<p>I’ve complied a list of schools that most offer opportunities for medical/intellectual growth, largre in size, located in urban areas, and have notable medical research programs. There are couple schools I added for different reasons, but the above reasons are mainly why I chose these schools. </p>
<p>Colleges:
Brown University
College of William/Mary
Whitman College
Boston University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Western Washington University
University of Washington (applied)
University of Pittsburgh (applied)</p>
<p>Now consider the numbers:
SATI: 1840 (CR 560, M 630 W 650) but I also took the Dec SAT-should be +1900
SATII: pending… should be in range of 600-650 (<–I know, low…)
Nationality: Asian
GPA: 3.75
Rank: top 8% (34 out of 393)
AP course load: 2 last year, 3 this year
Location: Washington State
EC: Varsity tennis (3years), after-school volunteer elementary (3years), help disabled kids (3years), volunteer at art museum(2years), National Honor Society(4years), Key Club(3years), FBLA(1year), World Affairs Club(2years), church youth group(4years), piano (10 years) and violin (5 years)…
I have a few leadership positions among the after-school clubs and church functions.</p>
<p>Intended major: Biology/pre-med/neuroscience/neurobiology
Essays: written with honesty and I think they are pretty great.
Recs: one is generic, another is very well written.</p>
<p>Compared to other CCers’ scores, I know mine aren’t so hot. But, I think I reveal myself through words pretty well. This is my reason for having such competitive schools (Brown, CWM) on my list. Now, I would like for you to evaluate my list and tell me if I have enough “safeties” and “reaches” on my list. If I don’t have enough, feel free to suggest other schools, I’m open to suggestions. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Brown and William and Mary are out. Both are uber competitive. William and Mary is next to impossible to get in out of state unless your scores are through the roof. </p>
<p>Whitman is a great school and they likely know your high school well. No harm in applying there, though its a slight reach. Its not your gpa, its your SAT. Nothing wrong with your scores, mind you, just not in the highest ranges.</p>
<p>BU you can get in, maybe. Also highly competitive and large. </p>
<p>You will be admitted to WWU and UW and likely to Pitt. Wisconsin is a highly competitive state flagship. I have no idea what they will do, but it doesnt hurt to try. Its a very large school and very liberal and very cold in the winter.</p>
<p>I would add UPS, and Seattle University to your list. Both are excellent feeder schools for medical programs. You will be admitted to both and very likely thrive there. Both are urban schools without being gargantuan. The best of both worlds so to speak.</p>
<p>Did you look at U Oregon? I would apply there as well.</p>
<p>I want to thank everyone who has made contributions. I will look into all the schools. </p>
<p>@yabeyabe2: Do I really have potential for Villanova, Northeastern, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon and Hopkins as reaches, NYU and BC, Tulane, Vanderbilt and Miami? </p>
<p>If I do apply to any of the schools listed above I will be applying RD. Does that suffice? </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids: I will be needing as much financial aid as possible. Nevertheless, I will still find ways to pay off for college.</p>
<p>*I will be needing as much financial aid as possible. Nevertheless, I will still find ways to pay off for college. *</p>
<p>What do you mean? If you’ll be needing student loans for med school, then you don’t want to borrow much for undergrad, because you’ll run out of borrowing power when it’s time for med school.</p>
<p>Do you have someone who can co-sign and is qualified to borrow large amounts of money? Young undergrads can’t get large student loans without co-signers.</p>
<p>I don’t think you should apply to any OOS publics unless you know that your get a lot of merit $, because most OOS publics cannot meet the need for OOS students.</p>
<p>If you want a more manageable mid-type reach then I would recommend Emory over both Brown and W&M (I’m sorry, but your chances are around 5% for those schools given the scores and OOS). Atlanta is a huge urban area, but the school is in the suburbs and feels a little bit more isolated. They have a hospital on campus that is used for undergraduate research as well as graduate research, so it is a great resource at a school renowned for its resources. It might be easier as there isn’t a penalty for OOS.</p>
<p>Given your criteria and your in-state status, it sounds to me like UW is exactly what you’re looking for. You’ll end up with a degree from an excellent school, and with little or no debt going into med school.</p>
<p>Since you need a lot of aid and will be going to med school, you really only have two choices:</p>
<p>1) get accepted to a school that meets 100% of need without loans (The problem is these are TOP schools. Admission is doubtful since your stats are good, but not what the elites require.)</p>
<p>2) go to your instate public using fed aid and any state aid that Wash offers.</p>
<p>Again, you only have a limited total amount that you’ll be allowed to borrow for both med school and undergrad. If you borrow too much for undergrad, then med schools will NOT accept you because they’ll fear that you won’t be able to borrow enough for 4 years of med school costs. </p>
<p>How much can your parents contribute each year towards your education?</p>
<p>Hopefully, with a combination of parents, grants (if their income is low enough), summer jobs, part-time school-year jobs, and small loans, you can pay for your undergrad at an in-state public. Then, you’ll have to borrow about $240k for med school.</p>
<p>Rhodes is in Memphis, TN (about 1 million people). It has chem, bio, biochem and molecular bio, and neuroscience as the most popular pre-med majors. There’s a research partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where Rhodes students get paired with St. Jude scientists and they do research as undergrads. Acceptance rate to med schools is very very strong. Your stats are mostly a match.</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-great pre-med program with very strong alumni network. HC has nice campus 1 hour from Boston and has good academic reputation. Holy Cross is SAT optional and good with financial aid.</p>
<p>Would Rhodes or Holy Cross meet need w/o any loans? The OP can’t afford to take out a bunch of loans for undergrad because she’ll be needing huge loans for med school.</p>
<p>Udub has what you need: lower tuition, possibility of aid, and a top-notch medical program (though I don’t know how much of that works its way down to undergrads),</p>