High school class of 2016

Pre-College Issues High School Life
101

<p>You’ll find your niche. If you love/really like to do something, do it. DO NOT let taciturnity hold you back. </p>

<p>You’ll make friends in high school, just do things and interact with people who have similar interests. For example, I knew few people going into my freshman year, but I did summer gym and made so many friends. Now, I’m not quiet but still. </p>

<p>Be nice, work hard, BE HONEST. Don’t be someone you’re not; I (and many others) hate that more than anything.</p>

<p>Try not to be overly shy/quiet. You might get automatically labeled as “weird” and it’s hard to make friends one that happens. Even then, though, I go to a fairly small school (~750 students) and I can’t think of a single person (though I don’t know everyone haha) that doesn’t have any friends. You’ll be fine.</p>

102

<p>@swinter: I’m a very quiet person. You’re going to have to be outgoing at times. Freshman year we had to take gym. I hung out with the kids who hated gym because I did too. In my Biology class, there was a girl who just started asking people if they were freshmen (the class was almost all sophomores; her and I were the only freshmen). Her and I became good friends. When I was at a pep rally freshman year before I had any friends, I met someone who’s basically the reason I have friends. We were sitting there on the bench in the gym, and this BIG girl would stand up and scream every minute or so. (She was cheering for some guy I think.) We became good friends though that experience because we were being smashed together. Afterwards I asked her what classes she had and she said she was in IB. At the time I had no clue what IB was. We talked about that. She became who I sat with at lunch. She then introduced me to her friends who introduced me to theirs, etc. </p>

<p>So, as you can see, you don’t have to be very loud, you just need to be able to talk to people. Honestly, the first couple of days, most people don’t have friends; so if you talk to them, they most likely won’t shoot you down. Because, chances are, they are anxious and nervous too.</p>

103

<p>Okay thanks. And I’m not really super shy or anything, just quiet. But I have another question too. After junior high, do most people go their own way? Like the first couple days they may band together, but after they make new friends?</p>

104

<p>I didn’t have any of my friends from middle school in HS. :confused: So I’m not good for answering this question. Here’s a bump so maybe someone else can help.</p>

105

<p>Hello '16ers. Funny, I’m a '16er too, only at college. Anyways, I would laud your decision to join CC to be part of and benefit from an amazing community of peers and seniors here. My advice follows.</p>

<p>You know what will get you into the college of your dreams? Not a specific ideal of good grades, not set extracurriculars and not shock and awe essays. Imagine how boring Cal - or any other college of your dreams - would be if they accepted only 4.0, 2300s, presidents of clubs with good recommendations.</p>

<p>Diversity is fun. Uniformity is not. As you enter high school, you are part of a diverse group of people - if not racially, then intellectually. Some of you may want to continue playing football at JV or Varsity level and others might want to continue with Maths Club. What you must not forget is that college is not your destination. It is just a path towards other things in life.</p>

<p>I’ll let you in on a seldom understood fact. Colleges like passionate students. Not identical copies of an overachiever. By passion, I mean that you should continue doing what you enjoy best. Believe me, if you’ve weaved a few baskets under water, then that is amazing and you’re special because you enjoy what you do. However, I’m not completely blind so as to disregard the role of academics.</p>

<p>Here’s the deal, your academics should proportionally offset your academic performance. If you’re a national hand-gliding champion who’s training and participating in competitions for 1/3 of the year, then a 3.4 UW is understandable. However, if you’re the author of a mildly successful published book, and that’s your only USP, then maybe you’d require a 3.8 UW.</p>

<p>In conclusion, have fun; enjoy what you do. Take chance threads with a pinch of salt :wink: If you have any questions, hit me up. I’ll check this thread later.</p>

<p>EDIT: If and when you do apply to colleges offering the choice, then please apply Early (Action or Decision) to the colleges you might want to attend the most. The Regular Decision admittance rates , especially for internationals are pathetically low. I hope they think of a workaround by your time.</p>

106

<p>I’m so glad that this thread was started!!! I thought I was the only '16ner!!! CLASS OF 2016 FOR THE WIN!!! By the way, I too like planning my future schedule!! (Bassonapus, I think you know which thread I’m referring too!!!)</p>

107

<p>Rusty - Yup, we are.</p>

<p>Tizil - Thanks so much for the advice! I’ll keep that in mind :)</p>

108

<p>Yes, yes, yes!!!:)</p>

109

<p>This is hopefully next years schedule, what do you guys think?</p>

<p>Pre-Calc - H
APES - AP
Biology - H
English - H
Physics A - H
Engineering I - H
Gym</p>

110

<p>How are you in Pre-Calc, an AP, and Physics, as a Freshman…?</p>

111

<p>Lol you make me look pathetic. Looks good, though.</p>

112

<p>@kathryn6422
I’m not sure about Physics yet but for Pre-Calc I took Algebra II online. My future HS offers AP to freshman.</p>

113

<p>@Swinter, same!
@MoveItLikeBernie, you took geometry & trig as an 8th/7th grader!?</p>

<p>I’m going to be in:</p>

<p>Prep Humanities (English, History, Philosophy&Religion)
Visual Arts 1
Biology
Spanish 2 Honors
Honors Accelerated Geometry</p>

114

<p>^^^^^@MoveitLikeBernie: Looks great!! My high school’s the usual…</p>

115

<p>You guys are so lucky! My high school doesn’t offer any APs for freshmen, and only 2 for sophomore. They also don’t accept online/summer classes as actual credit until junior year. So I just have the basic Algebra I, English I, Biology, Geography, Spanish, and World History. All honors, but still. :|</p>

116

<p>I think the the earliest I can take an AP is sophomore year. I was contemplating taking Algebra 2 over the summer. The thing is, the summer school offered by my district only lasts three weeks. -_- How hard do you think that’d be?</p>

117

<p>Aah, if it were me I wouldn’t do it, but math isn’t my strong suit. It seems pretty hard, considering you’re learning an entire 8-month class in three weeks.</p>

118

<p>Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Algebra 2 is the highest math offered by our summer schools, so it’s my only chance to get ahead over the summer. However, my local university (~20 minutes away) offers a residential summer math program. I’d be able to take Calc AB/BC over the summer for eight weeks. Does that seem a little easier?</p>

119

<p>I think the Calc might be better, just because you have more time to learn everything. I’d go with that.</p>

120

<p>We can only take APs starting in 10th grade…the majority of our APs are taken in 11th and 12th grade.</p>