<p>Thanks so much, especially Bclintonk – I am reading a lot here, and panicking a <em>little</em> less. Thinking “upscale” is still so overwhelming. We are still completely unaware of typical admissions deadlines for early admit or standard (?) admit. From what we’d heard, her 4.0 community college credit history was enough to get her into what we figured was the school we’d be able to afford for her to attend (Wayne State in Detroit, we’re in MI) so admissions and deadlines were never very relevant to us. That is reassuring what you’ve said about undergraduate studies; now I don’t feel like I have to learn about <em>every</em> college <em>everywhere</em> that might give her the background she needs. </p>
<p>Would not being an undergrad at a college with an outstanding medical school be an advantage, though? In being admitted to the med school later on, or in finding mentors for research or lab work that would be useful later on?</p>
<p>Our very commonsense plan “A” was for Wayne State, followed by probably by a program to help with medical school expenses: a National Health Service program, the military… hard choices, and not the best ones, but she has known she was going to be a doctor since she was 4 and has never wavered from it. We are just trying to figure out how to get her there. </p>
<p>But the more I read the “How to Get Into Ivies” books - and I’ve got a small stack going now 
- the more she sounds like the kind they want: a sweet, smart self-starter who contributes in her classes because she wants them to be stimulating. Last year she had a teacher - a PhD English Lit candidate clearly having a Basement of the Ivory Tower moment – almost tearfully thank her for being such a good student, in the bathroom. She’s had other “WOW” moments from her other professors, too. </p>
<p>We had her take the SAT when she was 13 to see if she was ready for college, and as I recall, she did well even for someone older. We didn’t really fully understand the results, and at the time, it wasn’t really important, it was just for our info – but I could dig up the results if it would help gauge her chances at the selective colleges. Anyone?</p>