Eager Sophomore

Applying to College
1

Hello! I’m a sophomore at a competitive private school in California who’s looking for advice to improve my chances to get into elite colleges in my junior and senior years. My goal is to major in Computer Science/Business. After college, I’d like to work at/create my own non-profit that teaches more minorities, underprivileged children in the united states, and children in developing countries (specifically girls) in computer programming and engineering.

I have a few scores, but I don’t think they’re legitimate as I’ve barely studied for anything and am planning to start this summer. But here are my ECs & Stats.

Grades:
Mostly As and a few Bs

Income bracket: not quite sure, but I am on scholarship at my school and live in a rougher area than my school and many of my peers do

Hook:
URM (biracial)
Second generation - dad is the only one to go to college in my family
Location: poor area of california

ECs:
Yearbook (10…will continue to 12)
Student committee to help amend social policies (more effective than student council) (teachers elect students)
Student council (8,9)
Track (since kindergarten) - Varsity as freshmen
Tutoring children at local elementary school (6 years)
Tutoring of children for middle school placement tests (2 years)
Summer job at school in office
Club that gives tours for perspective students
CompSci Club (1 yr)
XC (2 years - 7,8 but will do 11 & 12)

This summer:

  • will attend technology and engineering camp, was nominated by teacher
  • will attend leadership conference, also nominated by a different teacher
  • like to begin learning Chinese or Arabic…not quite sure
  • internship with a computer science/engineering/non-profit…whatever I can get that’s related to my interests

Sophomore schedule:
Ap US history
French 3 honors
Reg algebra 2
reg english 2
yearbook
advanced photography
chemistry reg

Awards:
Several awards for track/cross country - xc captain as a 8th grader
Scholastic honorable mention for photography

Intended junior year schedule:
Reg modern world
AP French
AP English
Intro to engineering (online course)
Pre-calculus
Physics (maybe physics honors)
yearbook

intended senior year schedule
ap compsci
research - with school
yearbook
ap psychology
english seminar
ap art history
independent study - arabic or chinese, depending on which i take (online)
ap photography
french culture and cinema
calculus

Any suggestions you have to me would be extremely helpful! A lot of people in my area do not even go to college and I could really use the advice!

2

Students at private schools have much better resources for college guidance than an internet board. I had a kid on a scholarship to a private school and we didn’t even think about colleges until Jr year when she met in the Spring for the first time with the guidance counsellor. Meanwhile she was trying to push academically and taking the hardest classes she was able to handle and taking advantage of the extracurricular activities available there that were interesting to her…

3

We’re not really allowed to seek help from the guidance councilor until junior year, but I’m worried it might be too late. I don’t really know much about most of this stuff, but I’m feeling like I should get a general direction for my extra curricular activities/grades/aps before next year.

4

@BrownParent ^

5

Early in your junior year is definitely not too late to start thinking about college. In terms of ECs, find things that you enjoy and that interest you – and try to eventually take on some leadership roles in them. In terms of grades – work hard and do as well as you can in the highest level classes you can handle. Also, start studying for the standardized tests early in your junior year. Most private high schools will provide good counseling at the appropriate time. (And just so you know going forward, counselor is the correct spelling, not councilor )

6

Thank you @happy1. Good catch! Autocorrect is funky sometimes!