A quick and easy guide to high school ranging from a variety of topics.
What to do in 8th Grade?
At this point in time, it’s far too early to decide whether or not medicine is your calling; it’s never, however, too early to start exploring the field of science. Most students who end up applying to BS/MD programs (myself included!) know from quite early on that science is a subject that sparks curiosity within them. Specifically, students who gravitate towards subjects such as biology and chemistry are likely to develop aspirations of becoming doctors. The most foolproof way is to get out and try everything! The best way to really put it to the test is by participating in extra-curricular activities that are related to those subject areas. For example, a student who likes biology could submit a biology-based project into their local science fair.
What to do in 9th Grade?
If you’ve already entered high school and are still somewhat scatter-minded about your academic interests, don’t worry – you’ve still got time! But what if there’s a subject you want to further explore and your high school doesn’t offer any classes on it? Try checking out your local community college! The benefit of being a high school student is that, given the proper permission, you can usually take classes at your local community college (oftentimes for free!).
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In addition to identifying your academic interests, it is equally important to use freshman year to narrow down your extra-curricular interests. The first few months of the year might seem a bit overwhelming, with every club trying to shove a flyer in your face and trying oh-so-hard to get you to come to their new member meeting. But don’t let that pressure get to you; in fact, embrace it! But the only way to really weed out which clubs are well-suited for you and which ones aren’t is by maintaining a certain level of commitment to all of them throughout your first semester. After that, you’ll have the personal experience needed to make a knowledgeable decision.
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Students who have already been dedicated to certain activities (such as sports or music) for their entire life may ask what is the point of joining clubs at all. If you love what you do and are ready to commit another four years to it, then by all means, go ahead!
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The final but perhaps the most important note to make about freshmen year is about your GPA: do not let your grades slip! Your grades are going to be one of most important factors of consideration by BS/MD selection committees, so do everything in your power to maintain a high GPA. Classes are only going to get tougher and your schedule is only going to get more hectic, so the best way to set yourself up for academic success in the future is by laying down a strong foundation in freshmen year with a high GPA.
What to do in 11th Grade?
Credits: MedSchool Coach
What to do in 10th Grade?
Plan out the rest of your high school schedule, find research and volunteer positions, start preparing for SAT/ACT
By the end of freshman year, you should most definitely know whether or not you’re serious about pursuing medicine as a future field of study. If, however, you can confidently say that you have health-related interests and want to become a physician in the future, then now’s really going to be the time to buckle down and get serious.
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Taking 3 AP courses in both your junior and senior year is what most students do, but if you’re really willing to take on the challenge (and by this I mean you are sure you can handle the workload without letting your grades slip) then go ahead and take 4 in one year. Sometimes schools even allow students to take AP courses in their freshmen and sophomore year, so figure out what works best for you. Be cautious though, because again, quality matters over quantity! Don’t try overloading AP courses if that means your grades are going to slip. For example, avoid taking AP Biology, AP US History, and AP Language and Composition together since all require a great deal of reading and theory. It’s better to replace one of those with a more applied field, such as AP Calculus.
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It doesn’t necessarily matter which of the three sciences you choose to take as an AP course, but you must take all three. Medicine requires knowledge of all three science subjects (even though you may think it’s only about biology and chemistry) so it’s necessary that you gain at least some exposure to them all in high school.
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In order to be a competitive applicant for some of the best BS/MD programs in the country, it is absolutely essential for you to have some sort of research experience.
The most impressive type of research is that which students conduct at university labs, but of course, it’s not all that easy to get access to them as a high school student. If you’re unable to find research at a lab, then even conducting independent research at your high school is impressive.
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BS/MD programs are really looking for students who have been committed to the field of medicine for a number of years.
One of the easiest and most common ways to show this interest is by volunteering at a local hospital, hospice, private practice, or just about any other place where you can get some health-related exposure. These activities are going to be meaningful not only because they’ll give you a glimpse into your future, but also because they’ll help confirm within you whether or not medicine is really the field for you.
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One of the best things you can do to open up some free time for yourself in the future is to kick the SAT/ACT out of the way as soon as possible.
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The secret to mastering these standardized tests is just learning the strategies and practicing them over and over and over again. Some students take more time to internalize the techniques while others take less time. If you’re in the first category, then it’s best to start early so you’ve got more time for practice. If, on the other hand, you’re in the second category, then by all means you should go ahead and take the test in 10th grade itself. That will only open up more time later for you to focus on your grades, activities, and subject SAT tests.
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Below is a mock schedule of a high school student: (each high school is different so be sure to check out your courses offered)
Hopefully, by the end of 10th grade, you’ve taken care to ensure both volunteer positions and research opportunities (if not, then keep working at it!). If so, then your focus in junior year should now shift from activities to academics. Some of you may have finished your SAT/ACT in 10th grade, but if not, then that should be your biggest priority coming into junior year (along with stellar grades, of course!). Spend some extra time the summer before your junior year to really prepare for this test so that hopefully you’ll be ready to take it by October or November. It’s best to try and take it during first semester of your junior year for two main reasons: (1) either you’re happy with your score and you can focus second semester on SAT subject tests/AP exams, or (2) you’re not happy with your score but you still have some time left in junior year to retake the test and improve. Having to deal with the SAT/ACT in your first semester of senior year is a huge burden, since it’ll take time away from your college essays and applications, so do all you can to complete it by junior year.
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Check out out Test Prep tab if you are looking for ways to prepare.
What to do in 12th Grade?
After finishing up all your standardized tests, its time to get really serious about application season (I know… it seems like the workload never ends, but hey, you’re almost there!). In the summer between your junior and senior year, you should try to secure some sort of research or health-related internship. On top of doing all that, though, it’s important to find some time to start working on your essays. As a BS/MD applicant, you are going to be writing nearly twice as many essays as any traditional college applicant, so the best piece of advice I can give to anyone is to start writing early.
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When first attempting to write college application essays, they may seem daunting and impossible (which is why most students tend to procrastinate so much on them). But in reality, the most daunting part is that blank word document; once you start putting thoughts on paper, all your ideas will start to flow and slowly coalesce into a more structured essay. I’d recommend starting out with your largest prompts, since those are going to be the ones that take the most time. These include the common application, the “Why Medicine” essay, and the “Tell me about a non-health-related passion” essay. I encourage writing multiple prompts (whether that be one big one and a few small ones or multiple big ones) at the same time simply because it minimizes the chances of feeling stuck.
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After finishing up all your essays and applications, you can finally take a huge sigh of relief. Successful applicants will usually be notified anytime from late January to early March. Remember that these programs are some of the most competitive programs in the country, and by having gone through the entire BS/MD process in the first place, you’ve already got an advantage for four years down the road when you apply to medical school. Everybody hates rejection, but just know that that is part of the college application process. If you are truly passionate about pursuing medicine, then don’t worry because you’ve still got plenty of time to achieve that dream!
