<p>Hi, so I'm a Junior as of the 2010-2011 school year. Im female and Caucasian. Ill be a first generation college student. (This whole description is rather long.. it seems like an essay.. but I wanted to be descriptive and include everything.)</p>
<p>I go to Midwood High School in Brooklyn (you can search it on Google). It's arguably the best (at least one of the best) public high school in Brooklyn/New York City after the Specialized High Schools (such as Brooklyn Tech and Stuyvesant). Almost all of my classes since the fall term of my freshmen year until I graduate as a senior will be an Honors Level Course, unless I take an AP class, or if the school doesnt offer Honors (theres some exceptions that Ill explain in my academic record) because I'm in the Humanities Program (selective gifted program). I'm also in the Gilder Lehrman American History Scholars Program (specialized and selective.. requires extra courses). </p>
<p>I wanted to take AP World History during freshmen and sophomore year (its a two-year course at my school), but I would have had to change my entire schedule around to take it, which I tried but couldnt do. Also, the students who were chosen to take the class was random, they didnt sign up for it. My school only really offers APs to Juniors and Seniors (with a few very minor exceptions that I didnt qualify for because of other courses I took or had taken or hadnt yet taken).</p>
<p>Right now Im taking AP Psychology and AP American History. Next Year Im taking AP Government, AP Economics (I think Micro), and AP English (with the possibility of AP Statistics). </p>
<p>I took the SAT in December (I know, rather early) and got a 1970.
660 in Critical Reading
620 in Math
690 in Writing
Im going to take the SAT two more times and plan to get a 2100 or something very close to it. (I didnt study on my own at all before taking the last one, only took an SAT prep course for six weeks over the summer so Im expecting to do much better.)</p>
<p>Im going to take the SAT Subject Tests in World History, American History, and English Literature. </p>
<p>My unweighted average is about a 95 (more or less). </p>
<p>My rank is 50 something out of over 1000 (I have a large class size), so I'm in the top 5% of my class. (I think.. I don't know exactly.. my rank might be higher.)</p>
<p>Extra-Curricular Activities: (Im going to group them according to my interests and I realize I might have a lot, but I joined things that I was interested in and wanted to do a lot to impress colleges, although Im probably not going to be able to fit all these on my college application, so Ill just list the most important ones.)</p>
<p>Writing:
-President and Founder of Young Writers Club (since Sophomore year)
-Editor/Writer in PATTERNS (literature magazine) (since Junior Year)
-Head Script Writer for SING-SOFRESH (since Sophomore Year)
-Member/Writer in JAALs (history magazine) (since Freshmen Year)</p>
<p>Politics:
-Chairperson of Senate Homeland Security Committee in Model Congress (since Sophomore Year)
-Coordinator of Amnesty International (since Junior Year)
-Writer in JAALs (history magazine) (since Freshmen Year) (I included this under writing as well above ^)
-Internship with local NYC Councilman (since Junior Year)</p>
<p>Volunteer Work: (school and church 500 hours per year = 2,000 total high school career)
School:
-Member of Key Club (since Freshmen Year.. working on a leadership position)
-Member of Arista and Archon (National Honor and Service Societies) (Since Sophomore Year.. working on a leadership position)
-Freshmen Orientation Monitor (since Freshmen year)
-Guidance Counselor Monitor (since Freshmen year)
-Monitored for various teachers (since Freshmen year)</p>
<p>Parish/Church: (counts as community service and some youth ministry.. which is extra-curricular)
-Teen Leader of Teen Group (Parish's Youth Group.. weekly meetings every Friday Night for three hours which usually includes a discussion on a teen-related topic, also engaging in a lot of volunteer work) (since Freshmen Year)
-Captain of the Altar Servers (assists the priest on the altar during mass) (since Freshmen Year, although technically I've been an altar server since I was eight years old)
-Lector (reads the liturgy during mass) (since Freshmen Year, although technically I've been lectoring since 8th grade.. working on leadership position)
-Volunteer for the CCD (religious education program), assisting teachers and working in the office (which is every Wednesday Night during the school year)</p>
<p>-I've also volunteered at a local Middle School in the area, helping out during special events at night (since Freshmen Year)</p>
<p>Awards/Recognitions:
-Member of Arista and Archon (national honor and service societies)
-Participated in the Gilder Lehrman Institute Civil War Essay Contest (honorable mention)
-Writing published in Teen Ink (teen magazine)
-Region 7 Stars Certificate of Recognition - Outstanding Achievement as am Exhibiting Artist (winner- city arts exhibition)
-The American Classical League and National Junior Classical League Certificate of Honorable Merit: Magna Cum Laude (winner - Latin award)
-Award Certificate Presented by the United Federation of Teachers for Academic Achievement and Character (winner- UFT award)
-Citation of Honor by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes In Recognition of Outstanding Leadership, Character, and Service in Promoting "Progress Through Justice" in the School and Community (Winner- District Attorney Citation of Honor)
-The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators of the City of New York (CSA) Leadership Award in Recognition of outstanding Leadership (Winner- CSA Award)
-Cathedral Preparatory Seminary: Pope John Paul II Christian Leadership Award recognizing outstanding commitment to faith in action (Winner- Catholic Community Service Award)
-President's Volunteer Service Award: Gold Level (Winner- National Community Service Award)</p>
<p>My Creative Writing Teacher has entered me into a number of writing contests, so hopefully Ill win some</p>
<p>Talents/Skills:
-I am an avid writer, I love writing stories, memoirs, and poems especially.
-I love to sing, and I'm an avid song writer. (I wrote my first song at seven years old)
-I'm also a musician (although this is not my strongest point), I do know how to play the guitar and the piano.
-I love to dance as well, I went to dancing school from the time I was 3 years old until I was 12 years old.
-I love public speaking and advocating.. just fighting for what you believe in.</p>
<p>Rigor of High School Record: (even though I haven't taken some of these classes yet, such as the ones for Junior and Senior Year, the ones I did put down are a requirement as part of the programs I'm in.. so I have to take them no matter what. Just as a note, my school uses the term "Gifted" instead of "Honors" sometimes, however, it has been made clear to us that the words can be used interchangeably, and so both are the highest level of study under AP.) I took three high school classes in 8th grade, which I got credit for and took the NYS regents for (I entered High School accelerated). These three classes were Integrated Algebra, Spanish I, and Earth Science. </p>
<p>Math: (each taken for a year at a time.. year = two semesters)
-Integrated Algebra (taken in 8th grade)
-Honors Geometry (taken in 9th grade)
-Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry (taken in 10th grade)
-Pre-Calculus (taken in 11th grade)
-Maybe AP Statistics in 12th grade
(four years as of now.. maybe five)
Note: No Honors Pre-Calculus was offered, only accelerated, which I didnt want to take because its ridiculously hard and math isnt my best subject so I didnt want to hurt my average.</p>
<p>English:
Honors English 1 & 2 (9th grade)
Honors English 3 & 4 (10th grade)
Honors Creative Writing (11th grade)
AP English (12th grade)
Two Senior English Electives (one each term) Advanced Creative Writing (one term) and Yearbook Committee Class (one term)
(total of 5 years)</p>
<p>Science:
Earth Science (8th grade)
Honors Living Environment (9th grade)
Honors Chemistry (10th grade)
AP Psychology (11th grade)
(total of 4 years)</p>
<p>Social Studies:
Honors & Gilder Lehrman Institute Global History & Geography (9th and 10th grades.. four terms)
AP American History (11th grade)
Two electives during Junior Year (one each term)- Urban History (term 1) and Great Speeches & Debates (term 2)
AP Government (12th grade) (one term)
AP Economics (12th grade) (one term)
Two electives during Senior Year (one each term)- History of Vietnam War (term 1) and Historiography (term 2)
(Extra social studies electives are apart of Humanities & Gilder Lehrman Program)
(total of 7 years)</p>
<p>Foreign Language:
Spanish I (8th grade)
Spanish II (9th grade)
Honors Latin I (10th grade)
Spanish III (10th grade)
Spanish IV (11th grade)
(total of 5 years)
Note: No Honors Spanish was offered, only accelerated, which I didnt want to take because its ridiculously hard and Spanish isnt my best subject so I didnt want to hurt my average.</p>
<p>Arts:
Art (Video Production) (9th grade one term)
Music (Guitar) (9th grade one term)</p>
<p>Physical Education:
Health (9th grade one term)
All other seven terms will be Gym</p>
<p>As far as Recommendations go, I'm planning on getting one from the Pastor of my Parish (church) who has known me since I'm six years old and who I have a very close relationship with since Ive spend most of my teenage life volunteering in the parish (five to ten hours a week.. sometimes more). For teacher recommendations, Im going to ask a few of my teachers and see who gives me the best one: my AP American History teacher (who has stated Im one of her favorite students ever), my Urban History Teacher, my Creative Writing Teacher, my Pre-Calculus Teacher, and my AP Psychology Teacher. </p>
<p>I want to major in Political Science with a double minor in Psychology and Creative Writing. Im considering going to Law School. </p>
<p>My first choice is Fordham University. Should I apply Early Action? (Its non-binding) And how much scholarship money do you think they would offer me? (My dad is now retired so he makes $40,000 a year, and doesnt really have any assets, and my mom has never worked.) </p>
<p>My other choices are New York University (NYU), Brown University, Barnard College, St. Johns University (NY), Iona College, Pace University (as a safety), and Macaulay Honors College (City University of New York Honors College).</p>
<p>I might consider applying to Cornell, Dartmouth, and Yale (I would apply to Columbia but Im applying to Barnard and I was told not to apply to both) if my SAT scores are close to 2100 or higher.</p>
<p>And are they any other colleges you suggest? I prefer private and/or Catholic colleges over public ones, but Ill look at anything. And I would also like to stay within New York City or the surrounding suburbs.</p>