Input for my Senoir Year.

[Sea2498]

As I am preparing to enter my last year of high school, I would love, love love any input from people that have had the same aspirations as me; I rarely get good, solid advice on stuff like this.

I have been in every available honors course since 6-11th grade, and have excelled in pretty much every one. Despite the fact that I am stronger in the humanities field, I always manage to come out with high A's in every subject; however, it really concerns me that I am not as strong in math and science since I know how rigorous the premed requisites are, as well as medical school. I know I don't really have good study habits considering I very rarely have to study for long periods of time(basically just look over the review before class). Even with these habits, I have managed to keep a 4.21 GPA going into senior year(I wouldn't consider my HS curriculum to be very rigorous). I have taken AP courses and Dual enrollment and earned A's in both. One blemish to my resume is that I have only scored a 26 on the ACT. Although some at my high school consider this good, I know from being around other top students in my state that this is lousy.

The extra curricular stuff I have done throughout high school is basically the same as every other kid who wants to get into college. So far FBLA, HOSA, NHS member(now secretary), Tennessee Governor's School for the Humanities, SGA, invited to National Youth Forum for Medicine(couldn't afford it), volunteering in L&D, Children's Hospital volunteer, and I'm getting involved with the Red Cross. Additionally, I am a certified lifeguard.

I have wanted to be an OB/GYN since around 8th grade. I volunteered in L&D last summer and absolutely adored it. I don't really know what attracted me to the profession, but since I have had this desire for so long I really can't imagine myself wanting to be anything else. In school, my favorite classes by far are health science classes(Anatomy, Medical Therapeutics, Medical Diagnostics), and I feel like I have such a greater desire to learn about these things than the other students. On a side note,I hope to be the first person in my family to finish college!

So basically now since you know a bit about me, I have a few questions for your knowledgeable selves.
-Based on my descriptions, do you think I would do well in medical school?
-What major, besides bio, chemistry or psychology, would you recommend that has the least credit requirements outside of the premed requirements?
-What do I need to do throughout college to create an outstanding resume for medical school?(besides a high GPA and MCAT)
-I know this is very early for me, but what is the best method for scoring high on the MCAT? I have read that at certain colleges, some people achieve a high GPA, but then do poorly on the MCAT. What are the best prep programs for it?
-Do you think that my 26 ACT score is a reflection of how I might do in Medical school?

Thank you for any advice you might have for me, and I apologize for this being so lengthy.

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[efle]

-Based on my descriptions, do you think I would do well in medical school?

Nobody can predict this off of a 17 year old's resume.

-What major, besides bio, chemistry or psychology, would you recommend that has the least credit requirements outside of the premed requirements?

Do not major in things based on credit requirements. Major in what interests you. Be sure to take some courses in things you were not exposed to in high school, like legit philosophy classes.

-What do I need to do throughout college to create an outstanding resume for medical school?(besides a high GPA and MCAT)

Use the search function, people have made checklists before. Here is a useful link to see how important relative items are. In brief, and in this loose order, MCAT, sGPA, cGPA, research (if you want to go to a top med school), clinical exposure in shadowing and clinical volunteering, hobby/interest activities like sports or club involvement, and misc volunteerism.

-I know this is very early for me, but what is the best method for scoring high on the MCAT? I have read that at certain colleges, some people achieve a high GPA, but then do poorly on the MCAT. What are the best prep programs for it?

There is an entire MCAT subforum in the pre-allo boards that can help you tailor a study plan. Some people like classes from companies, some like to self-study from review books; some people do summer intensive studying for 10-12 weeks while others do it on weekends and between classes across a semester. What works will be specific to you. For me, self-study out of review books across summer worked great.

-Do you think that my 26 ACT score is a reflection of how I might do in Medical school?

That's past the 80th percentile for high schoolers taking the test, and no reason to think med school is out of the question. Some people (including myself) do much better with college classes and the MCAT than they did in high school, from developing much better study methods and doing practice exams. You may want to consider retaking the ACT if you have only taken it once and/or did not do practice tests to get fully prepared. My sister jumped from a 26 to 31 and landed a full ride with it. Every point counts a lot in that range of high 20s in terms of what colleges you'll have good shots at.

 

[Sea2498]

I have taken the ACT once as a sophomore, twice as a junior, and then in 7th grade in this Duke TIP program. It's true that I basically haven't studied for it and that I should. Do you remember exactly how she jumped up 5 points?

 

[Sea2498]

Math and science are absolutely killing me. Otherwise I would've scored in the 30's.

 

[efle]

I have taken the ACT once as a sophomore, twice as a junior, and then in 7th grade in this Duke TIP program. It's true that I basically haven't studied for it and that I should. Do you remember exactly how she jumped up 5 points?

Is the 26 your superscore or single highest? Her approach was just to get a set of review books and take a full length timed practice test every weekend for like four to six weeks. You can gain a lot of points just by learning to be a better test taker / studying the test itself. But a 26 is a solid score that will get you into plenty of big state universities with honors colleges regardless, so if you excel in your classes freshman year you can get into those for a more intense academic experience, smaller classes etc.

And don't compare yourself to the Ivy League-bound kids you know or let it get in your head that you might not be cut out for medicine from a 26 ACT. College will be a whole new proving ground. As Roosevelt said, comparison is the thief of joy. You should go into college very proud of your resume and ready to kick ass.

 

[Sea2498]

My best composite score has been a 26, superscore a 27. But I've researched and the only school I'm interested in going to that superscores is Tennessee(I live in Knoxville).

 

[efle]

My best composite score has been a 26, superscore a 27. But I've researched and the only school I'm interested in going to that superscores is Tennessee(I live in Knoxville).

You have a very very good chance of getting in at UT!