Question regarding High School ECs

[Crazyday]

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I'm a junior in High School right now. I've pretty much always taken some pretty hard classes, but due to pre-reqs it's only starting to really accelerate in my junior/senior years of high school.

The harder classes I took my freshman/soph. years


Gen Biology Honors
Integrated Science Honors
Gen Chem. Honors
U.S. History Honors
World History Honors
Algebra II Honors
Geometry Honors
Physics I (no honors offered)
Algebra I (no honors offered)

The rest of my classes were mostly filling out pre-reqs for the years to come. I made mostly high B's and some lower A's in all of my classes. I made one low C in Geometry. My cumulative GPA is around a 3.5 or so unweighted I think.

The only EC I participated up to my junior year was running track my 9th grade year. I haven't volunteered or shadowed any.

This year I'm taking

Trig
Physics II Honors
Advanced Chemistry Honors
AP Biology
AP Algebra
Spanish II

and I'm participating in a Science and Research Inquiry optional EC class that focuses on preparing for a major science competition later in the year. I'm planning to compete in the Health Science/Pathology divisions of the competition.
I'm also independently studying Anatomy and Physiology, and Epidemiology. I'm not planning to try to opt out of any courses or anything with this, but just get a strong foundation for Health Science. (studying Anatomy isn't a chore to me, it's truly interesting and stimulates me more than anything else I can really do)
I'm also planning on running track again.

Next year I'm planning on taking

AP Calculus
AP Statistics
AP Physics
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology
Anatomy and Physiology
Spanish III (might replace with AP European or AP American History)
and possibly AP English IV

and planning on joining a volunteer/community service focused club, and competing in the same science competition a second time. I might try to run track again this year too.

Honestly, my first two years of HS I didn't really try. I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but it didn't really hit me in the face how much effort would be required. This year I've really stepped it up, making 95-100%+ in all of my classes, with a 5.0 weighted and 4.0 unweighted GPA. I'd say I'm in the top 20 students in a junior class of 500 right now.

I'm planning on doing the same my senior year. I've taken the pre-ACT and PSAT. I haven't received the scores on the PSAT yet, but the pre-ACT (taken last year) I got a range of 22-27 without really preparing at all for it.

I'm preparing a lot more extensively for the SAT and ACTs this year. I'm planning on taking the ACT until I can get at least a 31-33+.

My only real concern right now is that my ECs are extremely lacking, and with such a rigorous schedule I'm not sure I'll really be able to boost them much other than what I've already stated.

I'll be sure to participate in some shadowing this summer, and probably some volunteer activities as well.

My plans for the future are to apply to a BA/MD 6 year program.

How do some of you think I hold up competitively? Is the lack of ECs going to destroy my chances, or will the excellent academic performance make up for that?

Thanks in advance.

 

[xnfs93hy]

I'm a junior in High School right now. I've pretty much always taken some pretty hard classes, but due to pre-reqs it's only starting to really accelerate in my junior/senior years of high school.

The harder classes I took my freshman/soph. years


Gen Biology Honors
Integrated Science Honors
Gen Chem. Honors
U.S. History Honors
World History Honors
Algebra II Honors
Geometry Honors
Physics I (no honors offered)
Algebra I (no honors offered)

The rest of my classes were mostly filling out pre-reqs for the years to come. I made mostly high B's and some lower A's in all of my classes. I made one low C in Geometry. My cumulative GPA is around a 3.5 or so unweighted I think.

The only EC I participated up to my junior year was running track my 9th grade year. I haven't volunteered or shadowed any.

This year I'm taking

Trig
Physics II Honors
Advanced Chemistry Honors
AP Biology
AP Algebra
Spanish II

and I'm participating in a Science and Research Inquiry optional EC class that focuses on preparing for a major science competition later in the year. I'm planning to compete in the Health Science/Pathology divisions of the competition.
I'm also independently studying Anatomy and Physiology, and Epidemiology. I'm not planning to try to opt out of any courses or anything with this, but just get a strong foundation for Health Science. (studying Anatomy isn't a chore to me, it's truly interesting and stimulates me more than anything else I can really do)
I'm also planning on running track again.

Next year I'm planning on taking

AP Calculus
AP Statistics
AP Physics
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology
Anatomy and Physiology
Spanish III (might replace with AP European or AP American History)
and possibly AP English IV

and planning on joining a volunteer/community service focused club, and competing in the same science competition a second time. I might try to run track again this year too.

Honestly, my first two years of HS I didn't really try. I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but it didn't really hit me in the face how much effort would be required. This year I've really stepped it up, making 95-100%+ in all of my classes, with a 5.0 weighted and 4.0 unweighted GPA. I'd say I'm in the top 20 students in a junior class of 500 right now.

I'm planning on doing the same my senior year. I've taken the pre-ACT and PSAT. I haven't received the scores on the PSAT yet, but the pre-ACT (taken last year) I got a range of 22-27 without really preparing at all for it.

I'm preparing a lot more extensively for the SAT and ACTs this year. I'm planning on taking the ACT until I can get at least a 31-33+.

My only real concern right now is that my ECs are extremely lacking, and with such a rigorous schedule I'm not sure I'll really be able to boost them much other than what I've already stated.

I'll be sure to participate in some shadowing this summer, and probably some volunteer activities as well.

My plans for the future are to apply to a BA/MD 6 year program.

How do some of you think I hold up competitively? Is the lack of ECs going to destroy my chances, or will the excellent academic performance make up for that?

Thanks in advance.

First of all, I'm taking what you took freshman year so congrats on that. With a rank of 20/500 and how you did on your practice tests, you should be fine. This is NOT what it takes to be a doctor, what I mean by that is this is what it takes to get into a BS/MD program. Your excellent academic performance WILL NOT make up for your extreme lack of EC's, sorry. I'm not saying you won't get into some great UG's because you will but if you haven't been involved by now, I'm not sure. My school doesn't even offer Trig and I am surprised at you language class, Spanish II? Shouldn't you be in at least IIIH? And I had no idea AP Algebra even existed.

Bottom line: GET INVOLVED, my app is crap compared to yours but I have strong EC's. Otherwise, you should be fine.

Oh and don't join a club dude, volunteer on your own.

 

[Crazyday]

So far I've only taken Spanish I, if I follow on my current path I'll have Spanish III my senior year for 3 total credits. I'm not a huge fan of language so 😛

The school I was looking at only needed two credits of foreign language, so if I could get into that I'd drop a credit.

AP Algebra is technically called "College Algebra" for us, but it's about the same. It counts for a college credit in our state.

And in that case maybe BA/MD is out of reach. How do you guys feel about 4 yrs of UG then 4 yrs of MS compared to 2/4?

 

[ButImLETired]

So far I've only taken Spanish I, if I follow on my current path I'll have Spanish III my senior year for 3 total credits. I'm not a huge fan of language so 😛

The school I was looking at only needed two credits of foreign language, so if I could get into that I'd drop a credit.

AP Algebra is technically called "College Algebra" for us, but it's about the same. It counts for a college credit in our state.

And in that case maybe BA/MD is out of reach. How do you guys feel about 4 yrs of UG then 4 yrs of MS compared to 2/4?

I have no idea how the 6-year BA/MD programs work, so I can't help you there. The 4 years of UG/ 4 years of med school of course it the "normal" path. In that case, do well on your SAT/ ACT, go to an UG where you're 1) going to be happy, and 2) going to do well (IN THAT ORDER!!), kick butt on the MCAT and then get into med school! Simple!

Seriously though, it looks like you're pretty competitive for a good UG, and either way as long as you do really well in college, where you come from won't really matter. If you go the regular route, what you did in High School will be totally irrelevant, although it might be good to be more involved in clubs and stuff- the reason why I say that, is that to get into med school you will need to have plenty of EC's as well, mostly medically-related ones or research ones. College is, in the vast majority of cases, much harder than High School, especially if you're pre-med, and multi-tasking is a skill you're really going to have to learn in order to do well there and get into med school. You won't be able to say "well my gpa isn't great but I have amazing EC's" or "well my EC's aren't great but I have an amazing gpa" because that won't fly at all (there will be thousands of stellar applicants who'll have good gpa and EC's and who'll be vying for your spot). So you might want to start getting used to the elusive art of juggling 100 things at once 😀.

Good luck!!! You are obviously very dedicated, which will definitely serve you well in the future.

 

[Docere]

I've said this in other threads about BA/MD programs, and I'll say it here too:

Extracurriculars are a must for BA/MD and/or BS/MD applicants because they are the only way colleges can gauge how much you really want to be a doctor.

Sure, you make good grades, and you make top scores on all your standardized testings. But, like someone here said, that's not what makes a doctor. Schools with accelerated/combined programs will want to see that you know what it's like to work in a health-care environment and you have what it takes to work there. You've seen doctors in action by volunteering at a hospital or shadowing a doctor or working at the front desk of a local clinic. You're involved with your community. You like to help people. You're interested in cutting-edge research. Stuff like that. Just because you do well in your classes doesn't tell the colleges that you like what you're learning and want to utilize it as a doctor. If you have some stuff lined up already, act on it.

I'm currently in a BA/MD program, but I'm not in an accelerated one (your regular 4 years undergrad and 4 years med school) and I wouldn't have it any other way. You'll be able to enjoy college life like any other person, possibly even more so, since you already know which med school you're going in. You'll have 4 years to take your pre-med classes as well as any other class you're interested in. An accelerated program probably won't allow you any time to take extra classes. For example, I've scheduled my classes so that I cram all my degree requirements into two and a half years. Tack on another semester for my double-minor requirements, and I'm basically following that "accelerated" program. However, I would then have a full year to take at least 30 hours of classes in other areas of interest, such as History of Art, Music, and even a Wine-Tasting course. So even if you are itching to complete a degree in less than 4 years, you'll still have that option of broadening your horizons with other courses 🙂

 

[Crazyday]

Thanks for the replies guys.

It's also difficult for me to fit ECs into my spare time because I've got two baby siblings I help watch, I can't afford a car for transportation, etc. I'm really planning on picking up ECs in college but right now it's just hard for me to find time to go do those volunteer opportunities.

I guess I'll just go do a normal 4 year UG. That might be for the better anyway.

 

[xnfs93hy]

So far I've only taken Spanish I, if I follow on my current path I'll have Spanish III my senior year for 3 total credits. I'm not a huge fan of language so 😛

The school I was looking at only needed two credits of foreign language, so if I could get into that I'd drop a credit.

AP Algebra is technically called "College Algebra" for us, but it's about the same. It counts for a college credit in our state.

And in that case maybe BA/MD is out of reach. How do you guys feel about 4 yrs of UG then 4 yrs of MS compared to 2/4?

Maybe I was too harsh on the language. I was just a bit surprised. Heh, I hate Spanish as well but I actually think I might major in it because I am so gifted with it. I want to learn Arabic and Russian as well (don't ask). I am in II honors right now (did not take a language frosh year). BS/MD's are NOT out of reach for you, apply to A LOT and I bet at least one will accept you.

I feel a hell of a lot better about four years UG, I cannot speak for everyone though.

 

[Docere]

Just to make sure you know: there are LOADS of 8-year BA/MD and BS/MD programs all around the country.

http://services.aamc.org/currdir/section3/degree2.cfm?data=yes&program=bsmd
http://www.medicalhelpnet.com/content/view/28/46/

You have a pretty good chance at getting one of those, especially if you're kind of volunteering at a hospital now. I really encourage you to apply to a couple of those.

 

[tennisball80]

WHat is AP Algebra ?

 

[Crazyday]

For us it's called College Algebra. It's a class that our state university offers us, and it's strictly the same as the class offered in that college.

It's technically not AP or counted for AP credit, but it counts for college credit at that university and it's as difficult as a college level algebra course (only tests count for grades too).

I'm not sure if it is offered in other states.

 

[tennisball80]

For us it's called College Algebra. It's a class that our state university offers us, and it's strictly the same as the class offered in that college.

It's technically not AP or counted for AP credit, but it counts for college credit at that university and it's as difficult as a college level algebra course (only tests count for grades too).

I'm not sure if it is offered in other states.

Oh I see.

Anyway good luck on your cources 👍

 

[Crazyday]

Oh I see.

Anyway good luck on your cources 👍

Thank you.