Chance Me/Match Me: International Pre-Med/BioChem at JHU Aspirant, 3.75 GPA, 1550 SAT

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

International [West Africa], Private school, not legacy to anywhere [parents attended university in the country] female, converting to catholicism so locations with a large catholic population/catholic schools are favoured for matching. Also would prefer locations/schools with a larger POC and/or black population. I’m only allowed to apply to 6 schools so any matches I like would end up replacing any non JHU or Fordham school on my list

Cost Constraints / Budget
MAX 100k per year including on campus living, food plans and everything before scholarships.

Intended Major(s)
Biochemistry/Chemistry

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.75-3.8 i’m really not too sure

  • Class Rank: 26/106 at the end of the year last year, 15/106 as it stands

  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1550 PSAT, taking the real SAT in September

List your HS coursework

IGCSE:
English Lit
English
Math
Additional Math
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
French
Accounting

A-Level:
Biology
Chemistry
Math
Literature

Awards

Gold Medalist 2024 National STEM Olympiad, International Finalist in Chemistry [final is this year]

Silver Medalist 2023 National STEM Olympiad

Bronze Medalist 2022 National STEM Olympiad, International Finalist in Chemistry but i wasn’t able to go due to Visa issues

SASMO Certificate of Participation 2022

School Accounting Prize 2024

School Silver Honour Roll 2023

School Bronze Honour Roll 2024

ICE Certificate

9 IGCSEs, School Predicated 7As 2A+, aiming for 7A+ 2A

4 A-Levels, Predicted 2A 2A+

ORA Explore Medicine 2023

French Immersion Program 2024

ORA Explore Medicine 2025

JHU, Baylor, Fordham Summer programs 2025 [Online, Asynchronous]

John Locke Institute Essay Competition [Theology] 2025

Queens Common Wealth Essay Competition 2025

Community Service and Lab work Club Head Tutor 2023-24, 24-25
Public school students would come to our school to use our lab. As the head tutor I supervised and carried out experiments in the field of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and prepared teaching material to teach these students grade 7-9 science appropriate for their grade. Consistently organised end of year parties at their school and designed engaging games and class activities for the students.

Chess Club Co-President for one Trimester 2024

Volunteering at the national blindness association. 50 hours ~. 2025
I’m planning on starting a project due to my love of sewing where I design disability aids and clothing for the children. May also host a fashion show or sell my designs and donate to the charity.

Tutoring 7th grade biology students for 3 years after school. 2023-2025
My 9th grade Biology teacher and I organised a program where struggling 7th graders could come every Thursday After school and revise for tests and be re-taught topics which they didn’t understand in class. Students who had been gravely ill were also allowed to come there and catch up with work.

Hospital Work Shadowing 2024 [one day]

Hospital Work Shadowing 2025 10 days 80 Hours

Essays/LORs/Other
Would say my essays and LORs are Ok, My biology teacher and the head of the Lab work Club are writing letters for me. I’m also trying to get an LOR from the head of the national blindness association and the head of surgery and anesthesia at the hospital i’m shadowing at.

Schools

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability):
  • Extremely Likely: Fordham
  • Likely:
  • Toss-up: Villanova
  • Lower Probability: Georgetown
  • Low Probability: JHU [ED], Barnard, Rice
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The highest possible score on the PSAT is 1520. Do you mean a SAT practice test?

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ohh i mixed up the two. i did mean a practice test

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I would move Villanova, with a 25% acceptance rate, to the lower probability category, Georgetown to low probability, Fordham to likely.

For a more likely Catholic college in a city I’d add Loyola Chicago for an extremely likely.

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Be aware that getting into a US medical school as an international student is extremely unlikely, even in comparison to the usual unlikeliness of getting into a US medical school as a US domestic student. US medical school is also extremely expensive (over USD $100k per year for four years).

Does this mean that you and your parents can spend USD $100k per year ($400k total) for your undergraduate school? Also note the cost of medical school.

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Yes it does mean they can spend 400k total for undergraduate.

My pre-med status is not completely set in stone as my parents want me to go into medicine, but after Undergrad I’d like to also consider Pharm School or a career in academia. By the time I’ve finished my first year of undergraduate studies we plan on reassessing everything.

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What do you (as opposed to your parents) really want to do?

Academia is also an extremely selective path in the US generally.

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I really wouldn’t mind any of the three fields, my parents aren’t picky about what specialty in medicine I do so I chose anaesthesia for myself. It also would probably make the most money. I like pharmaceuticals because I’m physically disabled [not formally diagnosed with anything yet but I have some sort of chronic pain disorder] and people under that demographic are usually marginalised in the pharmacy industry, so I have an unrelated personal interest as well as that. But I’d also be able to serve that community in the medical field too and also compromise with my parents.

But honestly, academics was my first love out of the three. Since I was 6 or 7 I always said I wanted to be a teacher, even though I oscillated between primary school and being a professor. I’m aware of my slim chances for all three though and I’ve just decided to stick with medicine for now to ensure I’ll keep my parents funding.

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Jesuit colleges may give you the Catholic type edge without requiring mass. They also appreciate diversity so being international may be a positive in your application.

Perhaps look into College of the Holy Cross. I’d want to take Dr. Andre Issacs’ chemistry classes. (drdre4000 on social media platforms).

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Yes! My chem major D follows his social media accounts and shows his posts in chem club. OP, check out his social media if you are interested in fun and inspiring posts on chemistry and science… often highlighting achievements by Black scientists.

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@WayOutWestMom can verify, but I believe your chances of getting accepted to a U.S. medical school as an international student are very low.

ETA…it’s way too early to think about a medical specialty. You have four years of undergrad and then medical school. Your Step scores, shelf tests, ECs, letters of reference, and specifically LOR if you do elective rotations in anesthesiology will be important.

Have you looked into the path to becoming a doctor in your home country.

If you get accepted as an undergrad here, you will be on a student visa, and once your studies have ended, it’s very possible you will need to return to your home country.

I’m wondering if you might consider a HBCU like Howard University (in DC).

Are you looking at any colleges in your home country or in places other than the U.S.

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My counsellor recently recommended Howard to me, but I’m yet to go over it with my parents. I do like D.C though so I was considering applying there instead of applying to George Town which may be more difficult to get into.

Yes I have looked at local schools, but currently my parents want to avoid me staying in Africa as much as possible. As far as colleges in other countries go, I had an interview with someone from St George’s Medical School program earlier last year and they thought I’d be a good fit. My father doesn’t like the location though. Same thing with the University of Lancaster but my father is set on me going to the U.S and I doubt he’d fund anything if I don’t end up going there.

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Thank you so much for this recommendation. @2plustrio, I’ll look into it

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Your father needs to understand that going to medical school eventually in the United States is a long shot for you.

@WayOutWestMom

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Please understand how difficult it is for non-US students to get accepted into a US medical school.

Last year only 130 international students matriculated into all US MD schools combined. Over 1300 applied.

Of those 130, it’s estimated that 85% of those internationals are Canadian. Why Canadian? Because of 2 factors: 1.) more US medical schools will consider Canadian students for admission than other international applicants. 2.) Canadian students are eligible for Canadian government-sponsored loans to pay for med school. Non US students are responsible for paying 100% of the cost of their medical education in the US.

Also internationals who do complete med school in the US are not guaranteed that they will qualify for a visa to stay and complete residency in the US. The vast majority of US residency programs do not sponsor visas. Those that do only sponsor J-1 visas which require you to return home at the end of your training.

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