u/Confident_File6467

Hey everyone, I’m a teen girl and I’m lowkey lost at this point because I feel like I’ve tried literally everything.
My hair has always been super thick and holds on to moisture. Starting around age 10 or 11, my hair got VERY greasy, to the point where people would ask if it was wet, even though I thoroughly washed it every day.
By 9th grade, it got worse. Residue from my shampoo started showing up on my brush, and my hair was literally STRINGY despite daily washes. People kept asking me how often I washed it.
Going into 10th grade, I tried "training" my hair by washing every 3 days for 3 months, thinking it was overproducing oil. That failed miserably. It looked terrible every single day after day 1.
**Here is everything I’ve tried so far:**
**Clarifying shampoo once a week** – didn’t work
**Daily clarifying/oily hair shampoo** – didn’t work
**Dry shampoo** – doesn’t help
**Hard water shower filter** – didn’t help
**Apple cider vinegar rinse** – didn’t help
**Double shampooing** – hair still feels dirty right after
**Scalp massager** – made it look worse
**Cleaning my brushes daily** – hair still looks bad, brush gets gross instantly
**Washing my hair for 30+ minutes** – still feels dirty
**Sectioning hair in 4+ layers to wash** – looks the same
Every single time I go to a salon, the stylists tell me how much residue is in my hair. The ONLY time my hair ever felt clean was after getting it dyed at a salon. the stylist did two clarifying washes plus a regular wash/conditioner and said I wouldn't need to wash for 4 days (it lasted 2, which was still a record for me!). *Note: Before dying my hair 4–5 times in 9th grade, it was already super stringy, and I haven't used dye or heat since.*
**My current routine:**
Daily cleansing shampoo for oily hair
Daily conditioner (kept strictly to the ends)
Once a week: clarifying shampoo (double wash)
*No leave-in products, no heat, and I never go to sleep with wet hair.*
No matter what I do, my hair feels heavy, sticky, and unclean. It’s humiliating and I feel hopeless. Has anyone dealt with this kind of stubborn wax/residue buildup? Any tips or advice on what to do next would mean so much!

Hey everyone, I’m a teen girl and I’m lowkey lost at this point because I feel like I’ve tried literally everything.
My hair has always been super thick and holds on to moisture. Starting around age 10 or 11, my hair got VERY greasy—to the point where people would ask if it was wet, even though I thoroughly washed it every day.
By 9th grade, it got worse. Residue from my shampoo started showing up on my brush, and my hair was literally STRINGY despite daily washes. People kept asking me how often I washed it.
Going into 10th grade, I tried "training" my hair by washing every 3 days for 3 months, thinking it was overproducing oil. That failed miserably. It looked terrible every single day after day 1.
Here is everything I’ve tried so far:
Clarifying shampoo once a week – didn’t work
Daily clarifying/oily hair shampoo – didn’t work
Dry shampoo – doesn’t help
Hard water shower filter – didn’t help
Apple cider vinegar rinse – didn’t help
Double shampooing – hair still feels dirty right after
Scalp massager – made it look worse
Cleaning my brushes daily – hair still looks bad, brush gets gross instantly
Washing my hair for 30+ minutes – still feels dirty
Sectioning hair in 4+ layers to wash – looks the same
Every single time I go to a salon, the stylists tell me how much residue is in my hair. The ONLY time my hair ever felt clean was after getting it dyed at a salon—the stylist did two clarifying washes plus a regular wash/conditioner and said I wouldn't need to wash for 4 days (it lasted 2, which was still a record for me!). Note: Before dying my hair 4–5 times in 9th grade, it was already super stringy, and I haven't used dye or heat since.
My current routine:
Daily cleansing shampoo for oily hair
Daily conditioner (kept strictly to the ends)
Once a week: clarifying shampoo (double wash)
No leave-in products, no heat, and I never go to sleep with wet hair.
No matter what I do, my hair feels heavy, sticky, and unclean. It’s humiliating and I feel hopeless. Has anyone dealt with this kind of stubborn wax/residue buildup? Any tips or advice on what to do next would mean so much!

Hi everyone, sorry if this is a dumb question lol!
Also wanna preface by saying I’m very grateful to my PI and he’s been incredible, he’s just a really busy guy 😭
I’m a high school student and this summer I worked 7 hours a day, 5 days a week for 8 straight weeks in a research lab (completely unpaid).
At the start, the PI told me he writes letters of recommendation (LORs), but mentioned that his best letters usually come when students actually generate data for him.
To be completely honest, I’m feeling pretty frustrated. I’ve shown up on time every single day, read the literature, took thorough notes, asked questions, and had super engaging convos with him about the research. However, due to his scheduling issues, he was never able to actually show me how to run the main procedure. Because of that delay, I haven't been able to generate the data.
We had a 3-week protocol planned out, I finished the first week, but now everything is pushed back, and school is starting so I don't think I can finish it in time.
A few questions for you guys:

1. Should I still ask him for a recommendation letter? Is that appropriate given the situation?
2. He mentioned that some students come back during the school year. Should I hint at coming back to finish the protocol, or just ask directly?
3. Am I in the wrong here? I feel guilty that I didn't push harder to get assigned tasks, but I genuinely just didn't want to be annoying or bother anyone in a busy lab.
   Any advice on how to handle this would be super appreciated! TIA!

best timer recommendations to bring to paper ACT?

Hi everyone!
I started on Lexapro and wanted to see what to expect side effects wise in the future.
For context, I’ve been of SSRIs for around 4 years. I started on Zoloft, went up to the highest dosage and it didn’t work. I went on prozac, was on the highest dosage, but was having bad tremors and had to go down and stop taking it.
I never had any side effects (other than tremors) on the medicine. I gained a bit of weight when I went off of prozac.
I’m starting on Lexapro for anxiety. I am also currently on Seroquel and Wellbutrin. What should I expect? Are there any main side effects to watch out for?

Hi!

My ACT was switched to paper two days ago. My original registration was for the computer and I did not sign in and request a difference in formatting.

Two days ago I recieved an email that looked very similar to what I recieved when I first registerd for the ACT. I thought it was just a confirmation email and didn't think much of it. Yesterday, I signed in to complete my device checks and saw that my registration had been switched to paper.

I don't want to take it on paper and I am not sure how to proceed. Does anyone have advice on how to change this or why it may have happened?

Hi guys!

Any comments would be great.

I want to go into pre-med, major in public health or biology.

I am a white female and I come from a very uncompetitve high school.

Reaches (CONSIDERING, not applying to all): Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Emory, UNC, Duke, WashU, Notre Dame, and Northwestern.

Top right now are Northwestern, Notre Dame, Cornell, and Duke.

Please let me know if any of these I should just cut bc they are hopeless.

Academics

1500 SAT (retaking), 770 math, 730 english first try.

11 APs by graduation (max rigor at my school that has detracking). 1 DE course. 4 honors. Haven't gotten back scores yet but 4s and 5s so far. Notable ones are: AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Chemistry, and AP Biology.

Extracuriulars

Founder of Health Education Nonprofit

115+ volunteers, 2k raised, 400k+ digital impressions, mentoring program (matches up teens and medical professionals), teen led blog with 2k views, 6 international chapters, and other stuff too. Also registered as an official 501(c)(3)

Research in Lab (Cleveland Clinic)

Doing this over this summer. I will have around 230 hours in a wet lab running experiments and doing actual work. Not sure if I can get published but my PI said if I can give him data, he will publish me + write letter of rec. Also said I can work in lab during school year.

Running a Fellowship

Have around 80 students and am mentoring them in writing a research paper. End result: each student has a poster and paper to present and publish. Have 5 guest speakers, 8 experienced mentors, and 3 weekly sessions. Worked with 1 other girl to develop an extensive curriculum.

President - Red Cross Board

Selected to be on a board and then elected president. Helped lead collection and distribution of 500+ items around where I live to underdeserved childern and homless shelters.

Going off fellowship, I made a 5 week curriculum with worksheets (to teach teens how to conduct scientific research) that we are pitching to schools (me and one other girl). Its been reviewed by PhD mentors and such and we are hoping to get it implemented in a schooling system.

Program Lead for TIH

Selected as 1 in 4. I was previously an intern and got published in their journal. Got promoted tho. Helping mentor and review around 100 students papers.

Co-Director of Operations at a Nonprofit

Selected as 1 of 2 leaders from a pool of 50 applicants to oversee organizational operations; supervised 5 volunteer departments, led outreach initiatives, and developed educational resources supporting student nonprofit founders. 

Wrote 2 independent research papers - want to get published, one is getting submitted to STS

Blogger and researcher for various health websites

Published research on biomarkers and contributation to Alzeheimers. Second author, under undergraduate student.

Intern at University Hospitals - presented a stroke project to an underderseved population of around 150+

900+ volunteering hours, mostly in medicine related things.

Only about 20 hours shadowing currently (Cleveland Clinic OR), because the Cleveland Clinic limited me. I am shadowing in the Peds ER at UH for however long they let me and at private practices and am aiming for 60-70 hours.

Awards (lowk ass sorry)

Xerox Award for Information Technology and Innovation (from the University of Rochester)

1st place, Regional National History Day Competition (project was done on health inequality) 

National recognition from the College Board

Nominated for Morehead Cain Scholarship (1 of 3 JIS)

Joyce Ivy Scholar 2026

Invited to Cancer Sympossium at Case Western (30 students across Cleveland)

Any tips or advice? My current list is as follows:

Brown (reach)
Emory (reach)
Vanderbilt (reach)
WashU or UNC Chapel Hill (both reaches, removing one)
Duke University (reach)
Case Western Reserve (target)
University of Rochester (target)
Kenyon College (target)
University of Pittsburgh (target)
Miami University (safety)
College of Wooster (safety)
Ohio University (safety for regular + applying for HTC (reach))

Academics
SAT Score (retaking): 1500 (770 math, 730 English)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.625 W
APs Taken/Currently Taking/Planned (school has detracking, max rigor)
AP Biology (4), APUSH (5), AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Language, AP Computer Science A (Java), and AP Calculus BC
Honors Taken
Advanced Math 9 (Geometry and Algebra 2), Advanced Math 10 (Algebra 2 and Precalc), Advanced Math 11 (Pre-calculus and Calculus 1), and 11 Advanced English (same as IB HL). 
DE (at Tri-C)
American Government 
Leadership & Extracurriculars
Founder & Executive Director, Health Equity Access League (HEAL)

• Registered as a business entity and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Ohio
• Launched a youth-led nonprofit promoting accessible health education for underserved teens
• Reached 400,000+ teens through TikTok and online resources
• Manage website, blog, TikTok, infographics, and digital toolkits
• Have a page dedicated to scholarships and STEM resources for underrepresented populations
• Run a successful mentoring program, focused on pairing teenagers interested in STEM with doctors, nurses, and medical school students
• A teen-led blog has 80+ unique blog posts on blog topics, all researched and approved by the HEAL project board
  • Blog posts have 2k views
• Lead team of writers, researchers, artists, outreach managers, content creators, and chapter creators (115+ volunteers)
• Established international infrastructure with 5 chapters across 4 countries.
  • Two incredibly successful chapters
    • 1 school club with 15-20 members, meeting weekly
    • 1 organization in Malaysia, 23 members, partnered with 3 organizations, and planned a donation drive for STEM resources
    • Donation drive reached 150 children and raised $1945

   

• Collaborated with 3 teen-based organizations
• Reached 39 countries and 25 US states through our website
• Hosted 2 seminars with a partnership organization

HEAL x MARS Fellowship, Leader

• Designed and directed a 5-week virtual summer research fellowship curriculum, teaching 40+ hours of instruction on research methodology, literature review, experimental design, scientific writing, and presentation skills.
• Led operations for an international virtual research fellowship and developed the complete instructional curriculum, guiding students through independent research projects.
• Created a comprehensive research curriculum used by high school fellows and mentors, covering research design, data analysis, scientific communication, and poster development.
• Impacted over 80 teens

President, Executive Youth Board & Youth Mission Advocate, American Red Cross

• Elected president of the youth executive board, leading team meetings and discussions
• Led the executive board in collecting donations for homeless shelters around Cleveland, coordinated with churches and local community buildings for collaboration and outreach
• Coordinated donations for 20+ large trash bags of clothes and toys that were donated to underserved populations around the Cleveland area.
• Supported volunteer screening, recruitment, and youth outreach initiatives
• Coordinated community service projects and events

Team Lead, BestMedHelp Research

• Chosen through a selective process to lead a group of motivated high school researchers
• Guided 10+ high schoolers in conducting and publishing research

Member, HOSA – Future Health Professionals

• Engaged in competitive health science events and school-based public health projects

National Ambassador, MARS Research Program 

• Founded and led a local chapter, promoting research opportunities and mentorship for teens
• Led the coordination of the educational resources team
• Help design course modules focused on research education for underdeserved schools
• Research modules were verified by professors and used widely, and implemented in school districts

 

Program Lead for TIH Program

• Selected as 1 of 4 program leads for the neuroscience department of the TIH summer program
• Helped guide 117 teens in writing polished research papers 
• Coordinated lectures and organization

Co-Director of Operations at The Nonprofit Architect

• Selected as 1 of 2 leaders from a pool of 50 applicants to oversee organizational operations; supervised 5 volunteer departments, led outreach initiatives, and developed educational resources supporting student nonprofit founders.

 

Treasurer at EmpoweredED

• Managed budgeting and financial records for a youth financial literacy nonprofit serving 15,000+ students through a free 49-lesson curriculum covering budgeting, saving, credit, and investing.

 

Research & Writing
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute

• Currently working with a Cleveland Clinic researcher in the Lerner Institute of Heart and Kidney Health. 
• Investigating renal regeneration mechanisms and kidney development using pluripotent stem cells.

Teens in Health Research Program (PTSD and EMDR Research)

• Conducting primary research on PTSD with mentorship from like-minded teens.
• Research is published and peer-reviewed.

 

Independent Science Research – Epidemic Study

• Coded a Python-based program to stimulate the spread of a disease
• Wrote a paper breaking down the findings

Independent Science Research – CRISPR Literature Review

• Wrote a thorough literature review on CRISPR and the ethics behind gene editing

Blogger, Accessome Health Equity Blog

• Authored and published articles on appointment access via SMS and health equity issues
• Focus on making complex health policy accessible to youth
• Verified and published by medical students

Researcher, BestMedHelp, MedReport & Donate Essentials

• Produced health-focused research summaries and explainer articles for public education platforms. 
• MedReport articles are reviewed and published under medical review

ThinkNeuros Biometric Internship 

• Participated in neuroscience research using biometric data, gaining hands-on lab and data analysis experience
• Created a research poster on biomarkers in blood and presented at a symposium  
• The research poster was published by an undergraduate student 
• Named the top intern in my cohort, receiving a certificate

 

Clinical Experience & Service
Summer Intern, University Hospitals (2025)

• Interviewed physicians, completed cadaver lab, and attended disease-focused medical seminars.
• Presented longitudinal stroke impact research to a community audience of 150+ in an underserved Cleveland neighborhood.

Student Pathway Programs, Cleveland Clinic (2025)

• Accepted into a mentorship program through the Cleveland Clinic
• Learned how to conduct interviews and build a proper resume
• Attended an on-site visit where we learned how to give proper CPR and insert breathing tubes.

Healthcare & Community Volunteering (900+ Hours)

• Hospice Volunteer: end-of-life support, patient engagement, and office work.
• Meals on Wheels: food delivery to seniors and vulnerable residents
• Food Bank Assistant: community distribution and inventory support
• Gliding Stars: adaptive skating for individuals with disabilities, working with kids, and strengthening understanding of physical and developmental disabilities. 
• I Can Bike: assisted youth with physical and cognitive disabilities in learning to ride

Awards & Recognition 

• Invited to a symposium at Case Western Reserve University (30 students across Cleveland)
• Joyce Ivy Scholar 2026
• 1st place, Regional National History Day Competition (project was done on health inequality) 
• National recognition from the College Board
• Published research in the Teens in Health Student Journal
• Published research in ScienceOpen
• Xerox Award for Information Technology and Innovation (from the University of Rochester)
  • 1/350 juniors at school received it

   

• Nominated for Morehead-Cain Scholarship (by Joyce Ivy)

Also have some shadowing hours at the Cleveland Clinic (OR), UH (Peds Emergency Room), and private practices.

This is super duper scattered right now because it's just my brag sheet for teachers. I'm really going to try to consolidate everything around one main spike.

For context (a bit will be towards the end), I am a white female with no major hooks. Upper middle class income.

I have a fair share of targets and safeties, but I'm just going to ask about my reaches.

I am looking at Vanderbilt (ED1), Emory (ED2), and then UMich (OOS), Brown, and Duke. Let me know if any schools stand out for my profile that I didn't list, I'm definitely open to suggestions.

My letters of recommendation will come from the PI at the lab I'm interning at, my math teacher (whom I had for 3 years, from algebra 2 to AP Calculus BC), and my English teacher. Both will likely be very strong because I've performed very well in both classes and have a strong relationship with both.

My common app essay is pretty strong, and is about how a childhood belief and fear of a “timid frog” shaped my tendency to trust and notice small details, which later became a lens for understanding and wanting to address overlooked issues like healthcare inequality. Kinda weird and definitely variable to change.

Academics
SAT Score (retaking): 1500 (770 math, 730 English)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.625 W
APs Taken/Currently Taking/Planned (school has detracking, max rigor)
AP Biology (4), APUSH (5), AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Language, AP Computer Science A (Java), and AP Calculus BC
Honors Taken
Advanced Math 9 (Geometry and Algebra 2), Advanced Math 10 (Algebra 2 and Precalc), Advanced Math 11 (Pre-calculus and Calculus 1), and 11 Advanced English (same as IB HL). 
DE
American Government 
Leadership & Extracurriculars
Founder & Executive Director, Health Equity Access League (HEAL)

• Registered as a business entity and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Ohio
• Launched a youth-led nonprofit promoting accessible health education for underserved teens
• Reached 400,000+ teens through TikTok and online resources
• Manage website, blog, TikTok, infographics, and digital toolkits
• Have a page dedicated to scholarships and STEM resources for underrepresented populations
• Run a successful mentoring program, focused on pairing teenagers interested in STEM with doctors, nurses, and medical school students
• A teen-led blog has 80+ unique blog posts on blog topics, all researched and approved by the HEAL project board
  • Blog posts have 2k views
• Lead team of writers, researchers, artists, outreach managers, content creators, and chapter creators (115+ volunteers)
• Established international infrastructure with 5 chapters across 4 countries.
  • Two incredibly successful chapters
    • 1 school club with 15-20 members, meeting weekly
    • 1 organization in Malaysia, 23 members, partnered with 3 organizations, and planned a donation drive for STEM resources
    • Donation drive reached 150 children and raised $1945

   

• Collaborated with 3 teen-based organizations
• Reached 39 countries and 25 US states through our website
• Hosted 2 seminars with a partnership organization

HEAL x MARS Fellowship, Leader

• Designed and directed a 5-week virtual summer research fellowship curriculum, teaching 40+ hours of instruction on research methodology, literature review, experimental design, scientific writing, and presentation skills.
• Led operations for an international virtual research fellowship and developed the complete instructional curriculum, guiding students through independent research projects.
• Created a comprehensive research curriculum used by high school fellows and mentors, covering research design, data analysis, scientific communication, and poster development.
• Impacted over 80 teens

President, Executive Youth Board & Youth Mission Advocate, American Red Cross

• Elected president of the youth executive board, leading team meetings and discussions
• Led the executive board in collecting donations for homeless shelters around Cleveland, coordinated with churches and local community buildings for collaboration and outreach
• Coordinated donations for 20+ large trash bags of clothes and toys that were donated to underserved populations around the Cleveland area.
• Supported volunteer screening, recruitment, and youth outreach initiatives
• Coordinated community service projects and events

Team Lead, BestMedHelp Research

• Chosen through a selective process to lead a group of motivated high school researchers
• Guided 10+ high schoolers in conducting and publishing research

Member, HOSA – Future Health Professionals

• Engaged in competitive health science events and school-based public health projects

National Ambassador, MARS Research Program 

• Founded and led a local chapter, promoting research opportunities and mentorship for teens
• Led the coordination of the educational resources team
• Help design course modules focused on research education for underdeserved schools
• Research modules were verified by professors and used widely, and implemented in school districts

 

Program Lead for TIH Program

• Selected as 1 of 4 program leads for the neuroscience department of the TIH summer program
• Helped guide 117 teens in writing polished research papers 
• Coordinated lectures and organization

Co-Director of Operations at The Nonprofit Architect

• Selected as 1 of 2 leaders from a pool of 50 applicants to oversee organizational operations; supervised 5 volunteer departments, led outreach initiatives, and developed educational resources supporting student nonprofit founders.

 

Treasurer at EmpoweredED

• Managed budgeting and financial records for a youth financial literacy nonprofit serving 15,000+ students through a free 49-lesson curriculum covering budgeting, saving, credit, and investing.

 

Research & Writing
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute

• Currently working with a Cleveland Clinic researcher in the Lerner Institute of Heart and Kidney Health. 
• Investigating renal regeneration mechanisms and kidney development using pluripotent stem cells.

Teens in Health Research Program (PTSD and EMDR Research)

• Conducting primary research on PTSD with mentorship from like-minded teens.
• Research is published and peer-reviewed.

 

Independent Science Research – Epidemic Study

• Coded a Python-based program to stimulate the spread of a disease
• Wrote a paper breaking down the findings

Independent Science Research – CRISPR Literature Review

• Wrote a thorough literature review on CRISPR and the ethics behind gene editing

Blogger, Accessome Health Equity Blog

• Authored and published articles on appointment access via SMS and health equity issues
• Focus on making complex health policy accessible to youth
• Verified and published by medical students

Researcher, BestMedHelp, MedReport & Donate Essentials

• Produced health-focused research summaries and explainer articles for public education platforms. 
• MedReport articles are reviewed and published under medical review

ThinkNeuros Biometric Internship 

• Participated in neuroscience research using biometric data, gaining hands-on lab and data analysis experience
• Created a research poster on biomarkers in blood and presented at a symposium  
• The research poster was published by an undergraduate student 
• Named the top intern in my cohort, receiving a certificate

 

Clinical Experience & Service
Summer Intern, University Hospitals (2025)

• Interviewed physicians, completed cadaver lab, and attended disease-focused medical seminars.
• Presented longitudinal stroke impact research to a community audience of 150+ in an underserved Cleveland neighborhood.

Student Pathway Programs, Cleveland Clinic (2025)

• Accepted into a mentorship program through the Cleveland Clinic
• Learned how to conduct interviews and build a proper resume
• Attended an on-site visit where we learned how to give proper CPR and insert breathing tubes.

Healthcare & Community Volunteering (900+ Hours)

• Hospice Volunteer: end-of-life support, patient engagement, and office work.
• Meals on Wheels: food delivery to seniors and vulnerable residents
• Food Bank Assistant: community distribution and inventory support
• Gliding Stars: adaptive skating for individuals with disabilities, working with kids, and strengthening understanding of physical and developmental disabilities. 
• I Can Bike: assisted youth with physical and cognitive disabilities in learning to ride

Awards & Recognition 

• Invited to a selective symposium at Case Western Reserve University (30 students across Cleveland)
• Joyce Ivy Scholar 2026
  • 10-20% acceptance rate
  • Awarded a scholarship to Yale Young Global Scholars
• 1st place, Regional National History Day Competition (project was done on health inequality) 
• National recognition from the College Board
• Published research in the Teens in Health Student Journal
• Published research in ScienceOpen
• Xerox Award for Information Technology and Innovation (from the University of Rochester)
  • 1/350 juniors at school received it

 

Summer Plans

• Have multiple shadowing opportunities lined up with physicians at the Cleveland Clinic and UH. 
  • 2 dates in OR for 10-hour work days

   

• Planning to expand coding stimulation on epistemology and use public health data from my community to write an extensive research paper on health disparities and submit to STS.

 

School Context

• Non-competitive high school
  • Average SAT ~1200
• School does send several kids to T20s each year
  • No kids in the past 5-10 years have had any national awards or standout extracurriculars.

 

For some reason, I just can't find good targets. Can you guys please recommend targets for my profile?

I have a 1500 SAT (770 math, 730 reading) that I'm retaking, 4.0 UW GPA (4.62 W), 11 APs by the time I graduate (max rigor), and come from an uncompetitive high school in Ohio. My extracurriculars are probably 1% in the US (very good), so I won't list them in detail, but published research, research in the Cleveland Clinic lab, various internships/shadowing, and high-level leadership. Awards are eh, I'd give them 8/10, like 3 selective, 3 local.

I am looking for a college that doesn't have huge class sizes, has a very collaborative and friendly feel, a happy student body, and overall just a good college experience. I want to major in public health or biology on the pre-med path, so I would like access to research and a major hospital. Additionally, also not like huge amounts of grade deflation.

Any elp would be great.

Which one would you guys recommend?

I'm pretty used to using desmos but the ACT barely has any questions you can use Desmos for tbh. I took a practice one on paper and got a 36 with my regular TI-84, so I'm not sure. I like the feeling of taking it on paper but I'm also unsure of bubbling and flipping the paper and stuff.

Does the digital test vary from the paper one? Ik both are enhanced now but are the reading/english passages different (like is digital one shorter)?

Hi!

I'm a student taking the enhanced ACT in July. I've been doing practice on ACT's websites and found a few of the past released ACT tests that were not enhanced.

My question is: are the pre-enhanced ACT tests accurate in difficulty? Obviously, the length will be different, but are the question styles and overall difficulty similar?

I've also been wondering, I've seen A LOT of ACT tutors online post solutions to ACT questions from like the actual test. Where do you access this? I've found a few but is there somewhere where I can find them all?

Finally, I've heard the math on the enhanced ACT is harder. If anyone has taken the enhanced, do you guys have any advice on what to study/focus on? I took AP stats this year, so all my stats knowledge is very good, and I also took trig/precalc my first semester.

I do have matches and likely admits on my list, but I'm mostly looking at (for reaches): Brown, Vanderbilt (ED1), Emory (ED2), William and Mary, and Wake Forest. Everything else is mostly targets.

I will be retaking the SAT in August and the ACT in July. I got a 36 on my practice ACT test. I currently have a 4.0 UW but am concerned about getting a B in my math class this year. If I do get a B (its an advanced course), my UW GPA would be lowered to a 3.98 and my weighted GPA wouldn't move much.

Rec letters are coming from my math teacher of 3 years and my English teacher, who really likes me and has recommended/nominated me for many things (wrote a letter for a girl who got into Brown at my school this year). I am also hoping to get a letter of recommendation from the researcher who I am working with over the summer and maybe from someone I am shadowing.

This is my resume, so sorry if its a bit cluttered. I'm going to try to tailor everything around public health and want to go into pre med.

pre-med
Academics
SAT Score (retaking): 1500 (770 math, 730 English)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.6 W
APs Taken/Currently Taking/Planned (school has detracking, max rigor)
AP Biology (4), APUSH (5), AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Language, AP Computer Science A (Java), and AP Calculus BC
Honors Taken
Advanced Math 9 (Geometry and Algebra 2), Advanced Math 10 (Algebra 2 and Precalc), Advanced Math 11 (Pre-calculus and Calculus 1), and 11 Advanced English (same as IB HL). 
DE
American Government 
Leadership & Extracurriculars
Founder & Executive Director, Health Equity Access League (HEAL)

• Registered as a business entity and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
• Launched a youth-led nonprofit promoting accessible health education for underserved teens
• Reached 400,000+ teens through TikTok and online resources
• Manage website, blog, TikTok, infographics, and digital toolkits
• Have a page dedicated to scholarships and STEM resources for underrepresented populations
• Run a successful mentoring program, focused on pairing teenagers interested in STEM with doctors, nurses, and medical school students
• A teen-led blog has 80+ unique blog posts on blog topics, all researched and approved by the HEAL project board
  • Blog posts have over 2k views
• Lead team of writers, researchers, artists, outreach managers, content creators, and chapter creators (100+ volunteers)
• Established international infrastructure with 5 chapters across 4 countries.
  • Two incredibly successful chapters
    • 1 school club with 15-20 members, meeting weekly
    • 1 organization in Malaysia, 23 members, partnered with 3 organizations, and planned a donation drive for STEM resources
    • Donation drive reached 150 children and raised $1945

   

• Managed a team of 115+ volunteers and coordinated collaborations with three other teen-led organizations
  • Managed 6 different volunteering departments.

   

• Collaborated with 3 teen-based organizations
• Reached 39 countries and 25 US states through our website
• Hosted 2 seminars with a partnership organization
• Ran a fellowship over the summer, offering students 1 month of mentorship and a research summit education towards the end

President, Executive Youth Board & Youth Mission Advocate, American Red Cross

• Elected president of the youth executive board, leading team meetings and discussions
• Led the executive board in collecting donations for homeless shelters around Cleveland, coordinated with churches and local community buildings for collaboration and outreach
• Coordinated donations for 25+ large trash bags of clothes and toys that were donated to underserved populations (over 500 items).
• Supported volunteer screening, recruitment, and youth outreach initiatives
• Coordinated community service projects and events

Team Lead, BestMedHelp Research

• Chosen through a selective process to lead a group of motivated high school researchers
• Guided 10+ high schoolers in conducting and publishing research

Member, HOSA – Future Health Professionals

• Engaged in competitive health science events and school-based public health projects

National Ambassador, MARS Research Program 

• Founded and led a local chapter, promoting research opportunities and mentorship for teens
• Led the coordination of the educational resources team
• Help design course modules focused on research education for underdeserved schools
• Research modules were verified by professors and used widely, and implemented in school districts

Research & Writing
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute

• Currently working with a Cleveland Clinic researcher in the Lerner Institute of Heart and Kidney Health. 
• Investigating renal regeneration mechanisms and kidney development using pluripotent stem cells.

Teens in Health Research Program (PTSD and EMDR Research)

• Conducting primary research on PTSD with mentorship from like-minded teens.
• Research is published and peer-reviewed.

 

Independent Science Research – Epidemic Study

• Coded a Python-based program to stimulate the spread of a disease
• Wrote a paper breaking down the findings

Independent Science Research – CRISPR Literature Review

• Wrote a thorough literature review on CRISPR and the ethics behind gene editing

Blogger, Accessome Health Equity Blog

• Authored and published articles on appointment access via SMS and health equity issues
• Focus on making complex health policy accessible to youth
• Verified and published by medical students

Researcher, BestMedHelp, MedReport & Donate Essentials

• Produced health-focused research summaries and explainer articles for public education platforms. 
• MedReport articles are reviewed and published under medical review

ThinkNeuros Biometric Internship 

• Participated in neuroscience research using biometric data, gaining hands-on lab and data analysis experience
• Created a research poster on biomarkers in blood and presented at a symposium  
• The research poster was published by an undergraduate student 
• Named the top intern in my cohort, receiving a certificate

 

Clinical Experience & Service
Summer Intern, University Hospitals (2025)

• Interviewed physicians, completed cadaver lab, and attended disease-focused medical seminars.
• Presented longitudinal stroke impact research to a community audience of 150+ in an underserved Cleveland neighborhood.

Student Pathway Programs, Cleveland Clinic (2025)

• Accepted into a mentorship program through the Cleveland Clinic
• Learned how to conduct interviews and build a proper resume
• Attended an on-site visit where we learned how to give proper CPR and insert breathing tubes.

Healthcare & Community Volunteering (900+ Hours)

Awards & Recognition 

• Invited to a selective symposium at Case Western Reserve University (30 students across Cleveland)
  • Approximately a 0.06% acceptance/invitation rate
• Joyce Ivy Scholar 2026
  • 10-20% acceptance rate
  • Awarded a scholarship to Yale Young Global Scholars
• 1st place, Regional National History Day Competition (project was done on health inequality) 
• National recognition from the College Board
• Published research in the Teens in Health Student Journal
• Published research in ScienceOpen

Summer Plans

• Have multiple shadowing opportunities lined up with physicians at the Cleveland Clinic and UH. 
  • 2 dates in OR for 10-hour work days

   

• Planning to expand coding stimulation on epistemology and use public health data from my community to write an extensive research paper on health disparities and submit to STS. 
• Hoping to be promoted to a team manager at Teens in Health, where I would mentor 50+ teens in writing a successful research paper.

 

School Context

• Non-competitive high school
  • Average SAT ~1200
• School does send several kids to T20s each year
  • No kids in the past 5-10 years have had any national awards or standout extracurriculars.

 

I do have matches and likely admits on my list, but I'm mostly looking at (for reaches): Brown, Vanderbilt (ED1), Emory (ED2), William and Mary, and Wake Forest. Everything else is mostly targets.

I will be retaking the SAT in August and the ACT in July. I got a 36 on my practice ACT test. I currently have a 4.0 UW but am concerned about getting a B in my math class this year. If I do get a B (its an advanced course), my UW GPA would be lowered to a 3.98 and my weighted GPA wouldn't move much.

Rec letters are coming from my math teacher of 3 years and my English teacher, who really likes me and has recommended/nominated me for many things (wrote a letter for a girl who got into Brown at my school this year). I am also hoping to get a letter of recommendation from the researcher who I am working with over the summer and maybe from someone I am shadowing.

This is my resume, so sorry if its a bit cluttered. I'm going to try to tailor everything around public health and want to go into pre med.

pre-med
Academics
SAT Score (retaking): 1500 (770 math, 730 English)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.6 W
APs Taken/Currently Taking/Planned (school has detracking, max rigor)
AP Biology (4), APUSH (5), AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Language, AP Computer Science A (Java), and AP Calculus BC
Honors Taken
Advanced Math 9 (Geometry and Algebra 2), Advanced Math 10 (Algebra 2 and Precalc), Advanced Math 11 (Pre-calculus and Calculus 1), and 11 Advanced English (same as IB HL). 
DE
American Government 
Leadership & Extracurriculars
Founder & Executive Director, Health Equity Access League (HEAL)

• Registered as a business entity and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
• Launched a youth-led nonprofit promoting accessible health education for underserved teens
• Reached 400,000+ teens through TikTok and online resources
• Manage website, blog, TikTok, infographics, and digital toolkits
• Have a page dedicated to scholarships and STEM resources for underrepresented populations
• Run a successful mentoring program, focused on pairing teenagers interested in STEM with doctors, nurses, and medical school students
• A teen-led blog has 80+ unique blog posts on blog topics, all researched and approved by the HEAL project board
  • Blog posts have over 2k views
• Lead team of writers, researchers, artists, outreach managers, content creators, and chapter creators (100+ volunteers)
• Established international infrastructure with 5 chapters across 4 countries.
  • Two incredibly successful chapters
    • 1 school club with 15-20 members, meeting weekly
    • 1 organization in Malaysia, 23 members, partnered with 3 organizations, and planned a donation drive for STEM resources
    • Donation drive reached 150 children and raised $1945

   

• Managed a team of 115+ volunteers and coordinated collaborations with three other teen-led organizations
  • Managed 6 different volunteering departments.

   

• Collaborated with 3 teen-based organizations
• Reached 39 countries and 25 US states through our website
• Hosted 2 seminars with a partnership organization
• Ran a fellowship over the summer, offering students 1 month of mentorship and a research summit education towards the end

President, Executive Youth Board & Youth Mission Advocate, American Red Cross

• Elected president of the youth executive board, leading team meetings and discussions
• Led the executive board in collecting donations for homeless shelters around Cleveland, coordinated with churches and local community buildings for collaboration and outreach
• Coordinated donations for 25+ large trash bags of clothes and toys that were donated to underserved populations (over 500 items).
• Supported volunteer screening, recruitment, and youth outreach initiatives
• Coordinated community service projects and events

Team Lead, BestMedHelp Research

• Chosen through a selective process to lead a group of motivated high school researchers
• Guided 10+ high schoolers in conducting and publishing research

Member, HOSA – Future Health Professionals

• Engaged in competitive health science events and school-based public health projects

National Ambassador, MARS Research Program 

• Founded and led a local chapter, promoting research opportunities and mentorship for teens
• Led the coordination of the educational resources team
• Help design course modules focused on research education for underdeserved schools
• Research modules were verified by professors and used widely, and implemented in school districts

Research & Writing
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute

• Currently working with a Cleveland Clinic researcher in the Lerner Institute of Heart and Kidney Health. 
• Investigating renal regeneration mechanisms and kidney development using pluripotent stem cells.

Teens in Health Research Program (PTSD and EMDR Research)

• Conducting primary research on PTSD with mentorship from like-minded teens.
• Research is published and peer-reviewed.

 

Independent Science Research – Epidemic Study

• Coded a Python-based program to stimulate the spread of a disease
• Wrote a paper breaking down the findings

Independent Science Research – CRISPR Literature Review

• Wrote a thorough literature review on CRISPR and the ethics behind gene editing

Blogger, Accessome Health Equity Blog

• Authored and published articles on appointment access via SMS and health equity issues
• Focus on making complex health policy accessible to youth
• Verified and published by medical students

Researcher, BestMedHelp, MedReport & Donate Essentials

• Produced health-focused research summaries and explainer articles for public education platforms. 
• MedReport articles are reviewed and published under medical review

ThinkNeuros Biometric Internship 

• Participated in neuroscience research using biometric data, gaining hands-on lab and data analysis experience
• Created a research poster on biomarkers in blood and presented at a symposium  
• The research poster was published by an undergraduate student 
• Named the top intern in my cohort, receiving a certificate

 

Clinical Experience & Service
Summer Intern, University Hospitals (2025)

• Interviewed physicians, completed cadaver lab, and attended disease-focused medical seminars.
• Presented longitudinal stroke impact research to a community audience of 150+ in an underserved Cleveland neighborhood.

Student Pathway Programs, Cleveland Clinic (2025)

• Accepted into a mentorship program through the Cleveland Clinic
• Learned how to conduct interviews and build a proper resume
• Attended an on-site visit where we learned how to give proper CPR and insert breathing tubes.

Healthcare & Community Volunteering (900+ Hours)

Awards & Recognition 

• Invited to a selective symposium at Case Western Reserve University (30 students across Cleveland)
  • Approximately a 0.06% acceptance/invitation rate
• Joyce Ivy Scholar 2026
  • 10-20% acceptance rate
  • Awarded a scholarship to Yale Young Global Scholars
• 1st place, Regional National History Day Competition (project was done on health inequality) 
• National recognition from the College Board
• Published research in the Teens in Health Student Journal
• Published research in ScienceOpen

Summer Plans

• Have multiple shadowing opportunities lined up with physicians at the Cleveland Clinic and UH. 
  • 2 dates in OR for 10-hour work days

   

• Planning to expand coding stimulation on epistemology and use public health data from my community to write an extensive research paper on health disparities and submit to STS. 
• Hoping to be promoted to a team manager at Teens in Health, where I would mentor 50+ teens in writing a successful research paper.

 

School Context

• Non-competitive high school
  • Average SAT ~1200
• School does send several kids to T20s each year
  • No kids in the past 5-10 years have had any national awards or standout extracurriculars.

 

Hi! I got an email today saying that I wasn't accepted into the WashU FLI-I Program. I'm not first gen or low income so that might be why, but I had a question.

In the email, it said: "However, we think WashU might be a great fit for you, and we’d like to get to know more about you at one of these invitation-only online events exclusively for top FLI-In applicants! Please save the dates for the following online sessions."

Was this sent to all applicants who were rejected?

i took the late test which everyone is saying was harder so im not sure if the cutoff for 5 will be lower...

anyways im just going to give range bc im not 100% sure of these

MCQ: probability 32-37/40 correct (im guessing probably 35 maybe a little higher or lower)

FRQ

1. 3/4 or 4/4

2. 3/4 or 4/4 (probabaly 4/4)

3. like 2/4 or maybe 1/4 lmao

4. 3/4 or 4/4 (probably 4/4)

5. idk how to calculate this bc it was only 3 parts but I definitely got the first two sections right and was unsure about the last, but i think i got it.

6. 3/4 or 4/4. only guessed on one subpart of something, everything else was pretty easy. one other one i wasn't sure about but i think i got it.

does anyone have any predictions for the late test?

and if anyone has taken the late test: is it harder? what should i go in expecting?