It is important to remember that in college, students that want to become physicians will only be taking the course work required to get into medical school, such as biology, chemistry, etc. Pre-med only means preliminary college work. At the college (undergraduate) level, you do not take any medical classes. If you are interested in a specific career such as Pediatrics, the important decision will be where you attend medical school after you graduate from college. Most students do not go to medical school at the same university that they get their undergraduate degree from.

James E. Casebeer
Assistant Director
Office of Enrollment Services
Northern Arizona University
928-523-6080
james.casebeer@nau.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! I am glad to hear of your aspirations of becoming a pediatrician. There are many ways to achieve your goals, but the first is finding a university who has a good pre-medical program. Some schools have it as a major and others, like Brandeis, have it as a program to be completed in conjunction with another major. At Brandeis and other liberal arts institutions, we want you to explore a lot of different disciplines, so our students can major in virtually any discipline and be pre-med at the same time. You should also look to see what the acceptance rate to medical school is at each university. Brandeis graduates seeking admission to medical school are accepted at a rate of 82% where the national average is just 52%. Students looking at becoming a doctor should know they would need to complete both a bachelor's degree and a medical degree before becoming a doctor.

In terms of scholarships, Brandeis has a number of academic scholarships as well as significant need based awards. Check out www.brandeis.edu/admissions to learn more!

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

Great questions! It is wonderful that you want to become a pediatrician; but undergraduate universities cannot teach you to become a pediatrician, only medical school can teach you that. You must first graduate from high school and attend a university. After you graduate university, you must then go to medical school where you will learn medical science. What you should do to prepare is find out which universities have a large number of graduates attending medical school. This will let you know which universities are good at preparing students for medical school. But for you, that stage is many years away. You must first do well in all your high school subjects, including English. When you get to university, be sure to let your advisory know that you are interested in going to medical school. They should help you select courses that will improve your chances of being admitted to a medical program. I would suggest that you take courses in all areas of academic study and not just courses in science. Medical school admission committees are looking for students who can be good at writing, foreign language, and social sciences as well as science. Being spectacular in biology, chemistry, and anatomy isn't enough to become a pediatrician, you have to be knowledgeable in many areas. Best wishes.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

You'll want to look for schools with great undergraduate Pre-Medical programs. Pediatric medicine is something you'll specialize in in medical school, so the first step will be finding a program that will prepare you to take that step. Because your focus is pediatric medicine, you may also want to look for a school that will allow you the flexibility to incorporate some child development or communications classes into your curriculum. You won't need those courses to be admitted into med. School, but they will certainly serve you well in your anticipated profession.

Heather Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! An important rule in admissions is that you can never be admitted to a university if you don't send an application. Many universities, such as Brandeis, looks at students from a variety of perspectives and attempt to take into consideration all of the different circumstances. It is important to apply to schools that are both "reach" schools AND "safety" schools. Work with a guidance counselor or other mentor in making your list of schools is very important. Also contact schools who have bridge year programs like our Transitional Year Program that help students that need an extra year before being at a selective university.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

The most frequently asked question by prospective students and their parents: "Should I take an Advanced Placement course and make a B or a regular course and make an A?" The response from selective colleges: "Take the AP course and make an A!"

Of course, that wasn't the answer most people expect, but it's absolutely true. To be competitive for many top-flight public and private institutions, it's critical that you enroll in the most advanced courses APPROPRIATE for your level of ability and preparation and that you work as hard as you can to earn the best grades in those courses. I emphasize "appropriate" because we see too many students who have never been good math students taking AP Calculus, for example, and making unsatisfactory or failing grades in their junior or senior year.

That brings me to the answer to this particular question: it's never too late to start taking your academic responsibilities seriously. Colleges don't just look at grades; we look at grade trends as well. There are four types of students with 3.5 GPAs. A) There's the consistent student who has earned A's and B's in equal numbers throughout high school. B) There's an erratic student whose grades are randomly dispersed all over his or her transcript. C) There's the student who started off earning all A's in 9th grade, made A's and B's in 10th, and then all B's in 11th as courses get more difficult. D) There's the late bloomer--more often boys than girls, since we men tend to mature later--who start off slowly in high school but pick up momentum and make all A's by junior year.

Now, guess which two of these students a selective college is likely to most want to admit! Generally, we'll opt for student A, Ms. Consistency, who will likely continue to perform well on our campuses. But, we'll often be equally excited by student D, Mr. Momentum, whose college GPA often will be higher than his high school GPA, as he has yet to reach his fullest potential but is headed in a positive direction academically.

And, why would your situation be worse because you only recently immigrated from Africa? We're all looking for diversity of life experiences to add to the educational interactions on our campuses. My advice: work hard in school and look for those colleges which will value what you can add to their student bodies. And, look for a positive way to embrace your newfound academic motivation as well as your experience as an immigrant in your application and scholarship essays!

J. Robert Spatig
Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Terrell Hall
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1633
(706) 542-3982
bspatig@uga.edu

These are some very good questions. Now you say that you have only begun to take your coursework seriously now that you are into the middle of your junior year. I am not sure for other universities, but the University Of Vermont reads your academic transcript from 9th grade to 12th. We look for trends in your grades. It is good to see that over time, your grades improve. I can't really say how your top choices will view your potential, but you can make them notice your potential by using the personal statement to explain how you have been working harder in recent years. No, you won't be wasting your time by applying to your top choice universities. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you are a competitive student within their applicant pool if you just apply. I believe it was Michael Jordan who said: " The only bad shot is not taking a shot". As for financial aid, it really depends on your citizenship and which college you are applying to. Some colleges give substantial amounts of financial aid to students born in foreign countries. If you are not a citizen of the United States, you may not be able to receive federal grants and loans. Scholarships for students who bring a unique quality to the university (varsity athlete, a published writer, exceptional academic performance, or development enhancement) is another story. Check with each one of the universities you are applying to and find out what you could be considered for.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

Your transcript will give colleges and universities the ability to look at all of your grades from high school, so they will know if you have improved over the last couple of years. Many schools will take notice of an upward shift in a student's grades, and act accordingly. Talk to the colleges and universities that you are considering about how they weight each part of the transcript, and be candid with schools you apply to about your freshman and sophomore grades.

As far as scholarships are concerned, there are lots of different opportunities available. Talk to schools individually to find out what kinds of scholarships they offer. Some schools offer scholarships based on extra-curricular activities, cultural involvement, financial need, etc. in addition to their regular merit scholarships. There are also scholarships from lots of other sources; search the internet and see what's available!

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Not even college "prepares" you to become a physician. This all happens in medical school. The important thing is to get a strong and diverse background. In high school, you should be concentrating on those classes that will get you into the best college you can. In college, you should take rigorous science such as biology, chemistry and even advanced classes such as genetics, etc. However, it is also important to write well, be an analytical thinker, etc., so non-science classes are also very important. Also, community service is a definite plus when applying to medical school. Nothing you can take in high school or college will prepare you to be a doctor, it will only prepare you to study to become a doctor in medical school.

James E. Casebeer
Assistant Director
Office of Enrollment Services
Northern Arizona University
928-523-6080
james.casebeer@nau.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! My biggest advice from your question is to complete four years of high school. If you have completed all the advanced courses in your school look to see if you can take your senior year at a local community college. Talk to your guidance counselor about making this work. Just because you can graduate a year early doesn't mean you are ready to jump into college. Make sure you are working with your family and counselors to see if this is the best track for you. In the meantime, my suggestion is to continue to challenge yourself in the best way possible with a variety of honors or advance placement course if offered at your school.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

Its wonderful that you would like to become a pediatrician. It is also wonderful that you are willing to prepare yourself so early in your academic career to become a pediatrician. The best way you can prepare yourself to become a pediatrician while in high school is to concentrate on the courses that you are taking now. You have a great course load, but taking anything in addition to that is not recommended. What makes a good pediatrician is a strong foundation in the core realms of academics. Doing really well in classes like Geometry, English honors, Biology honors, and World Geography honors will prepare you for a career in health care. You should also be taking a mathematics course. Your high school course load has been set by your guidance counselors so that you become knowledgeable in these subjects for a very important reason. You must take your high school curriculum and do well in it before you can move on to more challenging studies. I am not aware of any method to graduate from high school early. I would not recommend graduating high school any earlier than the end of your senior year (typically year 4). High school is four years long because that is the appropriate amount of time for a student to adequately complete their high school course load. Prematurely graduating from high school may work as a disadvantage to you by cramming too much school work in a period of time that is too short. But if you are truly set on graduating early, discuss this with your guidance counselor. Best wishes.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

You are on the right track so far! Taking advanced/honors classes is a good way to prepare yourself for any college program. You should take the most challenging program offered by your high school, and because of your interest in medicine, you should incorporate as many science courses as you can. If you are interested in earning college credit while still in school, you can achieve that in several ways: Take classes at a local community college during the summer. If your college offers AP or IB classes, or College-in-High school classes, you should take them and complete whatever exams are necessary to earn college credit. In some cities, there are high schools that incorporate college classes into the curriculum and allow students to graduate with an associates degree, or to start college one year early (for example: Bard High School Early College in New York, Clarkson Academy of Clarkson University, Baltimore City College), if there is an opportunity of that nature open to you, I would certainly encourage you to take advantage of it! Later, you can ask the colleges you are interested in about their requirements for transferring college credits.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Thank you for your question. At Seton Hill University, the SAT or ACT are both acceptable standardized tests to submit for admission to the university. We are happy to accept either. In addition, we also have what we refer to as “The Write Option”. Students can opt out of taking a standardized exam, and can submit writing samples in place of the exams. A counselor on staff would be happy to talk with you about this process. Thank you, and good luck.

Kimberly A. McCarty, MBA
Assistant Director of Admissions
and Campus Visit Coordinator
Seton Hill University
724-838-4201 or 1-800-826-6234
kmccarty@setonhill.edu

Greetings from Brandeis. You should check each school's policy but at Brandeis we require either the NEW SAT I and 2 Subject Tests OR the ACT with the Writing portion. Either exam will work and neither is preferred.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

General rule of thumb: the more selective the college or university, the more likely it is that they will require or recommend that you submit scores from at least two or three SAT II Subject Tests. Some used to require the SAT II Writing, but now that the SAT I includes a writing section with essay, that particular test is no longer being offered. Bottom line is that you need to investigate exactly what each of the colleges on your short list require.

In terms of your plan to take both the SAT I and ACT, you're very smart to do so. Many students will find that they do better on one test or the other. Most selective colleges will now accept either and many of us will use the results of whichever test benefits you the most in our admissions process. SAT I tends to be the most prevalent test on both the East and West Coasts, while the ACT is strongest in the middle of the U.S., with Illinois and Colorado being two of the largest ACT states.

J. Robert Spatig
Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Terrell Hall
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1633
(706) 542-3982
bspatig@uga.edu

Good questions. Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question for you. My suggestion is for you to call each school that you have an interest in and find out if SAT subject tests are necessary. You may also want to ask which standardized test is preferred. Because each university is different, you would have to ask each one separately. As for the University Of Vermont, you are not required to submit the scores from your subject tests. You may also take which ever standardized test you like to take. But if you take the ACT, be sure to take the writing portion as well.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

Most colleges and universities will accept both SAT and ACT scores. Subject test requirements vary by school, so check with the schools you are considering to determine which tests you should be taking.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

It’s good that you have narrowed your geographic range to just New England. It will help you focus your college search to a smaller number of universities. The most important question you should be asking every college you are interested in is: "How many graduates from your university apply, and are admitted to medical school?". This will help you to determine which university is the right university for you, if you are truly passionate about become an orthopedic surgeon. You may want to inquire about their pre-medical programs or majors as well. Find out what each university can do for you to help you make your dream a reality. There is no set major that would be ideal for becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Actually, if you were to look at all applicants to all medical schools, you would find that there is a large amount of students applying to medical school who have undergraduate degrees in areas other than science! This is because medical schools like applicants who are academically strong in many areas and not just science. So choose which ever major you would like, but be sure to check with an academic adviser at your university to make sure you are preparing yourself for medical school.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

As with any student interested in becoming a doctor, you need to look for a good undergraduate program in pre-medicine. After you've created a list of great undergrad programs, narrow it down by finding the schools that fit you best; for example, ask yourself "Do I want the excitement of a big campus, or am I looking for a small, supportive environment?" "Urban, suburban, or rural?" "Which of these schools offers the kinds of extra-curricular activities I want to be involved in?" Figure out what is most important to you, and look for a school you can call "home" for four years. Also ask the schools in question about their four-year graduation rates. It takes a long time to become a doctor, so you don't want to spend five or six years just getting your undergraduate degree!

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Congratulations to your student!! I would not be worried about the fact that you have yet to see a financial aid package from college A. I am sure it will come shortly in the mail. Universities work like small cities and it takes time for paper work to complete its cycle. If you are really concerned, I would suggest calling the university and asking if you will receive the financial aid award soon.
There are many types of loans available to students and their families. I completely understand your apprehension about taking out a loan for your student; making these financial choices are always difficult. Loans can be taken out by the parent or the student. In some cases, both the parent and the student take out loans. This is an ordinary situation for families to finance a student's education. You may have to take out a loan for your student, but be sure to make yourself knowledgeable about the terms of the loan. Ask questions like: "What is the interest rate on the loan?" "How long do I have to pay the loan back?" "When do I have to start paying the loan?" "What happens if I run into financial trouble (either temporary or long term) and I have trouble paying the loan?"

I would either call, or meet with the financial aid office in order to get the school go commit to the information about financial aid. Many families go through times like these and financial aid officers are professionals and are always very helpful. There is nothing wrong with asking for more financial aid, but I would not leverage one university's financial aid offer by comparing it to another. Call the financial aid office immediately and talk with the professionals there, they are paid to help you to the best of their ability.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

As a general rule, I advise students to go ahead and request loans at first. They can always decline to use them later for now but it keeps their options open and also communicates to the university that they are willing to do their part to make college happen. When I say that they can decline them later, what I mean is that until they actually receive the loan disbursement, they can go to the financial aid office and say, "I'd like to turn down my loan" and there's no penalty. They can also talk to the financial aid office and tell them that they, for instance, only want to borrow $1500 in a Federal Stafford or Direct Loan for the year rather than the full $2625 that is allowed.

When it comes to the parent Federal PLUS Loan, I think it's fine to say you don't want it. If, later on, you discover that you do need to take out a PLUS later, even mid-year, you can contact the FA office to arrange this.

With regard to College A and the fact that you haven't seen a financial aid offer yet, there's nothing wrong with contacting them to say that you need to receive an offer in the near future in order to keep their school on your son's list. Be sure to ask if there is anything you should be doing to keep things rolling along. It's very common to find out that the college sent you a request for additional information that you perhaps overlooked and until you submit that extra info, they won't continue to process your son's financial aid application.

Palmer H. Muntz, Director of Admissions
Oregon Institute of Technology
3201 Campus Drive
Klamath Falls OR 97601
541.885.1150
muntzp@oit.edu

I think it's a good idea to gather information about all of the aid available to you, including loans. If you find that you can afford to pay for your student's education without borrowing money, you can always decline the loans, even after you've been approved for them.

If you have filed all of your financial aid paperwork in a timely fashion, it is reasonable to expect that schools will give you an equally timely response. Don't be afraid to keep "bugging" the financial aid office. After all, how can you make an informed decision if they don't give you the information you need in time? It is perfectly acceptable to let them know that you have received packages from other schools, and that you are waiting on their response in order to make a decision, but you should avoid using aid packages from other schools as a bargaining tool.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! Each school will have a different policy. Brandeis requires all students to submit either the NEW SAT I and 2 Subject Exams OR the ACT with the writing portion.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

The answer to your question: yes and no. If they combine scores from multiple testings, most colleges and universities will accept your old SAT I Verbal and Math scores in this transition year. But, they are going to expect that you submit a new SAT I score so that they can have a Writing score to complete your file. Some, however, will want only a new SAT score. And, a couple--most notably Georgetown University and the University of Miami--are not requiring the new SAT at all this year. You may want to take the new SAT this June and see your scores before you have the results sent to any of the colleges on your list. But, I'd be surprised if you don't score as high or even higher second time around, even on the new test. Just remember to get a good night's sleep on Thursday and Friday before the test date and to eat breakfast beforehand!

J. Robert Spatig
Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Terrell Hall
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1633
(706) 542-3982
bspatig@uga.edu

That really depends on which university you are asking. As a junior, you should have already selected a number of universities that you are interested in. Call each of those universities and ask them will they consider your scores on the previous SAT. As for the University Of Vermont, we will only consider the new SAT scores. Do not be afraid to take the new SAT. The new sections may work to your advantage. Be confident in your abilities and you will score higher than you ever thought you could.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

The answer will vary from college to college but there are a lot of us who will continue to accept the "old" SAT for a couple more years at least. Until we have had a chance to observe how the new writing section of the SAT predicts college success, we're going to rely primarily on the math and verbal (now called "critical reading") sections of the SAT.

Palmer H. Muntz, Director of Admissions
Oregon Institute of Technology
3201 Campus Drive
Klamath Falls OR 97601
541.885.1150
muntzp@oit.edu

There are some schools accepting both old and new SAT scores for Juniors (Juniata College, for example). You'll have to ask the specific schools you are interested in to find out what they will be requiring.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! You sound like you are interested in Biology or perhaps Environmental Studies. Many schools have these programs - at Brandeis you might major in Biology and take courses in Marine Biology - which other schools have as a major. Check outwww.brandeis.edu/academics to learn more of our programs.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

What you want to study is called Marine Biology. I am sure that in one of your four years in high school you will have to take biology as one of you lab sciences. I suggest you pay extra special attention to what you are studying in your biology class because it is the exact same material you will be covering in your college biology class. You are closer to your dream of becoming a marine biologist than you think you are. Good luck!

I think what you are looking for is an undergraduate program in Marine Biology. You will, of course, be able to specialize in mammals in graduate school, but look for an undergraduate program that will allow you to do research with a variety of aquatic organisms while concentrating a significant portion of your time on the ones that interest you the most.

This site might be helpful:http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/becoming.html

Ventures Scholars Program
c/o Ventures In Education, Inc.
15 Maiden Lane, Suite 200
New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-566-2522 ext. 103
Email: webmaster@ventures.org
Fax: 212-566-2536
Web: www.venturescholar.org

Nothing in high school or college trains you to be a physician per se, only the study skills, thinking, etc. to get into med school and succeed. Psychiatry is a subspecialty. You will need to get into medical school, finish your M.D., take an internship, and then a residency in psychiatry. It is a long trip!

James E. Casebeer
Assistant Director
Office of Enrollment Services
Northern Arizona University
928-523-6080
james.casebeer@nau.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! In order to become a psychiatrist, one needs to not only complete a bachelor's degree but also go on to medical school. Other possible careers include being a psychologist or social worker - both requiring an advanced degree. For high school, keep taking challenging courses and do well. Look for colleges that offer a good pre-medicine program and a good psychology program. Brandeis also offers Neuroscience as a major, which relates well for someone wanting to become a psychiatrist. Check out www.brandeis.edu/academics to learn more about our programs!

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

Becoming a psychiatrist is like becoming a doctor. Relative to most professions,you would be spending a long time in school in order to become a psychiatrist. Because psychiatry is the study of the human mind and its effects on emotions and mental health, psychiatry takes a lot of years in college and med school. Some people complete their education in psychiatry in 7-9 years (undergraduate and medical school). Now, as for the courses you need to take in high school and college, you may be surprised to find out that there are no particular courses that lead you into the mental health profession. My suggestion would be to take a regular liberal arts course load (math, social science, humanities, foreign language, and physical science). I will say that it would be in your best interest to also take biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, bio-chemistry, and psychology.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

The amount of education a career in psychiatry will require depends somewhat on the work that you want to do. Becoming a psychiatrist requires an MD degree, which can take quite a while, but is certainly worth the time. If your interest is in counseling, you have many options: you can get a Masters or PhD in psychology, or Masters in Clinical Social Work.

It is possible to shorten the amount of time it takes to obtain any of these degrees by taking advantage of cooperative programs. For example, Juniata College offers students the opportunity to pursue an MD at Tulane University after only three years in Juniata's undergraduate program.

If you choose to go into social work, choose an undergraduate program accredited by the N.A.S.W.; many graduate programs allow you to get your Master's degree in just one year once you have completed a Bachelors of Social Work program.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Here are some links that might be helpful. Please remember that you will have to go to medical school and will have to take the same courses as a "pre-med".

http://www.psych.org/edu/med_students/index.cfm
http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issues/1001/careers/377.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5054-2003Apr21.html
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm
http://www.aamc.org/students/considering/start.htm

Ventures Scholars Program
c/o Ventures In Education, Inc.
15 Maiden Lane, Suite 200
New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-566-2522 ext. 103
Email: webmaster@ventures.org
Fax: 212-566-2536
Web: www.venturescholar.org

Greetings from Brandeis! As a school founded on the principles of social justice, Brandeis values a student's commitment to service and community involvement. Applicants typically are involved in some community activities during their high school years but this is not a requirement. Although academics are most important, we definitely look for active community members in our applicants. For more information about community service at Brandeis check out www.brandeis.edu/studentlife.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

Highly selective schools must make difficult decisions about the best students any education system has to offer. The more selective a university is, the more likely it will have to go beyond GPA and SAT scores in order to choose between applicants. If a university has to choose between two students, both with the same GPA and SAT score, they will be forced to choose the student who is a greater leader or community service provider. Its just a fair way to evaluate applicants. So become a leader in your community, and not for the sake of being admitted into your top choice university, do it for your community and for yourself.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

Community service and leadership roles are certainly something colleges are looking for during the application process, however, you shouldn't be engaging in these activities with the exclusive purpose of impressing colleges and universities. Find activities that you enjoy and that are meaningful to you; you'll find that you will be more active in these activities, and more likely to take on leadership roles.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Greetings from Brandeis! GREAT QUESTION. Here at Brandeis, we want our prospective students to be comfortable, but at the same time we do notice if a student is dressed inappropriately during an interview. For an interview, I would avoid shorts or short skirts, flip flops, ripped jeans, offensive tee shirts and low cut outfits. Students don't need to be in formal attire and should be comfortable when walking on a campus tour - outside in hot humid weather, but also probably shouldn't look like they are heading to the beach. Gum is also not the best idea. Still, more important than how you dress is what you say! Substance is far more impressive than a nice outfit. I recommend students to be comfortable and prepared to chat about themselves.

Robert W. Andrews
Assistant Director of Admissions
Brandeis University
(781) 736-3500
andrews@brandeis.edu

My suggestion is to dress in a respectful manner. Your student may want to refrain from wearing jeans and sneakers for starters. But do not go overboard by showing up overdressed either. Tours can be long and involve a lot of walking and interviews with students are meant to be informal. My suggestion is to wear nice, yet comfortable shoes as well as a business casual attire. It wouldn't be over dressing yourself and it is still respectful to the institution and the interviewer.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

If you are just making a regular visit to the campus, I would simply recommend dressing modestly and comfortably. You don't want to make a poor impression by wearing dirty or revealing or sloppy clothing if you happen to meet the dean of admissions, for instance, but you also don't have to worry that they're going to have especially high standards. Nice jeans or khakis and a sport shirt should be fine. I wouldn't wear a t-shirt or sweatshirt, probably, unless maybe it had that college's name on it.

Now, on the other hand, if you're going in for a scholarship competition or something like that, you'll want to dress nicely. That doesn't mean that you have to wear a suit and tie or a dress. You need to be "comfortable in your own skin" while you're doing interviews and so on, so try to find a good balance. If you wear clothes that don't "feel like you," you may have a hard time presenting yourself as well as you'd like.


Palmer H. Muntz, Director of Admissions
Oregon Institute of Technology
3201 Campus Drive
Klamath Falls OR 97601
541.885.1150
muntzp@oit.edu

For informal interviews, you still want to pet your best foot forward, but there's no need to dress formally. Think business casual; a nice pair of slacks or khakis and a blouse, sweater, or men's dress shirt, for example. This way, you'll always be dressed appropriately. That being said, many schools are quite casual, but you should always avoid wearing an outfit that includes torn/ripped jeans and shirts, mini-skirts, etc. Reviving the eighties punk era is fine when you are hanging out with friends, but you may want to consider a more conservative approach to fashion when dressing for a college interview.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

Thank you for your question. At Seton Hill University, we do offer merit based scholarships based on class rank, GPA, and SAT or ACT scores. These scholarships are referred to as our Presidential Scholarships and our Honors Scholarships. You can learn about both on our website at www.setonhill.edu, or call to speak with a counselor. Thanks, and good luck.

Kimberly A. McCarty, MBA
Assistant Director of Admissions
and Campus Visit Coordinator
Seton Hill University
724-838-4201 or 1-800-826-6234
kmccarty@setonhill.edu

Great question! Certainly having great grades is an excellent way to obtain an academic scholarship, but to really answer your question, I need to go a little bit further. In order to receive an academic scholarship you must first find one that is being offered. Check on the internet for scholarship money or ask your guidance counselor. No, you are right; having great grades isn't enough! First, you need to find that scholarship. Then, if you really want the scholarship, you will have to do what ever it takes to earn the scholarship. So start looking right now. Even if you find scholarships now in your sophomore year, there may be some scholarships that you have to do a few years of work in order earn.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

Many schools award scholarships based on the application for admission. You should be able to find information about scholarship requirements on each school's website. That being said, it is certainly worth writing a couple of essays to pay for a college education.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

OK, many of you are probably not going to like my response to this question. But, if your main motivation for performing community service is "to get into a good college," then you need to step back and re-evaluate your priorities. First, there is no magic number of hours that even the most selective college or university expects to see. Secondly, since your generation is more involved on the community level than most previous ones, most applicants are going to have performed at least some community service. But, what we're looking for is "quality of experience not quantity of experiences!"

So, I encourage you to spend some time alone with yourself or with your guidance counselor, a trusted teacher or mentor, or a family member or mature friend who knows you well to reflect on what makes you who you are. Too many students think they need to make themselves look a certain way in order to "get in" to a "good" college. In the end, all they succeed in doing is looking like the vast majority of other qualified, but rather generic applicants. We want to know who you are, what you're passionate about, and how you've grown personally from your activities, including community service. Instead of trying to fit yourself into a particular mold, start figuring out who you are and how you want to present yourself as an individual. Then, trust that truly "good" colleges--and the ones that will be the best fit for you--will appreciate your uniqueness and invite you to join our campus communities!

J. Robert Spatig
Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Terrell Hall
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1633
(706) 542-3982
bspatig@uga.edu

Doing a lot of community service is a wonderful thing. But be sure to do community service for the sake of helping others, not to be admitted into a university. At the University of Vermont we evaluate the whole student, and not just grades; but also by their commitments and extra-curriculars. I am not sure how other universities evaluate a student's applicant. But The University Of Vermont evaluates every application in the following manner: the most important piece is your application is your high school transcript. A high school transcript includes the courses you have taken and the grades you earned in those courses. Second to that is your standardized test score(s) (ACT or SAT). Third is your extracurricular profile (like community service). Fourth is your personal statement (your essay). Last is your letter of recommendation. As you can see, grades are the most important part of a student's application. But to answer your question, there is no predetermined amount of community service that will guarantee admission. My suggestion would be to try and pull your grades up and show that you have what it takes to make a full academic recovery. As well as show every university that you apply to that you are a well rounded and truly thoughtful student.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

First, read question 1 answer. After med school you would have subspecialize (more school) in a surgical subspecialty. Then, you could set up your own practice, work for hospital or HMO, whatever. There will be no problems making a living!

James E. Casebeer
Assistant Director
Office of Enrollment Services
Northern Arizona University
928-523-6080
james.casebeer@nau.edu

Unfortunately, I am not the person who can tell you the answer to that question. It all depends on you really. Most jobs as a surgeons tend to pay very well. But depending on the choices in education that you make, and your commitment to your dream of becoming a surgeon; this is the only way to determine your chances of getting a good paying job as a surgeon.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

Once you have your degree, the chances of getting a 'good job' as a surgeon are great! Right now, you should focus on challenging yourself in high school, getting excellent grades, and finding college that will prepare you for graduate school!

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

A very good question, and its no bother for me to answer you! Congratulations on your ACT score, it is quite exceptional. Both the score and your percentile rating is exceptional, I don't believe many colleges would care between either when you have done so well on the exam. In order to stay consistent, The University of Vermont only goes by what you scored on the ACT and not the percentile.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

When you send your ACT reports to colleges, they will get both your scores and your national percentile report, but most schools will be comparing your scores with those of students from previously admitted classes.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

That’s a very good and very complicated question. What I can tell you is about the Biomedical Engineering program available at the University of Vermont. The Biomedical Engineering program is a graduate program, meaning that you must complete an undergraduate degree first. The Biomedical Engineering Program is interdisciplinary and offers advanced courses in engineering, life sciences and biomedical engineering. These courses are combined with rigorous training in biomedical engineering research. The goal of this highly interdisciplinary program is to provide advanced education and research training in physiology, rehabilitation engineering, biomechanics, biomedical instrumentation systems, and in the scientific principles underlying the origination of therapeutic devices and processes. Undergraduate biomedical engineering options in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, and cooperative efforts with UVM's College of Medicine and biomedical engineering industries further enhance the biomedical education and research environment at UVM.

Devin Harmon
Assistant Director of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 656-4624
Fax: (802) 656-4663
E-mail: Devin.Harmon@uvm.edu
web: http://www.uvm.edu

The Chemistry, Biology and Engineering chairs at Juniata seem to agree that Bio-Engineering is something you should pursue in graduate school, with an undergraduate degree that incorporates Mathematics, biology, Chemistry and Physics/Engineering. That being said, if you have your heart set on an undergraduate degree in Bio-Engineering, Juniata offers a cooperative program with Pennsylvania State University that would allow you to complete two degrees in 5 years! We have similar programs that would allow you to pursue Bachelors degrees in Chemical Engineering.

Heather R. Doyle
Admission Counselor
Multicultural Recruitment
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
(814)641-3430
doyleh@juniata.edu

A Career in Biomedical Engineering
http://www.bmes.org/careers.asp
http://129.94.131.101/embs/docs/careerguide.pdf  (PDF File)

American Society of Microbiology
http://www.asm.org/Education/index.asp?bid=1208

Site on Cell Biology
http://www.geocities.com/bunni20004/CellBiology

Ventures Scholars Program
c/o Ventures In Education, Inc.
15 Maiden Lane, Suite 200
New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-566-2522 ext. 103
Email: webmaster@ventures.org
Fax: 212-566-2536
Web: www.venturescholar.org