<p>Hello-
My main question is what I should be doing as a freshman if I want to go to Yale. The classes I'm taking are
-Honors Physics
-Varsity Color Guard (this counts as PE visual arts, and it is my 3rd year on the varsity team)
-Honors French I
-Honors Latin I
-Honors English
-Honors Alg. II</p>
<p>I took the SAT's in 8th grade to apply for a program. I didn’t score very high but I did okay, I got; 480 reading, 490 writing, and 570 math.</p>
<p>I joined a few clubs, Best Buddies (you befriend disabled students), Junior Statesmen of America, and I’m trying to get on the Academic Decathlon team. Do you think I'm on the right path? Is there anything additionally I should be doing? Thank you for reading this and please give me your advice.</p>
<p>i'm a soph, and while your ecs look good, its kinda weak... as ive heard, an EC that is 5 hours a week is unimpressive... your classes are good, and i know you were in 8th grade... but no offense, your sats suck for yale. im not saying you cant do it, im saying youll definitely have to retake them to get in.
also, are you sure its honors physics? my high school curriculum is different, but we had physical science frosh year and take physics junior/senior year... its really different, just making sure...</p>
<p>the languages are good, stick with that!!</p>
<p>for ECs, theres 5 categories:
community service
athletics
academics
theatre
student government</p>
<p>then theres everything else.... get one of each, and you will boost your chances of getting into yale... i hate cross country, but im probably going to do it just so i get into yale. im just dedicated to it.</p>
<p>Thank you, and I will of course take the SAT's again. Also, yes it is physics, I'm taking the class with people in all grades including seniors because it is the hardest class offered.</p>
<p>Don't do ECs just to get into college. Just do what you love...I promise, it'll pay off in the end. If you're involved in a bunch of activities you enjoy, you'll be a much happier person, not to mention that these days, colleges seem to prefer passionate students as opposed to those with long laundry lists of activities. You don't need ECs in a bunch of "categories." If you enjoy what you are doing, and you feel like you're doing enough, that's fine. And don't worry about your SATs either! You have time for that. Make the best you can out of high school, and a chance at a good college will come from that.</p>
<p>this is so pathetic. do what you love in high school, all to often i see kids who did stuff just because of college and those kids don't get in. </p>
<p>and, bauerja24, she's in 8th grade. nobody takes the SAT's until 11th/12th grade usually anyway, so no need to be a jerk to her about it and increase her anxiety levels.</p>
<p>so stop posting on this site (come back in 3 years if you want) and remember to take everything on these boards with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>
[quote]
then theres everything else.... get one of each, and you will boost your chances of getting into yale... i hate cross country, but im probably going to do it just so i get into yale. im just dedicated to it.
[/quote]
Also, this is a complete and total lie. All the people I know at Ivy League/top tier schools didn't do "one of each." that is possibly the single most ridiculous piece of advice I have ever seen on these boards. Please, do what you love and excel at it, that is far more important to both yourself AND (surprise) colleges. Nobody wants a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none.</p>
<p>actually, I think it's useful to check periodically within those three years. It's better to be prepared steadily than at the last semester of your senior year. But hey, what do I know, I'm a sophomore.</p>
<p>You don't have to have a perfect GPA or perfect test scores, but they should be pretty high. If you get a B, all is not lost, so don't stress yourself out too much. Take the hardest courseload possible at your high school and take classes at a local community college or university if at all possible in your junior and senior years. </p>
<p>High grades and test scores won't get you in unless you have good extracurriculars. Depth is more important than breadth in extracurriculars, although it's nice if you show a couple of different interests. Figure out what you enjoy and be a leader in that area. If at all possible, take your extracurricular activities beyond your high school, showing that you are so talented at something that you are recognized in the broader community. </p>
<p>Don't spend your high school career trying to game college admissions. Work hard, do what you love, have fun with your friends, and recognize that your worth as a person doesn't depend on what college you attend.</p>
<p>Also, not that I'm down on Yale, (obviously since I'm on this forum), but as a high school freshman, keep in mind that you are going to change so much over the next four years. (If you don't, then your high school has seriously failed you.) Just keep an open mind. Look at other schools. Just because you decided when you were 14 that you wanted to go to Yale doesn't mean it'll be the place for you when you're 18. Really, I suggest you just do your best and take a break from stressing about college admissions. There is PLENTY of time to do that later. </p>
<p>PS I also took the sats in like 7th grade for that Johns Hopkins thing and got like a 1000... I took them only once as a junior and my scores (out of 1600) picked up about 550 points. Definitely don't use that as an indication of your junior year performance.</p>
<p>"for ECs, theres 5 categories:
community service
athletics
academics
theatre
student government</p>
<p>then theres everything else.... get one of each, and you will boost your chances of getting into yale... i hate cross country, but im probably going to do it just so i get into yale. im just dedicated to it."</p>
<p>WOW. That is so sad! If only Yale could know who does extra curriculars out of interest and who does them just to get into Yale...</p>