Advice for the rest of high school?

Applying to College
1

<p>SAT: 1880
-660M
-640R
-580W
GPA: 4.0 uw</p>

<p>Junior Year course load: AP Lang, AP Calc, AP Chem, AP US history, IB Bio HL, IB french SL, Band, Study Hall.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Indoor and Outdoor Track (Winter and Spring, 1st year of indoor, 2nd outdoor), Summer Track Coach for kids age 6-14, Improv Club (year round), Fall Play, "Historian" of Political Affairs Club (different activities throughout the year such as mock trial, model state/UN), Peer Helpers, Student Council, Summer Job at a sandwich shop.</p>

<p>Next year I will also be doing Cross Country and Executive Council (elected office).</p>

<p>Awards/Distinctions: Varsity in both Indoor and Outdoor Track, Coaches award in outdoor, 3rd place in the state of Maine for High Jump Indoor, 5th for Outdoor.</p>

<p>I'm going to be a junior next fall and I realize that now's the time to really start thinking of college and my future. I probably won't aim for the Ivies since no one really gets into them, but rather great LACs and Public ivies such as Bowdoin, UVA, the College of William and Mary, Wesleyan, etc. I hope to at least take a shot at Cornell, though.</p>

<p>First off, how do I look so far as a prospective applicant? I realize that my SATs are low, but I should improve when I take them as a junior, right?</p>

<p>Second, will it hurt me if I only started to do the majority of the extracurriculars as a sophomore? As a freshman I didn't have much guidance, and consequently the only thing I did was Track, which I've done since 7th grade. Won't adcoms understand this if I explain in interviews?</p>

<p>Lastly, how do I "stand out" in admissions? What do I have to do with my current extracurricular activities to achieve this? I'm thinking of being the school's mascot at football games; would that be an example of standing out?</p>

2

<p>SAT up, EC’s and gpa look spot on. If you become the school’s mascot and then write a brilliant essay on it then sure it would make you semi-stand out.</p>

3

<p>any more thoughts guys?</p>

4

<p>Bumpity bump bump</p>

5

<p>You SATs are too low for most of the schools you mentioned (look at the Common Data Set for each school to see where you stand compared to the admitted students). (Unless you are an athletic recruit?) Practice testing skills - it can help a lot. Otherwise, apply to schools that are SAT optional (Bowdoin) or schools that omit the writing score (Grinnell). </p>

<p>Your ECs are fine: Sounds like track is your ‘main event’ and that’s great. No need to apologize for something that probably takes up a huge amount of time during the year. Being elected to student govt is also good. No need to pad your resume with more.</p>

6

<p>Thank you. I plan on pulling my SATs up, for sure. I’ve heard the Princeton Review books are really good for that.</p>

<p>I agree with the extra stuff I do for ec’s, M’s Mom. I’m actually going to drop some of the fluff things I do that really waste time and I’m going to focus more on Track --which you nailed spot on in that it’s my “thing”.</p>

7

<p>If you want to pull up your SAT score, only use the CollegeBoard’s Blue Book and stay away from Princeton Review unless you are totally done with the BB. Not all study books are created equal.</p>

<p>Also, it doesn’t matter if you started your ECs as a sophomore at this point. You can’t go back in time so continue to be involved in the one’s you like, it wouldn’t be right to worry about this.</p>

8

<p>Just based off of your course load, your year is going to be HELL. I’d recommend reading calc and chem chapters ahead of time. If you fall behind in either, you’ll need either tutoring or divine intervention to catch up again.</p>

9

<p>Focus on maintaining that 4.0 GPA – that will be the hardest step. Make sure you take the SAT early (I’d start by december or march) and leave room for subject tests (and retests). ECs sound great – those should be a priority, but not as much as GPA and SAT.</p>