<p>COSMOS recommends students to identify three clusters as their top priorities during the application process in order to “maximize” their chances of being admitted into the program.
I am a prospective freshman applicant for UCD Biomed, which by far transcends all other clusters with respect to the relative levels of rigor in selectivity. </p>
<p>admission stats 2010:
of 679 people who decided to attend the UCD Campus, 292 applied to Biomedical Sciences: that translates to 43% of all prospective UC Davis applicants.
only 40 people out of 292 applicants are enrolled: 13.698%</p>
<p>My Question: Since I am currently enrolled as a 9th grader, I do not fulfill prerequisites for a vast majority of UCD clusters(I have yet to complete courses in trig, chem, physics); hence, my ineligibility to apply for any cluster save biomed.
Has this utterly obliterated my chances of receiving a spot in the cluster, or does anyone still perceive a glimmer of hope in my abysmal predicament?</p>
<p>I understand that there are 9th graders who are studying trig after becoming qualified to skip an entire year.</p>
<p>Despite my being qualified to do so as well, my district uses 5th grade public school STAR results as a basis to determine which classes students take, which, much to my bitter resentment towards this ignominiously flawed system, was the year before I underwent the transition of attending a local public school.</p>
<p>my current academic standing:
all honors (9H english, 9H Geometry, and 9H Biology; most teachers post grades for all students to examine, so I know that I am #1 in math…but not so certain in bio–no public grade posting–)</p>
<p>4.0 gpa unweighted(my school only permits us to take APs in junior year)</p>
<p>american cancer society club (fundraisers to support cancer research; will be a candidate in upcoming officer election)</p>
<p>Medcorps (an academic organization that focuses on spreading public awareness of various diseases; compiles information on volunteer/internship opportunities; will apply for officer position)</p>
<p>American Red Cross Club</p>
<p>Health Fair (hold position in committee that is collaborating with other clubs, local hospitals, health organizations, etc. to present a school event where professionals and guest speakers are invited to promote healthy living)</p>
<p>MedicalExplorers (will be applying for officer position–activities coordinator–; this hospital organizations provides students with opportunities to attend monthly lectures by various doctors who introduce their profession and how students can pursue that field of science; job shadowing activities for students to observe physicians at work and actively participate in procedures) </p>
<p>Volunteer at American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, but no hospitals yet since the age requirement is at least 16</p>
<p>Observing how hopeless I am is giving me an apoplexy.</p>
<p>Are you familiar with the stats of students who have been accepted in the past? If so, please provide information because I am currently wondering what COSMOS considers to be most “significant.”
I know people who had never participated in Science Bowl, major projects, or other prestigious science competitions, yet they were accepted while other students more qualified in grades were rejected…</p>
<p>From what I heard, COSMOs prefers applicants who have more qualifications (SATs, more ECs). They take mostly upcoming juniors and seniors, so I would wait until next year to apply to COSMOS.</p>
<p>When a freshman has the same ECs as a sophomore, which one would COSMOS most likely select?</p>
<p>@illusiondestiny I am contemplating to attend SIMR next year, and the fact that sophomore science instructors at my school refuse to write more than one recommendation limits my summer program options to one…</p>
<p>COSMOS is a really good program. I went there. I had one of the best times of my life and I never wanted to go back to high school.</p>
<p>BTW, almost everyone I know at COSMOS ended up at Stanford, MIT, Ivies, etc. At the very least, everyone got into Berkeley. It’s an awesome program.</p>
<p>I attended Astrophysics $ Astronomy at UC Santa Cruz. They’re department on Astronomy is phenomenal. I studied under a grad student who turned down Harvard to study here!! She’s so smart.</p>
<p>Does participation (and achieving awards) in Bio Olympiad, Chemistry Olympiad, Science Bowl, etc. basically guarantee you a spot in any prestigious summer program, especially COSMOS? </p>
<p>I will definitely study those sciences independently over the summer in order to compete next year.</p>
<p>I’m not sure whether COSMOS is like this ( I applied to several summer programs, and they said something about this), but they would prefer to take the sophomore over the freshman because they would have fewer opportunities to apply. The freshman can still wait until next year to apply again.</p>
<p>does anyone have any stats about the UCI campus? Specifically the tissue & tumor bio, astrnomy and astrophysics, and the world of molecules classes?</p>
<p>When COSMOS, or any other summer program/university, requires applicants to provide a personal statement, do professors “look” specifically for a particular trait, interest, etc in your essay that they use as a standard determining factor? Or is entirely at their discretion?</p>
<p>I am asking this because I have always wondered if the staff only select students who expressed certain qualities in their statements, as though the essays are expected to be written according to a special formula.</p>
<p>i’m a senior and went to COSMOS in sophomore year at UCI. didnt like it. research was like a group. advising you guys to apply to SSP or NOT the UCI campus</p>