Chances to any top school (especially Stanford) Please give me advice!

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I know this will be difficult to determine given the fact that I am a freshman. I want to do anything I can to get into Stanford. Well, any top school, so I would appreciate your guidance.</p>

<p>Personal: I have 3 siblings, and we are ages 10-16. I am 15, so I'll have one brother in college when I apply. My parents are divorced, and even though I live 50/50 with them, my Mom claims me under her taxes and my Dad gives her child support. My Mom only gets around $12,000 annually. My Dad gets around $160,000. (By the time I'm applying for college he will probably be promoted and be earning a lot more) For Financial aid, do I have to include my Dad?? Or could I get by only claiming my Mom?? (That would substantially help my financial aid!) My parents are both university graduates but not from any big schools I'd want to go to. </p>

<p>Academic info: I am no genius. I am smart though. I do believe I will do well on the SATs and the ACT. I predict I will finish high school with a 4.0 unweighted. I am taking the hardest classes available at my school. However, it is a low income school and its on PI status. Its not a private prep school or anything impressive at all. </p>

<p>Extra Curriculars: I do believe I shine in this category. However, I don't know if I'm doing enough. So my passion is languages and cultures. Especially Latin cultures. I'll be spending every single spring break in Mexico on a missions trip focusing on children. I've already been this year. I also plan to spend some summers in Arizona/Mexico doing service for people who are being deported/have been deported. The person who runs this program is my uncle's brother, and he is a Stanford grad, so I would want him to write my letter of rec. I am really interested in foreign affairs, and I have a relative who is works at the embassy in Tunisia, and I want to spend summer after soph year of junior year shadowing her. I anticipate being fluent in Spanish and Italian by the end of my high school career. A few times a month I walk through downtown sac and talk with the homeless people and distribute food. I am also a member of CSF, and I ref soccer games for money. I play travel volleyball and school volleyball, but I'll elaborate on that.</p>

<p>When it comes to the essays, I either want to talk about my passion for international affairs or me persevering through my health complications. Like I said, I played volleyball and I was REALLY good at it. I have severe scoliosis, and had to get metal rods put in my back, and I missed the first month of my freshman year. ( I made up all my work before midterms and got a 100% in all my classes) I haven't been able to play vball this year because of recovery. I want to return in the fall, but some complications have come up and I MIGHT have to get the same surgery again. -.- <em>sigh</em> So my sports life is up in the air at this point. </p>

<p>ONE MORE THING. Sorry :P
In 7th grade I applied and interviewed for a program at Stanford for girls excelling in math and science. I won, and got to go to this week long camp at Stanford for only $50. Best experience ever. I wrote a letter to them recently and the organization who sent me published it in their newsletter and had me speak in front of the presidents and the girls receiving the scholarships this year. They want me to be a junior counselor at the camp next summer. (Only four of the girls from my year get to do this) </p>

<p>So basically now that you know every aspect of my life, please give me your advice about what I should do/don't do. I will consider everything so please don't hold back! Thanks so much!!!!</p>

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<p>Some quick things I forgot:

  1. I volunteer at my church
  2. I am in student government, and was a class officer. I can’t do it next year because there is not enough room on my schedule. Should I return junior year? I think there is a high chance I’ll be either ASB VP or ASB President my senior year. Does that matter to colleges? Or should I stick with student government?</p>
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<p>Freshman:
Biology
Art
Stud gov (Fall and spring)
Algebra 2
Health and Safety
Spanish 1
English </p>

<p>I cannot stand how my school operates. There is no honors of AP Algebra 2, no H or AP freshman English, and no honors or AP Biology. </p>

<p>Sophomore:
PE 1
PE2
Honors English
AP European History
CP and AP Chem (They require you to take both)
Spanish 3
Honors Pre Calc</p>

<p>Junior
AP English 11
AP US History
AP Calc AB
AP Calc BC
AP Psych
Spanish 4
Student Gov
AP Spanish</p>

<p>senior:
AP English 10
AP American Gov and Econ
Spanish Literature and Comp
CP Physics
AP Physics
AP Stats
And I’ll do 2 terms of Student Government if I am an ASB officer</p>

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<p>Being from a low-income school might help your chances, if everything else turns out to be true. You have some genuine interests, which is a good thing. Don’t try to be all things to all people–just keep doing what you are doing.</p>

<p>You will be unlikely to get much financial aid, and no, I don’t think you can’t use just your mom. Most colleges use something called the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. It does help that you will have a brother in college, but don’t expect it to be free. (I am sure you wouldn’t think that is fair, would you? Your family does very, very well compared to a lot of people.)</p>

<p>Since you are only a freshman, you have all kinds of time to look into colleges. Make sure you have a varied list with a few safeties you would be happy to attend. And try to look objectively at what you like so much about Stanford. Chances are there are other schools that have similar attributes and can prepare you for the future you envision just as well–and hopefully they are neither as expensive or as competitive as Stanford is. You are smart enough to look at statistics–and the odds of ANYONE, no matter how qualified, getting into Stanford these days are extremely low.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Most colleges don’t use Profile, but Stanford does. Your dad’s income will be included, so aid except for loans is unlikely.</p>

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<p>@sally305- Thanks for the advice. I do have an extensive list of safety schools. College is a long ways away so I’m sure it’ll change a thousand times though! I’ll definitely be sure not to get toooo obsessed with Stanford. There are many great schools out there, and I don’t want to put all my eggs into one basket. You are right, I don’t believe it would be fair to get free tuition, but even with my Dad’s salary it is difficult to pay for two houses and 4 children in California. Upper middle class isn’t exactly the most desirable place to be in terms of applying for aid. </p>

<p>@Waverly- good to know, thanks!</p>

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<p>Well I’ll let you know right now your junior year is going to be miserable. And you definitely won’t get much aid if they see your dad is making six figures, and if you do it’ll be loans. Its kind of a crapshoot for Stanford, but if you do well in all of those classes, and do the EC’s you say I’d give you a pretty good chance. But it also depends on your SAT scores, class rank, etc which you don’t know yet. Just don’t fall in love with a school (specifically a school as hard to get into as Stanford) and make sure you have 5 or 6 schools you would want to go to just as much when it comes time to apply. Definitely start looking at campuses early, I wish I had planned out college stuff and been able to tour campuses earlier, but now here I am at the end for junior year with no time to tour the 8 other schools on my list.</p>

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<p>@Etuck24- Yes, my junior year is going to be hell, but I know I can manage it. Plus I have another year to make changes and rearrange my schedule. You are right, it is hard to gauge my chances without SAT scores, class rank etc. Even though my schedule seems hard I have what I consider to be incredible work ethic. I’ll work my butt off for that A. I do worry though, that I’ll regret putting myself through torture :stuck_out_tongue: The advice about looking at campuses is awesome. I completely agree it is really important. Last Christmas break I looked at a lot of campuses in Southern California. I’ve visited a lot in the south as well. Sometime next year my older and I are going on a college road trip on the east coast. Hopefully I won’t regret anything in regards to visiting campuses! Thanks so much for your advice.</p>

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<p>If you seriously want to be competitive for Stanford, you should be in at least the top 5%, preferably ranked 1 or 2. As a freshman it is WAY to early to tell but you should keep that in mind. That is just to be in the running. Now is the time to start zeroing in on your passions and clubs and work on them and succeed.</p>

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<p>I also wanted to know if you all think I should do more clubs. I feel like I should be doing more, but I don’t want it to look like I’m loading up on extracurriculars. I’d rather show them I have a genuine passion and interest in the things I’m involved in. What are your thoughts?</p>

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<p>To me your ECs sound unique and really interesting. I obviously can’t say how Stanford will see it but definitely keep at it!</p>

<p>And think about how you can promote this program and improve it. In other words participation isnt enough. Take the initiative and raise money for the group, take leadership roles, do bigger projects involving the people you are helping.</p>

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<p>@cortana431- Thanks so much! I never really thought about that. I’ll brainstorm that soon. In regards to the math/science thing I did at Stanford, what are your opinions? Do you think it’ll look impressive that I was asked to come back and be a counselor or does it not really help? I might want to incorporate some math/science into my future career, so should I look more into extracurriculars with that as well?</p>

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<p>I think you’ll have as good of a chance as anyone at Stanford, you seem very prepared.
At your school you take calc ab and bc as two different classes at the same time? Sorry we just don’t have bc and from what if seen I thought most schools had you take ab then bc or just bc. If you want to go past ab at my school you have to take it at the jr college across the street. Good luck with stanford by the way!</p>

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<p>@Charlie87star- Thanks! :slight_smile: I try to be prepared, but sometimes I can get a little carried away… Ya you have to take both at my school. AP Calc AB is during the first term, and BC is the second term. There is only one class, and about 5-8 people usually drop the BC course. My brother is in BC right now as a sophomore. He’s a smart cookie</p>

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<p>If there are some more things you like, you should do them to show breadth and leadership. Make sure to achieve and participate in them however. You seem like a great candidate. Very centered ECs.</p>

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<p>Thanks! Ya I’ll do that :slight_smile: Another EC i forgot to mention was that I am the asst. coach for a 7th grade boys volleyball team at my old middle school. I did this because I couldn’t play after my surgery.</p>

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<p>I’ve been told that if you’re good at an obscure sport (Rowing) it will also boost your chances at top schools.</p>

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<p>Funny you said that! I heard that one of the girls at a semi-local private high school got a full ride to Duke for rowing. I’ve actually considered that for a while. With my back condition I’m not in a place where I can do any sports (which SUCKS.) However, there is a position in crew that basically is the leader of the team that doesn’t have to do the actual rowing. I might have to look into that if I have to get more back surgery</p>

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<p>You’re definitely on the right track! you’re passionate, just get your great sat/act scores and keep your grades high :)</p>

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<p>Thanks derivative22! </p>

<p>And I also made a mistake about my parents income. My Mom makes $22,000 not $12,000. And my Dad makes $170,000 not $160,000.</p>