9th Grade: Coursework, ECs, etc.

Applying to College
1

<p>I realize that it may be a little bit early to be thinking about college admissions right now, but I was wondering if you had any insights as the what I should focus in terms of coursework and activities through my high school career based on what I already have.
Do colleges consider awards won before high school and/or the number of years involved commitments before 9th grade? For example, I have won awards in areas related to high-school level coursework that I completed before 9th grade.</p>

<p>Courses:
1. Honors Chemistry
2. Honors Precalculus
3. Spanish 3 Honors (the equivalent of Spanish 4 at my school)
4. Honors English
5. Music Theory
6. Health/Leadership (Required Classes)</p>

<p>GPA: 4.30 (weighted, maximum at my school); 4.00 UW</p>

<p>Standardized Testing (unofficial):
PSAT: 233 (77 CR, 76 M, 80 W); I know this doesn't really count, but I think it should be a good predictor of my performance on the real SAT.</p>

<p>Some of my ECs:
Fencing (it's officially a club, but a few other members and I are working to make it an official sport)
Mock Trial (don't have much to say yet since I just started)
Coordinate Honors Orchestra (I have been concertmaster since 7th grade)
String Theory Youth Initiative: This group is connected to a concert series that brings in prominent concert artists to perform where I live. It is made up of serious local high school musicians who are actively involved in promoting classical music and performing. I am one of the directors.
Violin: Attended the Meadowmount School of Music with a first-place scholarship from a local music teachers organization, have won 1st and 2nd-place awards in some major state-level competitions such as MTNA, travel 2-3 hours to Atlanta for lessons (I live in TN).</p>

<p>Academic Achievements:
2nd place in TN on National Spanish Exam
Top 10 in state-level math contests</p>

<p>….HOPING that I'll do well on the AMC series exams…</p>

<p>I know that I shouldn't be this worried about college right now, but I would nevertheless be glad if you could offer me some suggestions. I'm not sure what major or career I plan to pursue.</p>

2

<p>I would not worry about pre HS accomplishments for colleges at this point. That is why it isn’t the best for 9th grades to be so focused on the college application at this point. No perspective. By the time you are doing your application you will have other things to put in the limited space available and you yourself won’t even be thinking of your pre HS accomplishments. They are not that relevant and when you are a Jr you will see how useless it will seem to list a 7th grad award on your application. Unless you won the national spelling bee, that would just be a fun fact too tempting to leave off.</p>

<p>Take the most aggressive schedule you can manage to do well in. ‘most rigorous’.
Do the activities that you like, it doesn’t not matter which they are. Try to be an authentic person and develop your activities deeply around the things that interest you. That’s all.</p>

3

<p>Nothing Pre high school matters. Except Beta club, when doing their scholarship, they look at Beta in MS.Take the hardest courses you can. As many AP’s as you can and STUDY for SAT. my son started in the 9th grade and is a NM semi-finalist(will be a finalist). That PSAT test that counts is junior year. Take it every year before then to be assured a good score. You need lots of volunteer hours, ALL the schools and scholarships look for it. AND leadership roles in as many clubs as possible. Good luck!</p>