@Kingo go to the essay feedback site and follow the instructions. And @tsbna is not a reader.
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Quick question, can you submit LORs (not from a counselor or teachers) after applying. I added them to commonapp, but they havenāt uploaded it themselves.
As long as you added the teachersā names and submitted your app, your teachers/school typically have a grace delay till the end of the following week (ie., Nov5-7).
If your teachers uploaded their recommendation and the college hasnāt downloaded it yet itās still good.
Your SRAR/STARS needs to be completed by the deadline (aka today) though.
I donāt know if it makes a difference, but NJ public schools are closed this week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
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Think I made a thread before (albeit for a different topic) , Iām not sure how to link it though. As the title suggested, Iām just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for reaches since so far Iāve only applied to safeties and targets (Rutgers, SUNYs, Rowan, TCNJ, Stevens Tech, and more). Also submitting additional supps for some of these schools I applied to since Iām also doing BSMD.
Stats:
- Gender/Race: Male, South Asian, 16 M
- Income/Class: Middle class
- School: Large public high school in NJ
- GPA: 3.7 unweighted / 4.36 UW / 5.1 weighted (out of 6.6 scale) (Took a hit Junior yet, and my only terrible grade was a C+ in pre calc).
- SAT: 1420
- Course Load (For senior year):
- AP Lit, AP Bio, AP Euro, AP Psych
- Academic Note: As I said before, Junior year was a bit rough and took a hit on my GPA (had harder classes), but otherwise things have been solid.
- Freshman: 3.8/4.3 Unweighted/ 5.09/6.6 Weighted
- Soph: 4.0/5.3
- Junior 3.5/5.09 (not sure how accurate this is, though since my school made a mistake on the transcript)
- Senior: ???
ECS:
- Science Olympiad (1 year ā junior year only): For Science Olympiad, I participated in various levels of competition during the year I was involved. My team placed 6th at the state-level competition, and individually, I placed around 17th at the Princeton Invitational. Although I only did it for one year, I wonāt be continuing it in my senior year.
- Hospital Summer Program ( This summer): In my Hospital Summer Program, Iām currently volunteering at a local clinic under the supervision of an Internal Medicine physician. I help out with various small tasks, assist with patients, and provide support to doctors and staff. I also do community volunteer work.
- HOSA (3 years): For HOSA, Iāve been an active member for several years. Iāve volunteered at a number of events, helped organize activities, and participated in fundraising efforts for organizations like the American Heart Association. I also competed in one of the events, but didnāt place.
- National Honor Society (2 years) and Social Studies Honor Society (1 year): Just honor societies, pretty explainable.
- MSA (4 years): Finally, Iāve been involved in MSA (Muslim Student Association) throughout high school. I regularly helped with setting up events, managing supplies, and organizing fundraising drives for local food pantries. Food pantries are open to anyone no matter their faith.
- Last summer, I helped organize a STEM education program for my local religious community. Over the summer, I taught basic science and math concepts to younger students, which was a great way to give back and share my interest in STEM with others. The program still continues, but I donāt lead it currently.
- Also working as a Pharmacy Tech (got the job this summer)
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BSMD/DO programs are reaches.
Due to your budget issues, any reach school would have to be affordable based on the NPC. Have you used these?
I would not consider reach schools until you complete your current list.
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Can you provide more detail, geographically. How far from home is ok ?
I mentioned Lafayette earlier as itās closer to home. It meets need. Run the NPC. But you said your parents said no. To me, given what you wanted (Princeton), it makes a lot of sense.
Lehigh, Franklin & Marshall etc. BU or Northeastern. Miami or Case Western if willing to go further. You could go for a Penn, Cornell or Johns Hopkins but Iād say those are super reach vs reach.
For any, run the NPC and donāt forget, you donāt need to apply to a reach. And if you somehow got in, you donāt need to attend.
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Threads merged by moderator
To me it sounds like you already have applied to a good list of very good universities, all of which would be quite challenging for a premed student (or for a student whose major overlaps with premed classes).
As others have said, any BSMD program that you have applied to is a reach.
Otherwise, I do not personally believe that a premed student needs to apply to any reaches at all, nor even should apply to any reaches at all. One issue is that merit aid is more likely at a school that is not a reach, and a premed student needs to keep the cost in mind and budget for a full 8 years of university. Perhaps an even more important issue is that premed classes tend to be tough. There is something to be said for coming into those tough premed classes in the top 1/4 of incoming students, or at a minimum at least the top 1/2 of incoming students.
If your applications are in at your safety and match schools, then IMHO you are in good shape and just need to wait and see what offers come in. I do understand that this will in many cases take a while.
Meanwhile keep your grades up in your current classes. This will for example help you to be well prepared when you get to university in September.
Best wishes.
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Yep, I have used the NPCS
For example Rutgers is saying 33k per year and it seems the best price so far for its education.
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Honestly, if its like Ivy league bound, I donāt care where it is. Would prefer the Northeast region, but Iām fine with the whole east coast.
Yeah, I understand so far the schools I liked that you mentioned are all far reaches. 
Yep understood, I just wanted to because why not- when am I ever applying to college again?
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Ty! Honestly, I think I already know where Iām going (prob Rutgers), but I was thinking about it.
Maybe I make a BSMD program, who knows.
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They are far reaches. More realistic reaches would be schools such as BU and Northeastern, but they have to be affordable.
For premed I would stick with your safeties and targets.
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Do the best you can undergrad. In December you can find a Cornell or BU to take a run at.
You can first research the school vs just picking a big name.
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Yeah Iām planning on researching more, but Iām going to focus on my BSMD apps rn.
BU is going to be expensive, might take a shot at Cornell.
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Yes Iām also researching, and might retake the SAT
Do you have time to retake the SAT?
Is Cornell affordable based on the NPC?
Cornell will be very competitive, especially for premed. I would have a backup plan (this is true regardless).
Focus on your safeties and targets.
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Have you taken a practice ACT test? Some students prefer it and do better on it than the SAT. Note that the science section on the ACT isnāt really science ā itās data analysis and once you do enough practice questions in that section it will become a lot easier because you will recognize the types of graphs and tables they use to convey the information. There are only so many options for this so if you do a few practice tests you will likely have seen all or most of the kinds of questions they will ask.
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You have time. Donāt look ahead. Max out those current apps. You have two months for Cornell. Yep the NPCs matter.
And donāt forget higher ranked doesnāt mean better for you, or even better.
Eye on the prize - med school. Lots more competition at a school with higher stat hs kids.
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Check out Cornell CALS. Lots of great majors for premeds and fewer applications. Still a high reach if course.