Early Opinions on my Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I know that its a bit early to get worried about this, but I'd like to start preparing as soon as I can, and maybe get a better frame for where i'm headed. I'm a sophomore right now. Everything listed Honors is actually "Pre-IB" but I think it comes up as Honors on the transcript. I left out some of the superfluous electives. If my schedule looks similar to another person who posted on this forum, its because we're in the same school and taking many of the same classes.</p>

<p>Demographics: White Male</p>

<p>8th Grade
Algebra I Honors A/A
Biology Honors A/A
Spanish I Honors A/B</p>

<p>9th Grade
Algebra II Honors A/A
English I Honors A/A
Chemistry I Honors B/A
Spanish II Honors A/A
World History Honors A/A</p>

<p>10th Grade (First semester completed, and likely grades for next semester)
AP Music Theory A/A
AP World History A/A
AP Art History A/A
IB Spanish III B/A
Geo/Trig Combination Honors A/A
Physics 1 Honors A/A
English II Honors A/A
Debate A/A</p>

<p>Planned 11th Grade Schedule
IB English III HL
IB Music HL
IB History of the Americas HL
IB Math SL
IB Spanish IV HL
IB Physics SL (although i'm considering Biology)</p>

<p>Planned 12th Grade Schedule
IB English IV HL
IB Music HL
IB Contemporary History HL
IB Math SL
IB Spanish V HL</p>

<p>SAT I: 1410 (720verbal/690math as of December of Sophomore year, i'll likely break a 1500 by senior year)
PSAT: 1430</p>

<p>Weighted GPA: 4.56
Class Rank: Top 10%</p>

<p>ECs
Odyssey of the Mind Founder (at both my middle and high school) (6, 7, 8, 10) (and will do 11 and 12)
Odyssey of the Mind World Finalist (7, 8) (and likely 10, 11, 12 as my team is experienced and quite good and likely will do well this year)
Mu Alpha Theta (10, 11, 12)
National Honor Society (10, 11, 12)
Spanish Honor Society (10, 11, 12)
Adopt a Minefield (10, 11, 12)
Show Band (11, 12)
Photography Club (10, 11, 12)
Volunteering to teach Spanish to 1st and 2nd graders (10, 11, 12)
Sophomore Class Council (will continue through senior year)
One Week Trip to Costa Rica with Spanish Teacher and select group of advanced Spanish students for an intensive immersion into the Spanish Language and Culture this summer.</p>

<p>I haven't quite decided exactly what i want to study, but i'm looking at: History/Languages/Foreign Affairs</p>

<p>If you could give me your input on how i look for schools like:
Harvard
Yale
Columbia
Brown
Cambridge/Oxford
Georgetown
George Washington</p>

<p>My "dream school" right now is Cambridge. I know they're all the big names, but I'm really not sure how I place. If these schools are all unrealistic for me, where else would be good schools for the field of study i'm looking at.</p>

<p>Any advice on what i should do to make myself more appealing to these sorts of schools by application time would be great. </p>

<p>Also, what sorts of things could I be looking at doing this summer to help me out.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot.</p>

<p>Jason</p>

2

<p>does anyone have an opinion on where i'm headed and/or what i should change?</p>

3

<p>too early to give an accurate chance. as an advice- do some community service.</p>

4

<p>Also, don't see any leadership here; no captain, president, executive board, editor, chairperson --</p>

5

<p>well GW is definitely a safety for you</p>

<p>you should look into Princeton (if u get your SATs up)</p>

<p>You have a wide variety of great schools with different demographics and with different programs. i think you should sit down with a good ol' college book and read up on all of them. I recommend the Kaplan's Unofficial Unbiased Guide to the 331 most interesting colleges, The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, and of course the latest edition of Fiske's Guide. They are all great schools, but I think you need to find the type of school that you want to attend. Whether its generally liberal or conservative considering you have an interest in politics/foreign affairs. Just consider the location and type of atmosphere.</p>

<p>Also like the others have said, community service and leadership positions will make your resume more solid!!!~</p>

6

<p>Does Sophomore class council, Odyssey of the Mind founder, and volunteering weekly at an elementary school to teach spanish count for leadership?</p>

<p>Also, i'm a key member (and might be elected vice president or something of the sort) of the Adopt-A-Minefield group at my school, and i'm working to organize a silent art auction to raise money and awareness for the cause.</p>

7

<p>dont pre-prep yourself for a 1500 SAT...</p>

8

<p>CC board users just seem to get younger every day!!
gnoss~you have a LOT of time. I recommend you enjoy your life in high school b/c i know a lot of people on this board look back and say "gawsh, I wish I had done something in high school." hopefully, as you reach decision time, you will discover that Harvard/Cambridge/Oxford are not necessarily for everyone. Seeing your choice of major (which I almost have no doubt will change a nice number of times), i think the schools you have named are strong in those areas...but many other factors go into selecting a university. on your application (which i really think you should not worry about yet), just be truthful and dont try to brag (too much :) . for summer--do anything you'd like short of being a coach potato. research--if you get the opportunity--really shines and stands out. I, for instance, stayed in a French household and worked at an internship during my summers.</p>

9

<p>and no one in admissions cares about the SAT. as long as you have a 1400, I'd say youre very much in the running at any of those schools. SAT scores get one look, and if they're above a certain expectation, your application is kept for further review.</p>

<p>and i hope collegeparent was being sarcastic. If not, I would say that he's wrong. I def. think you have adequate leadership.</p>

<p>but collegeparent does bring up a very important point: DO NOT join a group unless you are willing to commit big chunks of time to it. colleges like to see motivation and commitment instead of fickleness.</p>

<p>long lists of clubs really doesnt help you at all (unless youre spending considerable time on each). a short list with many hours is far more impressive.</p>

10

<p>It's really annoying when sophmores do this. You have to have real SAT scores and GPA for us to be able to give an accurate guess as to whether you will get in or not. You will probably change your mind about where you want to go 10 more times between now and the time you apply. Also...it's really not wise to just ASSUME that your SAT scores will be 1500. Instead of sitting on here, go do your homework, watch TV and enjoy high school while it's easy. Next year, you will be crushed by AP classes (probably), so enjoy things while you can. No one can help you here. You just want people to tel you that you can get in, when no one REALLY knows.</p>

11

<p>chrisso~
lol, let the boy dream</p>

12

<p>you may say i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one
: )</p>

13

<p>You should just keep your grades up, take challenging courses, and pursue your interests right now. You should also try to focus on schools that are slightly less selective then these because you will probably be disappointed if you fall in love with your reaches but do not have good matches and safeties. If you can become (almost) as enthusiastic about your safeties as the Ivies and Ivy- level schools, then you will be in great shape! :)</p>

14

<p>I'm sure you have a good future. It's just too early to say. Ivy chances are so unpredictable. Not only do you have to have near perfect scores on everything, but you have to take the hardest classes, do well on them, get 5s on all your APs, AND you have to have pursued the most unique extra curriculars and been amazing at them. Become a volunteer firefighter and take african dance lessons, and give lessons to kids on some weird instrument. I mean... I wish you the best of luck, but it's too hard to tell with ivy's.</p>

15

<p>ValdezViva, no I wasn't kidding about the leadership -- while the OP has a lot of ECs, that is not leadership, it's participation. The ECs tell me that while the OP can achieve things through personal initiative, ultimately he is a joiner, with the possible exception of the Odyssey of the Mind thing. I was looking for leadership positions within all of those organizations, something where people have shown their confidence in him. Also, where are the sports? Any community service outside the school (besides Costa Rica)? Does the OP do anything besides study & join? I'm not being sarcastic here but trying to get the OP to focus more on these skills to help his future endeavors. Also, is there anything exceptional about his arts contribution, whether as a photographer or in the band? In short, what separates the OP from all the other applicants with similar scores, grades & ECs? What will this applicant bring to the campus? What makes the OP stand out from the thousands of other applicants who will be applying to these same schools? It's early in the process for the OP & these are merely suggestions; don't want to make him crazy. He's accomplished a lot so far, but for the schools he's considering, he's got to do more and in other areas. So, he should involve himself in sports, excel at something artistically and seek leadership roles within the organizations he's already involved with (he really doesn't need any more activities in that area). Trust you will agree, ValdezViva. Also liked your comment about the SATs being given a quick look and then the adcoms going onto other criteria. In many cases, lower SATs are compensated by achievements in EC leadership and community service activities. Ultimately, the adcoms are looking to see if the applicant can do the academic work and then want to know what contributions the applicant will bring to campus life and afterward.</p>

16

<p>Statistically:
Harvard- Reach
Yale- Reach
Columbia-Reach
Brown- reach (possibly)
Cambridge/Oxford- Reach
Georgetown-a slight reach(possibly)
George Washington- Foundation</p>