How is this current sophomore doing?

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.

Thanks so much!

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.

Instead, look at “meet full need” schools, both need-blind and need-aware. Need-blind won’t do any good if the school doesn’t meet your need.