Chance Me as a Biochemistry (Premed); 1390 SAT; 3.8 GPA UW, 4.03 W

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • First generation U.S. citizen (I was born here) (parents are immigrants and are citizens)

  • Not first generation college

  • Intended Major(s)- Pre-Med

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.03 on 5.0 scale

  • Unweighted: 3.8 on 4.0

  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1390 but taking again Nov. 8

List your HS coursework:

  • Math: Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, PreCalculus, and currently taking AP Calculus BC

  • English: Honors English 1, Honors English 2, English 3, and English 4

  • Science: Biology Honors, Chemistry, Physics, PLTW Principles of Engineering Science

  • SS: AP Human Geography, AP World History, AP U.S. History

  • Health Science: Health Science Theory and PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science

  • DC: Medical Terminology, Pathophysiology, and Healthcare Communications ~7 credit hours with community college but I take it at school

  • Spanish: Spanish 1 and Spanish 2

  • Electives: P.E., AP Seminar, Business Info Management 1, Dollars and Sense, Principles of Law and Safety

  • I got a 5 on my AP Human Geo Exam last year. Taking AP Calc BC, AP Seminar, AP World, AP U.S. History, AP Psych, AP Lit, and AP Lang

Awards: N/A

Extracurriculars
NHS (National Honors Society), HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), MSA (Muslim Students of America)-secretary

Interning as a Junior Medical Assistant at my dad’s clinic, volunteer at the library, volunteer at my religious organization’s summer and Sunday school.

Essays/LORs/Other
Had my Humanities teachers go over it; feeling great about it! Same with LORs, very impactful.

Schools

SMU-ED 1

TCU- EA

Baylor- EA

UT Arlington, UNT, and UT Dallas

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I fear that I might repeat myself from your earlier thread, and you might not want to hear this. However…

My understanding is that you are a sophomore in high school, but somehow have enough credits and are in a high school that allows you to graduate as a sophomore. Let me know if I have this wrong.

Just because you can do something, does not mean that you should.

I do not think that it is a good idea to graduate high school two years early. I am concerned that this will harm your chances of getting to medical school at some point in the future.

As one example, 1390 is really, really good for a sophomore in high school. However, it is not exceptional for someone who is actually likely to go on to medical school. You will be a stronger student one year from now. If you take the SAT in September or October or November of 2026 then you are likely to get a higher score than you are going to get 4 days from now. This same consideration will repeat four or five years from now if you take the MCAT with the intention of applying to medical schools.

Similarly a 3.8 unweighted GPA is pretty good. However, again it is probably not so good that it will blow away the various other students who will be in your premed classes, nor that it justifies going into university and tough premed classes with two years less preparation compared to the many other students with whom you will be competing for grades.

One daughter is a DVM (medical doctor, but her patients include cows, horses, dogs, and a range of other animals). The required pre-vet classes that she took as an undergraduate student were the exact same classes as the required premed classes, and were full of very strong premed students. Many of these classes were very tough. As one example, she referred to organic chemistry as “the most difficult B- that I ever had in my life”. However, she was helped by the fact that she had waited to take organic chemistry until she was a junior in university, was very well prepared for it, and was probably about 20 or 21 years in age. This plus a LOT of very hard work was a big part of why she got a B- rather than a C, and I have heard that this difference does matter. Some students do get to medical school with a C or two, and organic chemistry is a likely class in which to get this. But if you wait until you are very, very ready to take it you are more likely to get a grade that will actually help your applications to medical school, or at least not hurt too much.

Premed classes will be full of very strong students. You do not need to be 17 years old competing in tough classes with very strong students who are 19 years old.

I will admit that I am to some extent speaking from experience, since I started university the week after my 17th birthday, and waiting a year probably would have helped me. I will also admit that your experience might be different from mine.

But I would be very cautious about this. Graduating one year early to me seems a lot better compared to graduating two years early.

And my apologies if I am mistaken regarding your intention to graduate high school early.

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I completely agree.

Our daughter applied to med school at the age of 23. Most of her med school classmates were very proficient in other languages and we’re using them to treat patients.

At the age of 24, my daughter and her classmates had social events at a local bar across the street from the medical school with her classmates and instructors.

Our daughter and her classmates went to med school during Covid. It wasn’t an urgent care clinic. So in the morning, they did vitals, and the afternoon they were tagging toes to put patients in body bags, in refrigerated trucks.

Daughter is mature for her age, but even she and her older classmates/physicians, could not handle that. They had to present the loss to family members, who couldn’t even be in the room when their family members passed away.
During one of her medical interviews, they asked her how she presented death results in the clinics where she interned.

Her med school classmates had experiences from all over the country and have competed for grades and clinical positions at very competitive universities.

The med schools want “prepared” mature people who can handle the most difficult diseases, GSW’s, lots of blood, bile, urine, vomit and fecal matter. They want students who are well-regarded by nursing staffs. They want students who know how to handle bed pans, adult diapers, dementia, homeless shelter patients and gangrenous smells. Your age, no matter how mature you think you may be, does not bode well for any advantage, and lack of a high school experience will impact you at a university.

There is always someone who is academically stronger, who has taken more calculus and biologically-based science classes. They will outperform you in undergrad because they’ve built experiences over the years in how to study for different professors. They’ve taken courses in the humanities that help them with science coursework.

Your current SAT and GPA is not as strong as what some seniors achieve in high school.

I don’t understand what your rush is unless you feel pressured by your parents.

What if you don’t get into MED school? Will you switch over to law school? (I was PreLaw and there was a lot of reading. Thankfully I had a strong humanities background in high school and in college, so I could read fast and comprehend/ interpret Latin as well as what I was reading during the first round.)

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Heed what @DadTwoGirls says.

That said if I didn’t know you were a two year student I’d say yes to all assuming cost isn’t an issue. SMU is need aware.

It doesn’t mean, as @DadTwoGirls notes it’s right.

Your SAT isn’t the issue. Two years of Spanish could be. But that’s all SMU looks for.

So I’d suspect all four but you will need to withdraw after an SMU acceptance.

Good luck.

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I know it may not seem as exciting - but Austin College in Sherman Texas would probably be thrilled to have you. Excellent pre-med advising and opportunities. Small school, small classes, low teacher/student ratio. Well known for their success launching the majority to med school. January abroad if desired. Close enough to catch SMU and TCU football! That’s really all they’re known for! :grin:

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Yes, you have gotten my situation right. I am a sophomore that has 26 credits and I am eligible to graduate (as a public school kid). I have already applied to the colleges but technically, I can still back out and continue on with junior year if I don’t really get into the college that I want to (SMU). Really, this is a tentative graduation and if it doesn’t work out, my parents and I have already decided we will wait another year (especially if the merit aid isn’t wonderful). I really appreciate the advice, really! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yikes! That sounds intense :face_with_peeking_eye:

No, I just don’t enjoy the fact of 2 more years of high school; parents were actually skeptical when I told them that I could graduate initially.

If I don’t get into med school first try, I’ll just take a gap year and if the circumstances present itself, I’ll take another one if on my second try I don’t get in. I guess extra opportunities for interning, shadowing, research, etc. Plus side, I won’t be behind because I shaved off two years of HS!

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Alright, thanks! As I said to DadTwoGirls, if my acceptances aren’t that great with barely any aid, I’ll just wait till junior year. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yes, my dad was talking about Austin College, we know a lot of families whose kids go there. He was telling me to apply there, but the issue is my parents want me to stay home and Austin College is over an hour drive. :pensive_face: Since I’ll be 16 when I go to college (if I decide to do so), it really poses a safety concern driving via the highway- and my parents won’t drive me more than an hour. All of these colleges (except for Baylor) are within an hour :slight_smile:

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The merit aid won’t be wonderful. It’s disappearing and limited. Many schools are transitioning their aid to need-based dollars.

Additionally, most students have been advised to take the PSAT in Junior year to qualify for National Merit status. If you’re relying on merit to go to a university, then you need to continue to increase your high school GPA.
There is no merit for med school. You have to rely on the Bank of Mom and Dad. Federal loans are decreasing. Med school is running about $100k per year. Will your parents pay $400K for med school?

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You applied ED. You’re unlikely to get a nickel. Why would they give you $$? You are contractually bound to attend. You may get lucky but it’s highly unlikely.

If you are relying on merit, you need to change your ED now to another type of admission.

If you get in with no merit and pull out, it’s unlikely they will consider you in future years.

You never apply ED if you need or expect money to attend, especially a full pay family.

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I’m going to repeat some of what I suggested in you other thread…

Another thing to consider. You say you plan to apply to medical school. There is no advantage (and maybe even a disadvantage) to applying to medical school when you are years younger than most applicants. @WayOutWestMom can correct me if I’m wrong. Read her response on your other thread.

Also, if you are a sophomore, you are likely about 16 years old. You need to check each college to see if they will allow you to live in their dorms at a younger age. Some colleges do not.

I just have to ask…what’s the rush here?

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There is no rush; I am just really eager to be done with high school :slightly_smiling_face: I am just “testing the waters” and maybe just probably going to graduate in junior year depending on the admissions cycle :pensive_face: . Also, if I get rejected from med school, I have the time to take a gap year (or two) because of graduating early.

Also, I am commuting to all of these colleges (except Baylor, that may be a problem).

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Is it too late to switch my plan to early action? That’s a problem :confused:

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Yes it’s a huge problem.

Did you read the contract that your family and your high school counselor signed? They also could likely ban your hs from future EDs.

That you didn’t realize this shows me that maybe you are not yet ready for college - maturity wise.

It looks like you have until November 10th so if you have a portal, go on it and see if it allows you to change from ED to EA.

Otherwise, you need to email your admission counselor and let them know you need to change from ED to EA. They won’t ask you why but if they do, let them know you’re unable to be bound due to financial considerations.

Good luck.

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That is a question for admissions staff at the university. Be polite and stay calm when talking to them.

Best wishes.

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Behind on what? What magical timeline are you trying to meet? There isn’t one — you make your own life. Your own timeline. With a million different unexpected twists and turns and experiences and people to meet. None of which you can fully plan for. Life is not boxes to check.

as others have asked, why the rush? What are you trying to get to? The journey is what it’s about, that’s what life is. Not the destination. And you are trying to fast forward through this incredible part of life when you have every option laid out ahead of you, so many paths to explore. Why race past all of it?

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Getting merit is difficult (if it exists) and you are competing with seniors who have more experiences and higher scores/grades. I also think that schools will not want to give merit to a student who will only be 16 when they graduate.

What is the rush? Medical school (among other paths) requires maturity and experience. While I am not suggesting that you are not mature for your age….I am suggesting that it is not the same as waiting and graduating with your peers.

My daughter chose a career path where interviews (if you received one) for acceptance to a program were intense. She had full-day interviews, multiple full-day interviews over 2 consecutive days, and full-day group interviews and situations. The questions and problems she was expected to discuss and navigate would have been impossible if she did not have the experiences that she did.

I cannot imagine attempting this at the age of 19 or 20. High scores and grades are not enough- there is a lot more to consider.

I would not rush the process.

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I get it. You hate being in high school. You’re bored and you’re eager beaver to get started on the rest of your life.

But that’s not how med school admission works. The fact that you’re so much younger than your fellow applicants and lack life experience will be held against you when you apply.

The odds of gaining a med school acceptance decline with each cycle you apply. (From 40% for the first round to less than 10% for the 3rd.) Med schools strongly discourage failed applicants from applying again immediately during the next application cycle; instead they recommend failed applicants take 2-3 years to work on and improve their applications before applying again. Rushing to apply, then failing to get an acceptance isn’t going shave any time off your journey.

Medical school isn’t some sort of prize for the bestest, fastest student. It’s a demanding career that exposes you to the some of the roughest situations that life offers. You’ll be dealing with people and their families on what could be the absolutely worst day of their lives.

Med schools select for those they believe will make good doctors, not just good students.

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You’re rushing things just because you can (“testing the waters”) and already you’’re making poor decisions. You applied ED and signed a binding agreement without fully understanding what that contract says and what the potential ramifications are. That tells me you’re not ready to start college yet. (Intellectually, maybe; emotionally and experientially, definitely not ready)

I suggest you withdraw all your applications. Take another year or even 2 to grow up a little bit more. Apply to college thoughtfully and understand fully what the expectations are for you and your family.

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How much aid do you need?

Please keep in mind that federally funded Direct Loans (those are the ones students take) are now limited to $200,000 total, including all undergrad loans. Medical school will cost you a lot unless you are fortunate enough to eventually get accepted in Texas…which can be a challenge. Who is going to pay for medical school when you are barely 20 years old when you apply?

SMU is a costly school. Tuition alone is about $64,500…now. Likely to increase for next year. And there are costs associated with commuting. And books, etc. Can your family pay over $65,000 for you to attend college…per year…at least?

Re: your chances…really the only one that matters right now is SMU because you applied early decision. You have a chance of being accepted…but you need to look at the costs. If not affordable, an acceptance might just as well be a rejection. You said your parents are wealthy and own some urgent care centers. Are they willing to pay full freight for SMU, and then medical school. Not a bargain.

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