Well, I am a current freshman (I know, a little early to be thinking about college), but I participate in a very competitive charter school. I am transferring to a public school for my sophomore year, but my counselor was trying to get me out of it. In the midst of trying to change my mind, the counselor asked me which college I wanted to go to. I guess every competitive student’s answer would be any of the Top 20 schools, but I would really like to attend Soka University of America. It’s a private school that is recognized for its positive and outreaching environment (recognized in my community, not globally or even throughout the states). I’ve been told that I have the capability to go to a school’s like Stanford and Yale. I mean, I even took PreCalculus, AP Chem, and AP US History this year. My issue is, Soka doesn’t accept any AP classes for credits. By the time senior year roles around, almost all of my classes will be APs. And I would have already gotten all of my credits to graduate high school (I have 11 left out of the 24). The point is, there would be no reason as to why I would take senior year if I have all of my credits. Taking AP classes wouldn’t benefit me at all, since they don’t even count.
I just don’t know what to do. I know there are many people who get into Ivy League graduate schools after undergraduate at Soka.
My question is: if I were to complete senior year, sent in my admissions to a top selected school (just to see what my chances were), got accepted into let’s say Yale, but decided to go to Soka instead, would I have a higher chance of being able to attend an Ivy League for graduate school?
For anyone thinking about saying this, I know it would look better on job applications to say that I was a student of an Ivy League compared to a student of an unknown school. But I am dead-set on it. I just want to know my chances for graduate school :).
Are you asking if you are accepted at Yale, but choose to go elsewhere for undergraduate, if you can boast that you were accepted at Yale when you apply to graduate school?
I think that would come across as quite odd, and would not boost your chances for graduate school admission.
Doing very well as an undergraduate is what will boost your chances for graduate school admission, not your high school record.
If you still like Soka in a few years time, apply to Soka. It’s high acheievmenet as an undergrad that gets you into elite grad schools. Undergrads from Podunk U can get into Stanford if they work hard.
You are putting the cart before the horse. You should apply to the colleges that are interesting to you, and not let yourself be talked into applying to colleges that your counselor wants to claim as a prize.
Soka is an ambitious school with a remarkably large endowment. It wouldn’t surprise me if they gain increasing recognition as a top liberal arts college.
However, if you want to use Soka as a springboard to graduate school, you need to make sure that their unconventional curriculum has sufficient depth to prepare you for advanced study. The current situation:
This curriculum may or may not provide the specialized introductory coursework that grad schools expect applicants to have. For example, does Soka offer enough science courses to meet basic medical school prerequisites – or do pre-medical students have to supplement their Soka degrees with additional study elsewhere?
Let’s say that someone who applied to Yale and Soka got into both. But even with the scholarships, Yale was still too expensive and I could not afford it. So instead, I just go to Soka.
When I apply for graduate school and I have the funds to attend a high ranking graduate school, would the fact that I got accepted into a high ranking school (earlier in my career) help me? Or does that mean nothing?
What might help would be an understanding of what pan i would like to take in the future.
I am looking into the Medical and Health Services.
“Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services managers must direct changes that conform to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.” http://www.myplan.com/careers/medical-and-health-services-managers/summary-11-9111.00.html?sid=6101c573c905b9dbd0a10a2a6f0126d1
With this career in mind, would someone also be able to list some good schools I could also consider?
I’m just stressed out because I am planning on moving schools and I need to determine what I want to do in the future.
You cannot mention it - what you did as a high school student has no relevance with your qualifications as a college graduate.
If you intend to attend Soka though, I’m not sure there’s enough breadth and depth of curriculum. There are only about 500 students, all 4 years combined, so only about 100-125 per graduating class, which would mean very few courses offered.
This is unlikely, since Yale has super aid. Run the Net Price Calculator.
Don’t be stressed, you DO NOT have to determine what you want to do in the future. Most freshmen IN COLLEGE change their minds.
What you DO need is make sure your schedule over 4 years includes the following:
4 units each of English and Social Science
Biology, Chemistry, Physics + 1 (or more) AP science
Math through Calculus (but since you’re very advanced, look into dual enrollment for more advanced math classes)
Foreign Language through Level 4 or Ap
1 unit in Art
some “personal picks”, which could be choir or CS or journalism or anything of personal interest
With these, you could major in anything and be ready for any college, even the most competitive.
There are LOTS of colleges that prepare future health professionals. To narrow it down a bit for you, can you answer these questions…
What state do you live in?
Can your parents afford their EFC?
(Run the NPC on your state’s flagship, Yale, Soka, and a small college you know of. What are the results? Can your parents afford that?)