Chance Me: NJ Rising senior ( 3.8 UW GPA, 1470 SAT, Athlete) for BS Bio and BS/MD [<$50k]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics
US National, NJ Resident, Public High School, Varsity Level Athlete

Cost Constraints / Budget
Max 50K COA, will aim for merit scholarships

Intended Major(s)
Biology with Pre-Med, Pre Health tracks

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
4.2 W GPA, 1470 SAT (super score, 1440 in one sitting)

List your HS coursework
*Grade 12- Enrolled in AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Psychology, AP Statistics
*Grade 11 - AP Biology (Score 5), Genetics (Grade A), AP Calculus AB (Score 5), Honors
Organic Chemistry (Grade A), Spanish IV Honors (Grade A)
*Grade 10 - Honors Chemistry(A), Honors Precalculus (B+), Human Anatomy and Physiology (Grade A), Spanish III Honors (Grade A)
*Grade 9 - Honors Biology (Grade B+), Honors Algebra II (Grade B+), and AP Computer Science (Score 4), Spanish II Honors (Grade A)
*Grade scheme:
A+ =97-100, A= 92-96, A-=90-91, B+=87-89, B=82-86

Awards
*Earned Seal of Biliteracy for proficiency in Spanish language.
*Academic Honor Roll for Grade 8, Grade 9 and Grade 10. Presidential Award (2022)- Grade 8.
*Placed third in regional tournament for NJ Olympiad in 2025.

** Publications**

  • Conducted a longitudinal field study on habit formation’s effects on mood. Published the results in Curieux Academic Journal.
  • Published multiple duckweed protein sequences to NCBI.

Extracurriculars
*Have been playing on Freshman, JV and Varsity soccer teams in high school. Recognized for “Most goals on JV team” as a sophomore.
*Actively completing at inter-school leagues and regional levels via school clubs Academic League club.
*Summer 2023 Waksman Institute Summer Experience, Rutgers University, Busch Campus, NJ.
*Toxicology Health and Environmental Disease - Summer Program, Rutgers University, Busch Campus, NJ.

  • Shadowed in person Cardiologist (40 hrs), Opthalmologist (4 hrs). Shadowed virtual Dermatologist, Oncologist and Anesthesiologist (8 hrs)

** Volunteering**

  • Volunteered at hospital 130 hours, teaching aide - 44 hours, Senior center - 20 hours, Food Pantry - 20 hours

Essays/LORs/Other
*Expecting strong LORs from Biology, Language Arts and School counselor

BS Biology Schools: My judgement of safety/target/reach and how I intend to apply
Safety - Penn State-Univ Park: EA
Safety - Texas A&M: EA
Safety - Ohio State University: EA
Target - Clemson University: RD
Target - Stony Brook: EA
Target - University of Rochester: RD
Target - Univ of Pittsburg: EA
Reach - Univ of Florida: EA
Reach - Univ of Maryland - College Park: EA
Reach - Univ of Virginia: RD
Reach - Boston University: RD
Reach - Case Western Reserve University: EA
Reach - UNC Chapel Hill: EA

**BS/MD schools
Rutgers/NJMS
NJIT/NJMS
TCNJ/NJMS
RPI/Albany
Rowan/ Cooper Medical
Stony Brook/ Renaissance Medical

Please evaluate my chances for BS Biology programs at listed schools and also for BS/MD programs at Listed schools. Does the BS Biology lost look balanced covering target and reach? What are my chances at merit scholarships?

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I would run the NPCs on these schools if you have not already. Your list needs to be based on your budget. Your current list includes many that will likely not be affordable.

I would create 3 lists of schools:
List 1- these schools look affordable based on the NPC
List 2- these schools have a good chance of providing merit (no FA)
List 3- includes at least 2 schools that are assured for acceptance and cost

I would include your state school (not BS/MD) as a likely and I would take a look at SUNY Geneseo (participates in the tuition match). UB is another one to look at.

BS/MD programs are highly, highly competitive. Penn State is not a safety as there is no merit. You will prob get accepted to Ohio State but merit is not guaranteed.

If UVA and UNC do not look affordable based on the NPC, I would remove them. Keep them if they look affordable, but recognize that they are both very high reaches.

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So no to BS/MD. But - I’m not an adcom so it’s just an opinion.

Why did you stop at Calc AB. ?

So when you have a budget, you need to build a list around it.

You haven’t.

Penn State is $56k tuition room and board today. Going higher. Merit near impossible. You’ll get in but can’t go. Sub Delaware or WVU. Ohio State is possible…Michigan State too. To stay local Bing. UMass might work and for smaller - Miami Ohio.

A&M is just over budget. Sub Alabama - $22k all in and has the McCullough Pre Medical Scholars. There a reason ($22k) that 2k kids go from the NY/NJ/CT region. Others - Florida State, Ms State, OU. UF will nudge just under.

OSU not assured but possible with merit.

Clemson - no shot - over budget. Little shot of merit. U of SC - possible. UGA as well.

Stony Brook - yes

Rochester - have you done the NPC. Only if you have need. It’s a target.

Pitt - likely in but little shot of merit. You could keep but unlikely. Apply early.

UF - target/slight reach. Will hit. Bama is the safe UF - similar in many ways and easier to get in and for you budget friendly thanks to your stats.

BU - little chance. Run NPC. If don’t have need remove. Same with Case but a better chance but unlikely to hit but not impossible like BU. U Denver a safer bet to hit (barely).

UNC - no shot of budget. Unlikely in.

Edit - missed UVA - unless need no chance of budget. Not even close.

Honestly - you’ve done as many do. You’ve built a list on name while you have a budget. When you have a budget, you need to build a list using the budget.

First link have your folks fill out. See if you qualify for need aid.

2nd link - a budget friendly, solid school for you that keeps money in the bank for grad / med school.

Good luck.

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If you are not accepted to the BS/MD program, do you know whether you will be accepted as a normal undergraduate student?

As I understand it, BS/MD programs are exceptionally competitive for admissions. I do not understand how anyone would be accepted to these programs unless both the student and the admissions office were very, very confident that they were going to want to stay on the MD track (assuming that they can handle the academics).

You have some experience in shadowing doctors of various kinds. Whether your amount of experience in a medical environment is sufficient I am not sure. The people I know who were accepted to medical related graduate programs (master’s, PA, DVM, biomedical PhD) all had vastly more related experience, and very good experience, but were applying after getting a bachelor’s degree.

You need to budget for a full 8 years of university if you want to keep open the option of ever attending medical school. Given how much medical experience you have, to me it looks like you do want to keep this option open and budget accordingly.

I am concerned that your safety and target schools are all out of state public schools. I do not understand why someone who is planning on an 8 year plan would spend extra to attend university out of state, even when the out of state public university is just as good as your more affordable in-state options.

In terms of the private schools on your list (BU, Case Western) you (or your parents) should run the NPC and make sure that they are likely to fit into a realistic budget that handles a full 8 years of university.

I think that you need to make sure that your in-state public universities will accept you as a regular undergraduate student if you are not accepted to the BS/MD program.

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What is your unweighted GPA?

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From personal experience, I don’t see Penn state, Clemson, Pitt, UMD or BU coming in under budget if accepted.

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A safety school is assured for acceptance and cost. I don’t see any on this list. I would find at least 2 and build from there.

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What is your unweighted GPA?

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I do not know. My school does not provide unweighted GPA. I am trying to find a tool to covert.

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I do not know. My school does not provide unweighted GPA. I am trying to find a tool to covert.

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You don’t need a tool.

Take your core classes - not PE, Drivers Ed, Health.

Each A gets 4. B gets 3. C gets 2. Doesn’t matter if + or - just 4, 3, 2

Add them up. Divide by # of classes. That’s your unweighted.

Straight As, as an example, is a 4.0 exactly half As, half Bs is 3.5.

Weighted tells users little because there are many weighting systems. So unweighted gives you an apples to apples comparison with other applicants. .

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Thank you !
I wanted to provide some more context. 3 of the 6 BS/MD schools on my list are state public schools and will consider an application for undergraduate degree in case there is no acceptance to BS/MD program. I’m considering these 3 as safety schools for cost and acceptance.
I’m working on understanding better the financial constraints with my parents. But meanwhile, my request for you is: Keeping the financial part aside, what is your opinion on my list of BS Biology schools? Are they good pre-med programs providing ample shadowing / clinical / research opportunities? Are they proven in terms of matriculation to med school ?

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Once you understand the finances and have a firm budget, you will be able to make a list of schools.

You can get to medical school from any school on your list- that’s on you. “Keeping the financial part aside” is not realistic.

Keep in mind that many/most premeds shadow at home during breaks, and many begin with their pediatrician.

You will be seeking out volunteer opportunities- that is also on you. Keep in mind that many do not attend medical school straight from undergrad. They take time to strengthen their application, which includes working in underserved communities/populations.

Glad to hear that your state schools are on the list! Rutgers has a lot to offer.

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This is excellent.

Yes. Your in-state public schools provide very good opportunities.

As others have said, you can get into very good medical schools from any one of a very large number of universities. If you get to medical school in the future, you will find that other students in the same MD or DO program come from a huge range of other universities. The same would be true of other biomedical graduate programs and a wide range of other graduate programs (just in case you change your mind about becoming a doctor – many premed students do change their mind when they get to university and discover other options).

Best wishes.

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Calculating a grade point average is basically a word problem in math. For all of your semesters in academic courses (not stuff like health or PE), count A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. Add up these values, and divide by the number of grades.

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Thank you for the formula!
My unweighted GPA comes to 3.8 with core courses.

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3.8

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So - if you think you don’t qualify for need aid, you can remove Penn State, Clemson, UNC and UVA. UVA and UNC do meet need so if you have need aid.

You can apply to hit but it’s highly unlikely to make budget. Same with Maryland - there’s a shot - but 10% or less. Texas A&M - a little better odds to meet budget.

Ohio State can get there with merit but it’s not assured. Stony Brook will as will UF.

BU Is unlikely too as is Rochster. CWRU - a better but not great chance.

SO you’ve done what many have done - built a school list without using your budget.

When you have a budget, it needs to drive your decision.

So you want “merit” - well U of Alabama will give you $28K off $51K or so - that’s fixed given your stats. So low 20s - and they have McCullough Medical Scholars. Few schools appear to have a program like this.

Penn State isn’t affordable. WVU is a like school. Full Cost is $44K. You’ll get $17K off or if below a 3.8 $11K off. So that’s fixed.

Other schools - U of SC will get you low 30s - but it’s not fixed. I’m guessing. Miami Ohio - similar size to Pitt but rural vs. urban - is $57K. But they’ll have a scholarship of at least x $ that gets you under.

FSU is less than UF - which already makes budget. UGA could be.

So three are schools that will 100% get you under and you need two, schools that may get you under, and schools that won’t. Get rid of those now. No point in applying where you can’t go.

So while it’s nice to have big names, you gotta sub some out.

And you can go as low as $20K…saving $$ if that’s important to you - saving for med school. Med School won’t care if you go to North Carolina or Northern Illinois.

Program Description – McCollough Scholars

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I’m not sure why you have all of these out of state state schools on your list.

Unless you get merit, they’ll cost way more than Rutgers, and they aren’t really any better than Rutgers, except for UNC and U VA. Both of the latter schools are difficult for an out of state to get into (especially UNC), and then you’ll need to get aid.

Run the NPC for every school, of course.

BU is notorious for not coming close to meeting need and for charging a ton. Run the NPC, but drop it if the cost is high.

Rochester is a great school, and doesn’t get the attention and recognition it deserves. They give excellent aid and merit scholarships if you qualify. Run the NPC here. If you get no aid, you probably won’t get enough merit to bring the cost down to $50K. If you have need, they could be cheaper than Rutgers, depending on your need. They meet full need, but are need aware.

To me, the two best academic schools in here are Rochester and Case Western, followed by RPI if you don’t mind a STEM school. (I prefer smaller schools and smaller classes).

Bear in mind that athletics are just another activity unless you are recruitable. I think they’re a great activity, but I believe admissions not only sees a lot of them, but, especially at the small schools, they have so many recruited athletes that they’re not excited about seeing additional athletes.They’re good to round you out - too many applicants look like just another nerd, as their applications are filled with math and chess and robotics and science fairs - but don’t headline them or your achievements in them, such as most goals scored in JV team.

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Thank you. I’m looking through all the schools you’ve suggested. McCollough looks very interesting !

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