Did I make a detrimental mistake?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I'm a junior in High school right now and I want to apply to Stanford early action or through the match program if I'm a Questbridge finalist. My GPA after first semester of junior year is a 3.98 unweighted. I have no idea what it is weighted because my school doesn't do that. I go to a highly competitive small public school in the West. I have good ECs and my sat is at 2000 right now but I'm taking it a second time and aiming for a 2200+ since thats what I'm getting on the practice tests. Im also a URM ( African-American) with an annual income of less than 30,000. </p>

<p>My high school courses look like this:</p>

<p>Freshman year:
Regular courses with the exception of biology and geometry and French 2 which are sophomore courses.</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
Ap Economy: W--- study hall, and then switched to Income and Money Managment second semester and got an A+
Adv. Algebra: A/A+
Soph. English: A+/A+
Physics: A/A+
Honors Chemistry: A/A+
History: A+/A+
French 3: A+/A+
Aerobics: A/ journalism: A</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Newspaper: A/A.--- I'm the editor in chief
Pre-Calculus: A+/A+
AP USH: A/A
AP Chemistry: A/A
Junior English: A/A
AP Statistics: A+/A+
French 4: A+/A+
AP Psychology: A+/A+</p>

<p>The reason my freshman and sophomore classes are so weak on APs is because my school doesn't allow freshmans and sophomores to take them until Junior & Senior year. I had to get special permission to take AP Econ and ended up withdrawing during my first semester of sophomore year because I hated the subject, the class, and it took up a lot of time which is valuable to someone who as an income as low as mine.</p>

<p>I guess what I really want to know is If I'm still competitive. How detrimental was dropping ap economy to my application. Should i take the class I dropped again senior year since I was doing really well in it anyway ( I had a 95% when I dropped). Should I not bother with Stanford and apply to other schools instead. Even though Stanford is my dream.</p>

<p>My ECs might also help give an idea of my chances:
NHS Secreatary
Multicultural club founder and president
Newspaper editor and chief
Intern at Governors office
Intern at Medican hospital in Africa ( 2 summers in a row)
Science museum volunteer (100+ hours)</p>

<p>I'm also trying to start a nonprofit for eye care in poor countries though I'm having a miserably difficult time. It's extremely expensive to start a nonprofit :/</p>

2

<p>You should ask this in the Questbridge sub-forum inside the Financial Aid Forum. That is where the experts are.</p>

3

<p>I honestly don’t mean to be rude or impolite but how did you get to intern in Africa? I have an income similar to yours and I can’t imagine being able to afford something like that. I wish I could have it sounds awesome. good luck to you, I think your chances are solid regardless of dropping Econ</p>

4

<p>Dropping AP Econ makes no difference whatsoever to any school you apply to. You are a very attractive candidate and will have lots of good options. Get your test score up.</p>

5

<p>Are you African American or African?</p>

6

<p>I agree with M’s Mom. Dropping AP Econ will not hurt your chances. Keep your GPA up and improve that SAT as much as you can. Obviously, Stanford is a reach regardless, but your chances have not been negatively impacted as a result of dropping one class.</p>

7

<p>@I was born in Africa and my parents were born there and lived there for the majority of their lives, but I grew up in Oregon. I guess that makes me an African-American. Also, this’ll probably come up, but I do have an American citizenship.</p>

<p>Also, @drinksuited, my uncles (i have 7 of them) are well off and paid for me and my mother and sisters to come visit. One of them’s a doctor and got me a internship @ a medical facility.</p>