<p>I am currently a sophomore in high school and will apply for Stanford in the future. I just wonder whether it's better to have a long list of extra curriculum or to just focus on two or three.</p>
<p>Do you mean extracurricular activities, like sports or music or debate? I think you need to find a balance between having at least a few things on your resume, but I think it should be clear what you really enjoy and are devoted to (focusing on 2 or 3, like you said). Definitely stay away from doing lots and lots of activities because it is nearly impossible to focus in all of them, do well in all of them, learn a lot from all of them, and contribute to all of them. Also, I think it makes an applicant look a) indecisive or b) not genuine.</p>
<p>Stanford wants to know WHO YOU ARE - what do you enjoy? What are your passions? What have you learned from your experiences? What have you done that is important?</p>
<p>Doing lots and lots of activities doesn't show who you are... except for maybe a desperate person. I don't know. So find a good balance, and find something (or some things) that you enjoy, and do them well, and commit to them :)</p>
<p>What grade are you really in ?</p>
<p>You claim you got Straight-As in 10th and 11th grade.</p>
<p>OMG you built a time machine and looked at your future and noticed you had straight-As in your junior. Can I borrow it sometime ?</p>
<p>(light hearted post, don't take it seriously)</p>
<p>Dude it's okay if your young, at least admit it.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Did I say I am in Sophomore?</p>
<p>Maybe I did; sorry, I messed up the stupid system.</p>
<p>I finished 11th grade.</p>
<p>Oh ok. Are you an international ? (just curious how you finished 11th - Not interrogating or anything ;) )</p>
<p>FYI 11th is Junior.</p>
<p>Yes, I am currently living in Canada and I skipped 7th grade.</p>
<p>I am not applying this year because I don't have enough extra curricular activities and money.</p>
<p>you should apply and see where they go with financial aid man. not having money shouldn't stop you - they'll see that and aid you.</p>
<p>Well... I don't know. I am an international student and they only have 30 spots.</p>
<p>I don't believe that about only having 30 slots for international students. In my frosh dorm of 80 people (1/20 of the class), I think 9 were international. If that's anywhere near representative of the campus as a whole, there will be a lot more than 30.</p>
<p>piannoyny,</p>
<p>damn i read your other posts... and i completely feel you. my dad had a problem during my freshman year and holy crap i let it get to me. i had an 85 avg the first term of my fresh year. but, i went from an 85 to a 91 to a 95, presently in my soph year. my overalls a 92, cus i still have my 8th grade grades; i took high school math / bio / spanish. in any event, i'm so scared i have no shot at any ivys or unofficial ivys like stanford. my ec's are good and my passions pretty evident .. but again, i dont know if i can break the top 10% or bring that gpa high enough. the highest i can bring it is probably to a 3.75 or around so, and my school doesn't even weight averages, so thats a 3.75 with 10 aps. ah welps.. keep us informed on how you do.</p>
<p>Sly Si : I don't really know how many spots they have for international students. I heard the number from a post few years ago... ;P
I think they increase the amount of international aid recently.</p>
<p>talk<em>about</em>ambition: lol... I mean... my school (in Vancouver, Canada) have this stupid grading system:</p>
<p>86-100 = A
73-85 = B
?? - ?? = C+
?? - ?? = C
?? - ?? = C-</p>
<p>I mean... I totally screwed up my 9th grade...
What if Stanford does count my 9th grade... because I got pretty bad for Social Studies and Science (78% for both). And this year (as my Senior year), I am getting 95%+ for both. I mean... I've improved quite a lot.</p>
<p>And my school does not even offer APs for those who have not completed 12th grade stuff, so students from my school are at disadvantage.</p>