<p>darkruler, it depends on the schools you applied to. However, most schools, including MIT, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon, only recommend two years of a foreign language. Four is great, but it does NOT seem to be required.</p>
<p>I would not retake the SAT, but it's up to you. You have a very solid score, so don't let CCers get to you. If you need a boost of confidence, check out the Common Data Sets for SAT ranges.</p>
<p>ivis, the same applies to you about Spanish. I don't think the AIME will replace your math SAT (MIT doesn't, at least), but it's better than nothing! Things like a calculus/statistics AP score, AIME, competitions, etc. can help demonstrate your math ability. Unless you're shooting for MIT/Caltech/Harvey Mudd, a math score of at least 700 (or slightly lower) won't keep you out anywhere.</p>
<p>Dark: If you are applying to top schools that is not Tech oriented (MIT/caltech) and does not have foreign language requirements (or recommendations of up to 4), then go ahead. Otherwise, take the suggested road and take Spanish 4 or AP. </p>
<p>Ivis: I know sitting through the new SAT test is a pain, but it really depends on how low your scores are. You would think that most admissions officers at top 25 schools are very experienced and scrutinize every detail. The fact is, sometimes they use RANDOM alumni for advice and sometimes they just plain miss things. </p>
<p>You do not want to get rejected because it was some admission guy's day off and he missed the connection between your math events and your low SAT score. </p>
<p>Therefore, if your math score is too low I would retake the SATs. I know it seems horrible but think of it this way. Take 4 hours of pain for 4 years at the college of your choice? I would take the latter. </p>
<p>PS: I use the term "too low" because some people on this site are crazy and think a 700 or above on the math is low. It also depends on WHAT kind of schools you are applying to (ivies?).</p>
<p>hi, im a junior in high school and im about to take the SAT I next moth in april [ which by the way for anyone else worried about cramming, your not alone hah]. I first want to thank for all the help you are providing us. You could probably print a book and sell it. </p>
<p>Anyway, i had a few questions. First, for the SAT, for essay on the writing portion of the test, i did some practice essays in a SAT help class (Princeton) and I didn't really trust the feedback [apparently i need to work on handwriting and spacing (?)] Could you possibly explain the necessary content or grammer needed in a 12 essay? Also, i have problem with critical reading passages, do you have an advice to improve on it? i get about 620 on CR sections.</p>
<p>Also, pertaining to EC, you said that it can be the decisive factor in the application process. </p>
<p>I was wondering whether it matters how long you have been a member of a particular school club you mention? [ im not in too many clubs (Amnesty International and World Affairs Club) ]</p>
<p>AND...</p>
<p>Is it worth mentioning if you do not hold a high position such as VP or president? [i have no positions in any of those clubs]</p>
<p>I guess the only bright spot on my EC would be my volunteering (about 50 hours so far, help any?)</p>
<p>I was looking into NYU-stern and Columbia, what do you think i should do to change before apps have to get out?</p>
<p>thank you once again for all your help!</p>
<p>sorry for any spelling mistakes or anything. I'm doing this early in the morning [New Yorker]</p>
<p>ps. i really hope i don't come off as some worried, pee-in-pants type. hah thanks again!</p>
<p>hye guys, when you talk about declining or increasing GPAs, do you mean weighted or not?</p>
<p>reason why i ask is that i had a slightly higher GPA last year (sophomore year) than this year, but now i'm taking 4 APs, and independently studying AP euro. if i have a lower UW GPA this year, will adcoms understand?</p>
<p>Cornell is my dream school, but I have a funny GPA thing goin' on.</p>
<p>I stared out with a 4.0 freshman year, and since then got 1 B 3rd semester, 3 Bs 4th, and 4 Bs 5th. The rest were As, but my Bs are concentrated in core classes. If I could make all As this semester (which is my current GPA) would it be too little to late? It's a slight downwards trend, but I wanna know if that bounceback at the end helps me. I'm sure I could get a good SAT score, I'm just afraid a 3.6 (10th/11th core classes) could kill me in the end. I've also heard that Cornell uses all classes in GPA calc.</p>
<p>Mediocore weighted GPA (3.5 - rising) coupled with decent SAT (2100 - first take)</p>
<p>I'm in my second semester of junior year and I'm as worried as hell. The whole college thing is completely overwhelming right now and I am trying to pull myself together and get all of these different sections of college organized. I am trying my best to find out all of my options for financial aid/scholarships because I am really unable to afford college. What should I do?</p>
<p>Lazybutsmart: Read past essays (examples of 12s). Read up on newspapers and descriptive novels. Everyone LOVES metaphors and learning how to integrate that into your essay is crucial. We are all human and a descriptive essay (in my experience) has the greatest chance for a 12. For critical reading, there is a technique I taught for kids to let them speedread and pick out VERBS as well as important NOUNS. This technique works wonderfully but it requires my personal advice and some one-on-one training.</p>
<p>I suggest reading the newspaper everyday and looking up the words you don't know. Once you understand how important articles are written, try and understand their form. See how they are constructed and why they flow together so well. </p>
<p>Always mention your E.C.'s but try to find a common ground among them; such as responsibility, generosity, etc. Otherwise you'll just make a huge random list and make it seem like you are artificially buffing up your application. Good luck!</p>
<p>Murasaki: First of all, definitely apply ED. It will raise your chances substantially. Do not give up. Keep getting the A's and write your essay indirectly explaining an event or situation that resulted in the decline. In your case, I would highlight on a positive experience such as a new E.C. (job, etc) that took up a lot of your time academically.</p>
<p>letitenfoldyou : Talk to guidance at school. Ask for scholarship information and definitely search some up online. There are scholarships for EVERYTHING including for people with different hair color! They require you to do a lot of writing for essays but you can make that a secondary homework or morph one of your college essays into a scholarship essay.</p>
<p>Check into schools that give good financial aid. I do not know your stats but you could also apply to your state flagships that give hefty scholarships as well as honors status.</p>
<p>I am a junior, international student from Canada. I have several questions in mind for you. </p>
<p>1) Because the GAP calculation here is different, I don't know which GPA calculating system I should use. Here an A (86-100)=4.0, B(73-85)=3.0. I will not further discuss b/c I've never gotten below a B. If I use the system I have just mentioned, I would have gotten a 4.0 GPA. But, if i use the U.S. system, I will only get 3.85 GPA. Which one do you think the admissions will look at?</p>
<p>2) I have serious problems w/ the CR section. I am good at sentence completions but am totally rotten at reading comprehension. The answers that i choose are always out of scope or distorted. Do you have any good suggestions for LONG reading comp passages, especially the ones with multiple views? (I have no problem w/ the short one)</p>
<p>3) Any good examples I can use for the writing section?</p>
<p>4) I know I can get a perfect writing score but I always get one or two questions in the MC wrong. I have consistently been getting 10/12 or 11/12 on essays. How can I make my essay a 12 and how can I get that 1 or 2 questions in the MC right?</p>
<p>Thank you for you time. It is greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>comem: GPA for internationals will be weighted differently. Each college has their own methods but because your grades are very high anyways, do not worry about it. The GPA is an immutable factor and you cannot change it no matter what, so don't worry about it.</p>
<ol>
<li>Get princetonreview and barron's. The two are very different in teaching and although I prefer PR's review book more, barrons offers some tips and tricks along the way as well as extra practice. Here's one thing to do: every time you read a verb, MAKE NOTE OF IT. Make note of the important subjects too as you read through and then focus on the general first and then go into specifics when answering questions. It is very hard to tutor people over the internet so I'm afraid I can't give you any more advice than to do that and to get yourself some kind of tutoring program/books. Practice definitely makes perfect in this case and I would suggest you read the local newspapers everyday and try to understand the obvious and subtle points of articles.</li>
</ol>
<p>Good examples of essays include the essays in "top essays for colleges" books and the best Chicken Noodle short stories. </p>
<p>For a perfect 12/12 on the essay, read my original post on memorizing 2-3 GOOD essays before the SATs. </p>
<p>The MC on the writing should be pretty easy if you've read a lot or written a lot in the past. Reading newspapers and hard novels can help here. I would suggest revewing basic grammar and getting yourself a tutor/prep book.</p>
<p>Just 2 questions...
1.
On some applications colleges ask "what do you like to do in your free time?, whats ur favorite tv show, etc." My question is: Do they really want to know, honestly, or do they expect you to lie? I don't think some colleges would accept me based on my honest answers lol </p>
<p>2.
Let's say I have a sophmore teacher who would more than likely give me a better recommendation than my junior yr teachers, would his rec be frowned upon by colleges (top ones)?, even if he heads the National Hon. Society or is the head of a particular department.</p>
<ol>
<li>Be honest and write passionately but have it be related to your applicaton. For example, I might say my favorite TV show is The Daily Show because not only do I like humor, but also I can relate to the issues talked about and made fun of because I am heavily interested in politics/current news (I would especially write about this if I was a history/polisci major). Things like this can get your indirect message across without being fake. </li>
</ol>
<p>However, if you are an expert writer you could write about something sophisticated and still seem passionate. </p>
<ol>
<li>Definitely not. Get the rec from the soph teacher!! In fact, why not get it from both/all teachers? The more the better! (As long as you don't have like 5+).</li>
</ol>
<p>Hi, Accepted - I'm a junior taking the SAT in April...I read all of your notes in the thread and found them really helpful and motivational. Thank you SO MUCH for what you are doing.</p>
<p>Just a brief introduction: I'm an international student living in the US (this is my 4th year). I attend a pretty prestigious private high school. My gpa isn't stellar (3.85 ish), my recent ACT score was just SAD because, well, reading a foreign language under pressure doesn't come that easy. ECs...I have some, but nothing huge.</p>
<p>I have couple burning questions that I want to ask. I desperately need answers, or at least some guidance.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I transferred high schools in my sophomore year. In my freshman year, I was at a huge public school getting all As, then horribly screwed up my grades in sophomore year. I'm getting the upward trend, but the damage seems to be deep and permanent. Do you think this is going to hurt me a lot? How do I cover it up??</p></li>
<li><p>I founded an "oriental paper art club" last year. Paper art is one of my talents and I certainly do have a passion for it. However, due to the limited meeting time and the laid-back atmosphere of the club, we didn't get much done. And although I say it is my 'passion,' I'm also worried about presenting this to the colleges. Any idea on how I can save this EC and show the colleges that I didn't just create this to add it to my 'laundry list' ?</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>This is very easy to "cover up". Most people have the right idea of addressing their past school but they do it in the wrong way. They focus on the BAD things of their school instead of the GOOD things at their current environment. This is what you need to do in your main essay. Address the GOOD things happening for you at your current environment and only have 1-2 sentences (or even none) about what happened in the past.
Put the focus on the present and the future, as these two time frames are what the adcoms are worried about. Make this essay your best because it definitely needs to be. Write the best epiphany essay you can and make sure to focus on the FUTURE and your POSITIVE changes. Do not mention anything negative (ie: I had mean teachers).
I would say your epiphany essay will mean the difference between accepted and rejected at TOP schools. </p></li>
<li><p>Having any kind of recommendation letter would help with respect to the oriental E.C. I would not write an essay about it as there is not much to work with, but you can definitely have someone (perhaps a supervisor?) write you a recommendation based on the leadership and passion you've showed for this E.C. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>First of all, thank you so much for all your tips, AcceptedtoCollegeAlready! It took me about twenty minutes or so to read the whole thread but ti was worth it :-)</p>
<p>I have some questions:
I've been reading your posts about foreign language. I didn't weant to waste my junior year by takign Spanish 4 and opted for Chamber Chorus instead (which, at my school is a very good program). I've been taking Chorus for three years and by graduation I'll have taken four years of it. I've been consistently moving up and got into the best chorus. I'm a pretty good singer, but I'm nowhere near considering that for like a major or anything: it's more of a class that gets me through the school day (as well as an extracurricular). I'm going to audition for All-State in NY. I care a lot for chorus and I absolutely love singing; it's just that I'm not considering a career in chorus, if you know what I mean.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Will the fact that I quit Spanish affect my acceptance?</p></li>
<li><p>Reading the above (sorry if it's too long), will colleges look at my music classes and consider that as an extracurricular?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Also, I did volunteer work (200+ hours) one summer at a daycare center, and I want to be an elementary school teacher possibly one day. The problem is that I haven't been to the daycare center in almost two years. So</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you think it's plausible to write a college essay on it?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you think I should ask the principal of the school for a rec, even though I haven't contacted her in almost two years?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you so much, and I can really appreciate any help you could give me. =) <em>crosses fingers</em></p>
<ol>
<li><p>For top schools (I'm familiar with the top 25), I think it might. Although it might not hurt you, Adcoms definitely care more about Spanish 4 than any kind of "Chorus" class. Adcoms would see chorus as one of those filler senior year "free A's". I don't like recommending people to take Spanish when they would rather take something they LIKE but I would much rather you take the safe route. You've made it this far, what is one more Spanish class going to hurt? I will recommend you continue your foreign language and pursue chorus/singing as an E.C. if you like.</p></li>
<li><p>List it as an E.C. even if you haven't done anything out of school. Just put "Chorus". Do you guys have performances? I took Drama in high school and I put "Lead actor", "Assistant Director", etc all in my E.C.'s. because of one play we had :)</p></li>
<li><p>If you can write a GOOD essay that indirectly and directly relates to your academics and your application then do it. </p></li>
<li><p>That depends on you. I don't know the status of your relationship and how well your principal regards you. If you are unsure, suggest to the principal what you would like her to focus on in your recommendation. If she agrees, then good. If not, then don't get her to write your rec. Make sure you send other recs along with your principal's.</p></li>
</ol>