A Black Sophomore Lookin' for Feedback :D

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello! I'm new to these forums and I want to see some opinions about my profile and advice for what I can do to become better.</p>

<p>Where I'm From: The suburbs of Detroit, Michigan</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Black Male</p>

<p>School: Very Competitive: Over 70% of the student population is on the honor roll and many have at least a 3.3 GPA. My school has a great reputation with colleges. Last year, 1 student was accepted to Harvard, 2 students were accepted to MIT.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.79</p>

<p>School doesn't rank</p>

<p>School doesn't weigh GPAs</p>

<p>couseload: most challenging possible</p>

<p>Classes:</p>

<p>9th grade:</p>

<p>Honors English B+/B+
Honors Geometry B/A-
Concert Band A+/A+
Health A-
P.E. A
Biology A-/A-
Civics A-
Economics A-
Japanese I A/A</p>

<p>10th Grade (so far):</p>

<p>Fundamental Design: A-
Honors English 10: B+/
Japanese II: A/
Intro to Business: A-
Accelerated Chemistry: A-/A-
Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry: B+/
History: A-/
Symphony Band A+(highest ensemble)
Concert Winds A+/ (middle ensemble)
^^ Because of scheduling problems, I had to take symphony band out of my schedule after my first semester, but I decided to stay in band and I put Concert winds in my schedule for the rest of the year. However, I'm taking both classes at the same time by playing all of the music selections from both classes</p>

<p>What I'm hoping to take Junior Year:</p>

<p>Symphony Band (hopefully for the entire year)
AP Biology
AP World History
Honors Pre-calculus
Personal Fitness
Japanese III
English 11- There are no honors classes for junior english, this class is required or AP Lit or AP Lang. I'm taking the regular class because I'm not interested in the AP courses.</p>

<p>What I'm hoping to take Senior Year:</p>

<p>AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
Symphony Band
Japanese IV
Maybe AP Government and Politics or World War II
Essay Writing
African-American Lit
Computer Applications I </p>

<p>No ACT yet
No SAT yet
No SAT II yet
No AP tests yet</p>

<p>Summer Activities: I have done 84 hours of community service through a non profit organization called Summer in the City- <a href="http://www.sitc-det.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.sitc-det.org&lt;/a> - I had a blast!</p>

<p>I've just sent my application for TASS and I'm hoping to do this over the summer. I'll also be doing Summer in the City again this summer if possible.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Jazz Band- 9,10 section leader
Humanitarian Club- 9,10 (have done 100 hours of community service so far)
Spring Marching Band- 9
Fall Marching band- 10 (couldn't do this in 9th grade because I was at Blue Lake Fine Arts camp during band camp :( )
African-American Student Network- 10</p>

<p>Interdisciplinary Steering Committee- 10 -This is an activity created by my school's principal. We have a central theme every year. This year is the celebration of Detroit and Motown. Last year's theme was genocide, The theme two years ago was Vietnam and the 1960's. We bring the student body and the community together to discuss or celebrate these events throughout the year. I discuss ideas with my principal and other students after school in the library every two weeks to every month for where the study should be heading for the rest of the year.</p>

<p>Awards/nomination honors:
TASS scholarship nominee
People to people World Forum
Kanji Master Award- Japanese I
Silver Mallet award- For at least 64 hours of service- Summer in the City
Certificate of 84 hours of community service- Summer in the City
Academic Letter- 3.79 GPA
Varsity Letter- Marching Band
Honor Roll- 9
Best Rookie Trophy (Marching Band)- For the spirit, attitude, and leadership of my high school marching band</p>

<p>Prospective Majors: Mathematics, Business, Chemistry</p>

<p>Prospective Schools so far: </p>

<p>Harvard
Princeton
Cornell
U of M
Michigan State
MIT
Stanford
Howard
Central Michigan University
Wayne State University
Duke
UVA
UC Berkley</p>

2

<p>Er, keep on doing what you're doing? You still have a ways to go. But you are not on a wrong path by any means..I see you listed you weren't 'interested in AP English'--but what AP classes show is that you are a devoted and hard-working student who can take a variety of higher-level courses. In my junior year I tried to take all of the AP classes I knew I could handle, and knew I could at least do well in. So I suggest you sign up for AP English next year, as well as any other AP courses you think you can handle. But don't exchange valuable ECs for too many of them if you can.</p>

<p>I see that you are thinking about majoring in a science or math, but most of your activities and awards deal with humanities...Why is that?</p>

<p>I would just say to continue focusing on an activity you KNOW you like, and try and become a LEADER in that area. There are tons of people who do community service and band and whatnot, if not in large and ridiculous amounts. From what I know, admissions like to see you devoted to passions that you put a lot of time and effort into. Essays on applications matter a lot too..</p>

<p>So until the app time comes, work on more leadership roles focused in on specific areas that you love. Trying to figure out if you can get into ivy leagues is hard, but for HYPs, you need to get your standardized test scores UP...For Harvard and Princeton, try to aim for 33+ on the ACT. If you can get a 33 or 34, I think at that point it can carry you well with good, focused ECs. Not too such with SAT stuff, but I would guess a 2200+ would carry you well too.</p>

<p>So basically:
+ More AP classes
+ Keep up your grades
+ Focus on leadership activities (and activities in general) that show a DEEP passion for something that may make you stand out during admissions
+ If you are going to try and major in math or science, then get yourself more involved in those areas in your school..
+ Focus on getting high scores on standardized tests early so you won't have to worry at the last moment (like I did :()</p>

3

<p>Thanks Grim Shogun! Your advice was very helpful. I know my extracurriculars and awards are more humanities based. There aren't a whole lot of math and science activities at my school. Maybe I can consider creating a math or science-based club in the future.</p>

4

<p>Right now you look like a B+/A- student and you are active in your EC's but don't show a lot of passion in any single thing. Don't count on your blackness to
get you into Harvard. There are blacks out there who are valedictorian of mostly white schools, 2200+ SAT, and play a varsity sport like Football.</p>

5

<p>it's hard to chance you wihtout any standardized test scores.</p>

6

<p>krazykool, what do you mean by passion? I would love to know! :)</p>

<p>you'llsee..., I'm not looking to be chanced, I just want some constructive criticism and advice of where I'm currently at and what can I do to become better.</p>

7

<p>You've dabbled in a few things like music and community service. These top schools are looking for people who try different things but are also VERY GOOD at one particular thing. Examples are reaching a near professional level in music, national caliber athlete, AIME/USAMO winner or RSI. And then academically, you
really have not accomplished more than hundreds of thousands of other kids out there. Right now the top schools have no reason to accept you. HPS and Duke are out of reach right now. Cornell will depend on your scores, I think. In at the rest.</p>

8

<p>Thank you krazykool for the advice! I will use this advice for the remainder of my high school career and try to become better. I'm still growing in my extracurriculars and this is very helpful!</p>

9

<p>Any more suggestions or advice? I'm a sophomore seeking some help.</p>

10

<p>"No ACT yet
No SAT yet
No SAT II yet
No AP tests yet"</p>

<p>What about PSAT? You may also want to check if your state/county offers free online courses that you could possibly knock out courses such as Personal Fitness online. My S who is also a HS Sophomore and others here on CC have taken that route</p>