HS Jr with questions about admissions

Applying to College
1

<p>Now that I have gotten your attention I would like to ask you guys/gals a couple of questions. I am a junior in high school and I am a little confused about college. I have a 93.69 weighted average as of now (accounts for only freshman and sophomore year) which translates to a 4.0, I think? <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/html/academicTracker-howtoconvert.html"&gt;http://www.collegeboard.com/html/academicTracker-howtoconvert.html&lt;/a> .Well anyway this year I am taking 2 APs (Biology and US History), 2 Honors classes (English 11 and French IV), and 2 Regents-level courses (Physics and Algebra). My grades this year have not been as high as last year but apparently I heard that honors and AP courses are factored differently into the GPA. I plan to take the SAT I in May along with my APs, however, I do not know when is a good date to take the SAT II Subject Tests. </p>

<p>Next year, I plan to take AP Physics B or APES (which one should I take?), AP Psychology, AP Chemistry, and some electives. My school does not offer a large variety of APs so I have to make due with what I have. I have currently started to study for my SAT I in May and I am quite nervous (o_o"), if I do poorly I plan to take it again in June and possibly one more time in the Fall. I am planning to apply to:</p>

<p>-Cornell (I really want to go there, considering I live in NY)
-Columbia
-Rice
-NYU
-Boston College
-Brandeis
-Dartmouth
-U Penn
-Vanderbilt</p>

<p>I want to major in either Biology or Chemistry, I need some suggestions for some other good colleges that would be a good fit for me (safety, reach, etc.) I need more suggestions. Please leave your opinions on whether my current college list is sufficient enough. </p>

<p>Oh yeah, I am really bad with extra curriculars which is mainly due to the fact that I get nervous quite easily and can be considered shy at times. So far all I have done (no lie, its gonna be shocking) is worked at a summer camp for (2 years, going on 3 years and maybe even 4) and attended Youth Group at my local church ever since I was a freshman (I participated in creating food packages for homeless people on the streets of NY, carried cans to a local homeless shelter, and other various activities). I haven't really done anything that significant but I plan to volunteer a my local hospitals over the summer and possibly during senior year. </p>

<p>My high school also offers an Intern program during senior year in which we are allowed to leave high school during May and intern. I plan to intern at NYP (New York Presbyterian).</p>

<p>So to summarize, I need your help in answering some of my college-related questions:
1. When should I take the SAT II Subject Tests? (I am currently a junior)
2. AP Physics or APES? Why?
3. Good list of colleges considering my profile so far? Any suggestions?
4. Possible future extra curriculars?
5. Tips on SAT I, APs, and SAT IIs for achieving a high score based on personal experience?
6. Can you provide some motivation? Please? :) </p>

<p>Any other advice is welcome.</p>

<p>Well anyway thank you for your help and support. Sorry for tricking you into my thread but I needed answers. Have a great day and good luck on with applications.
:D </p>

2

<p>Hi there!</p>

<p>Obviously it’s going to be a little hard for me to recommend colleges for you since SAT/ACT scores/class rank are, but I’ll try. For perspective, I’m a high school senior that applied to college/got into a few. I had a similar list to you; I applied to Columbia ED (rejected…), got into UMich EA which eliminated any need to apply to other matches, and I applied to a bunch of reaches (Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Vandy); I got into Brown, so I’m pumped.</p>

<ol>
<li>When should I take the SAT II Subject Tests? (I am currently a junior)
I actually took the SAT 2 Subject tests in May, and took my SATs in June, since I feel like the curve is better in June, but if you are adamant about SAT I in May, definitely take subject tests in June. Math 2/a science would probably be a good choice/and US History. I used my USH and Math 2 scores.</li>
</ol>

<p>Also take the ACTs, those were really freaking easy, and in June. If you need to retake your SATs, do them in October.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>AP Physics or APES? Why?
God, I suck at physics so I’m biased and I want to tell you APES, but it really depends on you. AP Physics is the more rigorous course, and if you think you can handle it, take it. But if you can’t get an A/it will be the bane of your existence take APES.</p></li>
<li><p>Good list of colleges considering my profile so far? Any suggestions?
Uh, URochester probably, looks like a low match for you (depends on your scores) and they’ll probably give you good Merit Aid, which is a plus. UMich/UVA/UNC for other matches, I suppose. Also you have Cornell/Dartmouth/Penn on that list but you might as well add Brown, since it’s really a crapshoot with Ivy admissions + the open curriculum at Brown rocks.</p></li>
<li><p>Possible future extra curriculars?
Yeaaaaah, I don’t know, you’re running out of time, so you only have your summer left. I spent my last summer volunteering/interning.</p></li>
<li><p>Tips on SAT I, APs, and SAT IIs for achieving a high score based on personal experience?
lol I didn’t study and winged all my tests. Um for APs, I recommend AMSCO or REA for your review book, and you should probably get a 5 if you read the whole thing. SAT II Math was easy but you have to move very quickly, so pace yourself. USH SAT II, I was prepared for since I had studied for the AP exam as well. For the ACTs (those were easy), it’s really about going quickly and making sure you have time for everything. For the SAT… idk what to tell you man, for a 12 on the essay make sure you got the 5 paragraph template down with solid examples and ALWAYS fill the 2 pages. Math is pretty easy and you’ll have time to check.</p></li>
<li><p>Can you provide some motivation? Please? :slight_smile:
Don’t become like me and give up senior year…? You will do fantastic, you are a great person, etc. You deserve it so don’t waste your hard work and work hard your last year.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>AP Physics…APES is a bit of a joke tbh. List of colleges? Any top 50 LAC or Uni - and find the ones that you like.</p>

<p>ECs: Find something you love and pursue it…can’t help you much there.
SAT IIs: Study from Barrons!</p>

4

<p>@enigmaticescape
Since you got into Brown, I’m assuming your SAT score was around 2200-2400? I’m pretty nervous about getting a score above 2000 and I keep doubting myself.</p>

<p>I got a 165 on my PSATs because I did no studying whatsoever and was so lazy. I briefly scanned the Grey PSAT Packet provided by my high school. However, I do feel I have room to improve but considering I need around a 400+ point increase to get into my top colleges seems pretty implausible. I’m trying to put in as much work as I can with my studying but with AP exams coming in May, along with the SAT IIs, and the Regents in June. I’m afraid I’ll lose somewhere in those areas. </p>

<p>I have also heard that Brown takes the admissions essays into account as well. </p>

<p>But in any case, I would like to wish you the best of luck in Brown. Thank you for taking time out of your day to provide a well-detailed answer. </p>

5

<p>I got a 2210. 790M / 730 CR / 690 W (that writing score … :/), and I also took the ACT, too: 35M, 35W, 34R, 28S… (retook just to get the science higher, lol). I’m also Asian, and I guess I’m on the lower end of scores, but my friend who also had a ~2200 got into Penn, so “normal” people who get 2200s do get into college! We were both competing against all the 2400s of our grade, too.</p>

<p>I hate to ask, but what’s your race? It’s a factor in admissions. I don’t remember what I got on my PSATs, but I think it was ~200? I don’t think PSATs are a good indicator of your scores, but to be competitive for Ivy, I would definitely try to get >2200 or at least a 2100. I think with hard work you’ll be able to pull your SAT score to around that level!</p>

<p>Yeah, I think my essays (and my ECs/leadership experience) were why Brown took me (I did write them the day of, shhhh), but they were pretty good.</p>

6

<p>@enigmaticescape
Yeah, I’m Asian (specifically Chinese) as well and considering that my parents want me to get into a good school is additional stress and by good school they referring to an Ivy League… -_-" When the scores were released recently, a girl in my class who is extremely smart, said that she got a score in the upper 2200’s despite taking the SAT for the first time. When I heard that statement I was frustrated for the rest of the day…
I recently just finished a practice SAT and it was probably the most torturous thing I had ever sat through. My neck felt like it was tearing apart and I had trouble keeping myself motivated. My weakness is definitely in the “Writing” section of the SAT where the multiple-choice always gets me confused. </p>

7

<p>SAT grammar baffles me to this day. And it’s especially annoying since they’re nixing that section in a few years… :confused: ACT grammar just makes so much more sense, so I recommend looking into it.</p>

<p>I don’t really what more I can tell you besides bond with your teachers and get good recs, do something fabulous this summer, and try to get “acceptable” SAT scores. Oh, and finish all your essays in August. Do NOT write them last minute like me…</p>

<p>The college process is frustrating and ever since Judgment Day last Thursday, I think I lost a few friends, but haters gonna hate.</p>

8

<p>@enigmaticescape
LOL
When you refer to college essays you mean the ones on the Common App (ie. Describe a place that you felt content, etc.)? By any chance do you go to school in NY (ie. Stuy., Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech.)? </p>

<p>If you are talking about the Common App, what prompt did you write about? I feel that the one about “challenging a belief…etc,” is the hardest to write about in my opinion.</p>

<p>Since I am Asian does that mean I am at an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to applications?</p>

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<p>I meant both supplements and the common application essay.</p>

<p>I wrote about the place where you feel most comfortable, or whatever that prompt was about. I wrote about how writing was where I felt most comfortable, it was a decent if a bit cliche essay. I was going to write about the background essay and talk about my dysfunctional family but I feel like I haven’t really overcame the adversity/it’s a bit too depressing for adcoms. Obviously get editors (not your parents, maybe a friend/teacher), but make sure your essay is your voice. That (aside from procrastination) is why I didn’t get anyone to edit mine since I wanted it to be in my voice. But my supplements were good, I guess.</p>

<p>And being Asian… well they’re 5% of the population and 20% of the schools, so yes… We are an over represented minority, but I hear it helps at Vanderbilt? Make sure you register for interviews/show interest at schools (well the Ivys don’t track; I never visited Brown).</p>

<p>Oh and no, I don’t attend school in NY, I’m from MA, and I attend a public school in a pretty affluent town. Do you go to one of those competitive schools? I hear it’s really tough there. :/</p>

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<p>No, I have friends who go to those high schools and have gotten into some pretty good colleges. I thought that since you had gotten into Brown you must have attended one of the specialty high schools. </p>

11

<p>Your GPA is probably closer to a 3.8 or 3.9, but that is fine for any college if you have the other things they are looking for. Specifically great test scores and strong ECs. However… you do not have great ECs from your own description, and if your PSAT is any indication, you will have a tough time gaining admission to many of the schools on your list. </p>

<p>Regarding GPA, colleges look at your unweighted GPA. So they don’t give any extra weight to honors or AP classes. Even if your high school is one that weights in GPA, the colleges recalculate. That does not mean they don’t care how challenging your schedule is; your high school guidance counselor is asked to check a box on a scale indicating whether you have taken the most challenging coursework at your high school.</p>

<p>If you plan to take a couple of SAT Subject tests, you can only do that on a Saturday when the SAT is offered (and there are none in the summer). So you can’t take them on the same day as one of your SAT I tests. You want to have finished the coursework and had a chance to study a prep book if possible first. You can take up to 3 different SAT Subject Tests on one date, but be sure the ones you are offered on the date you register (some, like World History, are not offered every single SAT date – but you can tell on the CollegeBoard website which ones are offered on which dates).</p>

<p>What is your financial situation? What are your tentative plans for after college? Some of the schools on your list are really expensive and also have poor financial aid (like NYU). You should ask your parents to run the net price calculator on the financial aid website page for each school on your list. If you can provide more information on your financial situation and possible future plans, that will help you get better suggestions for other colleges to include on your list.</p>