Hello! I am currently a junior and I have so many questions about colleges. I haven’t taken my SAT or ACT yet, I will later this year. My parents and I have really high expectations on what college I would go to and what I would do with my future. I know I will do something in science or math field for sure. It would be great if you could reply and give me tips; Let me just start listing my questions -
Extracurricular activities; I am currently in Art Club, Keyettes, Medical Club, National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, and I might join Beta Club and National Math Honor Society. Outside of school I do a community dance and speaking events and I volunteer at my local hospital during the summer. My question is do colleges want more shaped EC or well rounded. Should I join more clubs or should I drop some?
I am in a program where I do dual enrollment in high school so I graduate with an Associates degree. I feel like that will affect my chances into getting into a good college (ivy league maybe?). I also took some AP classes. Currently my grades are fine, I have all A’s w/ 2 A-. My gpa unweighted is a 3.88 and weighted it is 4.8 I think.
I know I won’t be able to get into schools like Standford and Harvard but what would my chances be? Would I even be able to go to an Ivy League school.
Thanks!
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Study for the SAT or ACT. You can use Khan Academy online for the SAT.
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Your ECs look good. Don’t worry about what colleges want. Worry about what is interesting to you…but also worry about what you accomplish in these groups. Look for leadership opportunities…not just be the President of the Club…but you could be the one who organizes an Art show or visit to a doctor’s office or whatever.
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Honestly if you come out with an Associates degree…I would highly recommend looking at the Honors program of your State University…then most/all of those credits will transfer.
For private Us…they may not give you credit and you will still have to do 4 years…just in harder courses.
If you go to your State U, you can get the credits and then graduate early and spend the money on grad school or:spend 4 years: -
Do a Co-op//internship
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Study abroad
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Do a 3-2 Master’s program
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Do research
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Take lab courses
Ok thanks!!
One thing to research is how colleges you apply do with dual enrollment (and ap) credits if your goal is to reduce time. I’m saying that because I know from personal experience a boy who did dual enrollment and earned a associates and was accepted into a program with a transfer connection from the cc to the school. This was Northeastern. Northeastern said that even though they normally take the credits from a college student the fact that he took them as a high school student changed that. He was accepted but any class needed for high school graduation such as ELA, MATh, history, language and science as well as any more credits needed to have enough credits to graduate high school would not be awarded direct credit at Northeastern. He didn’t do any research and just assumed he would start as a junior. He matriculated and didn’t know this until they did a credit evaluation.
For my own daughter she goes to a private school where she received full credit for her dual enrollment classes which was better than the state school. She was better off getting the same credits numberwise as an associates but not focusing on the associates itself However due to sequential nature of some needed classes she will be taking at least 2.5 years probably 3. We are going semester by semester and and she is figuring out options like double major, study abroad, internships etc.
On the other thread you said you got a 900 PSAT, so I would definitely work on getting that higher before talking about the ivy league.
As far as ECs go, though, you are in good shape. You have a nice variety, some related to your major, and some not. You don’t need to add more if you don’t want to, but keep what you have (if you enjoy them). Continue to volunteer. Maybe try for a leadership position in one of the clubs (that is NOT the only way to demonstrate leadership qualities, so don’t panic if that isn’t going to work out or it isn’t what you want to do).
The other posters gave you good advice on the dual enrollment. A state flagship is your best bet for getting those credits transferred. Each school has it’s own policies. Many private colleges will want you there for four years, but you could get exempt from some core requirements or start at higher levels/take more electives/do an internship or study abroad.
What math-sci activities? A med club and honor societies aren’t tips. Not for a stem major. We don’t know what you did at the hospital. What you need is to dig into what your targets do value and look for. Then maybe fine tune the ECs. That’s not more random clubs. It’s how you stretch, have some impact (that’s not titles,) and more. The competition is fierce.
A piece of advice. If you don’t know what the targets want to see, both the record and how you’re activated, etc, how can you put that “best foot” forward, in your app and supps? Also look at the CA and the supps, to get an idea what they ask.
Thank you!
Yeah, I know I have to get a high SAT score for ivy leagues. I just got a 900 because I guessed basically on everything since I didn’t really understand what the PSAT was for. And thank you!!
I’m not really sure what you mean by looking for other values. My school basically just have clubs and honor societies that are math/science related. Thank you!
Many kids aiming for Ivies will have activities in and out of the hs- for a stem wannabe, somehow related to that interest. You want to show drives and some sense you tested this interest, besides academics or a club related to a future profession. The tippy tops like to see how you stretch. Even how you seek out these ECs.