<p>Hey, guys! I am a junior living in Alabama. My school is a public boarding school so it has been really hard for me to engage myself with outside of my school. Since this is my last year to show what I got to colleges, I want to get some advice for my weaknesses in the process of college admissions. Here are my stats!</p>
<p>Academics:
GPA: 4.0
Weighted: 4.37 right now(guessing about 4.5 by senior year)
took AB Cal and Chem last year and got 5s on them
taking AP Bio, APUSH, and BC Cal, Multivariable Calculus I&II this year
my school only offers 8 AP classes but gonna take 7 I think. (I don't want to take AP computer science lol)</p>
<p>I have test scores as following:
SATI: 2180(670R 780M 730W) - last year
PSAT: 215 - last year (probably +225 this year)
ACT: 31 (22R 35M 33E 35S) - 2 years ago
SAT II: 800 on math lvl2, chem, and physics</p>
<p>Currently my ECs/leadership positions are:
Academic Support Team (Chemistry Department Head)
Beta Club (Treasurer)
Science Olympiad (VP)
Mu Alpha Theta (VP)
Math Team (VP)
HOSA (President, founder)
Ambassador
Bowling League (Team Captain, highest average 200+)</p>
<p>My Awards are:
USNCO top 150 (only one in AL last year)
USAJMO qualifier (only one in AL 2 years ago)
145.5 2014 AMC 10A
4th in Keep the Heat of the 2013 Science Olympiad Nats
3rd in math and 5th in onsite drawing competition at 2014 National Beta Club</p>
<p>I am quite confident about my awards and since I am aiming for top 20 in USNCO, USAMO qualifier, and ISEF qualifier this year I am not that worried about them. However, my counselor told me that my ECs might not be as impressive as other candidates for selective colleges. Since my school is a boarding school and some restrictions follow for student activities, I have not had much significant community service yet. I did 50+ hr of hospital volunteer and 200+hr/yr of tutoring at school but could you guys please give me some advice for extracurricular activities? I want something that could relate my strength in math and science and my art skill. (One of my friend did art therapy to a kidnapped child and got in stanford)</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!
ps. this is my first time posting on CC so excuse me if I put this on wrong discussion page.</p>
<p>what are you going to say when they ask you what books you have read in high school? top colleges tend to ask that. MDS uses readingportfolio.com to verify his reads. he has a score of almost 12,000 reading both fiction and nonfiction…</p>
<p>You might read the book “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport to help spur your thinking on this. Sort of the point of the ECs attractive to top colleges is that they aren’t mainstream, and you probably won’t get suggestions that are useful on a forum like this. You need to evaluate your own circumstances and interests, which are unique.</p>
<p>But I think your credentials are quite impressive already. Your time might be better spent getting that SAT CR score over 700 (and more reading is one way to improve it, although most top colleges don’t ask about what you have read… but I suppose it could come up in an interview).</p>
<p>SAT overall is weakest, suggest studying or taking a class and retaking.</p>
<p>You mention “bowling league” - is that with the school or outside it? If it is outside the school, it won’t hold much sway. Try to start a school bowling team that competes against other schools if you can.</p>
<p>There is certainly a trend that charter or specialized public schools “create clubs” so students get ECs. Make sure your time spent on each club is substantial. Make sure you can define what you did, and how many students were in the club.</p>
<p>Being from Alabama, you should have an advantage getting into an Ivy or other top school.</p>
<p>I think I can get 2300 by next January on SAT. I can get 800 on Math and Writing (if not much idiom questions). I get 720 or 730 on reading now.
I want to get in Brown PLME or NU HPME… I started HOSA in my school and it’s a medical club. I spent about 10 hrs for research, 4 hrs for math team and MAO each week. I am starting bowling team soon since its official state sport this year! And i have bowled for five years and improved a lot (200 avg, 6hrs/wk).
How about the competitions like USNCO and USAMO? I know that research competitions are important but I always loved academic competitions like them… Would that help me? Also I am going to submit my art supplement.</p>
<p>@JSMILL1 I read books like Musicophilia, Hallucinations, War and Peace, Animal Farm, … and Percy Jackson series. I really liked Musicophilia and Hallucinations.</p>
<p>Hey, your stats are amazing!! People here don’t really understand how big of an accomplishment usamo/usajmo qualifier is. I was like 4 problems below the cutoff, so that’s really good! That shows a lot of dedication in itself. Since you’re doing research, do Siemens or Intel competion or something similar, that would boost your ECs and stats even further. </p>
<p>Your sat for a junior is really good!! Don’t worry, you have like a year for the SATs man, so I wouldn’t stress a lot about it until later.</p>
<p>@aznguy97
Thank you! I studied orgo for USNCO during the summer. Finished that dang book in 2 months (spent 5 hrs/day everyday lol)… I really love math and chemistry (SO MUCHHHHHHHHHH). I am going to enter Intel and see if I get in or not but I am spending good bit of my after school time for research.
If I get 2300 SAT on January, I’d be so happy haha. Do you think I would need like 2/3 more subject tests? I am gonna take bio, us history, and spanish.</p>
<p>You do not need any more subject tests. Do not start a bowling team, it would a waste of time for TOP colleges. Better to focus on your SAT I scores and your science competition ECs.</p>
<p>And go read the Newport book if you really feel the need to add ECs. If you can get your SAT I scores up, I would say you have a good shot at some top tier colleges. Not necessarily HYPS, but a level below that you have very good chances (NO ONE has a great chance for HYPS – if you can hike up your SAT scores, you could apply to see what happens – but when they are only accepting 5% or so of applicants and many of them are highly qualified, they can afford to be very choosy). </p>
<p>You might want to start spending some time not just thinking “top college” but evaluating individual colleges for their fit for you regarding majors, college vibe, location, price, etc. There are many great colleges you can attend, don’t get too hung up on prestige. You are much better off figuring out the best colleges for YOU, not just chasing brand names.</p>
<p>@intparent
Yes, as I mentioned before my top choices right now are Brown PLME and Northwestern HPME programs. Since I want to be a medical researcher it would be great if I can be guaranteed for a med school as undergrad student with low GPA and without MCAT. I am not interested in HYPS to be honest. I just assume that if I have a shot for them I might have chance for Brown PLME and Northwestern HPME (about 3 -4percent acceptance I think). Thanks a lot though! However could you explain why I shouldn’t start a bowling team? I don’t think that it would be much of work…?</p>
<p>Top colleges are looking for interesting non-mainstream activities. Bowling just isn’t going to impress them, IMHO. Again… read the Newport book. They are looking for people who go against the tide and do unique things that really accomplish something. If you care about getting into a very selective program (which you do), think about that. Although honestly, time spent on your SAT I scores would be most beneficial… CR score can be quite difficult to raise, too.</p>
<p>I am not, by the way, saying you should stop bowling, especially if you enjoy it. But if you are looking for the best way to spend your limited time between now and next fall, building out that EC into something more significant just isn’t where I would focus if I were you.</p>
<p>Yeah I do agree I was gonna let my friend be in charge of it cuz she’s a senior. I do understand that I should get top 20 USNCO and USAMO qualifier… Hopefully ISEF also</p>
<p>War and Peace and Animal Farm I have heard of as a college administrator. I don’t know the others. I would read as many in the top 100 high school recommended area. You look like you know what you are doing! Not sure I wouldn’t just go straight to work if you like business or tech! Sort of kidding, but sort of not…</p>