u/sir_heli

Hello everyone. Let me introduce myself, and my situation.

As written above, I am a senior in high-school. College applications are rapidly approaching

For all of HS, I was sure I wanted to go the medical route. All my ECs are medical/Bio related.

I volunteered in a hospital, interned in 2 life science research labs over 3 years, did my schools biomed program, participated in medical Olympiads, etc. I did pretty well in these areas too.

Now that college apps are approaching, and I have to choose a major/path, I'm not sure. I think I would enjoy aerospace engineering as a career and be much more fulfilled. I am extremely passionate about planes, jet propulsion, space travel, and cars. The issue is, I have nothing to show for it. I tried to learn Python when I was 12, and gave up. I tried to learn R for my lab internship, and failed. The science APs I have taken are Calc AB and BC (I got a 4 on both), Bio, and Environmental Science. My senior year, I am going to try to take AP CSA, Physics C Mechanics, Stats, Multivar Calc/Lin Alg, and Chem.

I am likely to be a National Merit Finalist, which could give me full rides at places like Uni of Alabama Tuscaloosa, UT Dallas, USF, etc.

What should I do? I just don't know if I will be fulfilled by a medical career. My grandpa had the same path essentially. He initially was in college for Bio, then switched to engineering which he likes much more.

Will I be able to make up the gap in knowledge? Will I be able to learn enough to be competitive? I don't need a crazy job, just enough to support myself and my family. I think I would enjoy the work of AE in of itself.

For those with experience, who are older, please let me know any advice or guidance. It would be much appreciated.

Intended Major: Neuroscience/ Biomedical Science

Reach Schools: Yale, Dartmouth, Rice, USC, UVA Jefferson Scholars, Texas Tech UMSI

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: White and Hispanic

Income: Middle Class

Location: California, moving to Texas my senior year

Hooks: Maybe URM, Legacy UVA (dad did law school there, don't live with him anymore)

Background: Parents divorced, moved in with my mom in my sophomore year due to homelessness with my Dad. Wont go into it too much, but pretty chaotic background with alot of housing instability and financial struggle. Now we are middle class at my Mom's, but our income will definitely not qualify for QB.

Notes: My parents aren't contributing to college. I was thinking Dartmouth ed, but even with financial aid I would have to take out about 40k in loans overall. As someone who wants to go to med school, i'm not sure if this is ideal.

Test scores: 1530 SAT (790M, 740 RW) going to retake. 5s: AP Human Geo, AP Bio, AP Psych, AP Environmental Science. 4s: AP World, AP Calc BC, AP Calc AB (subscore), AP Lang

Grades: 4.0 UW, 4.58 Cumulative. This is top 3% at my California HS, will be calculated differently at my Texas HS.

Coursework: Many community college credits, including medical assisting class and biotech class. Senior Year intending to take: AP Chemistry, AP Physics C E & M, AP Statistics, Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra, AP Macroeconomics /AP Microeconomics, AP Computer Science A, Health Science Practicum: CCMA Program.

ECs:

Elected President of Science Olympiad at My School (end of Junior year, wont be able to fulfill due to Texas Move)

Founder of Neuroscience Club, accumulated 50 members. Hosted multiple lab tours/volunteering events

Research Experience Sophomore and Junior Years at UCSD associated lab, First year was independent soil analysis project after a wildfire damaged my community, second was a project where we analyzed the effects of Tijuana River Estuary pollutants on Medaka fish heart Physiology. Probably around 250-300 hours doing this.

Research Experience Senior Year: Competitive Paid internship in Regenerative Medicine, worked under Principle Investigator and Pediatric Neurologist to test a novel treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (2nd most prevalent fatal genetic disease in infants) with promising results. PI thinks it could go to clinical trial very soon. Presented poster work at UC Berkeley

115 Volunteer Hours Neurology/Orthopedics Ward at Hospital (Mainly provided items for patients and transported blood)

President and Founder of Tutoring Club at my school

25 Hours tutoring middle schoolers at my old HS when I lived with my dad

JV tennis all through HS (im bad at tennis but i like it alot lol)

Other Experiences: Basically raised my lovely baby brother all through 7th-9th grade when I lived with my Dad (he was extremely neglectful and put responsibility on me and my stepsister). IDK how but I was able to juggle this and school. I learned alot from this and it is the primary reason I am able to work so hard. I miss him alot now that I live with my mom, and wan't to serve as a positive role model for him in the future. When I moved to my Mom's house, I basically was responsible for enrolling myself into the ideal schools, finding activities, getting myself to school, ETC. I learned alot about self initiative and self advocacy. Additionally, soon after moving to my Mom's, a wildfire happened which basically caused by introduction into research.

Awards (very weak IMO): Regional Awards Science Olympiad San Diego, SD Brain Bee Finalist (missed nationals by one question 😭) Likeley NMSF, IPSYO Higher Distinction (basically meaningless imo), AP Scholar with Distinction (obviously). Aiming for a few more awards before apps in Neuroscience/Medicine but this is basically it.

If anyone could give me advice for essays, future awards I could get before college apps, or anything like that I would greatly appreciate it. IK my profile is not as cracked as some people here, but I feel I have tried my hardest. Thanks!

I hope we all get in 😭 Wishing everyone luck

I recently found out I got in, 11/175 were accepted for my location. Did anyone else get into SPARK CIRM internships at SBP or elsewhere?