I live in a tiny town in Wyoming..... am I screwed?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Basically, let me start this off by letting you all know I live in a TINY town in the middle of nowhere. It’s 45 minutes to the next town. There are less than 1,000 people here and I’m so closterphobic. This has severely limited my opportunities. We do not have any sports, as it is too difficult to get to surrounding areas. The only thing we have is cross country, winter track, and spring track. They go to 4 meets each the entire season. So, as you can see, it basically sucks and there isn’t a huge opportunity for ECs. Also, my school doesn’t offer a single honors or AP course, so I have a weird schedule. That’s why I’m going to write it out.</p>

<p>9:
English 9
World History
Algebra 2
Spanish 1
PE
Biology</p>

<p>10:
English 10
USH
Precalculus
Chemistry
Spanish 2
PE</p>

<p>11: Okay at this point I was really fed up, so I did some weird online stuff and ended up with this schedule:
Free period—Go to computer lab and do online AP Calc BC
Gov/Econ
English
Free period—Online AP Chemistry
Spanish 3
Free Period—Online AP Physics C</p>

<p>12 (Planned)
English
Free Period—Online MVC
Free Period—Online AP Biology
Economics
Free Period—Online Spanish 4
Anatomy</p>

<p>As you can see, my school is a joke. Every class I took at school (except anatomy next year and Spanish 3 this year) was a graduation requirement, because classes taken outside of school can’t be counted toward graduation. The 6 online classes are what would have been electives at my school. </p>

<p>SAT: 2280 (800 Math, 690 CR, 790 Writing). I know the CR is weak but I just can’t get it up any more. I took it in December, and I studied 10 hours/week all summer and during the school year. I’m done with the SAT.</p>

<p>SAT 2: Math 2 (800), Bio M (800), going to take Physics and Chem
PSAT: 216, most likely NMSF
GPA: 4.0, Class Rank 1/~70</p>

<p>ECs:
Student Council President (all 4 years)</p>

<p>Science Bowl team (founder and captain)
-6th out of 7 in regionals (10)
-3rd in regionals (11)</p>

<p>Piano
-Finished CM level 9 this year, will do 10 next year.</p>

<p>The main thing I do is farm. Like, a lot. Every day when I get home from school at 2:30, I have to do a bunch of farm work. I usually do not get done until around 7. Idk if this counts as an EC, but it is what I spend the majority of my time doing. On weekends, I wake up at 5 to milk cows, etc. and I’m not done until around 3. </p>

<p>I know this may sound weird, but we don’t have clubs at my school. Science Bowl was the first one ever. I know we didn’t do that well but I think it was pretty good considering our school’s science curriculum… We had to do A LOT of self-studying</p>

<p>Also, we only have one shopping center in our town, and then some houses, and the three schools (elementary, middle, high). Most people are farmers. I took advantage of every opportunity I had. In the summers I have to work on my family’s farm 50 hours per week. We are low income farmers, so I can’t go to camp or anything. </p>

<p>I don’t know where to apply. Harvard/Brown are a dream, but I don’t know if I qualify, given my lack of ECs/summer stuff/honors courses. I'm new to College Confidential, I wish I would have discovered this earlier! So I'm hoping you guys can give me some advice. Where do I have a chance? And sorry for making this so long...</p>

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<p>I definitely think living in a small Wyoming town will help you. Good luck!</p>

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<p>It’ll help? Why? Also, do you know if an Ivy League school is way out of the question? I’m not really sure where I should be applying. Only 10% of the people in my town went to college (basically the teachers, that’s it), and they all went to in-state public colleges, so I am definitely very confused about this process lol.</p>

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<p>Definitely apply to ivy league schools</p>

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<p>Schools are looking for diversity. Being from Wyoming will help, as most competitive applicants are from states like New York, New Jersey, and California, for example. Colleges look at your courseload in the context of the rigor of your school. If you took the most rigorous classes, then you’re good. You also took the initiative to take AP classes online, which looks great to colleges. The only bad thing is that some colleges may not view your 4.0 GPA as highly because your school isn’t rigorous. For example, a 3.0 student at some private prep school would most likely be a 4.0 student at your school. That’s not to discount your GPA, however. Good work! Farming in your case can be considered an EC because you do devote so much of your time to it. I don’t think you’re at any sort of advantage or disadvantage. Colleges just want to see that you took advantage of all the opportunities granted to you.</p>

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<p>farmgirl~ Definitly a plus. however what are you about ? dreams? passions? who are you deep down? Those are things the schools want to know! Good luck you are amazing!</p>

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<p>Also, you have high SATs, which is great. In my opinion, you’re definitely in the running for Ivy League schools.</p>

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<p>Hoopser77- My school is definitely very easy, so a 4.0 is kind of a joke. That said, hopefully A’s in AP Physics, AP Chem, and Calc will help because getting A’s in those classes has just about killed me. There’s not really a “most rigorous” at my school because there is only one level of classes, but I definitely have the hardest schedule because no one else takes AP classes at all. It’s good to hear that farming will help for something! Hahaha I hate it so much.</p>

<p>2education- At first it was just getting out of farming. It’s just not my thing. But as I’ve gotten older, I’m really interested in Philosophy. My town is very Christian and most events are centered around the church. Growing up, I always felt very out of place with religion, and through lots of thinking have come to the realization that I am athiest. I’m actually probably the only athiest in this entire town, which is really weird. I would love to be able to explore philosophy, because until now it has been very limited to the Christian teachings of everyone around me and a bunch of stuff I have read online. I also love science/evolution. My school doesn’t teach evolution (which I’m pretty sure is illegal?) because everyone gets too upset. I’m just really interested in the scientific theories behind the creation of Earth, organisms, and the evolution of single-celled beings into such a diverse population. I have no idea how to turn those interests into a career or what a philosophy major would even be good for. So for now they’re just academic interests. And awwww thanks I don’t think I’m amazing but it’s nice to hear :)</p>

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<p>I agree that you are probably in very good shape for getting into top schools. If your parents didn’t go to college, then it’s even better. As an aside, I was similar to you on the atheism vs religion question in high school (in Texas), but after decades as a scientist and atheist, I came to see that atheism was quite bankrupt, since it had no explanation for why this beautiful universe exists and provided no satisfaction to our inborn desire for meaning. So keep an open mind. And science does not require atheism.</p>

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<p>Yeah you should definitely focus on growing up in such a community in your essays</p>

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<p>Apply to Harvard EA. Write your essays about the town you come from and how farming and being from a small town has shaped you into the person you are today. Don’t hate where you come from, embrace it. The Ivy Leagues will love it. I’m serious.</p>

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<p>notakid- no, they didn’t go. My family has been here for like 4 generations so none of them have. I will try to keep an open mind. I think that growing up in an extremely Christian area produced an extreme reaction. That’s part of the reason why philosophy is so intereseting to me. </p>

<p>CrystalJ- Thanks for the suggestion! Yeah, I probably will.</p>

<p>Just another question: Are there certain schools that are more well-known for these subjects? I am open to anything, as long as I will be able to afford it (income is <45k).</p>

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<p>Colleges are looking for unique individuals. Your background certainly isn’t the cookie-cutter Ivy League candidate, which makes you very interesting. And even though your 4.0 at your school might not equate to a 4.0 at a private elite school, it’s the best you can do there, Your SAT’s show that you are very smart and very accomplished, and that you should be able to handle top-level work with no more difficulty than any other Ivy League candidate.</p>

<p>Consider Dartmouth. It’s filled with wonderful individuals. (Full disclosure: My husband and younger son both went there.)</p>

<p>Good luck, and let us know what happens to you.</p>

<p>Edited to add: With that income, you should expect serious financial aid.</p>

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<p>It really depends on if you want to move to a big city or not. Dartmouth and Cornell are pretty isolated, whereas Harvard, Penn, and Columbia for example, are not.</p>

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<p>Mandypandy- whoops, just saw your first post, sorry! Thanks for the advice. That actually makes a lot of sense. </p>

<p>VeryHappy- Thanks! And I will definitely let you guys know. Good to hear about the financial aid too. The fact that Ivy leagues meet 100% of aid makes them that much better! </p>

<p>And to both of you:I think part of the problem is that I don’t know if I would prefer isolation or a larger city. Obviously I am accustomed to isolation, and I know that anywhere I go will seem huge compared to here, but I don’t know if a city would be overwhelming. I’ve never been to the East/West coasts.</p>

<p>One more thing: Is it a big deal if I don’t take the AP tests for my classes? I know I could score 5’s on all three, but the closest testing center is about a 2 hour drive away. My dad would have to take an entire day off to drive me there on each of the testing days, which would be really difficult for us to do. But if they are really important we will make it work somehow.</p>

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<p>Being from a small town in a far off state is likely to help you, not hurt you.</p>

<p>You have good SAT scores.</p>

<p>You will be fine.</p>

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<p>Wow, you have a great profile. You seem like having the most initiative in your town. I think you have a good shot at Harvard. If you can make make a good essay out of your passions you will do great. You are showing that you want to become much more than just a farmer. You seem destined for greatness. Good Luck</p>

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<p>Also yeah taking the AP test is almost necessary, but if it is too much of a hassle, you can explain it on your college application.</p>

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<p>With schools like Harvard and Brown, having an income of less than 45k will mean that you’ll go basically for free if you get in. If it’s a top private school, you can pretty much expect that.</p>

<p>“Since 2006, students from families with incomes less than $60,000 who are accepted to Harvard under our regular admissions policies have had no expected parent contribution for their education. Beginning in the fall of 2012, this “zero contribution threshold” will be increased to $65,000.”
“Under the new policy, Brown has:
Waived the parental contribution for most families with incomes of less than $60,000.
Eliminated the loan burden for students from families with incomes of less than $100,000.
Reduced the loan indebtedness at graduation for all students receiving financial aid.”</p>

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<p>Just be sure to mention farming somewhere in your app…good luck!</p>

<p>Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC</p>