<p>I will be a freshman in high school this year and my dream college is UNC Chapel Hill. I am in-state, and would just like some advice on what I should do starting in my freshman year to help my chances of admission. My schedule freshman year is not SUPER rigorous, but I took 2 honors (and could have only token 3). Also I have a somewhat bad stuttering problem so its hard to be a 'leader' in clubs, and stuff. Anyway any advice is appreciated, thanks!</p>
<p>While its nice to have an eye on college admissions down the road, more important IMHO is to use these years to do things for yourself and your benefit. So here’s what I wish someone had told me when I was 15.</p>
<p>There’s a saying that the last thing you expect a fish to discover is water, so your day-to-day life probably seems routine and unremarkable. Yet this is the last time in your life you’ll see your parents & siblings on a daily basis. Right now it may feel like that’s too much, but once its over its going to be over forever. So make an effort to enjoy some time with them these next few years. The memories & bonds you make today are going be be a big part of the glue holding you together. Similarly make time for the friends you may have known since 1st grade, who are going to scatter to the winds once you all finish HS.</p>
<p>As for school, if you take care of the learning then the grades tend to take care of themselves. Colleges really look for students with an inner love of learning. Its a funny thing that in your 12 years of schooling thru HS graduation, you’ll probably never get even an hour’s instruction in how to learn; its just what to learn. There’s a I highly recommend called What Smart Students Know by Adam Robinson, written by one of the founders of the Princeton Review prep service. I have never seen a better explanation of the steps you need to follow to really learn the material. You can also find lots of material on the web.</p>
<p>BTW you are not limited to the teachers in your school; I hate seeing kids whine in the forum “I had a bad teacher” to try to excuse a bad grade. There have long been workbooks and other resources out there, and in just the past 5 years or so programs like iTunesU have opened up avenues that were once unthinkable. You can watch some of the best profs in the country lecture on almost any subject under the sun, including ones overlapping what you’re learning in school. And this applies even if your teachers are good; watch some of these series to supplement what you’re getting in class.</p>
<p>There is a thread with several posts by Northstarmom, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs from the point of view of the most selective colleges. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html</a> 2 very interesting articles about ECs that stand out and how to get them (same author, different examples) are at [How</a> to Be Impressive](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/28/the-art-of-activity-innovation-how-to-be-impressive-without-an-impressive-amount-of-work/]How”>The Art of Activity Innovation: How to Be Impressive Without an Impressive Amount of Work - Cal Newport) and [Save</a> This Grind?](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/12/case-study-how-could-we-save-this-ridiculously-overloaded-grind/]Save”>Case Study: How Could We Save This Ridiculously Overloaded Grind? - Cal Newport) While I don’t agree with everything in them, take a look at these 2 articles and I think you’ll get some original ideas.</p>
<h1>1 for all colleges is good academic credentials. Basically, this means taking a rigorous college-prep high school curriculum and doing well in it. Then do well on standardized tests. Most selective colleges primarily use academic credentials. Near the top of the selectivity scale, extracurriculars and other factors become increasingly important to distinguish between applicants with near-maximum academic credentials (3.9+ UW HS GPA in “most demanding” high school course selection, 750+ on all SAT and SAT subject sections).</h1>
<p>A typical solid college-prep high school curriculum includes:</p>
<ul>
<li>4 years of English literature and composition</li>
<li>math through precalculus, or calculus if available to you</li>
<li>all three of biology, chemistry, and physics</li>
<li>3-4 years of history and social studies</li>
<li>level 3 or higher of foreign language; more selective schools prefer level 4 or the highest level available to you</li>
<li>art and/or music</li>
<li>additional academic electives</li>
<li>honors, AP, and college courses taken during high school which are available to you are looked at favorably </li>
</ul>
<p>Check each college’s admissions pages to see what it wants to see in terms of academics.</p>
<p>If a college’s common data set, section C7, or its admissions profile on [CollegeData:</a> College Search, Financial Aid, College Application, College Scholarship, Student Loan, FAFSA Info, Common Application](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com%5DCollegeData:”>http://www.collegedata.com) indicates that “level of applicant’s interest” is considered, be sure to do things like have visits recorded, check the admissions portal frequently, etc. to show interest.</p>