Am I on the right track?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi everyone!
After lurking around CC for a while, I decided to sign up in order to give and receive high school and college advice. I am currently 13 years old and a freshman in a nice school located in Florida. I wanted to hear your input on my current high school path. I am in the school fencing club, science fair, I'll be in varsity tennis next semester, and I am studying for the USA Biology Olympiad. I am taking
Pre-AP English(A)
Spanish III(B but it is being corrected)
Psychology(A)
AP Physics B(but it is being corrected)
AP Calculus AB(A)
AP Statistics(A)
AP US History(A)</p>

<p>I will start taking duel enrollment credit over the summer at my local community college, and I will take 11 AP classes next year as well as 11 AP classes in 11th grade. My plan is to graduate in 11th grade with my Bachelors degree(I'm still working out the kinks, but the credits add up).</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>Might as well find the cure to cancer while you’re at it.</p>

3

<p>Well…it’s certainly more than I ever did my freshman year, lol. Yes, I would say you are definitely on the right track. AP Calculus as a freshman is pretty impressive. And if you do graduate in 11th grade with a bachelor’s degree, then…kudos to you :)</p>

4

<p>What I’m worried about is if Ivy League level colleges will accept me seeing as my ECs are weak compared to others that I’ve seen on here. I’m looking at being captain of the Science Olympiad team as well as captain of some other scientific club at my school, but I’m worried that it won’t be enough. Thoughts?</p>

5

<p>kid, you’re fine. now go out and have some fun and actually enjoy freshman year</p>

6

<p>^ agreed. if, of course, you can find time for that on your super packed schedule, lol</p>

7

<p>Needs more APs, clearly you are not taking enough. Have fun at your local community college in 4 years.</p>

8

<p>Cool, another complement-fishing thread.</p>

9

<p>I think OP is trolling.</p>

10

<p>I was considering that too… can’t tell if trolling or just really, really insecure.</p>

11

<p>…Do you want me to upload a picture of my schedule with just my name, student id, and school crossed out?</p>

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<p>Not really, just enjoy your high school life and don’t end up studying your whole way through. You may (will) regret your decision to take 1000 AP courses later.</p>

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<p>this kid bug anyone else?</p>

14

<p>

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<p>If his source of entertainment is purely from education, AP classes, and studying, then no.</p>

<p>But if he’s doing that just so he can get to a good college, then yes, because even though he’s smarter than all of us at 13 years old, it’s really clear that he is so naive that he believes that wasting his teenager years studying just to try for Harvard at the cost of losing so many memories is really worth it.</p>

<p>The other question is: why do you want to do that? You do know that your current schedule won’t guarantee a significant boost for college admissions, right?</p>

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</p>

<p>Stop right there.</p>

<p>You’ve got to stand out when it comes to Ivy League admissions. It’s obvious that you are smart and love science…well guess what, so do many, many, many students at the Ivies. What are you going to do that will make you unique non-academically? That schedule’s going to be way too draining on you for you to seriously venture into other clubs.</p>

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<p>People that go to Ivies find time for ECs, and it’s always possible that I could prep for my AP classes over the summer so that the actual class would really be only a review. As for doing something unique I plan on doing science fair this year and the next two years about the same subject, robotic arms. I also plan on participating the USA Biology Olympiad in February. Other than writing a research paper, I don’t really know what else to do to set me apart from the crowd. Any suggestions on ECs that Ivies like would be greatly appreciated.</p>

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<p>make a club, that show leadership. kids at my school made a romantic novel club, hilarious</p>

18

<p>For ECs, do what you love, or find something that you’ll love to do.</p>

<p>If you’re 100% sure you want to go into science, forget about the community college idea altogether. Not only is summer a time to relax, hang out with friends, and all that jazz, but it’s also a time for you to participate in research opportunities, internships, paid work, summer programs, all that stuff. If you’re passionate about science that much, look into summer programs like SSP and other prestigious programs, which I’m sure you can do. Find research opportunities at laboratories, universities near you, etc. Internships are great because they give you a fantastic perception of life in a certain field.</p>

<p>I don’t understand why you want to spend your summers in community college. What are you going to do with the credits you get there? Will your bachelor’s be anything more than a trophy to show to colleges? A bachelor’s in an Ivy is superior to a community college bachelor’s. And you’re smart enough that you don’t need to study heavy on AP classes to make the school year like a review, because I think you’ll be fine just taking the class in HS.</p>

<p>For ECs, other than science, which I think you will focus on no more what BS I spit from my mouth, do what you love. There are no specific lists of ECs that are judged more negatively than another. The goal of ECs is for colleges to see that a) you’re accomplished and b) you’re not an academic robot. If you love fencing and tennis, then do it not for resume padding, but because you love those games and want to win some championships. I wish that my school had fencing because I would have taken it up some time ago. </p>

<p>For EC suggestions, just give some clubs a feel and see if you like them. When I was a rising freshman I decided to try out marching band, even though I thought it was the nerdiest thing ever. Not only have I eventually loved it, but I’ve become one of the most accomplished members of my school, ever (best drum major in the Northeast region, called the best conductor that the judges had seen, vice president, woodwind section leader, two year soloist… I can go on and on), and I plan on joining a professional drum corps in addition to my undergraduate studies next year. You will never know if you like something unless you try it.</p>

<p>Other than that, I think that it’s good that you’re trying to get yourself some research done, and the science fair isn’t 100% unique but I think that it’s a good way to further demonstrate your passion for science. Form clubs that you’d love to participate in, and not for college (example: one person started Inventeam in my school, their project was nationally recognized, and he was featured in the South Jersey newspaper). </p>

<p>In the meantime, enjoy life. Don’t let yourself be so consumed by education and obsession for Ivy League colleges that you’ll sacrifice opportunities to make friends. Go out and do something crazy. Have adventures. Drink a beer (but don’t drink and drive!). Do something memorable. Enjoy your time in high school, and this is coming from someone who did that and now is saying goodbye to some of the best years of my life. (thank goodness that college is great too)</p>

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<p>Bang. Long ass post. Everyone should pay me for that, I accept PayPal teehee.</p>

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<p>Ok kid, first question, do you go to a south Florida school? Second, geez. 4 APs as a freshmen…equals no life. Unless you are indeed superman and love doing this to pieces, doing it for your own pleasure, and balance other things in life, I would reccomend considering taking it down. If you are as intent on an ivy as you seem, consider this: think of applying to college as a contest, where you can only really win a certain number of points in each category. If you go much over the expectations in one of the categories, that’s fantastic, but in the long run, it won’t win you as many points as balancing out your application will, even if it means <em>sigh</em> taking only 7 AP’s as a sophomore. If, however, you think your ECs and life in general won’t suffer. Trust me, I am the last to say to tone it down and I know what’s its like to fight an uphill battle to win approval and permission to do things that are out the box, but you must remember, you only have ONE life. These are the very best years of your life, treasure them, and while its plenty worth it to sacrifice now for a better future later, don’t forget to live at least a little. Life is not about how many APs you’ve taken, colleges is about what you’ve DONE with your knowledge so far, so they can see how you’ll apply your knowledge in the future.</p>