I can't figure out where i want to go?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>Hello ^.^ my name is Karley. I had been reading forums on college confidential for awhile now, but im just now deciding to make an account. I, like many other juniors, cannot decide for the life of me where I should go to college at for my first 4 years. For some background info, I want to go somewhere warm! (well, warmer, im from st Louis) and I want to be an Astrophysicist. Well, that is my main goal. I've always had a big interest in it, and I love learning about astronomy, theoretical physics, ect. It just really catches my attention. I do plan on going to grad school, but for now im just worried about undergrad. My specs? My school ha around 1600-1800 students, and I do fairly well (accumulative 3.5 weighted gpa, but my honors courses over the years only count as 4.0 classes, only AP classes count as 5.0, I also wasn't very motivated my freshman year). Im heavily involved in speech and debate (so much fun), im president of student council, president of the select choir im in, I do theater occasionally (tech), and I am a proud member of nerd's society (lol, yu gi oh after school on Wednesdays). I take my ACT this Saturday, ill probably get like a 26-29 my first time (I've taken practice tests), but I can't vouch for that, yet. I was looking at schools like JHU, Uchicago, and Duke; and for the last year, uchicago was my top choice because I thought a school based completely around academics was what I wanted. And now? definitely not. I may be a bit a nerd, but I am extremely outgoing. I love making new friends, and im always talking to new people. I would love to go to a school that always has a lot going on, while still having good academics (if that makes sense). I also thought I wanted a school with a small student body, but now? Again, not so much. I want to be able to make a lot of new friends. And I want to have a great social life, along with studying really word. So a "work hard-play hard" is kind of the theme of what im looking for. And the school has to have a debate team! Duke seemed like a good fit for awhile, but 1, I kind of want a larger student body, and 2, theres no guarantee ill get in. I'm torn because I cant figure out a school that kind of fits my criteria. Tbh, I think id like a State school a lot more, and I can always just work really hard in the classes im taking, right? And I don't think I can get into any top-teir schools for that matter anyhow. Any suggestions? Be as critical as possible XD im just back and forth about everything.</p>

<p>^I apologize for the length of this post and the amount of run-on sentences that make people go nuts. </p>

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<p>So you have a 3.5 weighted, would be lucky to get a 29 ACT, and you want to go to Duke, JHU, or Chicago?</p>

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<p>im taking 4 AP classes next year. AP classes are only offered to seniors, however I have taking many advanced/honors classes throughout highschool. For ex, Im currently taking comp1/comp2 as duel enrollment, precal with trig, bio 2, all somewhat challenging courses. Theres only a total of 6 classes in my highschool that count of 5.0 And for the ACT, I took a practice on and got a 28 on it 2 months ago. And im taking it the first time Saturday, and probably again in april depending on how I do. I’ll probably take it until I get something in the 30’s. And my point for making this post is because I really don’t even want to shoot for these schools anymore, because even if I do work my butt off and get in, I think ill hate it. Im trying NOT to have unrealistic expectations here XD</p>

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<p>I’m fully aware what it takes to get into those schools, and im also fully aware that it will take every possible thing within my power to get accepted into them XD. They’re most likely not for me.</p>

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<p>Keep those as your reach schools and start looking into more state schools. State schools are HUGE (feel like having 40,000 peer students?) and have an immense variety of student-run clubs and organizations for whatever interests anybody has, and if you get in-state benefits for tuition etc then it’s a good deal. As for your “work hard play hard theme”, that’s entirely up to you to decide who you want to hang out with in college. </p>

<p>I’m pretty sure it’ll be easy to find a state school that meets your criteria (private schools too), it also helps to spend school vacations traveling to other states/places for college visits, to get a feel around campus and the vibe of the student body.</p>

<p>As for prestige, keep it in mind if you want but don’t stress over it. The prestige of your undergrad school doesn’t matter in the long run, it’s what you make out of those years that will propel you to grad school and beyond. So make sure you pick a school with an environment you can thrive in. Does the city drive you crazy? Do you want to be in a place that’s not swarming with sorority girls and frat boys? Or is the opposite and do you love those things? Just keep in mind that some people waste their four years at Harvard and never get anywhere, and others graduate from no-name schools to become CEOs of world companies.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>