I’d either want to have a perfect SAT score, or some national awards of some kind.
ECs, Studying for standarised tests, more effort into essays. I would have applied to less schools too(Applied to 18).
Honestly, applying to a more variety of schools. Not only the top ones, but the ones that are in the middle so I could have a better chance of going far away from home for school. That was my initial goal, but I failed. I applied to schools that I was not qualified for and was thinking that I would get in to at least one of them, but that wasn’t the case. Also, going to a different high school, but then again, that wasn’t a choice made by myself but my parents.
If I could change one thing about my application it would be… My essay! I could’ve done way better and knowing that puts me in a bad state.
Definitely more ECs. I had a measly two…
you have to play to win
retaken the SATs/studied more
What the above poster said ^^
and
Visited more schools prior to applying and doing more research into them.
I wish I had spent more time studying for standardized tests like the SAT and ACT because it was the only thing that limited the competitiveness of my application. A higher SAT score would have opened up so many other schools as potential choices for me.
Emphasizing my personal growth from my different achievements/accomplishments prior to college.
So next year will be my final year of high school and I want to end it strong. I’m having some difficulty deciding what I should take.
I’m currently taking (junior year):
Symphony Orchestra (A)
AP BC Calculus (C+ first semester but A- second semester!)
AP Physics (A)
AP Spanish (A)
AP Language and Composition (A-)
U.S History (A)
As of right now, these are the classes I sign-up for next year (senior year):
Symphony Orchestra
AP Statistics
AP Biology
AP Literature
Government and Economics
Multivariable Calculus
The classes I’m debating between are MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS and AP COMPUTER SCIENCE for my senior year. I have to choose between these two.
The pros and cons of each class
Multivariable Calc
-highest level of math taught at my school (pro)
-taught by great teacher who I could ask to write my letter of rec (pro)
-shows I’m still challenging myself (pro)
-I most likely won’t get an A, it’s said to be super hard (con)
-only a 4.0 class (con)
AP Computer Science
-heard to be an easy A (pro)
-barely any homework, mostly classwork (pro)
-5.0 class (pro)
-still “technically” challenging myself (pro)
I’m most likely going to major in the science field (thinking of bio-physics) and I’m aiming for the top UCs and some private universities. Please leave any suggestions or ideas as to what I should do!
Definitely not fuck up math like every single year…hahahah and also second semester of chem…Man, my gpa would be so much better rn without math. (Maybe also start volunteering earlier)
If I could change one thing about my application it would be…
my ACT/SAT scores! 
Otherwise I’m pretty happy with my GPA, extracurriculars and awards/recognitions.
MY GPA BECAUSE PHYSICS RUINED MY LIFE DONT TAKE IT
I would do more stuff outside of school. I have few EC’s which will probably be my Achilles heel when it comes to admissions.
Add an objective statement clearly states the purpose of your resume.
focus on fewer activities…and wish i could’ve done better in them (aka national recognition)
GPA…
I’ll be applying with a 34 ACT, 2 sports (but each for 2 years b/c injury), two APs, with four more in the works. I was forced during my Sophomore year to renovate, and to sell, a house with my brother. I did not want to abandon my team, so I played that year through. Spent 3hrs a day at football, and another hour or so working every day of that year. Tack on about and hour and a half daily of AP Euro. reading, and then the rest of my homework…bad news.
The resulting 3.11 dragged my GPA to a 3.5.
My ACT, my AP scores, and a growing list of classics show my proficiency more than my GPA, but that 3.5 will ruin my chances at top-tier schools.
1st place in that talent show @azwu331 @Woandering