<p>ok for starters, I am decently smart. middle school i was in all advanced classes, i'm in precalc as a sophomore so i am generally 1-2 years above students my age</p>
<p>my classes are as follows..
9TH GRADE
Honors Bio
Honors Adv Algebra 2 with Trig
Honors English
Ancient Civ (considered an honors level class)
Computer Business
Accelerated Spanish I
10TH GRADE
Chemistry
Pre-Calc
Honors English
Change & Revolution
Intro to Business
Accelerated Spanish II
11TH GRADE (next year)
AP Stats
Physics
AP Language & Composition
Honors Spanish III
US History</p>
<p>I'm projected to get a 26 on the ACT (according to PLAN tests)
I'm hoping to get a 28 with ACT prep classes and so on</p>
<p>I was involved in tennis freshmen year, sports are not my thing at all
I do have lots of service hours from work in Italy and the Dominican Republic plus another one this summer in the States</p>
<p>I really want to go to TCU, it's my dream school. It's out of state for me, I live in Chicago.
Do you have any advice for me if I want to ensure my admission into TCU?
I'm already in contact with the admissions lady in my area from a college fair that I did on TCU so that's a decent start</p>
<p>but I'm asking you guys in terms of things I should get involved in this year in school and out of school. I'm hoping to get a 4.0 this year in school which will bump my cumulative GPA to a 3.3, which isn't that great but it's better than a 2.9. </p>
<p>thank you I appreciate all advice, don't get on me for my ****ty GPA, I know it's terrible but there's nothing I can do about the last 2 years now so help me out for the future!</p>
<p>by the way, money is no issue. not in need of a scholarship, just need an acceptance letter!</p>
<p>First of all, I hope you get in! Also, I’m really not sure what advice to give! I was going to say you could contact the admissions office, but you already did that!!! A girl from my class is going, and I know her ACT was a 26 so that’s good news for you! She was also one of the top ones in our class. You said you already had lots of service hours so that’s good also 
Maybe just try for more volunteer hours doing something that you enjoy? I say that because you don’t want to be doing something that you don’t enjoy! You don’t want to throw away part of your life just because you are trying soooo hard to get into a school. It will all work out I know you already said you would work on your grades also… That is of course a biggie! You can do it!!!</p>
<p>
This is the big stumbling block you will face. You say you are intelligent and I believe you, but an adcom is going to wonder if perhaps you’re not strong enough for their school because your GPA isn’t as good as it might be. TCU doesn’t talk about average GPA directly on their website, but on the Common Data Set they report that 2/3rd’s of their applicants were in the top 25% of their graduating class, and of those kids half were actually in the top 10%. They also check the box that says GPA is “very important”. See <a href=“http://www.ir.tcu.edu/zfiles/TCUCDS2010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ir.tcu.edu/zfiles/TCUCDS2010.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Perhaps you have been signing up for more advanced classes you weren’t quite ready for, I don’t know what kids at your school normally take. But irregardless of whether you have or have not, you should look into improving your study skills. Its a funny thing that you spend 12 years in school but you’ll never be taught how to study effectively. You can find info on the web at places like [University</a> of St. Thomas : Academic Support Center](<a href=“http://www.stthomas.edu/academicsupport/studyLinks/default.html]University”>http://www.stthomas.edu/academicsupport/studyLinks/default.html). There’s also a book I recommend called “What Smart Students Know” by Adam Robinson, written by one of the founders of the test prep service Princeton Review. I have never seen a better explanation of the steps you need to follow to really <em>learn</em> the material, and if you’ve learned it well you will have no trouble with grades.</p>
<p>thank you for the advice! it just sucks how much I screwed myself. Do you think I should really strive for a 30 on the ACT? Should I get heavily involved in student council? Should I try to start some community charity event? should I go out for a sport? I’m just really stressing about this. Also, do they really focus in on your cumulative GPA generally in admissions or will they somewhat pay attention to each year separately?
sorry I’m askin all these questions that are
meant for a guidance counselor but it’s summer and I want to get some good advice before then.</p>
<p>Lauren, poor thing! Take a big breath! Focus on what you can do to improve your grades but realize that you can’t change what is done. I promise I don’t mean that to sound mean 
Improve your grades and get involved with what you really like. You will be ok!!!</p>
<p>Don’t be too harsh on yourself. You did the best you knew how at the time; now, given a yardstick that show you might want to improve a bit, that’s what you do. </p>
<p>Read thru the links I gave earlier, get a book on study skills, do a head-to-toes rethinking this summer of what you can do to improve. Are you studying in a quiet place? Redoing homework and exam problems you got wrong? Starting the 1st draft of a paper early enough so you can revise it once or twice? I can’t emphasize enough how much learning is the key, not striving for grades. When you understand the material the grades take care of themselves. </p>
<p>With a full year ahead of you with grades colleges will see when they make admit decisions there is room for positive gains. And the trend is more important than the overall average; if a college sees a rising GPA they’re likely to conclude you’re a late bloomer. As for your question about ECs, colleges use these as a tipping factor between strong applicants. And in fact you can know this to be true for TCU since their Dean of Admissions said so!
</p>
<p>Since this is an advice forum, one other piece of advice. Its great to have a dream school, and I’m sure there are reasons why TCU is a good match. The next step is to build a basket of schools that provide similar attributes. TCU may be the top of the heap for you, but you should come up with a list of several other schools including a safety that you’d be happy to attend, even if not as happy as at TCU.</p>
<p>With the summer coming up, I strongly suggest reading a book or two about college admissions so you understand the whole process. One I strongly recommend is called “Admission Matters” since it emphasizes the concept of fit. It also covers other things in the process, such as what to look for on visits, etc.</p>
<p>One question you should ask a few current students when you visit colleges is “did this school turn out exactly as you thought?” The reason I say this is that I don’t know anybody who’s been to college who will say yes; maybe it mostly matched up, maybe they had a lot wrong, but I don’t think anyone gets it all right. Which is to say that you have some notions about TCU that aren’t going to pan out the way you think. Not to discourage you here; I want instead to open up the possibility that the TCU of your dreams and the TCU you will attend aren’t exactly the same thing. And given that you can’t exactly predict everything about TCU, instead of stressing out that your life is ruined if you don’t get into TCU you should dial it back a bit.</p>
<p>Mike, you are good!!!
Lauren, you really did come to the right spot…CC is so helpful! I only discovered it sometime around last October! The whole admissions thing is so confusing!!! I had no idea! Keep coming here and people like Mike will truly help you out!!! I promise Just don’t stress too much…you will be alright <3</p>
<p>I am pretty sure about TCU. I am going to look into other schools. For my English class we did a college class and I had only heard of TCU until we used supermatch and it was the perect fit. I have lots of family in the area, so I view going there a as vacation but also familiar. I may be going on a visit this summer but then definitely a visit this year because one of my friends is starting her first year this year. I am definitely open minded with other colleges but I have a feeling TCU will be at the top of my list.</p>
<p>you guys are being so helpful, I will definitely follow all of your advice. keep it coming!</p>
<p>bump because i’d like more tips and advice</p>