Answers from the Experts

"Hi, I'm a sophomore in high school and I was just wondering what type of high school courses would be good to take next year in order to prepare or help myself in college to become a neonatologist. I've done research and I have to become a pediatrician before becoming a neonatologist. Right now I'm taking honors world history 2, Spanish 3, honors biology 1, college English, geometry, driver's education and business economics. Also, what courses do you think I should take my first year of college to become a pediatrician?" Responses were sent from: California State University, Sacramento, Texas State University – San Marcos, Emory University, Southwestern University, College of Wooster, Ohio State University, Elizabethtown College, California Institute of Technology, University of Scranton, University of Tennessee – Knoxville, Grinnell College, Marymount Manhattan College, Lafayette College, Carleton College, Oberlin College, Grove City College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Scripps College, Alfred University, Hampshire College, Bucknell University, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), Pepperdine University, Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Albany College of Pharmacy, University of Texas, Dallas, Macalester College, Fairfield University, Franklin & Marshall College, Boston University, Anderson College, Mary Baldwin College, University of Iowa, Smith College. Member Institution and Association Answers:

From the California State University, Sacramento: The student should work closely with a counselor to decide the requirements for entry to her college of choice. She needs to take as much math and science as possible, but needs to round it with language and writing courses. Victoria Valle Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Affairs California State University, Sacramento vvalle@csus.edu 916/278-6060

From Texas State University – San Marcos: We'd tell this student to take as much math and science as possible in high school – biology and chemistry are needed background for such a medical field. In the first year of college the student should anticipate taking two-semester series of biology and of chemistry as well as courses in math and the liberal arts (general education core courses such as college writing, speech, psychology, sociology, history, etc.). Each college will vary a little but a goal oriented pre-med student needs to be prepared to jump into the sciences quickly. Christie Kangas Director of Admissions Texas State University-San Marcos P: 512-245-2803 F: 512-245-8044 E: ck10@txstate.edu

From Emory University: My advice to any high school student regardless of their specific career plans would be to take the most rigorous load possible in high school. If their high school offers advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or honors classes, they need to challenge themselves with the highest level of classes offered. This way they will be prepared to enter college and compete on a high level there. Once a student has entered college, they will have an advisor who will help them decide which classes to take. If the student is thinking about attending medical school, most colleges also have a specific pre-med advisor who will work hand-in hand with their general advisor to choose the most appropriate classes for them. It's a long road from high school to becoming a neonatologist – 4 years of high school, 4 years of undergraduate college, 4 years of medical school, 1-2 years of internship, and 1-2 years of residency before beginning a career in such a specific field. Jean Jordan Director of Enrollment Services Office of Admission Emory University Atlanta.GA 404-727-0175(ph) 404-727-4303(fax) jjordan@emory.edu

From Southwestern University: Typically I would recommend to take as many honors or AP courses as possible. In your Junior year, I would suggest starting on the AP track with AP English III, AP US History, Chemistry, Spanish 4, PreCalc. Your senior year, you may want to consider AP English IV, AP Economics/Government, AP Biology II, Anatomy/Physiology, and Calculus. I can't give you specifics on which classes to take your first year of college. It really depends a lot on which college you choose and the offerings. You'll probably want to take a Chemistry, a Biology, and an English course--the rest depends! Let me know if you have any other questions! Gail Roberson Southwestern University robersog@southwestern.edu

From the College of Wooster: In order to be sure all students are prepared for Wooster we require students take 4 courses in English, 3 courses in Science, Math, & Social Studies, and at least 2 courses in Foreign Language while in high school. Students interested in pre-med will often times have a 4th Science. Stick as close as possible to the 4-year course load described above. As far as the first year of college, you would have an advisor who works with you in regards to which courses are suited for your major. However, it is likely that you will be spending lots of time in the biology building. David Yokley Assistant Director of Admissions The College of Wooster 330-263-2134 dyokley@wooster.edu

From the Ohio State University: We recommend that all students who want to go to college (whether in the sciences or letters) take as much math, natural sciences and foreign language as possible during their high school years. For a junior, complete Algebra II, Chemistry, Spanish 4 plus the other required courses would be important. For the senior year, Pre-calculus, Physics, AP Spanish (if available)an AP Chemistry or Biology, plus Government and senior English would be beneficial. Students should remember that most universities will look at the depth and strength of curriculum, so exceeding graduation requirements is very important. As far as advising the student what courses to take during the first year of college, that's a discussion that should occur between the student and his/her academic advisor at the institution the student attends. I hope that helps. Jefferson R. Blackburn-Smith Sr. Associate Director Undergraduate Admission and First Year Experience The Ohio State University 110 E. Enarson Hall 154 W. 12th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210 614-292-7605 blackburn-smith.3@osu.edu

From Elizabethtown College: First of all, it's great to see a sophomore already seriously considering college. I think I've seen many students start too late in thinking about what they should be doing in high school to get into the college they want. It never hurts to start early. As for your question, you definitely seem to be on track. I would definitely stick with taking as many honors and AP classes as you can. This might not help when looking at a med school, but it will certainly help you get into some of the colleges you are looking at when you start applying to colleges. The more AP's and honors, I would say the higher your chances of getting into a better school, a special honors program, or any other special program. Second of all, I would concentrate a part of your junior and senior year towards science classes. Some students tend to drop natural sciences in their senior year, but by continuing in those classes, and maybe even having more than one a semester (like AP Bio and Physics 1), it not only shows that you are serious about pursuing the sciences, but also capable of a science related field, such as a pediatrician, depending on your grades. Most importantly though, choose your classes wisely. If you can't handle it, don't do. Ideally, yes, you want as many sciences as you can from high school, but also any college would also like you to survive high school. Definitely consult your guidance counselor and teachers about choosing classes and if they believe you can handle such a courseload. As for your first year of college, I would not worry about that yet. Since you are studying to be a pediatrician, almost any college will have some sort of pre-med help they can offer. In general, there are certain requirements you have to fulfill to be pre-med and gain acceptance into a med school. If you are serious about being a pediatrician, you would probably major in biology and a minor in psychology to get development classes under your belt. This track alone will fulfill most of your med school requirements, but also remember to take physics, chemistry, and 2 semesters worth of organic along the way. Seriously though, there is time before that and people will help you in that arena later. For now, I would concentrate mainly on finding the right college for you, doing research to find what college fits you best, and most importantly, enjoy your high school years while you still can. College is a great experience, but you never want to take any years of your life for granted by rushing through them. Your school is there to help you from step to step and you also have Ventures as a resource. Hope this helps and keep in touch. Sincerely, Franklin Shen Multicultural Recruitment Counselor Elizabethtown College 717-361-1400 shenf@etown.edu

From California Institute of Technology: Prior to my current position here at Caltech, I worked for 6 years at the UCLA School of Medicine as their Outreach and Recruitment Director. The Ventures Scholar should not be too concerned about what to take in high school in order to become a pediatrician. Before any of that s/he should work on getting into college. Once there, s/he can major in any subject as long as the standard set of courses are taken, required by most medical schools in the US, which include: 1 year of college physics, 1 year of general chemistry, a semester of biochemistry, and 1 year of college math. Once s/he is in medical school (a tough road) the med student does not decide until the 3rd year what specialty they would like to practice. Then, they have to apply into that particular residency program. Pediatrics required 3 years of training. A specialty in neonatology requires at least another year. Most medical schools do not like students in college to focus on any particular area, as the 1st two years in med school are designed to introduce students to the general curriculum. A long answer, sorry. I would definitely encourage the student to do well in order to get into college. Also, if s/he has the opportunity to do volunteer work in a hospital setting, that would help. A lot of people want to become doctors w/t even putting themselves into the environment. Sincerely, Ray Prado Associate Director of Admissions Office of Undergraduate Admissions California Institute of Technology M/C 328-87 Pasadena, CA 91125 (626) 395-6341 ray@admissions.caltech.edu

From University of Scranton: A first year college student interested in becoming a pediatrician should take the required courses for a pre-med major. This will assure proper course preparation for the MCAT exam and medical school. Stacey Urgento Assistant Director of Admissions Direct Line: (570) 941-5921 Toll Free: 1-888-SCRANTON Fax: (570) 941-5928 urgentos2@UofS.edu

From University of Tennessee – Knoxville: Congratulations on selecting a very important area of medicine as your career goal. It is great also that you are looking at what needs to happen between now and your professional career. The courses that you are currently taking are very good. Honors and advanced placement courses really help to develop general learning skills that will be helpful to you in college and in medical school. I am delighted that you are taking honors biology 1 and encourage you to take as much science and math as you can in high school. Most college pre-medical course plans require courses in general biology, chemistry, and physics. You would probably take the biology and chemistry your first year, along with other required courses in English and general education courses that help to give you insight into many other areas of study. Please consider taking 4 years of Spanish - you may be able to test out of the foreign language requirement, or may decide to take upper level courses in college. Additional, higher level courses are required in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology. At the University of Tennessee, we also have courses that you may find useful, including those in psychology and in child & family studies - as a neonatalogist, it will be important for you to work closely with the families of your patients! As you begin looking at colleges to attend, I hope that you will consider The University of Tennessee. Please visit our website at www.tennessee.edu - there is a lot of great information available there. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. Best wishes. Thomas Broadhead BroadTW@ar.gw.utk.edu

From Grinnell College: It sounds as though this student is on the right track. My best advice is to give you an idea of our recommended program for admission to Grinnell College. We like to see the following when reading applications: 4 years of English 4 years of math (including at least pre-calculus) 3 years of a laboratory science 3 years of social science or history 3 years of a foreign language Of course, 4 years of science, social science, and foreign language indicates a more rigorous academic program, and so I would not counsel a student to drop those courses during the senior year. We also expect students to take the most rigorous program available to them, including honors, AP, and IB classes, where available. We tend to be especially mindful of this element when we know what a student's main academic interests are. For example, we may look to see that students who are interested in medicine take honors and/or AP science classes. Adrienne Enriquez Class of 1998 Assistant Dean of Admission Coordinator of Multicultural Admission Grinnell College Grinnell, Iowa 50112 (800)247-0113 -- toll free (641)269-3612 -- direct line (641)269-4800 -- fax enriqadr@grinnell.edu

From Marymount Manhattan College: These are the courses I recommend for her Junior and Senior years: Junior: English, American History, Algebra and Trig, Chemistry plus electives along with continue study in foreign language. Senior: English, Physics, Pre-Calculus plus electives usually in a Social Studies or language depending on the high school offerings. Her freshmen year of college will usually be set for her as a Pre-Med major--it usually consists of General Biology and General Chemistry as well as Freshmen English, Psychology, possibly a language. Thomas Friebel Marymount Manhattan College tfriebel@mmm.edu

From Lafayette College: Students, when selecting their high school classes, should take as many years of the five major academic subjects as possible (English, social studies, mathematics, science and a foreign language). When possible they should challenge themselves with honors, Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate Classes. Once in college, the academic advisors there will make recommendations as to curricular choices. Most students in college will choose classes in their first year that will begin to complete distributional requirements while beginning to work towards a degree program. Carol Rowlands Lafayette College rowlandc@mail.lafayette.edu

From Carleton College: I'm sensing 2 different parts to this question, the first being "how do I get into a college that will prepare me for a career as a neonatologist," and the second being "Once I'm there, how do I get into medical school?" The next two years of high school, the student should definitely continue taking upper-level courses in science, math, English, social science, and foreign language. They should definitely try to have four years of each of those subjects by the time they graduate. It will also be important that he or she has taken Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as well as Calculus (or at the very least, pre-calc) by the end of their senior year of high school. When it comes to course selection, it would also be beneficial for the student to take upper-level courses when those are available. For example, taking AP or honors classes rather than basic level classes shows that the student has sought challenge within the curriculum they were offered. In sum, when it comes to class selection 2 things become very important. The first is the well-roundedness of the curriculum, and the second is the whether the student has challenged his or her self. As for what the student should take to get into medical school, that could vary very widely from one school to another depending on what type of college the student attends. For example, if the student attends a school that has a separate medical school track or a major in pre-medicine the curriculum may be quite structured and the student may not have much flexibility in his or her schedule. This is quite different to what a student at a liberal arts college might experience. In general, a broad foundation in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics is essential for most careers in the health professions. Students are also strongly encouraged to integrate studies of non-science disciplines into their schedules from the beginning. Professional school science admission requirements are not so demanding that a student must immediately undertake a pre professional program. In general, the admissions requirements of medical, veterinary medical, and dental schools are fairly uniform. Most requirements are satisfied by Calc 1 &2, inorganic and organic chemistry, instrumentation (physics) as well as introductory and upper level biology courses. Some medical schools will also recommend a course in genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, or embryology. I hope this answers your questions. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at rwilliam@acs.carleton.edu or call me at 800-995-2275 Sincerely, Robert Williams Carleton College rwilliam@acs.carleton.edu

From Oberlin College: A strong math/science curriculum should be pursued for any student interested in a medical career. I assume Chemistry nor Physics has been taken yet, so definitely continue with the science sequence. As for math, I assume Algebra II or Precalculus is next on the agenda. All other courses should progress with increasing rigor. As for first year college courses, I would say Slow Down! Cross that bridge when you come to it. As long as you take the necessary Bio, Chem, Organic Chem and Physics courses to do well on the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), you can major in anything you choose. We have had many Humanities majors go on to successful careers in medicine as well as those who choose to major in the sciences. Hope this is helpful, Leslie Braat Senior Associate Director of Admissions Oberlin College Leslie.Braat@oberlin.edu

From Grove City College: Most students who are interested in attending medical school would declare a pre-med concentration in undergraduate school and major in something in the sciences, especially Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry. In high school, you will want to continue to take a full schedule of academic courses, including math, science, English, history, and foreign language, as most colleges will want to make sure that you've taken a well-rounded and challenging curriculum throughout high school. Therefore, I would continue to take honors level or AP level courses, especially in math and science, and I would also continue to study Spanish-something that could prove to be useful in communicating with your patients. College admission committees carefully examine applicants' transcripts for the level of difficulty in their courses, as well as their grades and class rank (if applicable). I hope that this information helps as you continue to pursue your dream of studying neonatology. Best wishes to you in your future educational endeavors. Sincerely, Laura A. McFall Assistant Director of Admissions Grove City College ph: 724-458-2100 lamcfall@gcc.edu

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology: You might want to let them know that right the best thing for them to do is do some biological research, take those biology classes and if possible take a course in statistics as well. It seems, however, that she is already on the right track! Juan Salvador Acosta Massachusetts Institute of Technology jsacosta@MIT.EDU

From Scripps College: You've asked great questions about preparing yourself for college. I would encourage you to max out the number of years in math, science, history and English. If by your junior year you've taken Calculus, take the challenge and sign up for AP Calculus during your senior year. You will definitely become a more competitive applicant. Additionally, do your best to enroll in as many AP and Honors courses that your high school offers. If you are unable to take AP and Honors classes because of scheduling conflicts etc. make sure that you explain that to admission officers that will read your application. As far as your language class is concerned, (Spanish), you may have a bit more flexibility. I infer that you've taken 2-3 years of a language. Make sure that 2 of those years are in the same language, if not all. Once you've taken the minimum years (3-4) there is no harm in taking another class if one interests you more. If you decide to attend Scripps College, you will most likely major in Pre-med. The classes you take your first year in college will mostly be general education requirements. You will most likely begin to take pre-med classes during your sophomore year in college. I know the process may seem a bit overwhelming, but keep asking great questions and you will find that things will become easier as you go along. At Scripps we are here to help and want nothing more than to make your transition from high school as smooth as possible. Once again, feel free to contact me via phone or email. Best of luck with the rest of your academic year! Sincerely, Alicia Valencia Assistant Director of Admission Scripps College Avalenci@ScrippsCollege.edu 800-770-1333

From Alfred University: Congrats on already knowing what you want to do. It is a hefty goal, but one that can be obtained with careful planning and some hard work. Sounds like you are already there with those two things. You sophomore year schedule sounds great. I would encourage you to take as many upper level courses as possible. If you have the ability to take AP or IB courses, take them. If your high school offers courses in conjunction with College courses, take them. Since your interest is in the medical field, I would also encourage you to take courses in the science and math areas. This will help to concentrate your focus and hopefully better prepare you for college. When looking at a college, I would look for a school that will offer you hands on experiences, research opportunities, medical internships, and a history of sending students to medical school. Your undergraduate experiences should also prepare you for something else in case you find something else that would be a lot of fun to have a s a job. Your first year of college is going to be just as important as the last and everything in between. Medical schools will look at your transcript, see what activities you were involved in, what internships/ coops/ work experiences you have done, what laboratory experiences you have accomplished, etc. I would honestly begin to look at different medical schools you would like to attend after your undergraduate years and see what they would recommend. This will help you even more in setting up a program from the beginning. I commend you on your drive to excel, and I hope to wish you the best of luck! If there is anything else that I can help you with, please let me know! Andrew Corman Engineering and Science Enrollment Specialist Alfred University Alumni Hall Saxon Drive Alfred, NY 14802 607-871-2115/800-541-9229 cormanac@alfred.edu www.alfred.edu

From Hampshire College: You're taking the right courses this year. Be sure to take chemistry and physics while you are in high school (at the honors or AP level, if you can) and continue with math, English, social sciences and Spanish right through senior year. This will give you a sound foundation for all of the college level courses you'll need to prepare for medical school as well as a good language basis for a bilingual practice. Once you're in college, you'll want to be sure that you take a year of biology, a year of chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, and a semester each of physics, math and English. Beyond that, you can actually major in anything that really fascinates you. Medical schools are looking for a variety of different and interesting people with the aptitude and background necessary to do rigorous science-based work. Can you do that as a history major? Yes! If it turns out that you're fascinated with child development (as a pediatrician, you might be), you could actually major in that field. How about neuroscience? How about women's health? How about women's health in urban areas or developing nations? (At Hampshire College, where I am director of admissions, you design your own major around your interests, rather than having to fit into a pre-established major.) I definitely suggest that you incorporate some internships into your college years. I know of one Hampshire graduate interested in neonatology who did two different hospital-based internships while she was at Hampshire. You might also consider doing some research while you're in college. (Medical schools do require their students to do some research, and those students who have done extensive college research find the medical school requirement easier.) At Hampshire every student does an extensive independent research project in their final year. One student worked with a hospital nearby that had a large Hmong (Cambodian immigrant group) population. She interviewed local Hmong women about their beliefs and customs around pregnancy, childbirth, and taking care of newborns. She wrote a health-care provider's book for physicians and nurses dealing with Hmong populations. You'll need to prepare yourself by taking the basic courses for medical school - aside from that, your college work is limited only by your imagination. Good luck! You're on the right track. Karen Parker Hampshire College kparker@hampshire.edu

From Bucknell University: It looks like your courses are off to a great start! I would continue to take courses in all of the major areas - four years of history, math, science and English. When available, it is a good idea to take the honors and/or AP level of the courses to show colleges that you can handle the work. Once you get into college, each college will have a different set of courses that are recommended for a student who is interested in Pre-Med. Usually, a major in one of the sciences (biology or chemistry, cell biology, etc) will be the most common path for students. Some colleges will have you take general requirements and then during your junior and senior years you would take the major specific courses. It really depends on the school that you attend. I hope that is helpful! Good luck!! Tania Johnson Bucknell University tmj-bu@bucknell.edu

From Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education: It's wonderful that you want to become a neonatologist. I would suggest the following. It is very important to be well rounded. I am just curious how do you know you want to be a neonatalogist? I am glad to see you are taking a range of subjects. I was uncertain whether or not you had already taken chemistry or calculus. If you enjoy music or art I would also take something like that. I would also recommend volunteering. I would go to a local hospital and see if you can volunteer in the nursery or at least the pediatric ward. In terms of college once again it is important to be well rounded. I would take the premed requirements as well as other subjects which are different and you can enjoy. Also if you enjoy a sport I would encourage that as well. In addition during your summers or the year throughout college it will be important to volunteer or work in a hospital setting and if you can participate in some research. During the first year most people take college level biology and another biology course. You can take chemistry during your first year also. Some people take calculus their first year as well. If you attend a program like ours the premed requirements are pretty standard and can be viewed in our brochure and I believe on the Web. You will have to ask Mr. Wyanoni about that. I hope this is helpful to you. Be well and enjoy the holidays. Dr. Raggio Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education tpagan@sci.ccny.cuny.edu

From California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly): If you have the student to go to the following web site, they will be able to see the preparation needed to be competitive in the selection process at Cal Poly ... http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/undergrad/regular.htm. Walter Harris Cal Poly wharris@calpoly.edu

From Pepperdine University: The Venture Scholar is correct in that to become a neonatologist, one must be a pediatrician; and to become a pediatrician, one must become a physician. [an exceptian would be a Physician Assistant specialty in pediatrics/neonatology - the PA program is three years post bachelors degree]. So, the advice to the Scholar is to do well in high school to get into the college/university of choice. In college, most pre-medical students major in a science, usually biology, but this is not a requirement. One can major in most anything, but courses that have to be included during the undergraduate years would be one year of biology, one year of physics, one year of math, one year of general chemistry and one year of organic chemistry. After college, medical school is another four years, leading to either the MD or DO degree; then, a specialty in pediatrics is generally another 3-4 years of training. Thus, as a sophomore in HS, he/she is looking at 14 more years of education and training!! Dr. Douglas E. Swartzendruber Chairman, Natural Science Division Seaver College Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263 dswartze@pepperdine.edu 310.506.4374

From Randolph-Macon Woman's College: There are many ways to approach a career in the medical field and what would happen is that she would take the prerequisite courses for medical school at the college level. My recommendation to her would be to look at the academic requirements of the colleges to which she intends to apply and work on those. If she has a choice between taking a physics or biology course, it might be better to pursue the biology, just because that would give her more background in the medical field. Overall, though, she really wouldn't need to start worrying about it until she got to college. Hope this helps! Jon Raessler Admissions Counselor Randolph-Macon Woman's College Lynchburg, VA 24503 1 800 745 7692 434 947 8996 (fax) FREE ONLINE APPLICATION (https://www.rmwc.edu/apply/)

From Albany College of Pharmacy: Thank you for your question. If your are interested in a career in medicine I encourage you to take as much Math and Science as you can get your hands on. Next year you may consider taking Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, Calculus or some other Science course and if you have the time... take them all! I also strongly recommend that you become involved in research at some level and soon. Throughout your education both at the undergraduate level as well as in medical school you will need to develop your scientific research skills, getting involved now will make you a more attractive candidate as well as prepare you for what you will experience in your future academic settings. I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have additional questions. Michael Green Assistant Director of Admissions Albany College of Pharmacy 106 New Scotland Avenue Albany, NY 12208 www.acp.edu (518) 445-7221 (888) 203-8010 (518) 445-7322 fax

From University of Texas, Dallas: In order to become a pediatrician you need to attend medical school. Once you are in medical school you can specialize in a variety of things, including pediatrics. Before you can get into medical school you need to get a Bachelor's Degree (an undergraduate degree) from a four year university. My son attended The University of Texas at Dallas and received his Bachelor's Degree in Biology. During the spring of hisjunior year in college he worked with his UTD pre-med advisors and took an MCAT review course (the test you take to get into med school), practiced mock interviews, and completed applications to med school. During the fall of his senior year he interviewed at seven medical schools. By January of his senior year he had been accepted into his first choice med school. He attended The University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, Texas for four years and is now doing his residency program in Internal Medicine at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. My advice to you is to take as much math and science as possible. For example: Algebra I Algebra II Geometry Pre-Cal Calculus AP Calculus Biology Chemistry Physics AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Physics If you have any other questions just let me know or visit our Web site at www.utdallas.edu. Barry Samsula University of Texas, Dallas bsamsula@utdallas.edu

From Macalester College: A student in High school should take if possible all four years of the 5 core subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Science, and Foreign Language). If there are Advanced Placement or IB Curriculum available, they should take those as well. Basically, the student should work on getting into an undergraduate school that will help him or her get a good start to get into Med School. They should talk with their Pre-Med advisors once they get to undergraduate school to help them designate which courses should be taking and when. Hope this helps. Jessie Zapata Macalester College zapata@Macalester.edu

From Fairfield University: Dear student: I would suggest that you take a general college preparatory program that includes as much math, science, history, social science and a modern or classical language as possible. The more challenging the program the more competitive person you will be(Honors and AP courses are certainly looked upon favorable by most Universities). A lot of colleges are looking for well rounded students. So, it does seem that you are one the right track. When you enter college most universities will provide you with an advisor that will help you choose your courses. More than likely there will be a structured pre-med program that you will be able to follow. At this point it is good to have an understanding of what is store for yourself in the future but don't let the college curriculum worry you. I hope this answers your questions. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. Alexander Scott Senior Associate Director AScott@mail.fairfield.edu

From Franklin & Marshall College: Take courses now that will span the "academic five" and put you deep in them - English, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science/Studies, and Foreign Language. Good schools will want to know that you are taking these courses all four years and that you have consistent and incremental depth in each one. When you get to college, continue to take courses that will help you write well, read well, think well, and speak well - and be able to manage time well. These are the traits of a liberally learned human being, far higher an aspiration than being just a physician - told to me once, by a physician. Varo L. Duffins Associate Dean of Admission Franklin & Marshall College Office of Admission P.O. Box 3003 Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 1-877-678-9111 toll free 717-291-4255 direct 717-291-4389 http://www.FandM.edu

From Boston University: Well you certainly sound like you have done your homework. I'm very glad to hear of your interest in the medical fields. To answer your question concerning your high school courses, I would have to recommend that you take advantage of the strongest curriculum appropriate and available to you in you high school. This would mean ultimately completing, at the point of graduation, all 4 years of your 4-5 academic subjects; meaning English, social science, and especially mathematics and natural sciences. I would also definitely recommend more than simply 2 years of a foreign language. I recommend taking advantage of honors and AP or IB level courses, I see you have already started with your honors bio 1 course. Success in these types of courses as well as taking a full academic curriculum throughout high school should make your application to college quite competitive. As far as the course work you will likely be taking your first undergraduate year in college, most students take their basic liberal arts requirements as well as an elective or two. If you attend a liberal arts based university such as Boston University, you will be taking a core set of liberal arts courses which include the humanities, social and natural sciences. You will take these in addition to your major courses of study. In your case you may choose a major in the natural sciences like biology, chemistry, or biochemistry. After further research into pre-med programs you will find that you will not be limited in your choice of undergraduate majors. Students may choose majors such as the sciences and engineering, education, even management, yet they will all take a set of courses in the sciences that will prepare them for the MCATs which is the medical school entrance examination. You have many choices ahead of you, keep doing your homework and you'll never be surprised and hopefully never disappointed. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns along your way. Take care and best wishes, Dan Axford Senior Assistant Director Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment Office of Undergraduate Admissions Boston University 121 Bay State Road Boston, Massachusetts 02215 617-353-2300 (admissions office) 617-353-9418 (direct) 617-353-9695 (fax) daxford@bu.edu

From Anderson College: In order to pursue any career in the medical field, you should start taking math and science courses (anatomy). If AP biology is offered at your school, take it! You should major in biology/premed in your undergraduate studies. This is not a required major for entrance into medical school, but is recommended. The course that you will complete with a biology degree will include the subjects focused upon on the MCAT. The MCAT is the test you will take (like the SAT) to get into medical school. We do offer a biology degree at Anderson that will prepare you for pursuing a medical career. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Thanks, Crystal Ballard Junior/ Biology Major Pam Bryant Director of Admissions Anderson College Anderson, SC 29621 pbryant@ac.edu 1-800-542-3594 "Clearly Christian"

From Mary Baldwin College: These course will put this student on the right track for college. The first year of college will be a general year. This student will take 100 level courses to fulfill General Education requirements. Listed below is all of my contact information. If you or students have any questions, please let me know. I am always willing to help. Thank you for your time. Tiffany V. Gary Assistant Director of Admissions and Minority Recruitment Mary Baldwin College Staunton VA 24401 1.800.241.2461 Fax: 540-887-7292 tgary@mbc.edu www.mbc.edu

From University of Iowa: Hello from The University of Iowa. We had our first snowfall of the season last night, so our campus looks like a winter wonderland this morning! I am thrilled that you are already being diligent in your class choices. It is really helpful to think ahead to make sure that you are meeting standards. When I am talking to students about choosing courses in high school, I always try to make sure that they are thinking about three things: 1) What classes will I need to be admissible? 2) What classes will help me be better prepared for my college classes, regardless of my major? 3) What classes will help me be prepared for my major area? Let me first clarify what it means to be pre-med on our campus. Students with the intention of continuing their course work in medical school (such as your goal of being a neonatalogist) are encouraged to make that intention known to their advisor. In that way, they will have a pre-professional advisor working with them all four years to make sure they complete all pre-requisites and prepare for the MCAT. However, pre-med is not a declarable major. Students must still select an undergraduate major from our 100+ programs. They will also work with a second advisor in that field, to make sure all graduation requirements are fulfilled. In this way, students are free to explore and select the undergraduate major that holds the most excitement and passion for them personally, instead of feeling that they must choose only one path. I think we all agree that the doctors we connect with most readily are those that are strong communicators and show an avid interest not just in their field, but in the world around them as well. The design of our undergraduate program fosters those principles. So, in order to get ready for admissibility to Iowa, I would recommend you look at our core units. They can be found at www.uiowa.edu/admissions/first_year/liberal_arts_requirements.html#units. Once you have made sure all of these areas are covered, you can then move beyond "core" to "more". These would be the classes that would help you meet or be prepared for your general education requirements here. One example would be to take four years of foreign language, not just two. In that way you can meet not only the admission requirement, but also the graduation requirement. The types of classes needed for general education can be found at www.clas.uiowa.edu/students/academic_handbook/vi.shtml. Look for the types of high school classes that prepare you for these topics. You might want to consider CLEP or AP exams too, if those are options. These tests actually can gain you college credit. A listing of our credit policies can be found at www.uiowa.edu/admissions/first_year/credit_by_exam.html. Finally, you can't have too much math and science in your background when you are looking at medical school as a goal. You can see what types of classes will be needed for Med School admission at www.medicine.uiowa.edu/osac/admissions/Apply/apply_reqs.htm. However, I will give you one last piece of advice. Colleges of Medicine also look at what you do outside of the classroom. Don't forget to volunteer, get involved, and have some fun too! I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I can do anything else. All the best and GO HAWKS! Jill Kuhlers University of Iowa jill-kuhlers@uiowa.edu

From Smith College: I would advise the student to continue taking courses that include math and science, while incorporating other elements of a well-rounded curriculum. For instance, biology and chemistry courses, combined with math, will be a good foundation for someone interested in medicine. At the same time, it's important to pursue English, history, and foreign languages. In general, I always advise students to take advantage of the most challenging courses that their school has to offer. It sounds as though this is what this student is doing. In regards to college, I think the same holds true. It will be essential to continue with the sciences and math, but to also pursue those subject areas the student is passionate about. Adrienne Perry Smith College Office of Admission 7 College Lane Northampton, MA 01063 413-585-2500