Ambitious sophmore in need of advice

Colleges and Universities A-Z Grinnell College
1

<p>Alright. I am a sophmore from the midwest hoping to get a jump on my college search and do whats best for me now to help my odds when it comes to applying. </p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>Freshman Year: Honors English, Honors Geometry, regular rest of my classes</p>

<p>Sophmore Year: Honors English, Honors Biology, honors spanish 3, Honors Alg 2 trig first semester, reg 2nd semester, Ap European History</p>

<p>Junior year registered scedule: Ap english, ap us history, pre calc, Honors chem, honors spanish 4</p>

<p>Senior year projected Scedule: Ap english, ap psychology, Ap statistics, honors physics, Ap spanish 5</p>

<p>ECs: Will be an Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts Scribe, wrote for school paper this year, hopefully obtain some leadership there. Piano lessons since 2nd grade, youth group leadership team, Student council member, Student Board Treasurer(Next year president?), Future Business Leaders of America member.</p>

<p>Volunteer: Peer Tutor for 10 hours, Teen court every month, total of 10 hours, various boy scout and student council activities.</p>

<p>Awards: gave 8th grade graduations speech, Confirmation.(any ideas to make this section better?)</p>

<p>Work Experience: worked at local theme park over the summer, obtained an internship for this summer through a local business that does financial planning, accounting, insurance, etc.</p>

<p>Im on the Boys Volleyball Team. </p>

<p>I will be volunteering over the summer also through a program that helps Immigrants get their applications for citizenship in. </p>

<p>Possibly doing Camp CEO over the summer, which would help tremendously in starting my own business. I hope to become fluent in Spanish and Latin by the end of High school. Ideas for getting into schools like this one?</p>

2

<p>You are on excellent track. As long as you maintain As and a few Bs, plus a 30+ ACT, 2000+ SAT score you should be golden.</p>

3

<p>Great! Thanks for the advice. I will continue on with what I have and work hard for the GPA and standardized tests.</p>

4

<p>yeah, i agree. at most competitive schools, GPA means a lot, but the strength of schedule does too. you seem to have a pretty good scheduled mapped out. be active, have fun, and get good grades!!</p>

5

<p>People tell me that colleges prefer Calculus over Stats. Maybe think about taking AP Calc AB senior year?</p>

<p>Anyway, it really just a minor detail, you look like you're on a great path and you should be able to get into any number of excellent colleges. Keep your grades up and study for the SATs!</p>

6

<p>I will deffinetly consider ap calc ab. I just need to play it by ear I suppose. Great advice!</p>

7

<p>I agree with the above poster. I think Cal AB would be more beneficial, both in getting admitted and in general knowledge. That said, it wouldn't be bad to take both, but don't put yourself through that if you don't want to. I chose Cal BC over Stats my senior year.</p>

8

<p>The youth group leadership thing isn't worth mentioning. Well, I'm sorry, what do you mean by this? A club? A summer program? If it's a summer program, don't bother mentioning it, these summer-things at universities are run by colleges/for profit companies who sell the idea to kids who think it will help them get into college (or, resume whores). And by "student council" (this varies school to school...we call our system class office) do you mean you were elected by the class (as in, your homeroom), or your school? The former doesn't matter. And I don't know the validity of this, but I've been told just being a "member" of a club won't count you towards anything.</p>

<p>Awards: Neither of those are awards, and you shouldn't mention things which you did once in a grade before 9th (in this case, graduating 8th grade....), it makes you seem like you are REALLY trying to find things to add on there. And confirmation doesn't count as an award either.</p>

<p>Volunteer: Weak</p>

<p>Camp CEO- sounds like a waste of money, again for kids who think it will help them get into college. But if you are interested in business, go for it, just don't plan on it opening doors for you.But I looked this up, and it says it's for girls. Yet you say you're on the boys volleyball team?</p>

<p>My own note: It's great you are interested in college right now! My sister didn't do this early at all, or even in her senior year, and got a bit screwed over. However, you are also quite young, and things do change over the years. Keep all your options in mind, learn to love your possible safeties/state schools. Also, you will NOT become fluent in latin and spanish by the end of highschool, you may be talented and on your way to becoming fluent, but you need at least 8 years under your belt, and then seeing if you can get around in a country only speaking those languages. And I notice that you are only taking 5 classes as a sophmore, junior, and senior? If you can, try to get a 6th or 7th class in there.</p>