<p>I am a junior in high school (I still have plenty of time to college search). My high school is known for being the "most rigorous" high school of the district, and consequently, I have been given the most challenging teachers and courses. I also have a tendency to look at colleges just out of my reach as it seems. ;)</p>
<p>I have a 3.43 GPA, and 7 classes which are all IB.
I am president of 2 clubs, involved in 5 clubs, have over 100 volunteer hours, no sports in high school but I ride horses outside of school.
I have only taken the PSAT so far but with no practice I got a 1600/2400 (I know, nothing to fawn over -- still have hours of practice ahead of me).
I would be considered middle-class.</p>
<p>I have been recently college searching, and found a few that have caught my eye, but none have had my attention indulged more than Georgetown University.</p>
<p>Tips about colleges, admissions into them, and opinions if I would to be able to attend Georgetown or not would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Your own high school counselor can give you a good sense of where you are likely to be admitted by comparing your academic record to those of recent graduates from your school. Start there.</p>
<p>The other issue that you need to address is the question of how you will pay for your education. Sit your parents down and have The Big Money Talk with them. You need to know how much they are willing to pay each year. Then you also need to run some financial aid calculators at the websites of the colleges you are interested in, and get a guesstimate of what your financial aid packaged could look like. Chances are what the colleges will expect your family to pay and what your family really can pay will be two different things. That will help you figure out how deep you have to dig in order to identify safety schools (places you can pay for, you are sure you can get into, you like, and offer your major).</p>
<p>Georgetown is a reach for almost all applicants. It may be unrealistic for your GPA and scores. So think carefully about what is attractive about Georgetown (or any other reachy school) besides its prestigious reputation. Then go out and find less selective schools with similar features. They’re out there. Georgetown may be the only university with an undergraduate program labelled “School of Foreign Service”, but similar courses are taught all over (packaged under different department/program headings).</p>
<p>I agree with happymom, go to Barnes & Noble this weekend and buy:
-The Best 376 Colleges by Princeton Review and also The Fiske Guide to Colleges (2012 ed.)</p>
<p>You will get a much better view of the SAT scores and GPA you would need in order to get into certain schools (Georgetown is too far a reach). I know that many school counselors are not helpful in some of the larger schools (my S1 counselor was useless -HS of 1700 students), but do talk to yours and see if they will help you. Either way, you need to buy the college books above and begin to find what you want in a college (other than a prestigious sounding name). </p>
<p>Also, please do take an SAT prep course and try to get those scores up. Your counselor should be able to help you find a good tutor or a course that would help. Since you are already a junior, it’s really important that you start prepping NOW. Many juniors are taking the SAT in Jan. and March, but you would need time to prep, so take in June (then possibly again in Oct, or even Nov. if you need to retake). After your IB exams in May, then take a couple subject tests too when you are already well prepped for those :). (you can take them in May–referred to as SAT II’s, just register for them on college board site). Take what you excel in and are likely to score well. There’s also a study guide on college boards’s website you can buy that has practice exams for all subject tests, so order that too. Best!</p>