Hey everyone! I’m looking to see if I’m on the path for a couple colleges as a sophomore. I am a repeat sophomore, meaning I finished my sophomore year last year and chose to repeat at a boarding school.
Colleges (CS major):
Harvey Mudd College
Purdue University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Columbia University
Carnegie Mellon University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Stats:
4.07 W 3.88 UW GPA
APs: Psychology (5), English Language and Composition (?), Computer Science A (?)
Current Courses (school does not offer APs, just Honors as highest):
Composition and Literature
Honors Pre-Calculus (cause I dropped from Calc AB, this school's hard lol)
Honors Computer Science
Honors Physics
World Religions
Next term I’m replacing World Religions with Contemporary Issues, then spring term CS becomes Honors Machine Learning and Contemporary Issues becomes Ceramics 1.
No class rank
SAT: 1420 (740 RW 680 M) from August 2018, I’ve taken practice tests recently and am scoring around a 1520-1530 (obviously isn’t official)
PSAT is next week so we’ll see how that goes…
SAT 2: None yet, but I’m taking Math 2 at the end of the school year. I plan on taking Advanced Honors Physics my junior year, so I’ll take the Physics test then.
Extracurricular activities:
School musical production
Robotics team, one of 5 on the programming subteam
DECA pod leader and honorary cabinet member
Debate team member, participant in many tournaments
Dorm representative for environmental issues
Internship with a tech firm this next summer, all laid out in stone, just working on residential arrangements
Chess club member
School coding club officer
CTF team member
Varsity track
Principal's council member at old school, 5 out of 560 sophomores chosen to represent our class
Academic team member and English captain
Varsity bowler
Volunteer teacher at library teaching girls to code
Volunteer at library teaching kids to play chess
Worked at fast food restaurant (30hr/wk, quit a few months ago)
Awards:
Placed second and third at big local academic competitions
Won a local marketing competition
Placed top 50 and top 20 in huge (900+ team) CTF competitions
Handful of GPA awards
Won some small speech tournament awards
Couple of departmental awards
SCDC qualifier
I’ve had some messed up things happen during HS (parental suicide attempts, incarceration, etc.) so that has affected some of my academics.
I will need full financial aid.
I just want to know if I’m on pace for the schools I want to apply to (as of now) and if anyone has some advice, I’d love to hear it! Thanks!
Are you first gen? I assume also low income? If so look into Questbridge. Also look to see if any of of these colleges offer fly-in programs for underrepresented students. Getting accepted into one of those programs will make applications a bit easier.
The full financial aid will make things a bit more difficult. Definitely build a list of colleges with a lot in the safety range – they may be willing to offer you a full ride.
But looks like you’re on the right track. Keep up the grades.
@sgopal2 I am not technically first-gen (my mom graduated college when I was 14). I am low income, though (family income $30k). I am looking into Questbridge, I like some of the match schools. I’ll do research later on in high school about fly-in programs!
And definitely, I’m trying to look at need-blind schools. Purdue right now is my tentative safety just because I’m in-state but I’m of the understanding that I’ll need a good number of true financial and academic safeties.
You are an impressive young adult and I admire your thinking ahead and desire to plan for a successful future. But I would suggest that it is too early to think about specific colleges (especially with no standardized test scores).
If my memory is correct didn’t you just move to a prep school? If this is the case I think you should focus ALL of your time and energy immersing yourself in the school and your new environment and doing as well as you can in classes that are likely more challenging that you had at your prior HS. On tope of that you should study for standardized tests. I’d take college search off the table during your sophomore year.
And aren’t you in a top prep school? Trust their guidance office to give you sound advice. Be sure they understand your financial circumstances. As you seem to be aware finding cost effective colleges will be key.
I hope you continue to succeed and end up with a number of fine options. Just take things one step at a time.
I didn’t realize you were in boarding school. My son attended a boarding school, so I know what its like. Take advantage of everything that your school offers. The college counselors will be well connected.
Keep your grades up – they are the most important. Especially for a low-income kid. If you graduate near the top of your class, a lot of the need blind colleges will be interested in you. Reason is that coming from a boarding school, they know you can handle the work. Whereas other low income students (even with 4.0 GPA) can sometimes be hit or miss.
You’ll also need to explain why you repeated a year in BS. Sounds like this was due to family issues. Just make sure your college counselor mentions this in his/her letter.