<p>When I read your thread title, I assumed you were already in Medical School, trying to figure out how to break the news to your Mom by phone!</p>
<p>I think that’ll give you a bit of perspective on how some parents, including myself, see your situation. You have time to work on all of this.</p>
<p>Don’t stress out. </p>
<p>As for the other girl at school who is so shiny-brilliant, that is okay. You can have a fine career in any field, even when (or especially because) that field includes some very astonishing people who will operate in the stratosphere of that career. Perhaps you just met one of them early on. That doesn’t mean you can’t both be in the same career category, IF you and she still want to do it years from now. By analogy, every army has a tiny number of Generals and many more Captains; both are leaders; and neither can function without the other’s commitment.</p>
<p>I agree it might make sense to give a club called “Future Doctors of America” a rest for now. Join another science club, and tell Mom it’s good for your college apps to have some diversity in your EC’s, which is true. Is there a biology or ES club that does some environmental testing of fish populations or water quality, for example? Get out of the labs and into a boat!</p>