<p>Classes are:
Honors Living Environment
Honors Math A
Honors English
Honors Global
Multimedia
Introduction to Law
French 2
Research</p>
<p>I'm in these clubs: Key Club, Red Cross Club, Vanguard (School Newspaper) and DECA(Business/Finance Club).</p>
<p>I'm really trying to start early and get as much as I can do done. Hopefully looking to get into either NYU, University of Chicago or Brown. Any tips as far as in high school to ensure I can get into those colleges? Thanks.</p>
<p>Ok, thanks. Well I actually got appointed as editor for vanguard this evening, so i'm going to focus on that and as well as DECA alot. Thanks. I really feel I should start some SAT prep classes as well..</p>
<p>Looks like you're on a good track... and it seems like you're a motivated student who does things for the sake of doing them, not just for the sake of college. Just don't let yourself become obsessed with getting into college -- if you do, I'm pretty sure your high school years will be stressful and unfun.</p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback. If I take the PSAT this year just to see what I have to study and I end up doing not as I would've hoped to do, will that affect my chance of getting in any college or ruin my transcript? Basically, are colleges going to heavily look at my PSAT grade that I took as a Freshman?
Thanks, and more feedback is welcomed.</p>
<p>taking the PSAT definitely won't affect your transcript. and not just this year... ever. but you should DEFINITELY study for it junior year. DEFINITELY. it's alot more important than most people think. </p>
<p>looks like you're on the right track. :] i agree with invoyable, though - there's no way to ensure you'll get into those schools. just do your best.</p>
<p>Yea don't worry about the PSAT this year though, I wouldn't even waste time studying for it if I were you. It's a good idea to take it though to give you a baseline of your skills at those type of tests. And if you get a good score, you should just try to improve yourself with books and practice tests rather than spend your money (or your parent's money) and time on prep classes. As for that, go to the SAT forum and look at Xiggi's test prep advice. Its good.</p>
<p>PSAT- Take it every year until Junior year so you get used to it and can qualify for National Merit as a Junior.</p>
<p>GRADES- Keep them up, definitely, but don't completely flip about every little thing. Find study habits that work for you and memorize important concepts, not every little thing. And listen in class! That's the best test prep. Don't be an overconfident, obnoxious grade-grubber, and don't pretend like you can be the best in every class. It's totally fine to have strengths and weaknesses, and to let teachers see them.</p>
<p>EXTRACURRICULARS- It looks like newspaper and DECA will be your biggest clubs. Make the newspaper awesome at your school, and maybe enter it in some high school journalism competitions. As for DECA, just work your way up in competition. If you keep these two clubs as your focal points, you'll still have time to try out new clubs every year (this won't help you on apps but it fun).</p>
<p>This advice is both for general success and for -potential- admission to top schools. What you'll learn most from these forums is that top schools look not only for top students but tangible students. Students with focused interests and a strong sense of self seem to come out on top pretty often, while "well-rounded" kids are usually overstretched and unsuccessful. Have fun!</p>