HELP! I'm a current junior, who has a crappy resume and wants to go to Yale or Dart..

Applying to College
21

<p>You really need a "BIG BANG" EC/activity/accomplishment over the next few months in order to be even considered by the admissions people. </p>

<p>In our society/world, there are just so many things and problems that need immediate attention and aid. Some of them are really small things that common people witness everyday but never take the time to think or take action. </p>

<p>Last Saturday, on the front page of a nationally-renowned (Canada) newspaper, there's a story about a 17 year old girl who spent her entire life in a tiny village in northern Canada. She recently received acceptances from 4 institutions: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Dartmouth (early). The girl is a normal teenager just like you and me, but she has a VERY COMMON passion that we devote ourselves to everyday as well. She likes to read, and that's become her "personal legend" since the age of 5. However, in her home village in Northern Canada, there's no public library. Therefore, the girl wrote a letter to a regional newspaper asking people to donate used books so she could open up a library for members of her community in order to get educated from reading. </p>

<p>This one single letter has incited attentions from people all over the world. Within3 months, books are pouring into the village from Australia, from England, from Texas, from New York... The Prime Minister of Canada even invited to girl to Ottawa (Canada's capital) and "have lunch together in Parliament." The National Librarian also showed the girl around the Parliament Hill Library and later also donated books to the bewildered teenager's library. </p>

<p>Although this cause may seem exceedingly grandoise and perhaps almost impossible to accomplish for "normal" teenagers, it is an ordinary story found in our everday life that's turned into an extraordinary cause by a keen, driven observer and follower of one's passion. :)</p>

22

<p>Jimmy,
Thanks for posting that example. What everyone can learn from that is that it should be obvious that the girl didn't take her actions in order to decorate her resume or get into college. She probably didn't post on message boards either asking for advice on what she could do to boost her chances of elite admissions.</p>

<p>She simply had a passion for learning and she had the guts and creativity to pursue that passion. That is what boosted her into Harvard and other elites, including probably boosting her over some valedictorians with 2400 scores and nothing else to offer.</p>

<p>Her accomplishment of creating a library also boosted her over the many applicants with excellent scores, stats, but who have no ECs at all because, as they complain on CC boards, their schools have no clubs or their communities are boring with no activities open to teens.</p>

23

<p>I really do not think you should be going to an Ivy league college. Firstly, your SATs are not good. Even if you get them up, the people in an Ivy league school will be far better test takers than you are. Secondly, someone that belongs at an Ivy league school has the motivation to find things to do without coming onto a forum. You could be doing research, starting clubs, etc. Thirdly, even if you didn't take initiative and show motivation, why would you only be class president one year? </p>

<p>In my opinion, even if you get the scores up and do more activities, you are not the type of student that would succeed in such an intense academic environment.</p>

24

<p>Hmmm, you don't really know me...</p>

<p>Anyway, like I said before, after freshman year I was sent to a charter school which is independent study. We don't have an ASB, or clubs.</p>

25

<p>Oh, and thanks everyone for the great replys. You guys have really opened my eyes.</p>