Home-schooler trying to get into a good school?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hello! I'm a junior(11th Grade) preparing to apply for college this fall. I'm home schooled and I live in South Florida, in case my region is relevant. I just wanted to ask around College Confidential for some advice, and thoughts about my stats. I'd really appreciate it, and sorry for the book of text in advance. Anyway, I'm a little bit concerned about my chances to get into a decent school, because of these factors: </p>

<p>1) I'm lower-middle class. I can't afford certain schools without a scholarship. My father did not save money for us kids to go to college, mostly because we struggle with finances enough as it is. He doesn't even have a 401K. I'm going to pay for his retirement one day, after I finish my student loans. </p>

<p>2) For most of my academic career, instead of focusing on extra-curriculars and school, I've been taking care of my family. My dad's been a single father for four years, and he goes away on business trips to make money. When he goes away for days, sometimes weeks, I have to take care of my siblings. (Meaning: cooking everyday, babysitting, driving my younger sis to school and back, helping with homework, budgeting money while he's gone, paying bills, etc. It takes a lot of my time. My mom's completely absent from the picture) </p>

<p>3) I don't really want to explain my family situation on my college app. In fact, I might delete this topic later because I'm extremely private. I just don't want to be one of those people who get in because of bad circumstances that happened to them in life. I just know that if I was raised in a more stable environment, I'd probably soar academically. I have things I want to do in the future anyway, and where ever I end up, I know whichever college I go to won't ultimately factor my plans. It'll just make them easier to accomplish, I think.</p>

<p>4) I live in Florida which has a Bright Futures Scholarship, meaning all tuition would be paid. But for personal reasons, I'd like to leave Florida as quickly as I can. I've been waiting almost five years. If I do decide to stay for college here, I'd still have to pay for dorms(Which cost $7,000 to $10,000 or so a year and/or semester). I don't mind getting a job to pay for my dorms, but I could do the same thing somewhere else.</p>

<p>Anyway, here are the extra-curriculars I have done through the years:
* Musical Theatre(10th Grade)
* Ballet(10th Grade)
* Astronomy Lectures @ CC College(I tried doing dual enrollment, but my math scores weren't high enough to allow any classes. So I asked the teacher if I could sit in. I never missed a class) 10th Grade
* Florida Teen Writers Association (11th Grade)
* Elementary School Volunteer (40 hours of community service, 10th Grade)
* Manga Club(9th Grade)
* Cosplay(9th Grade, 10th grade, 11th Grade-ish)
* Violin(9th Grade, 10th Grade. I might try out for my local orchestra too)</p>

<ul>
<li>Awards:
2014 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Key in Science Fiction/Fantasy
2014 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Silver Key in Flash Fiction
2014 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Honorable Mention in Poetry</li>
</ul>

<p>AP Exams I want to take:
* AP English Literature
* AP English Comp
* AP Psychology
* AP Environmental Science</p>

<p>(I might only take the English APs this May because I need to study for the others)</p>

<p>Expected SAT: I'm planning on doing decently well on the Writing/Reading parts, but my math is inherently weak. I've been using Khan Academy to study, but my discipline for it is waning. Which is horrible of me, really. I can't afford a tutor either. For home school, I take annual exams and my scores in English, Science, and History are all 12th Grade+ in equivalency. English has been this way since 8th Grade, and I'm in the 96th Percentile currently. So I'm confident that my English for the SATs will be decent. I also took the PERT last year(Used for CCs here to determine course placement), and it said I was ready for College English Composition I. Which is why I was angered about dual enrolment rejecting me for the math scores. But, oh well)</p>

<p>Dream schools: Yale, Sanford, Cornell, Harvard, Columbia, and Cambridge.
Reaches: Carnegie Hall, University of Chicago, Brown University, Vassar, and Edinburgh University.
Matches: UF, FSU, and other state schools around the country.
Safety School: local community college, and then transfer to FSU or UF.
Desired Major: I'd like to double major, if I have the time. Possible combinations: Physics/Music, Electrical Engineering/Physics, Physics and then Electrical Engineering in grad school, Theatre/Physics. </p>

<p>**** Extra info: I'm female, non-POC, white, no legacies, not a first generation college-goer(My dad was), and I'm queer. My career goals: starting up a robotics/experimental physics company, conducting private research(Specifically, cosmology), writing novels and short stories, doing theatre and/or making films or documentaries, and lastly, maybe composing music. I love singing and I have a wide range, but I don't want to become a singer. Like I said, I'm extremely private, so public stuff like that scares me. </p>

<p>So yes: any opinions on my chances would be appreciated. Thank you so much for reading.</p>

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<p>Bump. C: </p>

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<p>

??</p>

<p>Physics and engineering are both math-heavy.
Also, you can’t delete topics on CC, only edit them.</p>

<p>Do you have a GPA? PSAT? It’s really impossible to tell without numbers. Right now, you haven’t posted anything concrete. Just some extracurriculars (some that I don’t think count as extracurriculars; isn’t cosplay more of a hobby?? For example, I play Neopets. I wouldn’t put that on my college apps.) and AP exams you want to take.</p>

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<p>Home schoolers don’t usually have a GPA, unless you do Virtual School. Which I don’t attend, sorry. No PSATs either. I’m sorry that I can’t give more information. (And cosplaying could count as an extra-curricular if you consider it similar to costume design, like for theatre. Since I do plan them, design them, sew fabric, superglue items, model wigs, etc. I just haven’t been actively cosplaying in public for a few years. No inspiration for it until recently. But whether or not it’s a hobby is up to opinion, I don’t know) </p>

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<p>If it’s that involved, that might make for an interesting college essay :)</p>

<p>All I’d say at this point, then, is come back when you have some hard numbers as well as the subjective things. Someone else may be able to hazard a guess at your chances, however.</p>

<p>Congrats on the Scholastic keys, by the way!</p>

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<p>And sorry, typo on Carnegie Hall. I meant Carnegie Mellon. My space bar is half-broken, so my mind was probably absent at that moment. </p>

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<p>Oh okay! I was confused. “Is that a school??” xD</p>

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<p>Thank you and thank you! :slight_smile: I will make a new post once I have more numbers then, in the future. And yeah, the Scholastic thing was exciting! Thank you for your kind words, pal. C: </p>

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<p>Okay first off I want to say you’re an inspiration for all of your family issues and still trying to go somewhere in life. Now the bad news, you aren’t going to get into those schools (Harvard, Yale, Brown, etc…) most kids with a high GPA, SAT scores, and extracurricular activities don’t even get in. I don’t really know too much about the Florida schools so I can’t really comment. Honestly, I think the best thing for you would be to go to CC and then try to transfer into a state school. That way you can really see what your GPA will be like and you don’t have to be too far from home. I wish you all the best!</p>

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<p>@IC20662, excellent post! I wholeheartedly agree.</p>

<p>@Kanella
I understand the hardships you have gone through and it is very good that you managed to overcome it. However, at Harvard, taking an AP Eng Exam won’t cut it. Homeschoolers do get in, but they are exceptional. They gets 5’s on math/science AP exams, have SAT I > 2200 and the subject tests generally >760, they self-study a lot etc. Especially that you won’t even mention your situation, you better forget the Ivies and other top schools (to be frank). Nonetheless, you have learnt great life lessons which which help you in all your future endeavours. Apply to less selective schools and safety schools (places where you will be accepted for sure). Good luck! </p>