High school sophomore, freaking out

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, so I’m just another high schooler who is insanely worried for her future. I really want to get into a good college, but I’m afraid I dont have much of a chance. And at this point, I’ve pretty much ruled out the IVYs. So here is some info about me:

-I went to an all girls Catholic private school until freshman year, where I moved to my district public school (worst decision I’ve ever made - my old school consisted of about 40 somewhat smart girls, and about 1/2 of each grade got into IVYs)

-my new public school is notorious for it’s competition. We’re all a bunch of overeager, vicious asians who arent afraid of trampling upon each other in order to do better than the person in the desk right next to yours

-So I have an extremely low GPA. It is around a 3.452, unweighted, but several factors should be considered. I have no excuse for freshman year, but I had serious medical issues for the first two quarters in my sophomore year, and my grades plummeted. I even ended up with two C’s in Advanced Algebra 2 and Honors US History. Our course registrations were done in the middle of the year, so I signed up for these total bs courses next year:
Advanced pre calc (I’m a year behind in math because my old school had a two year algebra 1 course)
Honors English III
AP Microeconomics
Honors Human Anatomy
Chamber Orchestra
Honors Global Studies
AP Spanish V

I really wanted to take AP Biology, but I am sure that I will make it by the end of the year because I am well now. I have discussed this with my school counselor, and he says I have a decent chance.

Freshman year I took:
Adv. geometry
Honors English I
Honors Government Spanish III
Conceptual Physics
Freshman Orchestra
Architecture as an elective (it was the only one open when I moved from my old school)

This year (sophomore) I am taking:
Adv. alg. 2
Honors English II
Honors American Government II
Honors Spanish IV
Honors Chemistry
Honors Biology (yes, you can take two sciences at once in my school, and everyone else was doing it so I thought why not?.. bad decision)
String Orchestra

-I have some ECs as well:
I have played the cello since 3rd grade, and this year I made it into the middle level (pro arte) of our local youth orchestra. I also made it into our school’s chamber orchestra program, which is a really elite orchestra. I auditioned and made it in this year, so I will me joining it Junior year.
I have danced since I was 6, and I am planning to give a four hour solo performance during the summer after senior year (so I cant really put that on my transcript)
I totally slacked freshman year and didnt do any clubs, but this year I am enrolled in Amnesty International and plan on becoming a club officer next year

  • My other hobbies include jogging and running 5Ks or 10Ks just for fun, writing, and watching any hope of a successful future slowly dwindle away

-As far as my interests for the future lie, I’m not sure although I love writing. Are there any creative writing competitions I could enter right now to pursue my interest?

-Some colleges I would be interested in going to are NYU, Columbia, or Vanderbilt (but I know I need to amp up my grades)

-At this rate, I will not make the National Honors Society by the end of this year. Is that a major factor colleges consider? Almost everyone I know is doing it, or at least makes it.

Lastly, since nothing really looks great for me right now with conventional schooling, I’m trying to look into other options. I tried to approach my parents about this idea, but they kind of brushed it away. I’m looking into a two-year study abroad program in a country of my choice. It is an IB diploma program, and they encourage skills that make a greater impact on society than knowing how to configure electrons or find a tangent would. So far, I haven’t found any one subject I’m passionate about (or even good at), although I do love to write. I’m thinking this kind of environment would work out for me. It is an extremely competitive admissions process, but I think they look at attitude, and I believe I have the right one. I am planning on doing it senior year and taking a gap year (I’m September born, so kind of young for my grade anyways). This option is probably not realistic, but I’m keeping it on the back-burner just in the unlikely event that my parents agree.

If you have made it this far… thank you! I would appreciate any input (please be brutally honest) or advice. Thanks!!

2

please reply!!

3

Let me give you the same speech I’ve written here numerous times.

Who on earth told you that you wouldn’t get into a good college??? There are thousands of schools in this country looking for kids just like you.

The funny thing about this particular website is that it really, really does not represent the vast majority of kids sitting in high school classrooms. The average high school kid probably has an average of 82. He or she plays a JV sport, or is on the newspaper staff, but isn’t a captain or an editor. He or she does OK on the SAT, but not well enough to set the world on fire. He or she fails the occasional test, and is not stranger to grades in the 80’s and 70’s. The occasional grade below 65 is also part of his or her experience.

Yet he or she gets into a college, does fine, and goes on to live happily ever after.

Honest. I’m a teacher in a college prep school, and THAT’s the average kid I teach. I would hazard to say that not one of the kids in my Junior homeroom has ever heard of this website. (I’m here as the mom of a HS Junior, who has also no interest in all in being here.)

As far as writing goes-- YES, you can do lots of freelance writing. (I’ve done a LOT of that!!!) Hit google. You’ll find some contests and magazines open only to high school kids.

And, yes, continue to do the things you love. Put that dance solo on your resume, along with your other accomplishments.

But please don’t buy into the mindset that only the nation’s highest achievers can go to college. It simply isn’t true.

4

I completely agree with @bjkmom, this website has threads from such guys who have stellar grades but are still uncertain, or students with real shitty grades and want some advice, and only a small percentage consists of average children. Keep doing as well as you can through HS, and then make a shortlist accordingly.

Your ability as an individual is not defined by which colleges you’re accepted to.

Best of luck. I’m sure you’ll do great.

5

Thank you!

6

Thanks!