High School student seeking advice

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello, I'm a new member to CC, a high school student (Class of '13, so I'm currently a sophomore) and the college race is something that's come to start biting at my brain lately.</p>

<p>Let me just give a run down of myself academically:</p>

<p>I'm never gotten more than two Bs on a transcript and the rest would be As. As of the end of this past semester, </p>

<p>I was ranked 24 out of 822 in my class.
The rank is according to the weighted Total GPA, which was
4.2222 weighted total GPA
3.6 non-weighted academic GPA
4.4 weighted academic GPA (10-12)
4.2667 weighted academic GPA (9-12). </p>

<p>I'm still in the blur about what those mean exactly to be honest. </p>

<p>I'm currently taking all honors classes, which would be English, Chemistry, Algebra II, and World History. I'm a Spanish student in my second year and I plan on taking three years.
and junior year plan on taking AP English III, AP US History, AP Statistics, H Pre-Calculus, P Anatomy, and Spanish III.
I wanted to have a rigorous academic record, but chose to not take an AP Science class since I've since lost my interest in the sciences and I'm trying to keep the work at a manageable level.</p>

<p>I suppose that I'll take the AP exams next year, but looking into a lot of top schools in CA, I saw that they don't accept AP exam credit. One question I have is whether or not they accept the credit, will a high score perhaps factor into admission?</p>

<p>I have never, nor do I plan on, doing athletics in high school or college.</p>

<p>I am in California Scholarship Federation, Model United Nations, and was a founding member/currently in leadership position of my school's Film Society. These are all things I started this year, my sophomore year, and freshman year I did no EC's.
I'm weak on community service to be honest, but being in CSF I hope to remedy that throughout the year, and possibly joining other clubs like Red Cross or some such.
I plan on graduating with honors.</p>

<p>I plan on attending a four-year college in California offering Economics as a major. Sadly, my high school only offers Economics honors and not as an AP class.</p>

<p>The 'legendary' students from my school; I mean, I know of an alumnus who currently attends Berkeley, and he was ASB President, in many many clubs, I just recall him being this guy who was leader of everything. Someone else, a senior at my school was accepted to UCLA, and his last transcript was straight As in 4 AP classes and 1 honors class, captain of the varsity tennis team, president of CSF, and an officer in Science Olympiad. I don't know if UCLA was his first choice, but I'm presuming that what I know of him and his academic record, there are a lot of places he could be looking at. As of now I don't know if he's decided or where else he could be looking.</p>

<p>I mention these students because, these are the people that a lot of students could hope to be.
I would like to shoot for schools like UCLA, USC, Stanford, Berkeley, whatever et cetera, but looking at those students and where they stand compared to me, it feels impossible. I wouldn't put it past anyone to scoff at shooting for those... But I mean I still have two more years to prove myself.</p>

<p>One school I really really like is Claremont McKenna. The student-faculty ratio, the education it offers, the consortium, like everything. I could go on and on about how I feel how it is such a nice fit for me, but the one thing itching at me is its supposed lack of prestige outside of the West Coast. I know big names like Stanford and Berkeley, those being a person's alma mater can take them places, and CMC in comparison, I fear, won't quite measure up.</p>

<p>Bottom line is that as I am now, I'm certain that those schools I named are a large reach. What I'm asking is what I should change throughout the rest of my high school career to make shooting for such schools plausible.</p>

2

<p>We were told in an information session by the admissions person at a pretty selective school that they look at your GPA; they consider the classes offered at your school and look to see that you are taking a rigorous course load; your standardized test scores; and your admissions essay. That being said, I’d take as many AP classes as you are comfortable with. Even if the school doesn’t recognize the credit on the AP, they still expect to see that you took what was offered. (i.e. no free class periods) They also factor in your EC’s, but we were told they’d rather see that you are involved in things you are passionate about rather than ten different activities that you just show up for. Hope this helps. As for the prestige of a school…I can’t help there. Not familiar with any schools on the west coast other than the “names.” Good luck to you!! You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders.</p>

3

<p>Don’t forget to sit your parents down and have the “money talk” with them. A lot of parents are afraid of doing this with their kids, or think that sophomore year is too early. But it isn’t too early. Ask them how they expect you to pay for your education. Find out how they feel about you taking out student loans and working during the summers and/or school year. If they are clueless about the financial aid process (and most parents are when our kids are still sophomores), have them read up on it at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and here in the Financial Aid Forum. You are lucky to be in California which has excellent affordable community colleges and public universities, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to identify a Financial Safety school. When you make your final college application list, be sure to have at least one rock-solid financial and academic safety on that list in case everything else goes wrong for you in the application process.</p>

<p>Wishing you (and your parents) all the best!</p>

4

<p>GET YOUR GPA UPPPP! UCLA and UCB want to see super high GPAs. A 4.2 weighted probably won’t cut it. Luckily, UC GPA only counts 10-11, so if you do really well next year you should have a solid shot. :slight_smile: Especially if you do 2100+ on the SAT.</p>

<p>I swear you go to my school! :stuck_out_tongue: Our CSF president got into UCLA, we only have honors econ…haha.</p>

5

<p>Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback.</p>

<p>I think I should include that of my older sisters, one of them is a sophomore currently attending Cal Poly Pomona and another is a senior who got accepted/is going to attend CSU Fullerton, so I would assume my parents are comfortable with the whole financial aid/ application process by now.</p>

<p>My mom does give me some credit for being her brightest child (I’m her only son as well as her youngest). We’ve talked some on future schools, and while she acknowledges the academic potential at the Claremont Colleges, it seems the only one she has particular faith in is Harvey Mudd, which is irrelevant seeing as I’m not into engineering or medical or whatever it is they specialize at Mudd.
She knows CMC is a good college but I am sensing that she would prefer me going to a big name school like Stanford, USC or a top UC. It is my assumption that she would like to brag to others how her son is a Trojan or a Bruin or a Bear or something; as opposed to a Bronco or Titan-- Yes, CPP and CSUF are both decent schools, I can’t deny, but it’s also irrefutable that those top schools are far higher in prestige than those, and let’s face it, I’m the only one of her kids who would even remotely consider those. I’m not claiming to be some sort of Einstein, don’t get me wrong, but being her smartest kid, she often stresses to me that she wanted her kids to go to good schools and have good lives and that I’m her “last chance”. </p>

<p>There is of course, the possibility I’ll get accepted to few of these colleges and it’ll be easier to narrow down a choice. I suppose the best case scenario would be getting accepted to all and having the luxury of choice (but of course this is highly unlikely for anyone!). But with that comes with the stress from indecision >_<</p>

<p>I am fond of the Bay area, but the weather is not entirely to my liking year-round. Claremont, on the other hand, is sunny all year. FYI, Claremont was where my family lived shortly before my birth so there is some emotional rooting ground there. I live just about a half-hour away from Claremont, but I do plan on living on campus all four years if possible (freshman dorming is mandatory but all four years are guaranteed). </p>

<p>Another point is the lack of a Greek system. Those top colleges, they’re Division-I and all that, and I’m not sure how I’ll fit in with a school of 20k+ with frat boys and jocks.
CMC is DIII and doesn’t even have Greek, instead they have parties Thurs - Sat which everyone is into. Clearly the “work hard, play hard” mentality, a mold I feel born for.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to make large generalizations about those universities, I’m sure they’re not completely like that. But going off large numbers of students again, I like the small student-faculty ratio in the Claremont schools while also the 5 schools collectively have a joint social scene (but of course keeping it in your own school is there too).</p>

<p>I’ve seen Berkeley’s campus (a luxury of going on the trip to the BMUN conference for Model UN in early March), and I found it endearing, but the number of homeless around campus (common in megalopoli like San Francisco or Los Angeles, where of course those schools are nearby) is a small turnoff. Clearly not a dealbreaker though.</p>

6

<p>Something you might want to consider doing is self-studying the AP Economics (Macro, Micro, or both) test since your school does not offer the course. It is a relatively easy exam if you put in the work. It will show colleges your interest in econ and that you’re challenging yourself academically beyond simply what your school provides. That’s a positive no matter where you apply.</p>

7

<p>I didn’t take the PSAT, however I will take it at the next opportunity.
And my goal is at least a 2100 on the SAT. If anyone could provide suggestions into things I can look into that will help prepare me for these tests that’d be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>I’ll work hard to improve my GPA (although I learned CMC pays attention to how well a person does in a rigorous class more as opposed to GPA).</p>

<p>Thanks so much for your continued support.</p>

8

<p>You keep mentioning prestige. That’s such a small measure of what is important. You don’t know what colleges your teachers went to. I only know the colleges of two of my coworkers and that’s because they brag about the football teams. My boss has a PhD and I don’t know ANY of the colleges he went to. There are probably only 20 colleges everyone knows, and half of them are known for their sports. Yes, if your email on your resume is <a href=“mailto:jsraquel@alum.HotSchool.edu”>jsraquel@alum.HotSchool.edu</a>, it might give you a boost in hiring for a few years. If it’s <a href=“mailto:jsraquel@alum.Harvard.edu”>jsraquel@alum.Harvard.edu</a> it might give you a boost in hiring for the rest of your life. But more, your job performance will be the thing that matters.</p>

<p>IMO, you should focus on fit (which you are) and majors and opportunities, not prestige. If CMC is a good fit, and you have the $$, I think it’s perfectly reasonable to aim for it.</p>

<p>Good luck, and congrats for starting early!</p>

9

<p>Note that economics, especially at the top schools in the subject, can involve considerable amounts of math (at least two years of university level math like calculus, multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations).</p>

<p>Take as much math as you can in high school. Choose AP Calculus BC for senior year in high school if available for best preparation and possible credit for up to a year of freshman calculus.</p>

10

<p>As I had mentioned, I’m taking H Pre-Calculus next year. If all goes well, I’ll be taking AP Calculus the following year. (This totals 4 whole years of math). </p>

<p>And GeekMom thanks for setting me straight about me feelings regarding prestige!</p>

11

<p>You said you were taking AP spanish III? I don’t think there IS an AP Spanish III. I know at my school there’s spanish 1-3. then AP Spanish Language and Composition (Which I’m taking next year haha.) and then AP Spanish Lit…</p>

12

<p>“junior year plan on taking AP English III, AP US History, AP Statistics, H Pre-Calculus, P Anatomy, and Spanish III.”</p>

<p>You’re quite right about there being Spanish I - III and AP Spanish IV and V.</p>

<p>I didn’t say I was taking “AP” Spanish III as you can see. Just normal Spanish :)</p>