I’ve sort of always knew that I won’t be able to get in a good college. I’m asian, a good chance I will be applying as an international student, and a lackluster student in general.
I take all APs and honors classes currently but I have a good amount of Bs and no extracurriculars (I’m just not talented in anything) and not even in top 25% of my class.
Both my parent went to very good schools in their home country (Tsinghua and Waseda & Tianjin and Osaka University) and they have high expectations. I feel like I can’t live up to them.
I know everyone says that college doesn’t decide everything but how does it not?
Any advice??
It’s more about how hard you work than what college you get into. Be enthusiastic, find a mentor, and do your best. You’ll be fine.
Goodness, A’s and B’s in all AP and honors classes? There are A LOT of great colleges that will love that. And not all colleges care about ECs. Some are really stats driven and your stats are FINE. What do you mean that there’s a good chance you’ll be applying as an international student? You should find this out ASAP and, if you are graduating from a high school in the US, look into residency laws the state colleges where you are.
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Are you living in the U.S?
What year in HS are you?
What do you enjoy doing?
I’m living in the US and I’m a sophomore. I’m not sure what I enjoy doing, I don’t have any talent in anything and most days I just go to school, do school work, eat, sleep, browse the web, and that’s really about it.
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You don’t need talent, just interest. What do you do for fun? What do you do on the weekends? What do you do when you spend time with friends? Are there any clubs at school that intrigue you? What about a favorite class or subject? You’re a sophomore - it’s fine if you don’t yet know what you love. But it’s a great time to start exploring and figuring that out.
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You don’t have to have special talent! You need to be willing to try some things.
What is your favorite course in school? Is there a club related to that?
Friends? What do they do? Maybe something would interest you.
Do you like animals? Maybe see if you can be a dog Walker at a shelter.
Instead of thinking about what you don’t do…think about some things you might like to try. Then try them.
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Thank you for your encouragement! My mom is currently doing H1B so I am on H4 visa. She’s filing a greencard petition now I think but I’m not sure how its coming along. I’ve looked through residency laws in my state but they’re kind of confusing. I know attending college in state is better in a lot of ways but I’ve always wanted to go out of state haha.
They can definitely be confusing. Have you asked for help from your high school guidance counselor? They should know what qualifies for residency at your state universities. You can also reach out directly to the university to ask.
In terms of in state vs out of state - another question to think about then is how much can your parents afford to pay? With your grades, there are definitely colleges out there that will give you some merit aid, although in state is sometimes the cheapest option - IF that is a consideration for your family.
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You and your mom need to speak with an immigration lawyer. She needs to hurry the green card app. As h4, you would have to leave usa at 21. So she needs get green card for herself, and u, asap. Meanwhile, u have to find out what your tuition options are. You may not qualify for in state tuition.
Most of my weekends are spent doing academic work and other stuff like that (SAT prep, ap physics class outside of school, bio olympiad prep) so I feel like I don’t have time to explore my interests. I don’t hang out with friends, do clubs or anything really. I’m so painfully average, it sucks.
I doubt that is really true. But my bigger concern is: are you happy? If you are happy with your current schedule/activities, then that’s great. You don’t need to change yourself for colleges. But if you are not satisfied, then it’s time to carve out some time to explore other things like hobbies or clubs or sports or whatever appeals to you.
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You are a tenth grader and you are doing these things? I can understand prepping for the PSAT which is happening in the fall. AP Physics outside of school? Why?
What country are you from…because this very much could impact the speed of you getting a green card.
When my youngest was a sophomore, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. She mentioned that many of her friends did already know what they want to do with their careers. I pointed out that yes, her friends did know what they wanted to do. A year from now they will still know, but it will be a different proposed career. Another year from now, they will have a third career in mind (if not a fourth or a fifth). The point is that no one knows what they are going to do when they are still a sophomore in high school. We all figure it out over time.
At the point that I graduated university, I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I ended spending most of my career working in a field that did not even exist at the time that I graduated university. There is no way that I could have known what I was going to do, because it did not exist yet. It all worked out very well anyway.
It is entirely normal as a sophomore in high school to have no idea what you are going to do. You will figure this out over time.
In high school you get to study a range of subjects. In university you get to study a wider range of subjects. This gives students opportunities to experience some things that at this point you might not even know exists.
There are also a large number of very good universities in the US. Here on CC some people get excited about their chances at a few famous schools. However, there are hundreds of colleges and universities where you can get a great education.
If you do better in the short term, this will increase your options in terms of which universities might be possible. However, a mix of A’s and B’s will indeed get you admitted to some good universities even with no extracurricular activities nor leadership positions.
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Bio olympiad is an extra curricular. As a sophomore you can apply to honor society, did you do that? Honor society could be a good way to make some friends, get in some volunteer hours and see what type of volunteering you might enjoy. I think you’re selling yourself short. You will have many college options if you stay the course.
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Any school you get into is a good school - it is up to you to make the most of it!
Don’t decide in high school that you have already “failed” at college because you don’t think you will get into a “good” college.
It doesn’t matter where your parents went or where your friends are going.
It does matter that you find a school that is a good fit for you. A place where you feel comfortable, confident, and will grow.
(Do not focus on rankings, prestige, etc. Focus on fit and what school excites you/you click with
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well I’m going to take ap physics next year and my mom thinks I won’t be able to do well if I don’t do it before. It isn’t going very well if I say so myself. I have trouble paying attention and it is incredibly boring.
I am from Japan.
Why are you taking ap physics if it’s not for you.
Maybe STEM isn’t your thing.
Join a club. Try out for the track team. Walk dogs at the shelter.
Get your mind off of this. There’s more to life. And you don’t need this pressure.
You, not your parents, are the student.
But you do need to change your outlook.
And direction. Bcuz clearly you are not pushing toward your passions.
You’re allowed to be a kid until at least you are 18. And really even longer.
Good luck.
I worry that your total focus is on college college college…putting things you might enjoy on the back burner.
No one has to take AP Physics. Regular physics is fine.
Not sure where the pressure to do things to gain college acceptances is coming from. But I will say…there is a college out there for just about every student. And happy students tend to do better than unhappy ones.
Is there anyone you can speak to about your situation? School counselor? Clergy person?
Do your parents understand that you just aren’t thrilled right now?
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I’m concerned that you sound very down on yourself. I know being a teen is not easy, but is there anyone you could spend some time with who could help you? Would your parents pay for some counseling? Could you talk to your pediatrician or school counselor?
A huge part of college applications is “selling yourself,” and it could be challenging to do that when you’re not quite sure of your strengths.
Good luck and best wishes to you!