College Search Help

College Search & Lists
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<p>I need to have a few idealistic colleges to apply to and some safeties, but I’ve been having difficulty. I want a medium sized college with good academics, but the students are happy and have fun.</p>

<p>I’m applying to these schools (in order of preference): Yale, Princeton, Stanford, UChicago, Harvard, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Vandy, WashU, Michigan, UVA, BU, Loyola (Safety) and UTK (accepted).</p>

<p>Test Scores: ACT (31, 32 superscore), SAT (1990, 1320 CR+M), Math Lvl 2 (760), Biology M (740), Math Lvl 1 (740), Biology E (630), Chemistry (600), and Spanish (TBA, but it won’t be good). I thought that the Biology E was looked at differently, but I found out too late that it was just graded more critically. The only reason I took the chemistry before completing more of Chemistry II was to request an application to Northwestern’s HPME program, which I didn’t get into. The main reason I took so many Subject Tests is because I want something that the AdCom can compare me to students that go to schools with APs since my school doesn’t have any.</p>

<p>I’ve attended a summer camp at Vanderbilt Summer Academy for engineering and for medicine. I’m one of four valedictorians, and have taken the most advanced classes except for the one AP we offered (APUSH, the worst of the APs). My school doesn’t do many activities, and the staff doesn’t really push for us to go to any school other than community colleges. I’ve won some local math competitions, placing in my region one year. Every year I receive the top honors in math and Spanish. I’m president of my school’s reading mentorship program, Spanish Honor Society, and HOSA, although none of our clubs do anything other than the annual competition. I ran cross country my Senior year, but I’m not good at it. This past year I won a state competition in Business Calculations in FBLA and was able to attend nationals. I’m in many other clubs, but most of them don’t and/or won’t do anything. The administration/sponsors are pretty stubborn. For example, our reading mentorship program was restricted to reading to children 7:00 a.m. on Wednesdays when children weren’t even at school. I don’t see how that even makes sense.</p>

<p>Outside of school I mainly take care of my sister while my mom works crazy hours. I can’t commit myself to many extracurriculars since my sister has to come first. Also, I have to miss school from time to time for my Crohn’s disease. Even with procedures and doctor’s appointment, I still try my hardest in school which I hope the AdCom can see. I don’t have many volunteer opportunities in my area, a rural town without a Walmart and 45 minutes away from anything entertaining, but I am a Committee Chair for Children’s Hospital benefit that takes place over Thanksgiving break, committing all of my break to helping run the event.</p>

<p>All in all, I think I have what it takes to thrive in the schools, I just hope that my scores won’t be a hindrance. I would also like a LGBT-friendly community.</p>

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<p>If you are interested in science or engineering for pre-med and you would like to be in Chicago, take a look at Illinois Institute of Technology. It is smaller than your other choices but you definitely would get in and there will be a good financial aid package.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

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<p>Some schools weight test scores more highly than others, and the people on this forum can probably tell you which is which. But you really seem to have the right attitude, and you should do everything you can to convey that in your application.</p>

<p>Just this week an admissions officer at Johns Hopkins wrote about how they evaluate applicants, which might help you get some perspective:</p>

<p>[Hopkins</a> Insider Our Approach to Application Review ? Part One](<a href=“Taiga”>Taiga)</p>

<p>[Hopkins</a> Insider Our Approach to Application Review ? Part Two](<a href=“Taiga”>Taiga)</p>

<p>If some of the schools on your list take a similar approach, hopefully they can see past the test scores.</p>

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<p>Might look at Holy Cross-very good school with nice campus 1 hour from Boston. Holy Cross has great science programs, new $70 million science building, and sponsors internships. HC has one of the best alumni networks that helps in job placement and the school has strong sense of community. Holy Cross students also do a lot of volunteer work for service organizations. The HC website is pretty good.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all of your input! Sorry, I should have specified my undergraduate/postgraduate interests. I’m planning on working around Spain, Portugal, and Northern Africa as a pediatric cardiologist. As for undergrad, I think a background in education, human anatomy, child studies, education, Spanish, and/or African studies would best prepare me for that field. Plus, I just have so many interests that I’ve tried to combine them as much as possible.</p>