<p>Alright so right now I'm a junior, and honestly having a nervous breakdown about college. My dream schools are like Johns Hopkins U, Georgetown U, and other schools of that caliber. Right now I am taking three AP courses (my school has a three AP limit-which is stupid): AP Calc AB, AP USH, and AP Physics B. I also am taking all Honors 1 classes (my schools highest level) in all other subjects. My Physics class is a complete joke, the teacher is new and knows nothing. I am doomed for that exam. I am also planning on self-studying for the AP English Language exam, seeing as writing is a strong suit of mine. I also play Varsity Tennis, am a member of Math Team, Academic Decathlon, NHS, Spanish Honor Society, and Amigos, and plan to begin volunteering at either a hospital or animal shelter once I get my license and a car. I just had a couple of quick questions and any help would SO be appreciated.
1) How do you guys suggest I get around my schools three AP limit to stand out for colleges? Should I self-study, and if so what are the easiest exams to self-study for?
2) With these stats, do you think I have a reasonable chance to get into the colleges I stated? My GPA is not as high as it should be (like 3.5), so that hurts my chances.
3) What should I do to improve my chances of getting into these colleges?
4)If you recommend self-studying, what prep books do you recommend (preferably from experience with self studying)?</p>
<p>Yeah, if I could get that good at tennis, trust me, I would, but it isn't really a possibility to get D1 ready. What schools should I apply to if not these? (i.e. where do I have a good shot at getting in?)</p>
<p>1) don't self-study. colleges will know how difficult your school is and what type of classes it offers. if you're taking the most difficult courses available, then you don't have anything to worry about. self-studying is a huge time commitment and is not worth your time. </p>
<p>2) with a 3.5 gpa your chances are slightly below average, but nothing outstanding essays/recs/test scores will easily clear up. focus on getting straight A's junior year, it'll bring that gpa right up, plus the upward trend is nice.</p>
<p>3) start volunteering asap. over the summer here's what you should really really do: find an internship. if you plan on going pre-med find some research opportunity. contact nearby universities, email professors, ask around because i promise you that extra experience will be worth it. Find a job, having a job is also a nice plus on your application sheet. </p>
<p>4) don't self study. at my high school, as a junior, you can take usually a max of 3 AP's, depending on your language (latin or french). As a senior, most take another 3 maybe 4, but my school is well known for producing probably the most 5's on AP exams out of all my state's schools. We've had classes that have all gotten 5's on physics and chemistry exams, so colleges know the difficulty of our classes because the teachers are really focused and are really good at what they do. Don't worry about self studying, focus on getting straight A's first, then focus on doing a lot of EC stuff over the summer.</p>