Am I on the right track?

Applying to College
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<p>I'm a totally new member here, so I apologize if in advance I accidentally violate one of the forum rules.</p>

<p>I'm a tenth grader at a public high school and am thinking about applying to Ivy League schools in a couple of years. I want to know if my grades, ECs, etc. are up to par with what is expected by those schools.</p>

<p>Grades: 4.0 unweighted, 4.4-4.5 weighted</p>

<p>Class Rank: I know I am in the top 3% of my class (my school had a dinner for all the students in the top 3%), but my school does not rank students.</p>

<p>School "Rank": Around 20 students a year at my school are accepted by Ivy League schools.</p>

<p>Classes: Last year I took one AP class (World History), and this year I am taking two (European History and Computer Science). I will be starting the IB Program next year. My tentative schedule for the rest of high school is:</p>

<p>Summer:
AP Macroeconomics
Government</p>

<p>11th grade:
IB Biology HL
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB History of the Americas HL
IB Latin SL
Theory of Knowledge
AP Physics B</p>

<p>12th grade:
IB Biology HL
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB History of the Americas HL
IB Latin SL
IB Chemistry SL
AP Physics C</p>

<p>Test Scores: So far, I've only taken the SAT (June 2009) and the AP World exam. On the SAT I got a 2270 (800 Critical Reading, 740 Math, 730 Writing). I will be retaking it at some point this year. I got a 5 on the AP World exam.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: This is where I need lots of help. Right now, I am only in Key Club, Math Club, and Science Olympiad. I am working to start Beta Club and Latin Club, though.</p>

<p>Please give me advice!</p>

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<p>Anyone? :(</p>

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<p>Pughug, you are on the right track to having some excellent college choices. Your grades and scores are nearly as high as they can be; you are taking some of the hardest courses in your school; you have a more or less active extracurricular life.</p>

<p>Still, it’s also true that many kids with nearly perfect stats get rejected from some Ivy League schools, and that some kids with lower stats get accepted. Why? It has a lot to do with how these schools “craft a class”. They don’t just want academic talent, they also want diversity of backgrounds and interests. In addition, some Ivies set aside a large number of places for “hooked” applicants (athletes, children of alumni a.k.a. “legacies”, celebrities, under-represented minorities, wealthy donors a.k.a. “development” admits,etc.). So kids without these hooks have to compete on more than stats alone. That means you need to be more than a joiner of clubs. You have to show leadership, be recognized at the state or national level, or be able to tell some truly compelling story of accomplishments. </p>

<p>You can respond in one of two ways. One way is to knock yourself out. While keeping up your grades, go climb one of the world’s highest mountains without oxygen (and live to tell the tale). Cross the Atlantic, solo, in a small boat you built yourself with a pocket knife. Bring Harvard the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West.</p>

<p>A second way is to refuse to have anything to do with this baloney. Seek out colleges that accept a higher percentage of applicants who are merely superb students, like you. What will you be missing? Well, maybe you won’t have a shot at dating Emma Watson or a Kennedy cousin. You’ll still get a great education. Many good alternatives are located outside the Northeast and include flagship public universities (Berkeley, Michigan, UVa, UNC), private national universities (the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, Rice), and small liberal arts colleges (such as Grinnell, Carleton, or Reed). </p>

<p>If you doubt these schools can educate you every bit as well as an Ivy, then go read the faculty biographies of any department at any Ivy League university. Take Columbia’s history department. Many professors do have Ivy League degrees, but many don’t. The alma maters include: Georgia, Michigan, Hampshire College, Smith, Berkeley, North Carolina, and UVa. Geology professors at Brown graduated from colleges including George Washington, Grinnell, Minnesota, University of Miami, Washington & Lee, Tufts,and the University of Rhode Island.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your advice, tk21769! :)</p>

<p>Also, I was wondering, how is community service considered by colleges? I should have around 350-400 hours of that by my senior year.</p>

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<p>

Of course, many students who don’t have extraordinary colleges still get into the Ivies, even HYP. But with that said, you’re right; these are all excellent options (many of which I’m sure will be available to the OP).</p>

<p>

Quality, not quantity. A lot of kids do hundreds of hours of community service. What did you get out of it? How did it shape you as a person? Generally speaking, the more passionate you are about it the more it will help in terms of admissions at the schools you’re probably looking at (but you have to convey that passion, whether it be through interview, essay, etc).</p>

<p>How large is your class (how many people)? If you’re in the top 3% and your school sends 20 per year to the Ivies, that bodes well for your chances. Keep in mind that many accepted Ivy students are hooked candidates though.</p>

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<p>

There’s around 1000 students in each grade.</p>

<p>

I’d say it’s opened my eyes to how each person can actively help. After I’d realized that, how could I not volunteer?</p>

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<p>By all means, apply to any schools that interest you. Just be flexible about finding other opportunities, and don’t get too bent out of shape about getting into HYP.</p>