<p>I know how to read arabic, but I cant speak it. Learning arabic is one of my main goals.</p>
<p>If your only in-depth E.C. is sports, then I would definitely advise you write about it. Just remember to not write about something boring and overhyped like "The Big Game" or in your case, "The Big Swim Competition". </p>
<p>These essays usually start with something like "I didn't think I was going to win or was good enough but through morals like persistence I was able to overcome my _____ and I won! That's how I showed leadership blah blahblah " </p>
<p>Be realistic and write why the sport or activity is an important part of your life instead of focusing on events and cliche phrases. </p>
<p>However, most schools require more than one essay. I would write one about swimming and have your second essay write about something more pertinent to the institution you are applying to.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Accepted, just one more question!</p>
<p>Do colleges look at the level of a foreign language that you take or just at how many years you took in HS.</p>
<p>IE, I took Spanish 1 in 8th grade, which doesn't show up on my transcript. I then took Spanish 2 in 9th grade and Spanish 3 over the summer. How many years of credit would that be?</p>
<p>To Docta: Even though I'm not AcceptedToCollegeAlready, based on what you said, you would only have two credits of Spanish (because you mentioned that the Spanish I does not show up on your transcript). I'm sure AcceptedToCollegeAlready has some advice on how to turn your lack of years of a foreign language into a positive.</p>
<p>To AcceptedToCollegeAlready: I'm graduating early, and even though some people have tried to convince me not to, I feel that it will be to my benefit to graduate early (maxed out most courses to the highest level by end of next year, will be valedictorian of class of '07 while taking classes that I enjoy and find challenging, definitely mature enough to handle college life, and etc.). All the colleges that I contacted want me to write a supplementary essay about why I want to graduate early, and you seem to have good ideas about essays and how to convey one's self through it. I want to know how you would present a situation like graduating early without boring the reader with a list of reasons or coming off as pompous.</p>
<p>Docta: You are definitely on the right track. Continue with your Spanish by taking Spanish 4 or Spanish AP next year. </p>
<p>Siren: Your academic achievements are very impressive and it will be very important that you convey your reasons correctly. As a note of advice, note that admissions through graduating early may be a bit harder than normal admissions. Colleges may be skeptical and therefore scrutinize every part of your application.</p>
<p>For your essays, I would make sure that one of them shows one of your most important E.C.'s that shows leadership. Try not to show maturity itself but instead use words that are a bit advanced and yet flow together nicely. Make sure you ACTUALLY know what these words mean though as it can totally backfire on you if you do not.</p>
<p>A strong leadership essay that is profound while using advanced words to convey your experiences would probably be the best bet here. However, if you feel you can write well concerning another profound experience/E.C., then feel free too but do not directly mention maturity at all.</p>
<p>Your second essay should focus on why you want to attend the institution you are applying to and list realistic yet obscure sources. Try to find things that one cannot find just spending 10 minutes browsing on their MAIN site. Instead, take their search engine and for example if you are applying as a business/econ major, type in business competitions or business as a search topic. Then make sure you search around and find something that interests you about that topic and then make that your thesis for why you want to attend. Take two or three other (maybe one or two known facts and another obscure one) as other reasons why you want to attend. </p>
<p>Finally, a third essay (if there is one) can be on whatever you like.</p>
<p>Lastly, make sure your recommendations do show how mature and qualified you are. Of course you cannot see your recs but usually you can suggest to your teachers to please focus on your maturity and qualification when writing your recs. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Accepted:</p>
<p>The problem is, I don't have any room in my schedule to take Spanish 4/AP Spanish. Would that be a problem if I only went up to Spanish 3 and thus only have technically 2 years of HS FL.</p>
<p>BTW, the schools I'm interested in recommend 4 years (eg Yale)</p>
<p>thesiren72102:</p>
<p>Another person graduating early and my advice to him.
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=1617237#post1617237%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=1617237#post1617237</a></p>
<p>It is very important that you continue to take Spanish 4 and AP Spanish. Anything that is recommended is usually VERY important if you truly want to attend that institution and it is not your safety. </p>
<p>I'm sure you can make room for the class by taking out something else. Not taking the next level of a foreign language has kept students out of competitive institutions before and it may happen to you.</p>
<p>If you TRULY cannot take it, then dont' worry about it but I would definitely kick out an elective or another AP course to add in Spanish AP or Spanish 4.</p>
<p>To PavelB: Great advice! I had a simular idea to it, but I was kind of worried about how to present it to them in a good manner. By the way, congrats on graduating early and pursuing college (yeah, I know I'm about a couple of years too late), how are things going for you at college?</p>
<p>To AcceptedToCollegeAlready: Thank you for the adivice; I never thought to IMPLY why I am qualified and mature enough to go to a certain school. I always thought that I had to outright say it for them to get my point across about it in concern of graduating early. Keep up the great advice!!</p>
<p>Would taking Spanish 4 at a community college or private school over the summer be considered a year? My school offers AP Spanish (4th year), but if I took Spanish 4 over the summer, would it still seem that I tried to get out of it even though I am taking a full schedule of other AP and honors courses?</p>
<p>BTW, do colleges look at the level of Spanish you take or just at how many specific years you took in HS? I'm asking because I took Spanish 1 in 8th grade, but it doesn't show up on my transcript :(.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for all of the advice. I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>Yes continuing Spanish anywhere would be counted and considered, whether it be during the summer or at a CC/private. Colleges want to see CONSISTENT spanish taking until up to AP or level 4. You can stop after that :)</p>
<p>So my 8th grade Spanish 1 would be noted, even though I started Spanish 2 immediately upon entering 9th grade (8th grade isn't on my transcript)?</p>
<p>Thanks so mcuh for the advice!!!</p>
<p>"Harry Potter is like Lord Of the Rings Lite, the same way Narnia is like Harry Potter Lite. Ripoffs of each other."</p>
<p>The Narnia books were originally published in the early 1950s, and teh LOTR books in the mid to late 1950s...so Narnia is obviously not ripped off from anyone...plus Lewis and Tolkien were colleagues so similar writing styles make sense. If anything, the only accuracy of your statement could be that Rowling "ripped off" either Narnia or LOTR.</p>
<p>Sorry if I seemed to overreact-just get irritated easily lol</p>
<p>hello! a nice day to you!
may i ask some questions, thanks!
1: i have come from China this year, as a junior. and will colleges count my "foreign language"(chinese) courses if they are not on the transcript?
2: could i write an essay about what had changed me when i was only 6?
3: i have badminton awards(province level),and is badminton skills common in the applicants in American?
4: I'm one of the inventors of a few inventional patents, do you think this is unique and can be helpful?
thanks for any respond~~</p>
<p>
[quote]
If anything, the only accuracy of your statement could be that Rowling "ripped off" either Narnia or LOTR.
[/quote]
Or perhaps both.</p>
<p>Hey acceptedtocollege--</p>
<p>I was wondering if you could share those tips for people with relatively low (3.6-3.7uw) GPAs and high SATs (2250+)? </p>
<p>Muchas gracias in advance :)</p>
<p>PS, THANK YOU katiebee for pointing out the Narnia thing. Whew.</p>
<p>AcceptedtoCollege-first i just want to say thanx for starting up a great thread with lots of good info and tips.
Here is a random question that I have:</p>
<p>I have been taking spanish since i was in fifth grade allowing me to skip a level of Spanish one when I got to high school. I am going to continue spanish and maybe even do an AP Spanish class when I am a senior.
Next year though(junior year) I wan to try another language Madarin which is offered at my school. I would be only able though to take this for two years. It is something I really want to learn but i am afraid if it will effect it negatively. Sorry for blabbing on but the point is will madarin help me and hinder me?</p>
<p>Hey: This is actually a pretty easy one as I was put into this situation last year. If you do not have rising trends however, I would clearly focus your essays on extra-curriculars. Make a LIST and go into each one. If you are required for 2-3 essays, do them on your important E.C.'s and THEN do 1-2 more essays on different E.C.'s. Each essay on an E.C. should be profound and show how you either benefited your community or how it was a huge use of your time. </p>
<p>The reason you do this is so colleges can see "Oh this kid did so much outside of his school, that explains his GPA. Look, his SAT scores prove it!" A list of E.C.'s (you can pad some or quickly join some volunteer groups) and subsequent essays on them can help you get into top schools and even beat out 4.0's with that same SAT score of 2250.
The reason is because top schools WANT diversity and if they see your E.C's and hard work outside of school + 3.6 + 2250 and another applicant that is 4.0 and 2250, they may take you over that applicant! It definitely happens more often than people may think.</p>
<p>Misty: As long as you do UP to Spanish 4 or AP Spanish, you can pursue your Mandarin classes without fear.</p>
<p>I have 2 questions, if you could help.</p>
<p>1.) I want to major in math/applied math, so IO stopped taking Spanish in my sophmore year after Spanish 3. Will this hurt alot if I replaced it with my schools advance Engineering class?</p>
<p>2) Should I worry about retaking the SAT I with a 2310? I thought it was great, but people here asr saying I might want to retake, because I got a 720 CR - 800 M- 790 W; my CR is lower. Are they right, or am I okay?</p>
<p>Thanks for any help!</p>
<p>First I want to say, this thread is brilliant; thanks for making it. :] I also have some questions I'd like to ask:</p>
<p>Say I didn't score quite so well in the math section of the SAT. I don't really want to retake it, so if I showed to colleges I am capable of doing math through AMC, AIME, or other math-related events, would that be enough? Also, if my school offers Spanish V, but I choose not to take it because of scheduling conflicts, would that reflect badly?</p>