Before I start, I apologize if this post is in the wrong forum/thread, and I’d appreciate if someone could move the topic/point me in the right direction if it is.
I am currently a high school sophomore in NYC, and I'm really not sure if I'm doing enough.
In terms of grades, I'm not so certain on what my actual GPA is but according to my school-provided account I have a Weighted GPA of 99.8900 (my report card averages have always been 100+, if that makes a difference.) I have also taken the following NYS Regents: US History (99), Algebra (99), Earth Science (97), Living Environment (97), and Geometry (100).
I am currently taking one AP Course (AP World History), and I am on track to taking an AP Language, AP Science, and AP History class in my junior year.
My involvement in my school is fairly decent. I am a part of the band and marching band, president of Newspaper Club, involved in student government (previously an officer but currently a delegate), a member of the Technical Crew (a student-run group that works the technical aspects at events), in a leadership position for a freshmen-connection club (helping freshmen connect with their peers through monthly events), and in several clubs (Creative Writing, Key, Desi, Medical.) I volunteer at many events, such as student-run musicals (SING! and an annual spring production) and other assemblies/events. I have about 829 hours of recorded service between my freshman and sophomore years. Outside of school, I tutor second-graders on Saturdays and volunteer at my local temple.
I don't feel like I am doing enough; especially for the community. I have strong interests in medicine, journalism, film, and music development. Does anyone know of any programs, contests, or opportunities for involvement that could help me become more involved in my community? I have a strong desire to give back, but I'm not exactly sure where/how to find opportunities. In addition, am I on track relative to my grade level? Thanks in advance!
Doing enough for what? It is difficult to tell from your post who you are and what you are doing things for. Are you doing things that are interesting and important to you or are you doing things to achieve a goal that others have set for you? And what would that goal be?
Thank you for your reply! I apologize for not being clear in my post; A small reason that I participate in these activities is to substantiate my college application (this is really not the reason), and I’m wondering whether I’m on track relative to my grade level to standing out on my application. The main reason I participate is really because I enjoy giving back to my school and community, and I’m not sure whether I am really doing enough or if I should be aiming for more quality, quantity, or both. I’m not exactly sure if this is measurable, though, so I completely understand if any insight is impossible to give without a full knowledge of myself.
Yes. There are thousands of colleges out there, far more than the handful of famous ones that you can think of off the top of your head. You are doing enough to get into college.
You will get into a nice school, you just have to find one you love. HYPSM isn’t the only option out there and thousands of students go to “normal” colleges and turn out just fine.
Go read Cal Newport’s web site Study Hacks. One of the key messages here is depth not breadth on ECs. You don’t need 10 ECs, just 2-3 that you care about. Make an impact in the few activities that really matter to you. You are running around as if this were a game where you have to ratchet up a score by touching all the bases. Don’t do that to yourself. It actually works against you in admission and it makes your life stressful and unpleasant.