Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a med Anthro perspective, talking about measles in refugee and immigrant populations is very of the moment.

If into enviro science though, I’d go the community gardens, medicinal plants and natural wilderness medicine route. Great easy & natural way to combine the two disparate interests into a compelling and memorable story.
Make sure kid took Enviro Sci and see if kid can take Anthro next year or this summer? Think Brown & Penn offer it.

OP here. "combine the two disparate interests into a compelling and memorable story". I didn't get it. How would you combine them easily? Could you elaborate a little bit more?

Enviro science and medicine intersect in a lot of ways. You would create a story/narrative/admissions hook/whatever you want to call it based around the intersection of the two as part of the kid's story (assuming this is his interest bc he co-founded the enviro club??)

How? Our environment directly impacts our health, and understanding these connections can help show a holistic approach to healthcare.

How to combine these 2 interests in a college application:

ACTIVITIES
- Study medicinal plants: Document local plants with medicinal properties, research their traditional uses, and connect this to modern pharmacology. This combines botany (environmental science) with medical applications.
- Community garden health initiatives: Help establish or work with gardens that grow nutritious food for underserved communities, connecting environmental sustainability with nutritional health and food-as-medicine concepts.
- Wilderness medicine: Take wilderness first aid courses and volunteer with outdoor organizations. This combines environmental knowledge with practical medical skills.
- Environmental health research: Study how environmental factors (air/water quality, climate change) affect human health in your community. Collect data, interview residents, and propose solutions.
- Conservation medicine: Focus on the intersection of ecosystem health and human health - for example, how habitat destruction leads to disease emergence.
[NOTE: google these for summer programs and other local ideas - in my community there's a BUNCH of stuff to volunteer for like this. Also EMTs and outdoor wilderness medicine courses this summer]

TRANSCRIPT
Taking Environmental Science is excellent groundwork
An Anthropology course (especially medical anthropology) would strengthen this narrative - I think Brown and Penn both offer summer anthropology programs for high schoolers.

ESSAYS
Might cover an EC experience or something learned in the class?

HOW OR WHY DOES THIS WORK?
It may not, but if its authentic (and your kid wants to do it and has passion for it) it can show the AdCom that the your kid doesn't just want to be a doctor, but someone who understands health through multiple lenses. This is a kid who can think critically about emerging challenges at the intersection of environment and medicine. Certain colleges (looking at you Northwestern and Brown) love kids who combine two totally different fields together.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were there any issues in the classroom? I know all schools are different but 1590 isn't commensurate with "top 20%".

It's very typical at top privates. Average SAT is 1530 for my current senior's class and average GPA is 3.55. That puts a lot of kids >1550 with far from perfect GPAs.

PP. I get it, but I wasn't talking about GPA, rather 20% of the class is "better". Just think that eliminates the most elite. Likely strong candidate for full pay ED private or top 10 public.

Anonymous wrote:From a med Anthro perspective, talking about measles in refugee and immigrant populations is very of the moment.

If into enviro science though, I’d go the community gardens, medicinal plants and natural wilderness medicine route. Great easy & natural way to combine the two disparate interests into a compelling and memorable story.
Make sure kid took Enviro Sci and see if kid can take Anthro next year or this summer? Think Brown & Penn offer it.

OP here. "combine the two disparate interests into a compelling and memorable story". I didn't get it. How would you combine them easily? Could you elaborate a little bit more?

From a med Anthro perspective, talking about measles in refugee and immigrant populations is very of the moment.

If into enviro science though, I’d go the community gardens, medicinal plants and natural wilderness medicine route. Great easy & natural way to combine the two disparate interests into a compelling and memorable story.
Make sure kid took Enviro Sci and see if kid can take Anthro next year or this summer? Think Brown & Penn offer it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:private no ranking no weight, highest rigor math/stem. UW gpa guessing in the top 20%, but definitely not tippy top if not weighted.
What would be good reach schools? DC does not like large universities in general, a medium/small size university or a LAC would work. Undecided major potentially premed. Unhooked full pay.

look at your Naviance or scoir data for where kids with that gpa and score tend to go.
non-dmv rigorous private?
depending on activities, might be able to get into a WASP....with the right major choice.
work on brag sheets for LOR this spring (search on here for tips).

OP here. Our school does not share data.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once you get to a baseline, the GPA and scores don't matter.

the story is more important for reaches - what makes your kid compelling, different, memorable.

If pre-med, I'd highly suggest not to state of major pref in bio or a science - especially if Indian or asian.

What ECs? What activities? What awards? Hobbies? All more important once you reach the baseline.

OP. ECs are routine, nothing really stands out. Mostly school-related: sports, clubs, summer camps. DC wants to take time to figure out the major, but refuse to consider computer science or engineering. Not obsessed with prestige/ivy.

that's great. if a junior, i assume, what is the kid doing this summer? how is the kid in humanities classes? has kid connected with any teachers for LOR? if so, what subject? what are favorite classes? any academic outside of school hobbies?

OP here. Yes, junior. Went to a selective stem camp last summer. But our school counselor said that summer camps are not that helpful in college process though it's great for personal growth. She suggested making an impact. We have no clue how to do that. Probably will spend the junior summer volunteering or an internship.

Balanced stem/humanities classes, worst grades in humanities are B+. Recommendation would be from math and science teachers. Favorites are biology/chemistry. Founded a school club related to environmental science.

No, no academic outside, meaning no math/science competition.

Consistent B+ in a subject area or here and there? Consistent B+ in one or more subject areas will hurt for top schools. A few B+ spread out don't really hurt much, especially if they are in the fall or 'in season' if an athlete.

Yes, athlete (non-recruitable but loves the sport). Spread out. School does not give out As easily.

Anonymous wrote:private no ranking no weight, highest rigor math/stem. UW gpa guessing in the top 20%, but definitely not tippy top if not weighted.
What would be good reach schools? DC does not like large universities in general, a medium/small size university or a LAC would work. Undecided major potentially premed. Unhooked full pay.

GMU - your kid is only good St test taking.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t try to make your kids something they’re not. But every kid has interest in hobbies. The problem is we often don’t take time to nurture them because we think they should be on a certain super aggressive path. There are so many different different ways to show an interest in global health, premed, or medical anthropology or whatever The topic interest is.


Here are random ideas from Claude. I think some of them are quite good and easy to incorporate. Mind you, you might not even include all of these on an eventual college application, but could be good fodder for essays or just things your kid might generally enjoy as a human being.

Community-Based Activities:

Volunteering with refugee health organizations
Working with community gardens or food security initiatives
Participating in cultural exchange programs with health components
Joining health equity or environmental justice advocacy groups

Research & Academic Pursuits:

Conducting ethnographic interviews with healthcare workers or patients
Creating a medical terminology dictionary for underserved language groups
Developing a local medicinal plant guide or herbarium
Studying traditional healing practices from different cultures

Creative Endeavors:

Medical illustration or anatomical art
Documentary filmmaking on health disparities
Creating accessible health education materials
Podcasting about unusual medical specialties or global health challenges

Hybrid Health Activities:

Learning wilderness medicine or outdoor emergency care
Studying culinary medicine and therapeutic cooking
Exploring medical technologies through maker spaces
Developing apps for community health monitoring

Global Perspectives:

Learning languages relevant to underserved medical populations
Virtual volunteering with international health organizations
Organizing medical supply drives for underresourced areas
Corresponding with healthcare providers in different countries

Many of these activities can evolve naturally from existing hobbies like art, cooking, gardening, technology, or language learning while building unique perspectives that would strengthen applications to specialized premed programs.

Thanks. This is really helpful!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:private no ranking no weight, highest rigor math/stem. UW gpa guessing in the top 20%, but definitely not tippy top if not weighted.
What would be good reach schools? DC does not like large universities in general, a medium/small size university or a LAC would work. Undecided major potentially premed. Unhooked full pay.

Unimpressive unweighted GPA in context of class brings you down more than a 1590 brings you up. On that basis alone, any Ivy (or WASP) is out and you are at the notch below: Chicago ED1.

But a math/STEM applicant brings it down another notch: ED1 to WashU and be very lucky to get admitted?

If not admitted, have to go down another notch for ED2.

No, it doesn't have to be an ivy/WASP.

DC does not like Chicago/WashU at all. Prefer a school in the northeast.

Don’t try to make your kids something they’re not. But every kid has interest in hobbies. The problem is we often don’t take time to nurture them because we think they should be on a certain super aggressive path. There are so many different different ways to show an interest in global health, premed, or medical anthropology or whatever The topic interest is.


Here are random ideas from Claude. I think some of them are quite good and easy to incorporate. Mind you, you might not even include all of these on an eventual college application, but could be good fodder for essays or just things your kid might generally enjoy as a human being.

Community-Based Activities:

Volunteering with refugee health organizations
Working with community gardens or food security initiatives
Participating in cultural exchange programs with health components
Joining health equity or environmental justice advocacy groups

Research & Academic Pursuits:

Conducting ethnographic interviews with healthcare workers or patients
Creating a medical terminology dictionary for underserved language groups
Developing a local medicinal plant guide or herbarium
Studying traditional healing practices from different cultures

Creative Endeavors:

Medical illustration or anatomical art
Documentary filmmaking on health disparities
Creating accessible health education materials
Podcasting about unusual medical specialties or global health challenges

Hybrid Health Activities:

Learning wilderness medicine or outdoor emergency care
Studying culinary medicine and therapeutic cooking
Exploring medical technologies through maker spaces
Developing apps for community health monitoring

Global Perspectives:

Learning languages relevant to underserved medical populations
Virtual volunteering with international health organizations
Organizing medical supply drives for underresourced areas
Corresponding with healthcare providers in different countries

Many of these activities can evolve naturally from existing hobbies like art, cooking, gardening, technology, or language learning while building unique perspectives that would strengthen applications to specialized premed programs.

SAT score alone is meaningless without GPA, EC, Leadership and other activities to along with it. I write this as a parent of current senior going through the admission process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once you get to a baseline, the GPA and scores don't matter.

the story is more important for reaches - what makes your kid compelling, different, memorable.

If pre-med, I'd highly suggest not to state of major pref in bio or a science - especially if Indian or asian.

What ECs? What activities? What awards? Hobbies? All more important once you reach the baseline.

OP. ECs are routine, nothing really stands out. Mostly school-related: sports, clubs, summer camps. DC wants to take time to figure out the major, but refuse to consider computer science or engineering. Not obsessed with prestige/ivy.

that's great. if a junior, i assume, what is the kid doing this summer? how is the kid in humanities classes? has kid connected with any teachers for LOR? if so, what subject? what are favorite classes? any academic outside of school hobbies?

OP here. Yes, junior. Went to a selective stem camp last summer. But our school counselor said that summer camps are not that helpful in college process though it's great for personal growth. She suggested making an impact. We have no clue how to do that. Probably will spend the junior summer volunteering or an internship.

Balanced stem/humanities classes, worst grades in humanities are B+. Recommendation would be from math and science teachers. Favorites are biology/chemistry. Founded a school club related to environmental science.

No, no academic outside, meaning no math/science competition.

Consistent B+ in a subject area or here and there? Consistent B+ in one or more subject areas will hurt for top schools. A few B+ spread out don't really hurt much, especially if they are in the fall or 'in season' if an athlete.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a major, a lot of science, but also strong in humanities kids often try to declare:

https://anthropology.stanford.edu/research/medical-anthropology

https://anthropology.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/career-paths/medical.html

https://anthropology.yale.edu/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-concentration/concentration-in-medical-anthropology-and-global

OP here. The issue is DC does not have any ECs related to anthropology. Would taking a class count? The school does offer an anthropology course.

Yes it could.
Do something this summer too? Working/volunteering in hospitals or clinics on the human side of health disparities?
Write an article or 2 about that experience in the school newspaper or literary magazine?
is there a global health club kid can join at school? What clubs is the kid involved with already?

Anonymous wrote:private no ranking no weight, highest rigor math/stem. UW gpa guessing in the top 20%, but definitely not tippy top if not weighted.
What would be good reach schools? DC does not like large universities in general, a medium/small size university or a LAC would work. Undecided major potentially premed. Unhooked full pay.

Unimpressive unweighted GPA in context of class brings you down more than a 1590 brings you up. On that basis alone, any Ivy (or WASP) is out and you are at the notch below: Chicago ED1.

But a math/STEM applicant brings it down another notch: ED1 to WashU and be very lucky to get admitted?

If not admitted, have to go down another notch for ED2.

Anonymous wrote:This is a major, a lot of science, but also strong in humanities kids often try to declare:

https://anthropology.stanford.edu/research/medical-anthropology

https://anthropology.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/career-paths/medical.html

https://anthropology.yale.edu/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-concentration/concentration-in-medical-anthropology-and-global

OP here. The issue is DC does not have any ECs related to anthropology. Would taking a class count? The school does offer an anthropology course.