<p>Dear readers,</p>
<p>My name is Jeroen Kleene and I'm a High School-student from the Netherlands. My dream is to study at a great university in the USA, because I love the country and some of the best universities of the world are located there. I am only 14 years old, but because I want to make my dream come true I'm asking for hints now already. I already passed one grade when I was 7 years old and maybe I can do some exams of my interests (economics, mathematics, and some others) next year already, which would be 3 years earlier than average. </p>
<p>Name: Jeroen Kleene
Date of birth: 12-10-1995
Mother-country: The Netherlands
Ethnicity: White</p>
<p>Sports: 5 years soccer, 1 year tennis, 2 years chess.
Grades: 90-95% at VWO-level, which is comparable to IB's on all subjects</p>
<p>Now my questions are: would I, if I continue like this, have a shot on the Ivy League-universities? And how can I improve my chances?</p>
<p>Sincerely,
Jeroen Kleene</p>
<p>Maybe I should also tell that I teach economics at my school a hour a week to students who are 1-2 years older than me.</p>
<p>What are my chances and how can I increase them?</p>
<p>Harsh as it sounds, I might brush up on English a little. Your English is great, don’t get me wrong. You are easily comprehensible and would get along fine in the United States. All the same, it sounds just a little off to the native ear. Like “passed one grade” rather than “skipped a grade” or “exams of my interest” rather than “exams I am interested in.” They’re idioms that would seem trivial in an English-learning classroom setting and generally unimportant, but they have an odd ring to them. They won’t consciously hold it against you, but I think it would influence them a little bit in your essays. Maybe spend some time in the U.S., which would also help you decide if you really wanted to study here?</p>
<p>I do understand. I should work on the expressions and I know that’s more work than the grammar… Spending time in the U.S. sounds great to me, but I don’t know how I could do that. If I really want it I could go to college on my 15-16th and how can I put time in the U.S. between that? Because I’d like to go straight to college after High School. ;)</p>
<p>But thank you for your comment and advice.</p>