Am I at a Disadvantage?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>WARNING: REALLY LONG POST</p>

<p>Though I realized it a long time ago, my joining this site has reassured my fear that my courses in High School are not up to par with just about...well...everyone else. </p>

<p>This is not because I choose not to take them, it's because my school doesn't offer them.</p>

<p>I am Junior, and this year is arguably the most important of my High School career.</p>

<p>My school offers FOUR AP classes: AP English 11, AP English 12, AP US History, and AP Calculus (which wasn't even offered this year because my Precalc teacher, who also teaches it, had no room for it [not that I could've taken it, I had to take Precalc first of course])</p>

<p>My school also has only FOUR Duel Enrollment classes: DE Physics, DE Psychology, DE Sociology, and DE Government. I cannot enroll in both Physics and Government until next year.</p>

<p>My school does NOT have IB or Honors.</p>

<p>After seeing all the IB/AP/DE/Honors classes that people on this site are taking/have taken, I'm starting to think I'm at disadvantage. </p>

<p>Now, one can argue that I did this to myself: I chose not to apply to my Regional Governor's School for Sophomore year. However, I did this because I did not want to waste 3 periods on Math, Math, and Math (Actual Math, Science with more Math, and a supplementary Computer Class focusing on...you guessed it, Math). I get enough Math already with one dose a day.</p>

<p>The decision to not try for Regional Governor's School has placed me 5th in my class, for the sole reason that the Gov. School carries weighted GPA. </p>

<p>Since I was not allowed to take AP/DE until this year, my GPA has thus far, remained unweighted. </p>

<p>I wonder, however, if my grades and elective courses may make up for this lack of "Academic Excellence" I seem to be gaining.</p>

<p>My GPA is a 4.0 based on my Sophomore year. </p>

<p>My class schedule for this year is as follows:</p>

<p>-Academic English (because I was tricked into believing that taking both AP Eng and AP His would be too difficult. I have learned better...sadly...too late...to change anything)
-Chemistry (Regular...because my school only has Reg Chem)
-Pre-Calculus (the highest Math I can be in in my school for a Junior)
-Study Hall (because my school lacks the electives to fill this space)
-AP US History (I love this class, and am doing well in it, maintaining an A- (95) for the first two marking periods)
-Japanese III (Not doing as well as previous years, I have a 92 B at this point because of some failed tests)
-Chinese II (Maintaining an A (97))</p>

<p>-*Both my languages are online courses because my school only offers Spanish in the actual classroom setting</p>

<p>At the end of this year, I will have accumulated 7 foreign language credits, 2 Latin, 3 Japanese, and 2 Chinese.</p>

<p>I will have all qualifications for a Standard diploma except for English 12, but I am going for Advanced, therefore I require a year more of everything, plus my additional Chinese III class to make 8 FL credits. </p>

<p>I haven't taken my SATs yet (March 14), but I am studying vigorously for the SAT Reasoning, the SAT Subject (for Literature and US History this go around) (June 6), and the ACT (June 13). I also plan on taking the Subject Tests for Japanese and Chinese, and possibly another subject or two.</p>

<p>I won't lie, I feel I'm lacking in EC's. </p>

<ul>
<li>I founded my school's first Asian Pacific Culture Club and act as its President (founded Sophomore Year, the school's first Student Run Club besides "student government") </li>
<li>I participate in Ecology Club (which includes Community Service, such as State Park beach clean up)</li>
<li>Beta Club </li>
<li>Creative Writing Club</li>
<li>Chess Club</li>
</ul>

<p>That's it. I hate competitive sports, plus I have a bad shoulder, so I'm not good at it. I can't do Academic Challenge because they practice everyday. And the other clubs are either Spanish Club, the FFA, Business Clubs, or Sports Clubs.</p>

<p>Bringing things to a close:</p>

<p>I'm wondering if my Junior year classes, GPA, Class Rank, and possible good SAT/ACT scores plus an excellent essay (writing is my forte and English/Creative Writing will be my Declared Major), will be enough to get me into my colleges of Choice (in order):</p>

<p>University of Virginia
College of William and Mary
George Mason University
Old Dominion University
Mary Washington (safety)</p>

<p>...even without the masses of High Level classes that most applicants have?</p>

<p>That was longer than intended...My apologies, I have a habit of ranting.</p>

2

<p>I am not an expert or anything, so take what I say with a whole shaker full of salt, but I am pretty sure that colleges take into accounts what courses your school offers. You may have to note that on applications, though. </p>

<p>As for the extracurriculars, I honestly don't know what strong extra curriculars are. As a fellow junior I am still trying to figure that out. However, things like starting your own club, especially if it isn't common in the area that you are in, seems like the kind of initiative that colleges are looking for.</p>

3

<p>That's what I'm hoping for. I was the first student to start a club in my school. My school is focused on Spanish as a language. Literally 98% of the students take Spanish and there's both a Spanish Club and Hispanic Heritage Club. </p>

<p>Even though there are very few students enrolled in Japanese and Chinese, I still thought it was important that they had support too. I learned this after basically being alone in my languages classes. My Japanese III class is 2 people, and I was the first and only student in my school to take Chinese I last year. =(</p>

<p>Anyone who doesn't take Spanish is thought of as weird because the other languages are "harder and less useful" according to the majority of the student body. I figured someone had to take up the challenge of giving us poor online language students some support, so I did it.</p>

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<p>Anyone else have thoughts? Or am I just paranoid?</p>

5

<p>I guess this means I'm okay? >< I honestly know little about the whole college thing...</p>

6

<p>I totally get that, although I am jealous that your school allows you to take Japanese and Chinese with no one enrolled. My school only offers spanish and french, and I am in spanish, annoyingly since I wanted to pursue latin, which was one of my favorite classes in middle school.
I think colleges will appreciate that, since they want people who will take initiative in their learning.</p>

<p>What schools are you thinking about?
Also, would you look at my chance me thread? I dunno how much you know, but since feedback here is like, snailmail status, any input would be amazing.</p>

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<p>My list is in the OP, but my main priority is getting into UVA. </p>

<p>Well, Japanese and Chinese are online are FREE for my school to offer. They've just been pressured into CONSIDERING adding AP Physics and Calculus to the online list, but they're reluctant to do so because my school is cheap and doesn't want to pay for any more AP classes.</p>

<p>My school has Japanese, Chinese, Latin, and Spanish. No French, German, Russian, or anything else. Only Spanish is in an actual classroom. The rest are online. </p>

<p>I didn't like Latin after year 1, mainly because my Latin II teacher sucked big time. xD</p>

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<p>My D attends a small private school that doesn't offer many AP classes. However, the students regularly get accepted to very selective colleges every year. So I don't think you should worry so much about what your high school doesn't offer. We were also told by a college admissions person that they don't really want to hear you complaining about it either. So try to stay positive in your college applications and essays. </p>

<p>It will of course help you if you can score high on the SAT and ACT tests. There is a lot of good informaton on CC to help with improving your scores. </p>

<p>Sorry but I'm not familiar enough with Virginia schools to give you any specific information on your chances. </p>

<p>The only other suggestion I have is to enter national creative writing contests since that is your primary interest. There are quite a few writing contests listed on the internet. You can check on Cogito</a> - Home and FastWeb:</a> Scholarships, Financial Aid and Colleges for some of the contests. </p>

<p>Good luck. You seem to be on a good path.</p>

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<p>I'm pretty positive all schools take into account what your high school offers, and as long as you make it clear you were taking the most rigorous schedule you possibly could and still got good grades, I think you'll easily make it into all those schools (I'm assuming you do get pretty good SAT scores though, since your school lacks an intense curriculum and many AP/IB tests to, well, test your academic ability/intelligence, your SAT scores will be even more important). Trying to do a few more EC things this year and next wouldn't hurt either, maybe try to get some of your writing published or start up a school newspaper/literary magazine or something and make yourself Editor-in-Chief!</p>

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<p>I agree with the other posters in that you are doing all you can and that will be taken into consideration. I would like to say IMO that UMW is more selective than GMU or ODU. I would plan to make one of those your safety, although I think you will probably be an easy in for all but UVA and WandM.</p>

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<p>youll do fine at all of those places, no doubt, W+M is the only one i cant guarantee for you</p>

<p>chance me back at
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/635725-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/635725-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Okay guys. Thanks. =3 When I think about it, I guess I should also mention that I was in Colorguard for Marching Band for 3 years, and Co-captain last year. I guess that counts as a leadership position and an EC. </p>

<p>Anyway, I'll probably ask for Chances again after I take my SATs and get the scores back and then again after my Subject Tests and ACT. </p>

<p>So thanks for now, guys. =3 I feel a lot better.</p>