<p>Hey! I'm a student in Congressional District 8 (Meck County in Charlotte) who is applying to the North Carolina School of Science and Math / SMATH / NCSSM (: !</p>
<p>However, i am not the only student in my school applying!</p>
<p>So, i'm a tad bit worried . . . . . anyways! Here are my grades so far . . . Do you think I have a chance? </p>
<p>FRESHMAN YEAR </p>
<p>semester uno</p>
<p>Honors Biology - A/109.5%
Honors English 1 - A/102%
Principles of Biomedical Science - A/100%
Honors Alg 2 - A/103%</p>
<p>semester dos</p>
<p>Spanish 2 - TBD
Gym/Health - TBD
Honors Geometry - TBD
Honors World History - TBD</p>
<p>(Honors Eng 2 over Summer)</p>
<p>SOPHOMORE PREDICTED SCHEDULE</p>
<p>AP. PSYCH
AP WORLD HIST
Civ & Econ
PreCalc
Honors Chem
?
?
?</p>
<p>I am the Vice President of the HOSA, Co-Founder of the Student Change Coalition at our school, member of a student empowerment initiative to make sure that the students have a voice in their education, participant in the CMC diversity in healthcare shadowing program.</p>
<p>Science is my life; i just happen to be somewhat proficient in math as well. However, what's wierd is the fact that my best subject since i was younger is Language Arts. I love reading, and i enjoy learning/keeping current on what is going on in the world. </p>
<p>I took a practice SAT this summer & scored an 1830, but i'm pretty sure that after all the practice that i've done since then, it has increased significantly. (hopefully lol :P )</p>
<p>NCSSM is my dream . . . is it attainable?</p>
<p>Meck is a tough district. You will go up against a lot of kids with great grades. You will have to show that your grades are coming out of a competitive pound in your school (meaning that your school is competitive). High grades in honors classes in a school that is not overly competitive is not as impressive as tough grades in honors courses in a tough school. Think a small non competitive lesser known charter school A (for example…nothing wrong with a charter!) vs. an A in a super tough well known IB program. Often, the tough A is viewed more favorably.</p>
<p>Also, sell yourself with something aside from grades. That is only part of the picture from what I understand. Are you a great artist, tennis player, flute player, etc.? Are you a nationally ranked chess player? The admissions office has a stack of great students…within that group who has something ‘more’? THey want more than just smart students.</p>
<p>You are on the right track. You can get NCSSM. Remember, a lot get turned down…but many are accepted too! THe SAT and grades are only part of the picture. Keep strengthening ‘who’ else you are. THat is the advice we were given.</p>
<p>Finally, remember that some factors you cannot control. THey can only take so many kids from each county, so many boys or girls, so many blacks, whites, asians, etc., so many of this that and the other. Those factors you won’t know and can’t control. Just hope the numbers and needs are on your side.</p>
<p>T</p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>
<p>lol nationally ranked chess player</p>
<p>Good luck! I hope you get accepted, although I don’t know a lot about this school, it seems like a great one.</p>
<p>Actually, it is not particularly hard to get a national ranking in chess as a minor. If you go to chess tournaments with your chess club and compete a few times, at least on of which should be in a state tournament, you get a ranking. It might be a REALLY low ranking, but no need to put that down…just put nationally rankied!</p>
<p>My point was really just to find something, anything, to pull you out from the pack. Between grade inflation, IB programs and tons of AP classes…well, good grades (even great ones) do not get you are far as they use to. Add something to that and your chances increase and you clearly look more well rounded.</p>
<p>NCSSM wants more than just bright kids. From what I understand, they want a DIVERSE student body (not just racially and geographically) with students with varied, true interests outside of the classroom. It is a math and science school so it is a given that their student body will have a lot of kids who are stars academically…but what else can you bring to the table seems to be key.
T</p>
<p>Lol i’m fluent in American Sign Language . . . lol if that’s considered unique. Competed in national science olympiad comp last year.</p>
<p>Actually, it is not particularly hard to get a national ranking in chess as a minor. If you go to chess tournaments with your chess club and compete a few times, at least on of which should be in a state tournament, you get a ranking. It might be a REALLY low ranking, but no need to put that down…just put nationally ranked!</p>
<p>^^That is stupid. If you are asked about it, what do you say? “Oh, yeah, about that, I’m not really that good, I’m only 237th”? I’m positive that would come across poorly to the interviewer</p>
<p>A low national chess ranking does not equate to not being a good chess player. You would still be well above average and have had the experiences of competing in chess tournaments…which is certainly more unique than being a classic level soccer player or even high level scout, for instance. The point is to find things about yourself that will make you stand out a bit. You want to think of anything legitimate to help them remember you. Also, many boarding schools do not even HAVE interviews, so you are not preparing for that. You are trying to push your paper to the stack that at least gets looked at twice. No need to be rude and call the analogy studid. This board is intended for folks to help one another. Fine to disagree with the method one posts, but no need to be rude about doing so. Just something to consider…</p>
<p>Anyway, being fluent in sign language IS unique. Use it! If you do not praise yourself and point things out they will never know about those things!</p>
<p>By the way, a friend got into NCSSM last year and was hs and a chess player. She used both to pull her application out of the pack. On some level, it must have worked and she is the one who passed on the advice to sell what makes you different.</p>
<p>Let’s face it, students with great grades and a sport and some art are a dime a dozzen. The question may well be, what else have you got?</p>
<p>T</p>
<p>Just got 1970 on my S.A.T</p>
<p>Cool, I took the SAT’s last year. They weren’t so bad, were they?</p>
<p>Nope! <em>phew</em></p>
<p>ExactlY! Four hours may seem like a lot, but when you’re done, it’s fine! Then the anticipation of seeing my scores makes me nervous, but in a good way :)</p>
<p>I think you might have to put your grades and ec’s farther back and count back to 7th grade… I went there for a math comp. and took a tour, and they said they look back to 7th grade.</p>
<p>Yeah, anything before seventh grade shouldn’t really be on the app.</p>
<p>If it’s a relevant science competition, is it allowed to be mentioned?</p>
<p>Yes, of course. why not?</p>
<p>I meant before 7th grade, sorry heh.</p>
<p>Valedictorian of the freshman class ^__^</p>
<p>Changed sophomore schedule:
Ap psychology (online)
ap human geography
ap enviro science
honors english 2
honors chem
honors civ and econ
honors pltw human body systems
honors precalc
honors spanish 3</p>