<p>Ok, so this fall I will be a junior in high school, so I obviously need to start looking at schools.
I got a B- in freshman alg 2 (horrid class...), but besides that i've gotten all A's in honors classes.
English and Chemistry are my favorite subjects, so I'd like to go to a school which has good programs in both-- I haven't yet decided which I'm going to major in.</p>
<p>I don't do too many extracurriculars, just a few-
I'm second flute in band.
I am in the YMCA Youth and Government program.
Active member of my church youth group.</p>
<p>anyone have suggestions on where I should look?
i know i'm not ivy material, but I'd like to go somewhere nice.
I live near Boston, but it's not a priority that I stay close to home.</p>
<p>Once you’ve taken the ACT or SAT, you will have a better idea of where to look at.</p>
<p>First of all, many schools discount or don’t look at freshman grades, especially if there is an upward trend (as is the situation for you) because they know it’s an adjustment year for many people, and the maturity differences between freshman and junior year are tremendous.</p>
<p>Second, for ECs it isn’t necessary to have a laundry list-just a few (one or two even) that you really care about and put some time and effort into. The goal is to contribute something, demonstrate some leadership and/or creativity, learn something about yourself that school couldn’t teach you, and possibly show a side of your personality that your teachers might not know but that, say, a minister or orchestra leader, or supervisor might be able to highlight in a recommendation.</p>
<p>Next, its not too soon to have the ‘college talk’ with your folks about what they can afford and what their expectations are for your higher education. You need their help, support and backing for whatever you want to do. </p>
<p>Lastly, rather than looking for specific schools (other than your local state school which is most people’s starting- and many people’s ending - point), spend your time defining which characteristics of schools are important to you: size, location (urban/suburban/rural), weather, areas of academic strength, culture (single sex, religious, jock, prep, artsy, granola, intellectual, etc…). Plan to visit a few schools over spring break of jr year, if that is affordable for your family, to get a feel for places of that type. Don’t fall in love with anything-just find your ‘type.’ CC can provide a lot of help once you’ve got all that sorted out next spring.</p>