All the holistic colleges will be looking for more than you have shared with us. Count on it. And, all the colleges using the Common App agree to be holistic. Sure, some really just want warm bodies and take huge numbers, have ho-hum experiences to offer, and see low retention rates. That could be a waste, ymmv.
BC is yet another desirbale school that can cherry pick among a huge volume of accomplished kids.
@lookingforward Are you saying is that an applicant with lower grades and test scores than I have will get in because they have more ECs and are older. I knew colleges cared about ECs but I thought grades and test scores carried more weight.
"I thought grades and test scores carried more weight. "
The vast majority applying to top 10, top 30, top 40 schools have excellent grades, a high level of course rigor, and excellent test scores. They aren’t what get you in, they’re what keep you from being eliminated in the first round.
So you’ll make it through the first round (maybe - if your lack of rigorous science happens to get overlooked). Then they’ll see the skills you lack… the patience, the social skills, the ability to participate in a classroom discussion, the lack of lab experience, lack of leadership. Daddy gave you a leg up in business. Big deal.
So, you ARE taking a gap year. You said you’ve completed high school, and you aren’t applying until next year. There’s a lot of time between now and the Fall of 2021 application cycle.
Either you’ve miscommunicated something, or we aren’t understanding your timeline. Are you actually still in the midst of completing your high school curriculum?
@Lindagaf I have completed my HS curriculum. I studying for science AP exams and bringing my ACT up to a 36 super score. Working on SAT as well.
@Groundwork2022 “Then they’ll see the skills you lack… the patience, the social skills, the ability to participate in a classroom discussion, the lack of lab experience, lack of leadership.” You could make the exact same argument against most homeschoolers
We are all pointing to what holistic really demands. Stats are important, but just one part.
Your app is a self presentation. Knowing how to best present does require knowing more about what the college wants to see. That’s on you.
Rushing through hs is a real potential problem. In part, by being isolated in your education, you don’t seem to have perspective on what other kids are doing. It’s not the knitting group that tips them in, it’s depth and breadth in academics and ECs, some challenge, some impact, more than just one year, and more than just doing what pleases you.
A few of the homeschool parents on this thread have nicely described how their kids maximized their hs years. Even those graduating before 17-18. They got involved with more than studies and an occasional something else. Sure, some experience in their fields, but also more. It doesn’t need to be leader titles, but does need to show you can see past the last assignment or career goals.
It’s time for you to do your due diligence. Pick a college and dig in to what they do say- and what they show via the kids they tout. Google for more, from the college itself.
Actually, read the MIT admission blogs. Very informative. They know kids with stats above a bar can handle the work. Then they look for the “more” they want. They can cherry pick.
You may need to either resort to a college that admits based on rack and stack (taking the best stats) or learn and adapt your record, not race through.
Right now, you seem a bit stunned by what we’re saying.
@lookingforward What are some colleges that admit through rack and stack?
Seriously, you are in danger of appearing to be an academic drone with nothing besides grades and test scores. Not one of the colleges you aspire to wants an academic drone.
You do NOT need a 36 on the ACT to get into Stanford. HYPSM and others of their ilk turn away kids with 36 and high grades and a bunch of AP tests ALL THE TIME. You have a 35. Why on earth do you need to improve that? What makes you think you need the SAT with a score of 35 already?
Just chill. I suggest you expend your energy on figuring out what top colleges want. Hint: it’s not just grades and test scores. Read the well-known enlightening essay from MIT called Applying Sideways.
Just saying. This thread has shared a lot of really great perspective. Now it’s up to you to dig in a bit, get the drift of what it takes. There’s only so much we can repeat. But you do your part and we can help explain some things.
Take the time. This thread will be here when you have some further info and new ideas to discuss.
I also have a suspicion that maybe there is a bored teen here on Thanksgiving break.
Why would you brag? It’s not your money. If your parents are millionaires that means you need to up your game. Rushing through 4 years of online virtual school in a year, working with your dad, and playing golf in your spare time isn’t a compelling app.
What do you have to offer that Boston College wants? Before you pay anywhere make sure you match what they want.
No, you couldn’t. Most homeschoolers don’t sequester themselves the way you have. They’re involved with other students and active in their communities.
Are your parents pushing you to start college at 15?
@austinmshauri I dont sequester myself. I am involved in a local teen government group, I am section leader in a homeschool band and I travel to do honor bands where I compete with other students for a spot at the top of the band. But this thread isn’t about that, it’s about my personal story. I would be starting at 16, nearly 17, my parents aren’t forcing me but they are very supportive.
If you want to be competitive for top schools read their websites and find out what’s important to them. Great test scores and grades may get you over the bar for a 2nd look, but on their own they aren’t enough to get you in. How do you match the other things they look for?
From the BC website “We seek students who are bright, curious, passionate, and engaged. As a Jesuit university, Boston College emphasizes liberal arts education, character development, and the cultivation of leaders. Our mission is to graduate men and women who know how to think, make decisions, communicate, and act with integrity.”
I would say that I am bright, curious, passionate, and engaged.
From Upenn: “We look for students who aspire to develop and refine their talents and abilities within Penn’s liberal arts-based, practical, and interdisciplinary learning environment. Our ideal candidates are inspired to emulate our founder Benjamin Franklin by applying their knowledge in “service to society” to our community, the city of Philadelphia, and the wider world. To best understand prospective students’ paths through Penn, we approach applications holistically and with great care.”
I think I fit this very well.
So how are you going to show these schools you possess the qualities they say they want?
@Sue22 I am eager to learn new things. I am passionate about what I would be studying. And I am determined to become a leader.
@Homeschooler14
It would be worthwhile to investigate how this unusual trajectory will eventually influence your chance to be competitive for an IB job after graduation. I’m not in IB, but I have a kid who explored this option, and my sense is that being unusually young could be a particular disadvantage to getting the experiences (internships, etc) needed to compete for IB. Just my $0.02. Good luck to you!
I don’t think the age thing will make much of a difference. 12 Months is not a long time. I would be 17 right after I started so not too much of a big deal imo.
Curious: When you picture a week in your college life, how are you spending your time? What percentage is in class, studying, socializing, sleeping, doing a hobby?
What classes did you actually enjoy learning in?
Honestly, I love the idea of a post-graduate year at an elite boarding school for you. It will satisfy your parents’ itch for you to do something elite. They can afford it. You get to put yourself in context with who you are competing against for college. You will meet students who are as smart or smarter than you. You get to test the waters of communal living. You can develop deeper ECs. Boarding schools might find you a lot more interesting that elite colleges and they will challenge you. If you are at all interested in that option, though, time is running out.
I think you getting the responses you are because there are a lot of parents here who want you to develop into your best, most robust version of yourself. So they are skipping past your Original question because it is less important (honestly) than the bigger question of whether your path is the best one for you. In other words, if you were their kid, what advice would they give you? They are alarmed by your choice because it is so limiting, and you can’t go back once you commit. Parents usually want their children to have many options as adults. So please take the information we are giving in the kind spirit in which it is intended.