>
<p>Realistically, what they offer is a sort of pre-premed program meant to increase rigor in the sciences for students who are too advanced for their regular high school’s courses (I believe some low-income areas have that, due to the high school teetering to below “passing” based on NCLB yearl progress checks - like Okeechobee, Bell Glades, etc.)</p>
<p>Your sophomore year, you will need to complete Honors Physics, Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors English II, the most advanced foreign language class you can (II or III or more), math through precalculus, and Honors US history, so that you can enroll in that program. Are you currently on track for that? Have you been able to make up all the grades you got due to moving out? Would you be able to take precalculus and foreign language at IRSC too? </p>
<p>If it allows you to take Physics, Chemistry, Biology, calculus, English Composition 101 and 102, and your HS doesn’t offer it, then that’s good. Make sure you only get grades of at least B, but preferably A. You’ll start off on a bad foot if your premed GPA isn’t close to all-A’s.</p>
<p>However you won’t “major in premed”. Premed is not a major, it’s a cluster of classes you’re supposed to take and do extremely well in (ie.,2 semesters of calculus, 2 semesters of major-level Biology, 2 semesters of Orgo, 2 semesters of Chem, 2 semesters of Physics, 1 freshman seminar or freshman composition class +1 other English/writing class, 1 semester in biochem, 1 semester in neuroscience - recommended- , one semester in psychology, 1 or two classes in sociology or American studies or Women’s Studies or African American Studies. Fluency in a foreign language can be useful.) ON TOP OF THIS you should be able to handle a major, which can be philosophy, math, or anything of your choice. </p>
<p>So, let us say you complete the HS prerequisites for that program at IRSC, then you are admitted to dual-enroll, taking community college classes to complete high school requirements. In the Fall of your junior year, you’ll take the PSAT as well as the ACT. Take the PSAT even if you don’t intend on taking the SAT and your classmates only take the ACT. (And I know that in that area, 21-23 ACT is supposed to be great, but for many colleges, it won’t be nearly enough). Indeed the PSAT may get you qualified for a National merit scholarship, or a National Hispanic Scholarship, or a National Achievement scholarship. (At some colleges, it can mean free tuition, or even a free ride, but in most cases it means a scholarship of some kind.) Obviously, to get to that level, you need to prepare, so you’ll need to find time during the summer to study for it - the library is open during the hot hours when you may not be working, use their air-conditioned space to study. Number2.com has free practice, you register and they track your progress. Preparing for the PSAT will also help you with test-taking skills, which must NOT be underestimated. It takes a lot of practice and often taking the test 3 times. You’ll also have to take the SAT Subject tests your junior year.</p>
<p>NYU isn’t a good idea because its financial aid is lousy. However, for NYC, you have Barnard, which is the women’s college of Columbia university (you know, the Ivy League?) It will require you to have a near perfect GPA, A’s in almost all your classes, and strong ACT scores, but if they admit you due to your low EFC you’ll basically have a free ride. The difficulty is in getting in, so you must do everything in your power to do well in high school, make up those grades, and find a way to attend consistently ONE school, even if your mom is moving (to follow the crops? or due to changing shelters? Or other reasons?)</p>