<p>Hello there, I was wondering if you can use something you’re good at to get into an ivy league college or possibly even to an accelerated program.
I’m currently a junior right now, my GPA is a bit above average while my SAT is average.
I want to major in the medical field and so after some searching i found out that accelerated medical programs are the best. However, the problem i keep facing is that my SAT is not high enough for these ivy league colleges/ accelerated programs.
I’ve been in band since 4th grade and since entering high school, i started playing an instrument that not a lot of people play, the french horn. I’ve been told by my teacher that there are some colleges (not ivy leagues) that would even pay horn players(if they’re low on people in that particular section) to play for them.
I’ve been thinking for awhile but im not sure if something like this is possible.
Would i be able to get into an ivy league college/ accelerated program if i:
auditioned in the district and state orchestras and get in (Very competitive and hard, recognized as an outstanding achievement)
get above or at least a 2000 on the SAT
volunteer over several hundred hours at different hospitals
volunteer overseas ( I’ve done this a couple of times, still doing it)
keep my GPA above average
Be in mainly honors and ap classes senior year
<strong>I was thinking about going to an ivy league college/ accelerated program that has a music program so that i can still play my french horn</strong></p>
<p>Academic: (my school itself has been known to be a level down in general, im not sure why)</p>
<p>fresh-
Algebra I/ Hnrs English I/ French I/ Bio / Academic Modern World History and Geography/ Band I</p>
<p>soph-
Geometry/ Hnrs English II/ French II/ Chemistry/ AP US I/ Hnrs Band II
(I was recommended for hnrs algebra 2 for jr year however i took it over the summer and was able to jump a level)</p>
<p>jr-
Pre-cal/ Hnrs English III/ French III/ Hnrs Physics/ AP US II/ Hnrs Band III</p>
<p>senior (confirmed schedule already made for senior year)-
AP Calc/ Hnrs English IV/ Hnrs French IV/ AP Bio/ Hnrs Band III
(I was going to take AP Stats, however, because i took band for all 3 years as my elective i needed to use the empty spot to take a different elective in order to reach my graduation requirement for my school)</p>
<p>Some activities that i’m in:
-Break and Drill Team 3 yrs (will have done 4 yrs by senior year)
-Concert and Marching band 3 yrs (will have done 4 years by senior year)
-Astronomy Club Secretary 1 yr (will have done 2 years by senior year)
-Wind Ensemble 3 yrs (will have done 4 years by senior year) Can only get in if you audition and pass it.
-Concertino 1 yr (will have done 2 years by senior year) Can only get in if you’re personally asked by the director.
-Pit Orchestra 3 yrs( will have done 4 years by senior year) Can only get in if you’re personally asked by the director.
-NHS 1 yr ( will have done 2 yrs by senior year. Planning on running for secretary for NHS) Only available to juniors and seniors.
-Forensics (debate/speech) 2 yrs (will have done 3 by senior year)</p>
<p>And thats all so far. I’ve been told its the quality and not the quantity of what you do and i hope that’s true.</p>
<p>Please tell me if it is possible to do what im planning to do.
Some feedback would be very appreciated!
Please and thank you!</p>
<p>The schools you mention are academic institutions first and foremost. Just above average GPA and average SAT will knock you out most likely. (my college rejects most applicants with even 2400 SAT). A level of musical accomplishment won’t make up for that – neither will hours volunteering. I recruit for an HYP college. My word of advice for my audiences is this: “If you’re one of the handful of top scholars in your class: known by the teachers and the principal – then you just might be a viable candidate”</p>
<p>By implication, if one isn’t one of these, then he/she isn’t a viable candidate. </p>
<p>I’m sorry but the competition for these tippy top schools is just incredibly intense and “just above average” GPA and test scores will almost certainly eliminate you. </p>
<p>However, it seems you have TONS going for you regardless. Speak with your guidance counselor, tell him her your career ambitions and see what colleges have accepted previous students with similar metrics as yours. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>You have to keep in mind that with the overall strength and size of the applicant pool, it is very likely that there will be someone with the same musical or other extracurricular abilities, but who also have high GPA/SAT’s</p>
<p>About the music thing. I assume your outstanding acceptance into your state orchestra was All State? And the feat of All State honestly depends on where you live, it’s more valued by colleges if you were accepted into All State in Cali or NY over somewhere like Georgia.</p>
<p>Anyways, you don’t need to be a music major to pursue your musical interests in college. Just audition for your college’s symphony orchestra or something.</p>
<p>For applicants to tippy top colleges coming from typical high schools, top 5% isn’t enough, top 1% is questionable. Top one or two students out of a class of 300 or 400 is more like it.</p>
<p>Ivy Leagues aren’t going to give you a huge advantage in medicine. Your GPA may suffer in a competitive college environment (we can argue about grade inflation) and med schools don’t really weigh GPAs. Having the name of an Ivy attached to your resume is only vital to succeed in a few select fields (finance, etc.)</p>
<p>Try Sophie Davis, Brooklyn Bio-Med (both in CUNY), Stony Brook’s BA/MD, WashU-StL maybe. Do some work in science (try some research) to boost your med credentials and demonstrate interest.</p>
<p>Given your interests and your goals, why not take a look at some LACs? With your interest in music, Oberlin would be particularly good. There is a music performance every night of the school year, so they say. Lots of musically inclined/gifted students there. Consider Grinnell, as well - They have their own observatory, as well as exceptional sciences, no distribution requirements, state-of-the-art facilities, great mentoring and generous merit and financial aid. If you are in the top 15% of your class and get an SAT over 2000, these schools would be a match, especially if you demonstrate some interest by visiting.</p>
<p>Yes. there are accelerated medical school programs at other schools that are very good. But you have to understand that the accelerated programs, regardless of the school, usually look for exceptionally strong academic candidates. They were essentially designed for the talented and gifted students. That doesn’t mean that you can’t go to medical school, it just means that you will probably have to take the traditional route of attending a 4 year college and then applying for medical school.</p>
<p>“Are ba/md bs/md programs that are not ivy league ones still good then?”</p>
<p>It is not necessary to go to an ivy league, or even a top 10 school, to get into medical school. Med schools are concerned with your state of residency (yes, this matters a lot), your GPA, your MCAT, your work/life experiences, and how you stack up against your peers. The name of the school counts for comparatively little.</p>