How do I improve my chances of getting into an Ivy?
I'm currently a rising junior, and I'm honestly terrified about my future. For both freshman and sophomore year, I wasn't really trying in school, resulting my grades to drop and me not having any actual extracurriculars. I want to go into med, specifically neuroscience, which I know is crazy competitive and filled with kids with insane stats. My school is also really competitive, where most people have GPAs that are above a 3.6 and get into T20s, so my current predicament is kind of embarrassing.
My current stats are:
GPA:
- UW: 3.4/4.0
- W: 3.7/4.0
PSAT (10th grade): 1310
Regular Classes: (Spanish, Language Arts, World History, Gym: final grade A)
Honors Classes:
- Biology (final grade B)
- Geometry (final grade C, last two marking periods B)
- Chemistry (final grade C)
- Precalculus (final grade C)
- Philharmonic Orchestra (final grade A)
Extracurriculars:
- Waksman Student Scholars Program from Rutgers University: Research published in NCBI, application needed
- Waksman Institute Summer Experience from Rutgers University: Research published in NCBI, application needed
- Future Problem Solvers at Kean University: Got to state level
- Girl Scouts: Finished Bronze Award and Silver Award, and have two President’s Volunteer Service Awards. My Silver Award involved in-person classes for educating youth in India and the US in topics in sciences using hands on methods, and finished 120.32 hours
- Library Volunteering: Finished 43 hours
- Violin: Have been playing since I was 7.
I'm taking AP Statistics, AP Psychology, Physics Honors, Calculus Honors, Philharmonic Orchestra Honors, Language Arts, and Gym this year. I wasn't eligible for AP Chem or AP Bio because I didn't meet the requirements, so I'm planning on self studying them. I'm taking the October SAT and ACT this year. I'm also applying to the hospitals in the surrounding areas, so hopefully once of them let me volunteer there.
If anyone has any suggestions for what I should do to get my application to somewhat acceptable to a T20, please please share. Thank you!
Yeah it's a part of the same institute, one's during school, the other is during summer. They have two separate applications, so I listed them as separate.
I mean in both cases youre sequencing duckweed, right? Is there a different process yall do for WSSP?
No, the program is almost exactly the same except for the timings and the applications.
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4 answers
GPA-wise and curriculum-wise, I think T20 is somewhat unlikely at the moment. At the same time, anything can happen if you really lock in.
In this scenario, my recommendation would be to aim for this calibre of school when you attend med school, not for undergrad. Becoming a doctor is expensive, and for that particular career, the undergraduate degree is of lesser importance. Harvard pre-med is obviously good, but top hospitals will be groveling after Harvard medical school graduates, not undergrad.
I looked up some schools that are "feeders" to top medical schools. Some of them are attainable for you, especially if you grind this year.
UNC Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
Case Western Reserve
UVA
Emory (might be a reach)
Baylor
Reed College
Davidson
Bowdoin
Oberlin
Many of these are still a bit out of reach, but certainly more feasible than T20. Good MCATs and high attainment at one of these places can land you T20 med school, which is more important.
You should also make sure your social media is pretty clean. I have heard some people don't get into college because of the college admission officer finding bad things on social media. I think I have heard of detoxmysocial? I'm not too sure but you can definitely check it out!
My only advice is working on your GPA, so just do good in your classes and you'll be fine!
Honestly, with the two C's it will be near impossible. Make sure you really show yourself in your essays and have a unique voice. Also make sure you do as well as possible on the little things, like interviews.
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isnt WSSP and WISE pretty much the same thing??