HS Freshman; thinking too much about SAT's and Ivies -- HELP!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>Hi guys; I'm new to this forum, so I don't really know the ropes that well.....Buw what I do know is that I've been thinking about about colleges lately, namely the prestigious Ivies (Yes, sadly I've espoused to the nation's meritocracy, blah, blah, whatever).....I'm looking to do pre-med, specifically a neuroscience program at either Georgetown, Brandeis (Hopefully Matches), NYU or Stony Brook (Safeties), and finally Brown, Columbia, Yale or Dartmouth(All reaches). Btw, if anyone can recommend another school with a great neurology program, I'd be thrilled. I'm a pretty good student, not so involved as most of the Ivy league alumni or those who got accepted, but I'm getting there (still a freshie in HS). In my school the honors program (which are the most rigorous courses available) is exclusive, meaning all or none. You have to have a 3.7 GPA or higher, and basically 92's and higher in every single subject, with the exception of 3 which are at the principal's discretion to choose. It's a Jewish prep school in brooklyn (hosting an amalgam of literary subjects and sciences, along with Hebrew and Judaism-related subjects). This is my courseload for the first semester, which accentuates my bad performance (I was distracted by some other business the first half, so it's not as competitive).......I think I'm in the top 18%, not really sure, but I'm getting back to my usual performance this upcoming half. Every single course I will list will change on my transcript to honors classes, since I am switching back in a week (when we return from intersession): </p>

<p>Bible: 92
Living Environment Biology: 88
English/ Literature: 95
Social Studies: 95
Jewish law(Basic): 90
Hebrew Language: 93
Spanish :94
Jewish Prophets: 93
Int. Algebra: (final grade isn't out since I missed the final, so my teacher approximated a 91 average): 91
Jewish Oral Law (Advanced Level): 92</p>

<p>Again, this is not my best efforts in play. Hopefully I will bring everything back up to 99's.....
Please give me your feedback!</p>

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<p>There’s no secret. Just keep up the good work and hope for the best.</p>

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<p>You need to do better.</p>

<p>How are you only in Algebra as a ninth grader? You should be in at least Geometry. Take a summer school course to catch up.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t count Bible, Jewish Law, Hebrew Language, Jewish Prophets, or Jewish Oral Law as real “core” classes, which leaves you with only five, one of which you got a B in.</p>

<p>It’s good that you’re getting back into the honors program, but flipping “the switch” is a lot harder than you think it might be. Make a real conscious effort to work harder.</p>

<p>That being said, Princeton completely ignores freshman grades, so nothing you do this year will hurt you. (Unless you screw up your class rank.)</p>

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<p>Jacob,</p>

<p>When you are applying to colleges, searching for jobs, asking for letters of recommendation, or soliciting advice from people, one of the most important things is to make sure that you show courtesy by addressing the correct person or group of people. For example, you cross-posted the exact same thread in Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, and UPenn forums, but you didn’t even give Princeton, Harvard, or UPenn an honorable mention in your list of matches, safeties, and reaches.</p>

<p>An admissions committee may forgive the occasional grammatical error, but to misspell “P-r-i-n-c-e-t-o-n” or any other school, as “Y-a-l-e” or something similar can be unforgivable.</p>