Even after mastering every intensive elective my high school offered—from quantum physics and multivariable calculus to organic chemistry—I still felt an untapped wellspring of energy.

 

After a discussion with my college admission adviser, Michael Li, he threw out a daring challenge: prepare for and take the MCAT in two months. The sheer audacity of it stopped me cold, sending my mind racing with possibilities.

 

But, soon it emboldened me to study and sit for the MCAT in the summer before my senior year of high school. The MCAT not only emerged as a practical way to gauge my aspirations of pursuing medical school in the future, but my score of 512/528 with a near-perfect 131/132 chemistry sub-score has affirmed my competence in a multitude of disciplines ranging from anatomy to sociology and psychology.

 

Balancing the content load: biochemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, and CARS, with the mental resilience needed to sit through seven and a half hours of grueling examination, was one of the most difficult mental tasks I've completed. There were moments of doubt and burnout, especially tackling dense behavioral science sections or timing myself through full-length practice exams. But I learned to hold my composure.

When I received my score of 512, with a near-perfect 131 in the chemistry section, and 128, 127, and 126 in CARS, Psychology/Sociology, and Biology, respectively, these were more than just numbers. 

 

Here are the breakdowns:

My       Max  Subjects
131       132    Chem
128       132    CARS
127       132    Psych/Soci
126       132    Biology
512       528    Total

 

They served as proof that even as a high schooler, I could stand toe-to-toe with a challenge most take on after years of college. More importantly, it ignited a deep sense of possibility within me. That moment has become a cornerstone of my mindset at Cornell. It pushes me to pursue rigorous coursework, dive into interdisciplinary research, and dream boldly about my future in medicine. The MCAT taught me that fear and ambition often live side by side, but I live in certainty that everything is within my grasp and that I only need the courage to pursue it.   

Here is I am now: AY - Cornell Biomed & Pre-med