<p>I don't want to make this an emotionally exaggerated essay so I'll keep it short.</p>
<p>-Graduated HS in 2008 was very lazy and childish
-Went to safety school, made a 2.6 at the end of year. Even more childish
-Took summer classes at CC GPA 3.5.</p>
<p><em>Went overseas to medical school, got extremely depressed because I was being forced and pressured, after 2 years, came back</em></p>
<p>Now I'm 21 years old, enrolled in community college.
I'm president of a business club,
chairman of the community service committee in an honor society,
secretary of lions club international
active member in a 4th club.
12 Credit hours I have a 4.0 so far and I expect to end the semester on that note.</p>
<p><em>exhaustion</em></p>
<p>We all have our hardships in life, I had mine and I've changed for the better. I was considering getting a job as well to boost my resume but I can't find a decent job that will actually look impressive and actually TEACH me something. </p>
<p>What would my chances to Ivys be? What about to highly competitive public schools? I'm trying to think how I'll explain my past. </p>
<p>You need to be leveled a bit. Although you have leadership positions in three organizations, you have not shown a hook necessary to truly compete on the highest levels (UPenn, Stanford, Harvard, etc.) level. Most Ivy level students have done something pretty extraordinary. However, provided your SAT is top-notch I’m sure you could get into a top 20-25 school. Possible privates choices include Cornell, USC, WUSTL, while publics would be UNC-Chapel Hill and U of M, and some UCs if you live in California.</p>
<p>I can’t find a decent job that will actually look impressive and actually TEACH me something</p>
<p>Have you ever held a job of any kind? I ask because the colleges don’t care about “impressive” jobs–they want to know that you are capable of being responsible, even for something as simple as a cash register or as basic (though profound) as being responsible for some children in an afterschool daycare program.</p>
<p>If you’ve never held a job of any kind up to the age of 21 you risk looking like a spoiled “trust fund” child. The goal isn’t necessarily to find a job that “TEACHES” you something… trust me, there are things to learn at the most menial of jobs. Responsibility. Doing your work even when you don’t want to. Working with a wide range of people of differing abilities and socio-economic levels. Dealing with jerks. Whathaveyou. These are extremely important life skills, and for someone with a scattered academic record, a 8 - 12 month or longer stretch of work at a basic job (even if not related to future academics) lends credibility and maturity to your application.</p>
<p>What falls under “pretty extraordinary?” I have held a job before, I worked at a retail store for about 4 months. Since I was away for 2 years I obviously didn’t have a job while in Medical School. </p>
<p>As for my SAT scores, they weren’t that great. 1100 for Math and Reading combined. Maybe I should retake them? I don’t expect to get into Ivy but maybe a Top 20 school. Who knows?</p>
<p>What kind of advice are you getting from the transfer counselor at your CC? That person will know if anyone has gone to the places on your list in the past few years.</p>