How to improve my chances of getting into a good college

You seem to look pretty good for most colleges. I think you might have a chance with UVA…but you look like a normal student when you apply to an Ivy.

Here are some things you can improve on:

PSAT: I would take the SAT/PSAT again and get a higher score, because most students in ivy colleges got at least a 1400.

2 clubs is not enough, and it doesn’t highlight your interests regarding the major you want to pursue

Even though you hate them, you have to write essays. Especially when applying to scholarships

Not saying stop hanging out with your friends, but Bs might not work for IVY. It can though if your strengths are in other things. You also have time to change that

Here are some things to do to improve your chances:

Join some biology related clubs:

Anatomy Club

Biology Club

Environmental Club

Future Vets Club

Neuroscience Club

Pre-Med Club

Red Cross Club

Science National Honor Society

Sports Medicine Club

Make a club in your school if you have to (colleges love it when you make your own club in school and run it.) Also, make sure you are also doing something important in these clubs.

Join some academic competitions:

USA biolympiad

Regeneron Science Talent Search

NSPC Health Science Competition

The Plant the Moon Challenge

American Academy of Neurology’s Neuroscience Research Prize

National Science Bowl

The BioGENEius Challenge

The Genes in Space Challenge

The iGEM Competition

I know you hate writing but…ASHG’s Annual DNA Day Essay Contest

Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Breakthrough Junior Challenge

I would say Volunteer next, but you seem to have that covered.

Take some pre-college summer programs:

Bethel College Summer Science Institute

Carnegie-Mellon University’s Summer Academy for Math and Science

The Garcia Program

Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program

MDI Biological Laboratory High School Summer Research Fellowship

Princeton Laboratory Learning Program

Research Science Institute (RSI)

Simons Summer Research Program

Socorro Summer Science Program

Summer Science Program (SSP)

UPenn Biomedical Research Program

And of course, this is like if you are a genius:

Discover something new and win an award for it

Make a biomedical device

Write a book and publish it

For UVA you have about 20% chance, which means that 1 in 5 people get accepted basically, but those 5 people likely have good stuff on their resumes because it’s a prestigious school. I think you have an amazing start. Just try some of the stuff I listed and you’ll do fine.