<p>Hi, guys. I'm an Italian student who is planning to apply to an Ivy. By the way, I don't know if I have the requirements to get into (I mean... to have at least a possibility since I know how much difficult is to succeed), also because I'm not really used to the American school system. So, please, give me some advises! </p>
<p>Italian school system is different than American one. We have different kinds of school. The best you can choose if you plan to go to university is a Liceo. I'm attending a Classico, which is a Liceo deeper in humanities. We can't choose which courses to take because are all required and we don't have AP or honors. The difficulty of courses is made by the kind of school you are attending. So I suppose Liceo is consider as a honor or something. Well, I study: </p>
<p>Italian 4 hours per week (writing and literature)
English 3 hours (literature - grammar as well until 10th grade)
Latin 4 hours (grammar and literature)
Ancient Greek 3 hours (grammar and literature)
Philosophy 2 hours
World history 2 hours
Science 2 hours (chemistry and biology)
Maths 2 hours
Physics 2 hours
History of art 2 hours </p>
<p>We don't have GPA but an average of our grades. I have a 7,5 out of 10, but it's really something impossible to have an average higher than 8 and something 'cause teachers usually don't give you more than 8 in test (especially in speaking test). I have an 8 in history, English, Italian (writing is my strength) and history of art; 7 in all the others. </p>
<p>I'm going to take the ACT plus writing now in June, and I'm planning to have at least a 30 composite. Do I need to take also some SAT subjects? Are they required or it's only to improve your application? 'Cause I could take Italian, Latin and Literature I think, maybe maths. </p>
<p>Well, now the part I'm more worried about. The social activities. Here in Italy schools don't arrange many of them, I could say piratically none. (Especially if you live in a town of 800 inhabitants like me). We don't have awards for example, at all. Except some contests between schools of the area, but they are really a few. Anyway, I'm going to tell you what I've done, but I don't know what I can add and what I cannot. So, please, give me some suggestions. Do social activities have to be proved in some way? </p>
<ul>
<li>I was captain of the volleyball school team for 7 years (and also play it outside school). We placed second for two year and this year we probably are going to win. It is not a big competition actually, just among schools of the area, but I'm so passionate about volley. </li>
<li>I worked for the office of one of my mother's friend photographing houses for her 'cause she sells houses. </li>
<li>I volunteered in some town things and in a hospice </li>
<li>I wrote screenplays for two national contests but I don't know the results yet (Should I write about it only if I won something?)
-I wrote a story online for fun but I got more than 30000 views and I found a lot of people who want to know/love me thanks to this. (Can I write about this? Is something I'm really passionate about, but I don't know if I can)
-I arranged a national meeting of two days among Gilmore Girls' fans because I've been running a fan-group for 3 years. (Will that sound ridiculous? That's another thing I'm really passionate about. Not exactly for the show - that I love of course - but because I can interact with people and know different points of view, stories ect, you know)
-I played piano for three years (and clarinet for one)
-I did some babysitting
-I helped in library
-Next summer I will set up a theater show written by me and acted by kids (and I hope to write the script for the theater show of my school next year as well)</li>
</ul>
<p>If you have any other suggestion of what I could do in addition to this, please tell me! </p>
<p>I think Italian and Philosophy/History teachers will write my recommendation letters and the headmaster as well (also 'cause he is my Latin/Greek teacher). But we don't have a counselor, how can I do? </p>
<p>Do you think I have possibilities? I'm in love especially with Yale.</p>